Alzheimer's - Finding the Right Treatment Plan

Over the past 8 years, my family has been dealing with signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's in my Mom who is now 86. Initially, with her forgetfulness and not recognizing someone right away, we thought, you know she is getting old; she is entitled to not being right every now and then, heaven knows we forget from time to time ourselves. But the frequency of these signs started occurring on a regular basis.

 My Mom was initially taken to a geriatric psychiatrist in NH where she lived. The Dr. prescribed a drug called Aricept, the one you see most of the time on TV commercials. This drug with its popularity sounded promising, but after a couple years of trying this medication, there were no significant signs of improvement. She also suffered many of the side effects associated with this medication i.e. dizziness, upset stomach, nausea, trouble eating, and sleeping disorders.

In 2005, my Mom desperately needed knee replacement surgery on her right knee. The operation was successful; however, there was a drastic change in my Mom's memory and behavior. My Mom would hide her purse and wallet, thinking everyone wanted to steal it. She could never remember where it was hidden and would accuse family members of taking it.

 In addition to the stealing and hiding, she became very paranoid. She needed all the window shades drawn and the outside doors locked late in the afternoon everyday. The level of anxiety and agitation she displayed became more heightened.

She would get up and down from her chair to check the windows and locks and repeat herself over and over asking everyone if the doors were locked. Just in general, she was up and down and would never stay still for any period of time. She was like the Ever Ready Bunny, i.e. she kept going and going. I was exhausted just watching her and I am 35 years younger. She had always been physically active walking and exercising.

 She took good care of herself eating right, baked or broiled, chicken and fish and lots of vegetables. She religiously took her vitamins and supplements every morning with a bowl of homemade oatmeal sprinkled with bran on top, a glass of half prune and half orange juice mixed together, yogurt and a cup of coffee.
 
My Mom Click Here! was an old-fashioned cook, making everything from scratch. Her nickname was Betty, aka Betty Crocker, making sure there were three balanced meals made everyday with desserts.

 These meals were not your simple toast and coffee. I am talking bacon and eggs, homemade blueberry muffins, pancakes, homemade oatmeal, percolated coffee, roast beef sandwiches from the prior night's dinner for lunch with homemade soups, homemade cookies, then homemade spaghetti sauce and spaghetti for dinner with bread, salad and more desserts, like apple or blueberry pie with ice cream.

 For the holidays, she out did herself making numerous cakes, pies, breads, cookies, fudge, and other various desserts along with all the main meal's homemade items. She made enough food to feed an army, our family, friends and neighbors.

 If you can believe it, we were all pencil thin, the good old days for sure. This cooking exercise was my Mom's regular routine for over 60 years until Alzheimer's hit. At that point, she had difficulty remembering how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

 Also as part of my Mom's regular routine, she cleaned, cleaned and cleaned, using Ammonia, Clorox, Pinesol, Lysol, Windex and Pledge. Did your love one use any of these products? I sometimes wonder if there is a link with these products or a combination thereof and Alzheimer's. Or is there a correlation with the bleached sugar used in all the desserts we ate? Or the Crisco and butter?


Back to the surgery, a few year's after the surgery, I learned that being heavily sedated, i.e. under anesthesia can cause Alzheimer's to progress more rapidly. I had also heard in more recent years that if surgery is necessary in an Alzheimer's patient, inquire on whether or not a spinal block could suffice or if there are various levels of anesthesia, maybe a lower dosage. My Mom required a second knee replacement in 2008. This surgery advanced the Alzheimer's to an almost uncontrollable state with full-on hallucinations and delusions, screaming fits.

 My Mom after surgery didn't believe she was in a hospital or that she had been through surgery. With all the wires and monitors, she thought someone had pulled her house apart and was doing construction. She screamed that she was going to sue for wrecking her house.

 She yanked out her IV and next tried her catheter. While in the hospital, 24/7 nurse bed watch was required. I believe that her pain medication OxyContin attributed to her crazy uncontrollable behavior. We had never seen her in this psychotic state. That medication in my mind was not for her. After being released from the hospital and into a nursing rehabilitation center, she gained control of some of her senses but not all.

 A doctor at the rehabilitation facility introduced more sedating medication like Seroquel and Lorazepam. Her downtime from this surgery seemed miraculous. She was capable of walking almost instantaneously with no pain. I believe that the Alzheimer's numbed that part of the brain in charge of pain, no brain no pain. My Mom continued on low doses of Lorazepam,.5 mg and Seroquel, 25-30 mg. These medications were used to quiet her symptoms of agitation and anxiety which occurred late in the afternoon and early evening. These symptoms later became known to us as the Alzheimer's symptoms for sundowning. Going from light to dark triggers a reaction in the brain that causes agitation.


For the next year, my Mom's legs strengthened, but her mind and behavior declined. The decline may be attributed to insufficient social interaction. I have been told that social interaction for Alzheimer patients is very beneficial and therapeutic, adult daycare centers specializing in Alzheimer's is a good avenue to pursue. Seek daycares that have programs involving physical exercise, mind games, eye, hand coordination activities e.g. arts and crafts. Also, ensure that the facility has some type of security or wander band should your loved one become confused and walk away.


My Mom, on the other hand, was being watched by only one family member and received limited visitors. In March 2009, my younger brother and I became jointly responsible for my Mom's health which at that time, I brought her to CA. I was eager to have her here, because I felt that California's medical care surpassed that in many other states. My belief is based upon our elderly population. We have a greater population due to our weather and state size. CA also has the greatest number of doctors of any state due to size. I am also surrounded by many retirement communities.


One notable event that occurred while travelling by air from Boston to Los Angles, half-way through our flight, my Mom flipped out. What I mean is, she started screaming, swearing, kicking, hitting and pulling my hair. She got out of her seat and started aggressively charging towards first class. She thought she was at a job that she held more than twenty years ago.

 She wanted to speak to the bosses because she didn't know where all the products went that they had made. With the assistance of 4 flight attendants and paging a doctor, my Mom was brought back to her seat but would not sit down; they walked her up and down the aisle to calm her. My Mom carried on for the remainder of the flight and when we started approaching Los Angeles, she would not sit down for landing. The doctor, a geriatric psychiatrist seating diagonal to us helped to seat her.

 We both held her down for landing. The flight attendants were going to use a straight jacket. I was never so scared or embarrassed. I thought my Mom would sleep the entire flight since I choose a direct evening flight.

After this episode and finally returning home and getting settled, I did my research to seek programs available for people with Alzheimer's. I had the good fortune to speak with a Program Director at our local Adult Senior Daycare Center.

 The woman I spoke to provided me with names and telephone numbers of medical resources to contact to have my Mom evaluated. Prior to this time, no one really medically evaluated her. My Mom went to the doctor's every several months and family members talked about her condition, but there was no real testing.

 The appointment time would probably last 15 minutes tops every 6 months to a year. No one ever explained anything to us or what direction we should go. There was no Alzheimer's map. Now, the next set of events was the most valuable and sped up the finding of a successful treatment plan in a matter of a few months.

1. My Mom went to a Neurologist who ordered that a MRI, blood work, and a genetic test be performed called the Apolipoprotein E Genotype. There is a genetic marker that seems to be prevalent in most people with Alzheimer's, it could be all patients but I don't remember exactly. If you are tested for this marker, and have it, it doesn't mean that you will have Alzheimer's if I understood the Doctor's explanation correctly, so double check if you have it done. If you have a parent with Alzheimer's, you have a 50/50 chance of having Alzheimer's too.

2. The Neurologist also had an Internal Medicine doctor perform an extensive memory test. This test was more intensive and longer than what is called the Folstein Mini Mental Test. The Folstein Test is a good test to try at home and as a doctor's follow-up evaluation. I found this link below that had a good example of the Folstein test.

http://www.utmb.edu/psychology/PRT_Courses/ClinPsych04/Mentalst.htm
3. Once all the tests results were evaluated, my Mom was placed on several prescription medications to begin the trial and error process to determine which medication(s) would work best. Medications work differently with each person. It was also explained to me that my Mom could have Lewy Body, and not Alzheimer's. The words Lewy Body were completely foreign to me. What the heck was Lewy Body? Lewy Body has the hallucinations and sleep disorders along with other symptoms and falls into the Parkinson family. A definitive diagnosis cannot be made, unless a brain autopsy is performed upon death.

4. My Mom was initially prescribed Namenda, Exelon, COQ10 (400 mg) and a low dosage of Seroquel. The Doctor had said it would take awhile for the medications to get into her system and take affect before the result could be determined. For the next few weeks, I thought I had Dr. Jeckal and Mr. Hyde living with me. My Mom didn't sleep, she thought my Dad was still living and she would scream "Where is he?" She thought my 50 year old brother was 6 with the Mumps and would scream "Where did he go, he is very sick with a high fever?"

Ever few minutes I became a different person to her. She would ask "Where did the other person go that was just here?" You could never convince her that you were the same person.

 Or that her kids were all grown up. She lives in the past when she was a young girl and her Mom was still alive. My Grandmother has been dead for over 50 years. My Mom would go to my son's room and ask him where his parents were and how could they leave him here. She told him not to eat the food it was poisoned. My Mom rarely slept, which meant I didn't sleep.

 My house has lots of stairs so I was nervous my Mom would get out of bed and go roaming and maybe fall. I slept right next to her or tried. My Mom would put clothes over her pajamas when she got dressed. I became so frazzled you would have thought I was the patient. I finally called the Doctor after a couple weeks and conveyed everything to him. He said some things were symptoms of Alzheimer's and some were side effects of the medications. Now how was I suppose to know what was what.

 I asked if my Mom could be checked into a facility where they could monitor the various introductions of medications and behaviors to come up with which ones would work. When he said yes, that was all I needed to hear.

5. The hospital facility has a unit that is for the sole purpose of assessing a dementia patient and deriving at a treatment plan. This unit is comprised of a team of Psychiatrists, Internal Medicine Doctors, Social Workers, Physical Therapists and Nurses. The Team works with a small group of patients in an assisted care type of environment. They have a calendar of daily events that the patients participate in.

 For example, there are exercises, arts and crafts, brain games and afternoon movies. The patient is observed 24/7 for a period of 2 weeks. Each week the team meets to discuss each patient's progress and whether or not the prescribed medications are working or if medication modification is necessary.

6. A psychiatrist meets every day with each patient. The patients wear their normal street clothes and a wander bracelet for safety. During the first 3 days of treatment; it is recommended that family members do not visit. The purpose of no visitation is to assess the patient's true behavior. This type of program is needed and should be available in every city and state throughout America in every hospital. The program only takes patients 55 years old and up. This particular Facility's program should be used as the model to replicate everywhere.

7. At the conclusion of the 2 week stay, they were able to keep my Mom calm so she wasn't up and down and roaming all over and would sleep through the night. My Mom even participated in some classes. She thought she was in school and asked when she was getting her report card. The combination of medication this time around consisted of Namenda, Depakote, Lorazepam, Seroquel, this dosage went from 25 milligrams to a 300 mg time released formula. Everything seemed to be going well until I brought her home. She became very anxious and didn't know who I was. She thought that I was poisoning everything and was going to kill her and my son. When she bathed, she couldn't believe she wasn't turning blue.

 She came out of the bathroom naked. She said the audience was going to be mad at her. I immediately paged the Doctor and had spoken to him a few times prior. At this point, he said to bring her back. When we arrived at the hospital, my Mom knew something was going on and didn't want to go into the building. She ran from me. The hospital is on a busy street so I naturally panicked. After pretending, I was leaving, I got back into the car and she eventually got in. I drove to the back of the hospital where the team was waiting.

8. My Mom stayed another 2 weeks. During this time she was given a drug called GEODON, 40 mg. After seeing her on this drug, I thought she was cured. She was acting normal, and coherent, and spoke logically. I couldn't believe it. This drug along with the prior medications in 4 seemed to do the trick. My Mom acted normal with me during the remainder of her stay with me in CA. In the middle of August 2009, I transported her to St. Louis to stay with my brother. We share her jointly. I stayed in St. Louis for 2 weeks to ensure the transition would go smoothly.

Another noteworthy event was the flight to St. Louis. My Mom started to act somewhat crazy. She wanted scissors to cut her seat belt so she could get out. She kept fidgeting trying to get it to release. I had placed her in a window seat and made her stay seated until we landed. I tried my best to keep her distracted. Thank God we were close to landing.

 I think there is something that happens with the brain at high altitudes or under the condition of being in a compressed air environment. I asked the doctors, but no one could answer. Maybe the oxygen supply becomes thinner like when you climb a mountain. I believe there is a direct link with the brain and a person with Alzheimer's behavior so don't transport someone alone, like I did and if you can travel by ground do so.

9. Since my Mom has been in St. Louis and under my brother's care, she was approved as a candidate for a trial research drug program for Eli Lilly. It is approximately a 2 year program. The test medication has gone through many prior test trial programs. The programs have seen much success with the drug. This drug attacks the plaque in the brain and breaks it down. The plaque build-up is what expert believe causes Alzheimer's. My Mom receives an infusion every month. We don't know for sure if she is the patient receiving the actual medication or the placebo, but we believe that she is getting the drug. After the infusion, she becomes very alert and sometimes wakes up during the night. Since being on this trial program though my Mom has lost over 40 pounds and has more or less stopped eating sufficient meals.

 She is consuming protein shakes which contain 25 grams of protein along with other vitamins and minerals, bananas, berries, vegetable powder, ice cream or yogurt. She drinks these twice a day along with drinking a couple Ensures. We are not sure if her lack of appetite is due to the medication, progression of the disease, or a change in her environment. Her Doctor is okay with her current weight. She keeps asking "When am I going home, my Mother is looking for me." My Mom has incontinence and constipation and needs full assistance bathing and dressing. She has fallen a few times due to not always using a walker to steady her gait.

In conclusion, is there any real cure? No. Is there a treatment plan that can work? Yes, however, depending if you take the one doctor one drug at a time approach it may take a lifetime to find out what works and doesn't work and you may end up in the hospital from stress and fatigue.

 I recommend the team facility approach to expedite results. If Alzheimer's runs in you family, make sure to get a Durable Power of Attorney for Health and Finance and a Will and Living Will put in place early while you are still deemed competent for your health and finance.

 Also specify your wishes for facility placement should your care become too overwhelming for your family or caregiver. If you have assets, you may wish to gift them early to your heirs, the rule is 5 years or more so they are not taken for payment to get into a facility. There are also rules to qualify for Medicaid.

 If you are over the threshold but cannot pay 100% of a facility's monthly amount, Medicaid may kick in the difference which falls under paying for the Medically Needy. Medicaid has monthly income and asset thresholds.

Check with your state to find out how much those thresholds are. You can normally find this information online.

I have a survey that I created to see if there is any correlation with a person's environment, foods they ate, cleaning fluids or chemicals they may have been exposed to.

 I am not a doctor or in the medical field, but I feel that if I could see all the data, I may be able to determine if there are any correlations with everyone, what is the common denominator.

Doctors are working on curing Alzheimer's and not what is causing it. If you would like to participate with this survey, please email me at comments@herocardsinc.com.

 Or if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me. As always, let's thank our everyday Heroes, our military, firefighters, police force and especially our doctors, nurses, paramedics, caregivers, etc.

Thank you!!!! Hero Cards, Inc. ( http://www.herocardsinc.com )
For more information on Alzheimer's, please go to the Alzheimer's Association website.

http://www.herocardsinc.com

In 2008, Hero Cards, Inc. was founded to provide tangible opportunities for recognizing and thanking individuals who make a difference in our world.

The company offers a greeting card line of the highest quality that is both cost and ecologically conscious and provides a percentage of its profits to families and organizations that have faced adversity. Hero Cards are designed and manufactured in the USA of recycled materials. Hero Cards, Inc. is a member of the Greeting Card Association (GCA), the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and is certified by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathryn_D_Alexander

How to Avoid Alzheimer's Disease

In 1906 Dr. Alois Alzheimer (1864-1915) a German psychiatrist and neuropathologist described the first case of the form of dementia during a lecture at the German Psychiatrists conference in Tubingen, which is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

 He was describing one of his patients, whose symptoms were memory loss, language problems and unpredictable behavior.

 After her death, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in her brain tissue, abnormal clumps and tangled bundles of fibers. Since then, this disease is one of the most common dementia in the aging population, bearing Alzheimer's name.

Alzheimer disease is a neurodegenerative disorder which shows progressive dementia and it is the fourth most common cause of death.

There are clear pathological hallmarks of the disease, mainly in the form of plaques and tangles. Plaques are abnormal clusters and fragments of protein, which build up between nerve cells. Dying nerve cells contain tangles, which are made up of another protein.

 These plaques and tangles might be the reason for cell death and tissue loss in the Alzheimer's brain.

Our brain has three major parts: the cerebrum, the cerebellum and the brain stem. The cerebrum is the major content of our skull. Its main function is in the areas of remembering, problem solving, thinking, feeling and controlling our movement.

The cerebellum located at the back of our head, under the cerebrum and it controls our coordination and balance. The brain stem is located beneath the cerebrum in front of the cerebellum. It connects the brain to the spinal cord and controls functions which are automatic, such as breathing, digestion, heart rate and blood pressure.

The brain is nourished by networks of blood vessels comprised of arteries, veins and capillaries. The arteries carry blood to fuel our brain with each heartbeat.

The unique outer layer of our brain is called the cortex, which is quite clearly mapped according to specific functions. Among the major functions we can notice our sight, sound and smell, thoughts, problem solving, memory storing and retrieving and controlling certain movements.

Our brain is divided into two hemispheres; the left half controls the right body's side and the right half controls the left side. The speech-language area is on the left side in most people. The brain contains over 100 billion neurons or nerve cells, which branches and generates connections at more than 100 trillion connection points.

 Brain signals are traveling via the network of neurons involving our memories, thoughts, and feelings. Nerve cells are connected to one another at synapses. A burst of chemicals called neurotransmitters are released at the synapses when triggered by the appropriate electric charge and so the 'message' is carried to other cells.

Alzheimer's disease is responsible for the destructions of those neurons and to the disruption of the activity of the neurotransmitters. We also know that Alzheimer's disease leads to nerve cell death and tissue loss throughout the brain. Over time, the brain shrinks dramatically, affecting nearly all its functions. Shrinkage is especially severe in the hippocampus, which is an area of the cortex that plays a major role in formation of new memories.
 
Early symptoms are in the area of learning and memory, thinking and planning, which may interfere with work or social life. At this stage people may get confused and have problems expressing themselves, organizing and handling money.

As Alzheimer's progresses, individuals may experience changes in personality and behavior and have trouble recognizing friends and family members. People with Alzheimer may live an average of eight years. In certain cases it maybe more depends on other health conditions and other factors like genetics.

What causes Alzheimer?
It is assumed that the cause is a complex sequence of events comprising of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors. We do not understand the exact cause or the contributions of those factors and it varies from case to case.

What diagnostic tools are available?
Until today, there are no effective therapies to cure, to halt or to slow down the progression of Alzheimer disease. At the same time there are many diagnostic tools to identify the disease, such as non-invasive imaging techniques to assess the aspects of neuro-anatomy, chemistry, physiology, and pathology of the disease and its evolutionary status.

One of the popular examinations is using Magnetic Resonance Imagin
g (MRI), mainly because it enables the visualization of the brain structures in three dimensions. Computed Tomography (CT) is another visualization tool used for the diagnosis and evaluation of dementia, especially for cases at early stages.

The Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan shows brain activity in real-time associated with functions such as: reading, hearing, thinking and saying words. High activity areas are marked with red and they decrease in colors as activity level decreased.

 PET scan is also used to detect alterations in regional brain metabolism. This metabolic over activity is reflected as "red-hot-spots" on PET images, enabling doctors to confirm the status of suspected tumor area and assess whether they have spread. Recently, new devices combining multi-modalities are being developed such as MRI/PET. This is a hybrid imaging technology that utilizes MRI soft tissue morphological capabilities with PET functional imaging, which is effective for tumor detection.

What parts of the brain are affected?
Alzheimer eventually affects most parts of the brain. However, each person is affected differently as the disease progresses. The main brain regions affected by Alzheimer are the frontal, temporal and the parietal lobes.

The frontal lobe is located at the front of the brain and controls a range of functions such as intelligence, making decisions, solving problems and other mental and social functions.
Damage to this area causes decrease in quality of life and generates severe problems for patients to take care of themselves.

The temporal lobe is located at both temples and ears and they are responsible for the long and the short term memories. Episodic memory helps us to remember events such as where we parked our car or where are our house keys. Remembering such events requires the storing and retrieving processes located at our temporal lobe. The Ability to learn is located in these regions, so damage to these areas may lead to memory loss. This loss causes the inability to register new information and retrieve it later when needed.

Speech ability is located behind the temporal lobe at the parietal lobe. This region is also responsible for the visual system and enables visual analysis and stimuli. Damage to this area may cause abnormal speech and visual problems.

Alzheimer first affects the hippocampus which is located in the medial temporal lobe of the brain. It is the area of the brain in which new memories are formed. It then moves to other areas affecting different functions such as reasoning or emotions. The cerebellum and the brain stem are the last areas of the brain to be affected. This is when we lose control of basic functions such as breathing, heart-rate and blood pressure. This is Alzheimer's final stage leading to death.

What medications are available to treat Alzheimer?
There are four FDA approved medications to treat Alzheimer. Donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine are used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer and moderate to severe Alzheimer is treated by memantine and also donepezil. These drugs are regulating neurotransmitters. They may assist in memory improvement, speaking and help with certain behavioral problems. The problem with these drugs is that their efficacy is limited to certain group of patients and for a limited period.

What do we know about the statistics of Alzheimer's disease?

• More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer.
• The number of Alzheimer's cases doubles every five years after age 65 and the risk is about 50 percent after age 85. About 10 percent of all Alzheimer cases are at age around 30.
• More women than men develop Alzheimer's disease.
• Alzheimer's disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States.
• Payments for care are estimated to be $200 billion in the United States in 2012. It is estimated that the total cost of Alzheimer's is $604 billion worldwide.
• High glucose levels can double our lifetime risk for developing Alzheimer's.
• Stroke and Alzheimer's share many risk factors and the likelihood of dementia is doubled after a stroke.

What are the risk factors?
There are uncontrollable risk factors such as genetics and aging and risk factors that we may control such as our life habits.

The known and established risk factors for Alzheimer's disease are genetics and aging; both uncontrollable. Alzheimer in our close family in most cases will increase our risk probability for Alzheimer's disease. However, even in those cases we still may not get the disease.

 So currently we don't have solutions, but it is assumed that adopting healthy brain life habits might delay or even prevent the appearance of Alzheimer's disease in certain cases.

What can we do to reduce the risk?
Healthy brain life habits are not only keeping fit from the neck down, but in addition to perform certain daily exercises. Recent emerging evidence suggests there are certain steps we can take to help keep our brain healthier as we age. Some of these steps might also reduce our risk of Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.

• Maintaining good blood flow - Physical exercise is essential for maintaining good blood flow to the brain. This is critical also for the generation of new brain cells. It also can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes. According to the Alzheimer's Research & Prevention Foundation, this step may reduce the risk by 50 percent
• Low cholesterol diet - Low fat, low cholesterol diet with dark vegetables and fruits, which contain antioxidants, may help protect brain cells. We know that high cholesterol may contribute to stroke and brain cell damage.
• Reducing stress - Social activity not only makes physical and mental activity more enjoyable, it can reduce stress levels, which helps maintain healthy connections among brain cells. Studies show that the more connected we are, the better are our memory and cognition.
• Sleeping well - Nightly sleep deprivation may slow our thinking and affecting our mood. We may be at greater risk of developing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Sleep apnea has long been recognized as a cause of decreased daytime alertness, but recent studies suggest it may also increase the risk of dementia.
• Stop smoking - Smoking will increase the risk factor and may reduce the age of Alzheimer's onset by seven years. Smoking has an extremely harmful effect on the heart, lungs and vascular system, including the blood vessels in the brain. There is a significant improvement in blood circulation when smoking habits are abandoned.
• Stop drinking alcohol - Brain changes from alcohol abuse can only be reversed in their early stages. Drinking above recommended levels of alcohol significantly increases the risk of developing dementias such as Alzheimer's, vascular and other alcohol-related dementias.
• Brain cells stimulation- "Use it or lose it" - Mentally stimulating activities such as crossword puzzles, reading, learning and interactive computer games may create new nerve cells and at the same time strengthen brain cells and the connections between them. It is believed that mentally active brain can better cope with the disease and may enable the delay of the dementia symptoms. Moreover, people who continue learning new things are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and dementia. The best way to reduce the risk is to be involved in activities requiring interaction, communication and new learning skills.

Is there a Mind-Body connection?
We acknowledge a strong mind-body connection. Recent studies associate spirituality with better brain health. Meditating, praying and religious practice may immunize against the damaging effects of stress. Our immune system is built to protect us from many external threats; however it fails when emotion and stress are involved.

If we permit 'bad energy' to enter our brain, we are flooded by bad emotions that can affect our physical body. This is the negative power of belief.

The link of mind-spirit and body is obvious. We should realize that the power of belief can also work against us and may be a destructive force.Therefore, we should avoid negativism and seek positivism. Above all, we have to believe in ourselves.

Willpower is one of the significant human driving forces. We know that there is a power in our will, as in the saying: 'Where there is a will, there is a way'.
This willpower helps us to overcome the many difficulties and obstacles in our life. It is one of the major components needed for success.

A healthy soul requires a healthy body, as the Latin has it: anima sanain corpore sano, and in Hebrew: "Nefesh bria beguf bari".
We know that mind and body are connected. Our health is strongly dependent on how we deal emotionally and physically with various situations and conditions. Our immune system is affected when we suffer continuous stress. General illnesses can be largely stress-related. Stress is not always negative, however.

 Stress is a predictable, normal and sometimes desirable human response. Stress is activated in various circumstances, such as feelings of danger or urgency. In such cases stress protects us by alerting us to danger and keeping us focused.

When stress is continuous and unrelenting, this is the point at which it starts to be harmful. It can have a negative effect in both physical and psychological terms. There is a link between stress and life expectancy. Most researchers believe that stress is a major factor in reducing life expectancy.


The author, however, believes that a certain amount of stress in reaction to certain activities can have the opposite effect. Both ends of the spectrum, namely, no stress at all and extensive stress, are negative factors which influence our way and quality of life. Some stress in a multi-tasking environment, however, can have a positive effect on our life expectancy.

Being active in multi-disciplinary areas not only gives us positive emotions and satisfaction but could also extend our life expectancy.
This assumption is partly supported by the fact that diverse activities mean we activate different brain areas.

Research has shown that negative emotions such as anger and unhappiness have a significant impact on our nervous and immune systems and are probably the cause of certain diseases. On the other hand, positive emotions such as happiness and harmony are elements which have a positive influence on our health.

In neurobiology, the material functions of the mind could be a representation of certain mechanistic properties of the brain. The brain essentially shuts down the area which generates conscious thought during deep sleep and reactivates it on dreaming or waking.
The relationship of the brain with the mind is similar to that of computer hardware with software. This analogy of the mind as software is debated by scientists, who claim correctly that the human mind has powers beyond any artificial software.

Future proposed studies and methodologies
Accumulations of new databases (NDB) of Alzheimer patients are required. NDB should also contain genetic independent cases, above 50 years old, with their detailed history of activity or inactivity, during their last decade prior being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In addition, a correlation imaging database using MRI/PET should be created.

We should concentrate in detecting the specific location where Alzheimer's disease may begin. This is probably a specific vulnerable area of the brain, from where the damage is spread to other areas of the brain.

We already know that Alzheimer first affects the hippocampus, which is the area where new memories are formed. We also know that the memory cells or circuit which is essential for generating and storing new memories is in the entorhinal cortex. The entorhinal cortex is an area of the brain located in the medial temporal lobe. It is functioning as a hub in a network for memory and navigation.

The entorhinal cortex is one of the first areas to be affected in Alzheimer's disease. It would be interesting to follow the assumption that people with less or no physical activities especially after the age of 50, tend statistically to be more vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease than those who are active physically and mentally. Accordingly, studies focusing in this area of the brain may lead to better understanding our brain system for enhancing memory.

Future gene research may lead to better understanding of the mechanisms of the disease, which hopefully will lead to the appropriate preventing treatment.

A promising research area is using stem cells for treating Alzheimer. There are many ways to approach this option. Among the various possibilities we may suggest to re-grow diseased parts, to heal rather than replace neurons or to use stem cells as drug delivery agents.

Adult stem cells have a positive effect on those who already have Alzheimer's disease. In future they may even prevent the disease.

Conclusion
I believe that mentally stimulating activities in conjunction with enhancing our mind-body connections, could lead not only to improvement in our way of life, but also to significantly reduce the risk involved with Alzheimer's disease.

About the author: Dr. Giora Ram is an interdisciplinary scientist in physics, mathematics, computer science, and medicine. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Weizmann Institute of Science, and the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith London.

Dr. Giora Ram has published many scientific and philosophical articles and he is the author of six books:
In Hebrew (3): "ADHD - Children of Tomorrow", a co-production with his son about unique treatments for ADHD. "The House on the Hill", poems and love letters. "My Love, My Wife, My Divorcee", mating and dating.

In English (3): "The Hungarian Connection", an autobiographical novel and "Sex and Scientific Philosophy", scientific and philosophical insights observed, analysed and researched by the author and "Hunting for Antiques and Collectables", Adventures of an Antique Collector.
http://www.amazon.com/Dr.-Giora-Ram/e/B004FIUS0U/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_Giora_Ram

Why Moving To An Alzheimer's Care Facility Is Important

Alzheimer's is a progressive disease. It is something that is difficult to deal with if you do not have the proper training.

You may be the most patient and compassionate person in the world, but this won't guarantee you an easy way out in Alzheimer's patient care.

 Thus, you will need all the help you can get - and this is what you will find in a good Alzheimer's care facility.

When to Bring Your Loved One to a Facility
If you want to be sure that your loved one needs full-time professional care, there are some signs that you need to pay attention to.

• Is your loved one starting to show signs of memory loss? If the answer is yes, it is time to seek professional help. Memory loss may be easy to deal with in the beginning, but once it progresses, you'll have a hard time handling the situation.

• Does your loved one often have Click Here! violent outbursts that are often meaningless? If the answer is yes, it's time to consider an Alzheimer's care facility. Not all patients experience this, but it doesn't hurt to check.

• If your loved one has significant loss of his cognitive function, he won't be able to handle his day-to-day activities with ease. Even the simple task of eating will be a burden for him. This is something that only trained professionals can deal with.

On your side of the issue, the difficulty of caring for your loved one on a daily basis is a major factor in deciding on assisted facility services. It is your right to make this decision; and it is your loved one's right to get the best care he can get. You should not be ashamed about admitting him into an Alzheimer's facility.

Advantages of Going with an Alzheimer's Care Facility
Comfort, convenience, and proper attention are the three reasons why you should move your loved one into a facility for Alzheimer's patients. There are more definitive reasons, though, including:

• Professional Care: Assisted facilities employ the most qualified personnel. Their doctors, nurses, caregivers, physical therapists and other staff members are well-trained and licensed. They know how to handle Alzheimer's patients; they know what symptoms to pay attention to; and they know how to deal with difficult patients.

• 24/7 Service: These facilities do not stop operating when the clock strikes 12. Service is 24 hours a day, all seven days of the week. You are guaranteed that your loved one won't be taken for granted.

• Safety: Assisted facilities are secure environments equipped with the best safety paraphernalia. Most facilities even employ the lock-down method to make sure that their patients do not go overboard or escape. You are guaranteed that your loved one is kept safe at all times.

Aside from these, you and your family will also be constantly updated with your loved one's condition. You won't have to worry about him not getting the proper attention and care; you won't have to worry about messing things up.

Facilities for Alzheimer's patients are your best option if you want your loved one to feel important and cared for. Moving him to one is the perfect way of telling him that you love him.

Sixbed.org offers free service to those who are seeking information regarding home care or assisted living for elderly family member or friend. Visit us at http://sixbed.org/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Renato_Alberto

Alzheimer's Disease: Five Nutritional Treatment Options

Alzheimer's Disease is a degenerative, neurological disease that results in memory impairment and deterioration in everyday functioning. Usually it culminates in death, three to 20 years after the diagnosis.

Click Here! Although Alzheimer's is considered incurable, several natural treatment options recommended by Functional Medicine practitioners often help alleviate the symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.

 Functional Medicine is a relatively new health care perspective that instead of treating symptoms in a standardized way, looks for the root cause of an individual's health problem and tries to remedy it with nutrition, supplements, lifestyle changes, detoxification and other drug-free modes of treatment.

Why Nutritional Therapy for Alzheimer's?
In Functional Medicine, we try to optimize the body's natural defenses against disease, which may involve detoxification, nutritional rebalancing or supplements for some missing elements needed for proper functioning of the body.

 Nutritional therapy is a science-based approach to treating Alzheimer's without drugs. It's important to embark on these treatments only after laboratory tests assess the patient's comprehensive medical profile.

Nutritional Tools for Treating Alzheimer's
Based on an individual's laboratory test results, a Functional Medicine practitioner might prescribe one or more of these substances:

* Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC): This substance has therapeutic potential because it functions as a precursor for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and it also promotes cellular energy production.

* Vitamin E: It prevents oxidative damage and delays memory deficits. In one study, 633 people aged 65 or older who did not have Alzheimer's took either Vitamin E, Vitamin C or a multivitamin.

The results suggested that higher-dose Vitamin E supplements may lower the risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease.

* Phosphatidylserine: In clinical trials, this led to improvements in memory and neuropsychological functioning. Interestingly, the patients retained these beneficial changes for some time after discontinuing phosphatidylserine.

* Ginkgo: This herb increases delivery of nutrients to the brain and enhances memory, delaying the onset of Alzheimer's.

* Huperzine A: Studies show this substance makes more acetylcholine available to stimulate neurons, which tends to be deficient in those with Alzheimer's.

Where to Find Help
Functional Medicine practitioners are highly trained in using advanced laboratory tests to identify biochemical imbalances, nutritional deficiencies and the presence of toxins in the body. They then prescribe natural treatments to remedy the problems identified.

On the Web, a directory of Functional Medicine practitioners around the world can be found at http://www.functionalmedicinedoctors.com.

Dr. Ron Grisanti, D.C., is the founder and director of Functional Medicine University, a training program for medical professionals. For the general public, he has created the health information site YourMedicalDetective.com, which offers free, easy-to-understand articles on a broad range of health problems. For a free membership in YourMedicalDetective.com, go to http://www.yourmedicaldetective.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_Ron_Grisanti

Top 5 Natural Remedies For Alzheimer's

The statistics revealing the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease are frightening; presently, over five million US citizens have Alzheimer's.

 Further research suggests that in the next forty years that number will amount to over fifteen million. One of the reasons being cited for the growing prevalence of this disease is the fact that people are enjoying longer life spans, and Alzheimer's is a disease that affects the aged.

 The origins and cause of Alzheimer's remain ambiguous for today's scientists, but a number of different natural remedies have been developed for fending off and treating the existence of Alzheimer's disease. Let's examine the top 5 natural remedies for Alzheimer's below.

Use Your Mind
Experts have conducted studies which clearly reveal that an active mind is one that is less likely to develop Alzheimer's in later life. Treat yourself to an adult education course, read, do crossword puzzles, play trivia, and engage your mind.

 The old cliché that "you are never too old to learn something new," rings so true here. Learning new things causes neurons in the brain to bind together in new ways, and scientists are finding that active learners are less prone to diseases like Alzheimer's. Therefore, it is suggested that you feed your brain with knowledge.

Step into the Light
People usually pay little attention to how much sunlight exposure they are getting unless there is concern about getting sunburn. Yet, some experts are now studying whether or not the amount of sunlight that one receives might indeed play a role in whether one develops Alzheimer's or not.

 While the role of sunlight remains unknown in terms of Alzheimer's, for a healthy body and to balance circadian rhythms, it is recommended that individuals take a melatonin supplement shortly after sunlight exposure every morning. The latter act encourages better sleep patterns and better sleep patterns improves mind functioning as well as the immune system.*

Get Your Vitamin B Supplements
Some experts are encouraging people that want to fend of Alzheimer's disease to take up Vitamin B therapy.

 Such therapy includes the act of getting enough B6, B12, and folic acid each day. In regards to Alzheimer's disease, B12 is the most significant vitamin B form as it contains methycobalmin; the latter substance assists in reducing homocysteine levels within the body which, when occurring in super high levels, has been associated with neurological damage and Alzheimer disease progression.

Alternative Vitamins
Other vitamins are believed to assist in slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease, as well. Vitamin E, for example, is an all purpose vitamin which is well appreciated for the antioxidants that it contains.

 It is recommended that if one should choose to partake of Vitamin E, that they do not go overboard with its use and that they limit their intake to 100 units or less in terms of daily consumption. Finally, if looking to get the most antioxidants one can get safely, it is advised that one consume plenty of red and deeply colored fruits and veggies, which are items containing plenty of antioxidants as well as other healing attributes.

Robin's Wellness Resource Center is an education-focused wellness resource center offering reliable information on a variety of health related issues. To discover more proven natural solutions, visit http://www.wellness-bee.com
Robin Reichert has been studying natural health for the past 10 years. She is certified as a Nutrition and Wellness Consultant and holds a Master of Science degree in Natural Health. Her passion is lifelong learning and educating others about natural health.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Reichert

Care Agencies: Support for Families of Alzheimer's Disease Patients

Alzheimer's Disease is a distressing and profoundly disturbing illness that attacks some senior citizens and causes huge psychological, emotional, financial and physical damage to the patient.

 Severe memory loss and inability to function normally, conduct their day-to-day activities and engage socially as they used to previously are some of the features noted in the illness.

 In later stages, loss of control over body-functions, emotional breakdown and finally coma and death are the features commonly noted.

In such a situation, the burden of care-giving is usually taken on by a spouse, child or close relative of the patient. However, the nature of the illness and the enormous effort it takes to care for a patient can extract huge costs on the care-giver and the entire family.

 Such care-givers and families may require support and constant counseling to keep their spirits up and allow them to continue to care for their loved one.

Another aspect is that Alzheimer's is incurable and only the symptoms can be addressed, while patient management becomes the most critical aspect of care-giving.

 Hence, if required, the services of a trained professional care-giver may also be considered to avoid the phenomenon of "care-giver burn-out" among the family and relatives of the patient.

 Care includes constant contact with doctors, financial and legal aspects, planning for the future and ensuring that the patient lives and dies with dignity and respect.

There are hundreds of professional agencies that offer the services of experienced and expert care-givers who are trained specifically in caring for Alzheimer's patients.

 Most large towns have support groups and care-giver counseling, information centers, care-giver locators, home-care services, meal services, respite or short-term care, live-in helpers, adult day-care, geriatric care management, counseling and hospice services.

Additionally, there are many government and state funded programs that offer financial and other support to care-givers. In the US, the PACE (Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) offers a combination of medical insurance, social services and long-term care costs for Alzheimer's patients and their families.

Often Alzheimer's can strike people younger than 65, and in such instances, social security benefits like a Disability Income are also available from the government.

 There are several insurance programs designed for these patients, as well as many private groups, NGOs and neighborhood care programs available for various kinds of support.

It is essential to remember that the type of care required keeps changing as the illness progresses, hence the nature of care and the types of efforts involved could be different at each stage.

Constant contact with your family doctor, education and information gathering are all important to keep yourself up-dated about the latest development in Alzheimer's research.
With all these points in mind, you can choose the best type of support required for your loved one.

Looking for elderly home care services, Visit here to get more information on Alzheimher's Care service.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jarvis_Scott

Coconut Oil For Alzheimer's Disease

My Story

When I think of my beloved Grandmother, all I can remember is how she suffered with Alzheimer's Disease until it finally took her life. I was just a little girl at the time, so I really didn't understand what was happening. All I can remember is Grandma repeating the same things and asking the same questions. It's a horrible disease to have as well as watch a loved one suffer through.

What Can Be Done

I'm not exactly sure what treatment is given to patients suffering with this disease. However, I do know one thing and that there is no cure for it. In doing research on the many benefits of organic coconut oil for my website, I have discovered that by feeding 4 tablespoons per day to a patient with this disease will actually help relieve the present symptoms of the disease.

The Disease

Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia in the elderly. There are even cases of early onset where it affects those in their 50's. It's so important for me to take preventive measures with the disease since having watch my Grandmother suffer for so long.

 I would never want to put my family through such an ordeal, so I instantly became interested in learning all I can about organic coconut oil for Alzheimer's Disease.

Coconut Oil = Miracle Oil

This miracle oil is 100% natural, inexpensive, and has a long shelf life (about 1 1/2 years). If you have a loved one and would like to start giving them the coconut oil, it's always a good idea to contact their physician before making any changes in their diet.

 When you realize that the risks are low, then why not give it a try? Not only is it good for treating Alzheimer's, there are so many health benefits when used internally and externally.
 
What Proof is there?

Unfortunately, not much research has been done on the benefits for Alzheimer's Disease. However, Dr. Mary Newport has written a book documenting her experience in giving 4 tablespoons of coconut oil to her husband daily while suffering with the disease. She found that it helped him with his short term memory as well as "lifted the fog" and helped him to think more clearly.

Get Educated

Take steps in learning all you can about this disease before being faced with the reality of it. Take preventive measures like I'm doing, and I'm only in my late 30's. Understand the disease and read Dr. Mary Newport's book. There is a connection as to why organic coconut oil helps to treat and prevent this disease.

What is the connection?

In her research, Dr. Newport found that ketones may be able to help treat neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia. The disease occurs when the brain can no longer metabolize glucose.

 She found that a good way to treat the disease is by supplementing the glucose for these ketone bodies. Can you guess where we get these ketones? Yes, we get these ketones from organic coconut oil for Alzheimers treatment.

Hi, my name is Melissa. I became very interested in the benefits of organic coconut oil when I found out it may be used to help relieve the symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease. I truly enjoy writing about the benefits mainly because there are so many.

I started using coconut oil six months ago and I have come to love it. I use it everyday internally and externally. It's good to know that my daily use of coconut oil may be protecting me and strengthening my immune system as well as supporting my brain health and working to prevent Alzheimer's Disease.

To learn more about the health benefits of coconut oil, please visit my website: http://coconutoilbenefits4u.com/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melissa_M_Fitzpatrick

Review - Stop Alzheimer's Now!

Stop Alzheimer's Now! How to Prevent and Reverse Dementia, Parkinson's, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis and Other Neurodegenerative Disorders, Bruce Fife, 2011, ISBN 9780941599856
Dementia is a huge problem for a rapidly growing number of people all over the world.

 This book shows how to prevent its onset, and even reverse the symptoms, without drugs.
 
Dementia, which includes Alzheimer's, ALS, Parkinson's and other such diseases, can come about in a surprisingly large number of ways.

 Did you know that Alzheimer's is also known as Type III Diabetes? The connection between them is that strong. The toxins can come from an improperly cleaned out tooth that is getting a root canal (it is very difficult to properly clean out such a tooth).

 For some people, the cause can be getting the wrong anesthesia during a routine operation. Be very careful when taking a statin drug, or any drug that alters brain chemistry (the book contains a list of drugs that seniors should avoid).

Other things to be reduced, or avoided altogether, are aluminum, like in frying pans, and excitotoxins like aspartame.

The author does not mean to say that being diabetic, or taking an over-the-counter medicine, or living on diet soda will automatically to Alzheimer's or ALS, but that such people are more susceptible than the average person.

Now, on to the important part: how to stop dementia, or at least greatly slow it down? Raise your body's ketone levels by consuming at least 5 tablespoons of coconut oil (available at your local health food store) every day. It can be used in food preparation, or taken separately like a supplement.

 Go on a low-carb diet; how low depends on your fasting blood glucose level. If you don't already do so, get in the habit of reading nutrition labels.

 Get your teeth checked, and correct any existing infections. Take dietary supplements, including an iron-free multivitamin, Q10, Magnesium and Vitamin C.

 Get some Vitamin D in your body, either through taking a supplement or being outside. Have at least 1 serving of fish per week. Last, but not least, get some moderate physical and mental exercise.

Stopping dementia does not get much easier than this, especially if your family has a history of it, or the symptoms have already started to show themselves.

 For those who are Alzheimer's caregivers, consider trying some of the things mentioned in this book (you have little or nothing to lose). This book is extremely highly recommended, for everyone.

Paul Lappen is a freelance book reviewer whose blog, http://www.deadtreesreview.blogspot.com, emphasizes small press and self-published books.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Lappen

Cause of Alzheimer's - Psychological Reasons Under Alzheimer's Symptoms

"Alzheimer's disease" is not actually a disease. The symptoms that Alzheimer's patients typically display and suffer, essentially, do not result from "progressive neurodegenerative" biological factors or defective genes as medical professionals claim. It is very important for Alzheimer's caregivers to know about the true cause of Alzheimer's.

Money and profit are the main reasons medical professionals insist that Alzheimer's is a "disease" cause by biological factors. Although no solid evidence exists to support such claims, considering the disorder to have a biological cause opens the way for doctors to write expensive psychiatric drug prescriptions and engage in costly treatments.

 The cost to taxpayers in America for Alzheimer's care during the next forty years is estimated to be about 420 Trillion Dollars. It is vital that the true cause of Alzheimer's become known. not only are the current treatments expensive, they are misdirected.

The essential cause of Alzheimer's is psychological, not biological.
The causal choices actually began in childhood. The disorder gradually progressed over time because of the person's consistent and ongoing choices to control conscious awareness and keep blocked threatening, disturbing, and embarrassing parent-related and incest-related memories.

 It is highly probable that an Alzheimer's patient is an incest survivor, and that many went on to become an abusive parent. Those hidden factors drive the memory issues and common volatile family dynamics.

Memory blocking
The Alzheimer's patient has been choosing to hold negative psychic energies in certain areas of the brain (memory centers). He or she accomplishes the memory blocking subconsciously, usually with little or no conscious awareness of what he or she is doing.

 This control and blocking has continued over many decades before physical symptoms or brain deterioration occurs or become obvious. The memory loss is a deliberate and willful refusal to remember past wrong choices and negative experiences that the person does not want to take responsibility for and does not want others to know about.

 Over time, the concentrated psychic energies used in blocking can cause physical damage to brain tissue.

Language deterioration
The language difficulties that are another common Alzheimer's symptom occur because of the amount of confusion the person is experiencing in his or her mind. That confusion results primarily from control and manipulation of thoughts and choices to be extremely dishonest about past and present life experience.

Poor judgment
Another symptom that springs from the patient's choices to control truth and perception of personal realities over decades are choices to become forgetful.

 Patients do not remember all the facts of a situation. They also are controlling and not perceiving objectively. Therefore, it becomes difficult to make correct judgments and right decisions. All of these choices come from a subconscious intention to be controlling and destructive.

Indifferent attitude
Many Alzheimer's patients feel that they have nothing to live for. They have stopped believing that they will eventually get what they want. Many reach a point where they want to physically die, or die mentally and emotionally.

Destroying image
When patients lose the willingness to hold themselves together, subconsciously, and consciously, they have made a core-level choice to "let themselves go." They no longer are motivated to show or present themselves a certain way, so, in effect, their true colors start coming out.

This is usually when intense anger, violence and other extreme behaviors are expressed. They were there all along, usually reserved for family and those closest, but now they are no longer held in check. There are no more perceived benefits for restraining self. Alzheimer's caregivers know well when this happens.

Inability to function
This appears to be the result of a combination of physical, mental, and emotional states and choices.

As the person's choices to negate his or her responsibility for choices, behavior, and circumstances increase, the physical (brain condition) does deteriorate, but the physical brain deterioration is only a partial cause.

 A patient's inability to function can be tricky because many times the Alzheimer's patient is willfully and purposefully refusing to function properly when he or she actually has the ability to do so.

Patients sometimes act confused or helpless in order to get someone to feel sorry for them or do things for them. They may be acting stupid to make a loved one or caretaker angry.

 For the most part, Alzheimer's patients are enacting their selfish behavior patterns and are selfishly controlling to the max. They manipulate people and situations for a variety of perverted reasons.

Dishonest
Most are dishonest and hiding many negative truths about themselves and their past situations. This causes confusion. What to say? What not to say? How do I say something to get what I want? What is the best way to get even with a spouse or family member?

Avoidance
They do not want to be responsible for how they got to their current state, so avoidance is another strong Alzheimer's trait. When a person is avoiding a present-time reality, it is very easy to become confused about developing events or what those in the environment are trying to communicate.

Restlessness
Restlessness is generated by nervousness and a deep sense of insecurity.

 Most Alzheimer's patients feel that they are losing control, but, in fact, they are controlling to an extreme from a subconscious position. Also, their restless feeling was probably always there.

 It was not noticed because of their physical activity (i.e. working and keeping busy).

 Many times those activities were driven by nervous energy or an agitation that was not as noticeable as when the person became much less active.

 Another reason for restlessness or nervousness is that the person after retirement was interacting with a spouse most of the time and not as able to hide his or her secrets and negativity.

 A partner might be plagued by fears that previous extramarital sexual affairs, or the sexual abuse of their child or children might surface.

Variations
The type, severity, sequence, and progression of mental changes among Alzheimer's patients tend to vary widely. This is because each person makes different kinds of choices that produce varied effects. The severity has to do with how much and how strongly the person is selfishly controlling their thoughts and feelings.

 In addition, the severity of symptoms is determined by how honest the person is choosing to be, how determined he or she is to mentally self-destruct, how much he or she does not want to be present to situations, and how much personal responsibility one is willing to take for their past and present wrong choices and actions.

The progression of mental changes can vary widely because each person is enacting his or her own particular psychological patterns. All of these factors, many subconscious, play an important role in how Alzheimer's manifests in an individual.

 The loss of mental functions is primarily the result of a lifetime of denial and irresponsibility. The loss of physical functions (when genuine and not affected) seems to be the result of brain deterioration, but much depends on the willingness of the patient to live and be actually alive in a positive way. The way a person deteriorates and how fast has everything to do with his or her psychological state.

Someone in a nursing home, largely, has given over the responsibility for his or her life to others. Nursing home patients have a great desire to be taken care of, and many act out destructive behavior patterns (the reason so many are sedated). A person making those kinds of choices becomes a likely candidate for and Alzheimer's diagnoses.

Turning it down

Although Alzheimer's is not curable or reversible, there are ways a person can alleviate symptoms and suffering.

 Essentially, the condition develops after decades of being set on a controlled destructive course. Only the Alzheimer's patient's right choices to reverse that course can positively affect the condition. Many elderly people have curtailed their negative reactions and behavior because they did not want to be put in a nursing home or be hospitalized.

Statistics show that one third of all diagnosed and hospitalized schizophrenics, suddenly and mysteriously "spontaneously recover" and are subsequently released.

 It seems obvious to me that on a subconscious level, just as they subconsciously pulled a "switch" that resulted in an onset of their schizophrenic symptoms, those schizophrenic patients who "spontaneously recovered," did not want to be where they found themselves and made the choices they knew would lead to their release from the medical facility.

 So they pulled a different kind of switch and voila, no more crazy symptoms.

Alzheimer's patients are different because their choices and actions have led to physical brain deterioration, which makes self-curing highly improbable. However, with a sincere change of heart, many could make choices that would make whatever time they have left much more positive for them and the Alzheimer's caregivers around them.

Unless we get to accept the true cause of Alzheimer's, costs and pain will keep escalating. []

Neil Mastellone, working with his co-researcher Jean Mastellone, has been actively investigating the causes of negative human behavior.

Their combined research findings are groundbreaking and tend to challenge popular and most medically accepted views of the subconscious, human behavior, baby psychology, and child, teen, and adult disorders and dysfunctions.

A Website containing their research findings on Alzheimer's is being built.

 For information about a disorder that manifests early in life, visit [http://www.autismwegetreal.com/]
For truly new perspectives and insights about the psychological dimensions of our humanity, our most influential relationships, and the roots of our earliest reactions which are the roots of our disorders and dysfunctional behavior patterns, visit [http://www.babyparentwegetreal.com/]
Their informational Websites contain thought-provoking and meaningful Articles, Case Studies, and reasonably priced eBooks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neil_Mastellone

New Possible Ways To Prevent Alzheimers Disease

When looking at possible ways to prevent alzheimers earlier research has suggested a link between being active and keeping your brain healthy as you get older.

 And we also know that exercise offers lots of health benefits that older adults truly need. New research finds that elderly subjects who are more active, even if it's simple pottering around the house or working in the garden, have a lower chance of developing Alzheimer's disease than seniors who aren't as active, who sit more.

 Now this isn't to say being active reduces the risk of such a devastating disease, the truth is experts aren't sure if early stages of disease have people slowing down, being more sedentary than they used to be.

What's more, it's important to understand that we're not talking activity that works up a sweat here... but rather just moving around doing day-to-day chores might be enough to make a difference in brain health.

This latest research included 716 subjects (602 females) participating in the Rush Memory and Aging Project who were dementia free, at an average age of 82 when the study started.

 Their daily activity was monitored for up to ten days with a movement measurement device known as an actigraph. It's a non-obtrusive, watch-sized instrument that can be worn 24-7.

The team of researchers then watched the study participants for signs of future disease. Over an average 4 years of follow up, 71 of the subjects developed measurable signs of devastating Alzheimer's disease. The researchers looked back at the statistics to see where the risk of disease fell based on the activity of the subjects.

 The most active showed an 8% risk of having signs of Alzheimer's, while the risk increased to 18% for those who had been least active.

Of course the study did contain far larger numbers of women than men, so the results may not be applicable to everyone. What's more the actigraph the subjects wore isn't able to distinguish between different activities.

While no one can say that being active and better thinking are related, the findings do encourage seniors (all of us in fact) to an active lifestyle, even in your older years. Even if you can't "exercise" as you used to... getting up for any kind of movement is going to be beneficial to your body.

Alzheimer's is a disease that affects 5.4 million Americans and is the most common form of dementia. This disease starts slowly; usually (but not always) after age 60, with unnoticed changes taking place in the parts of the brain that manage thought, memory and language.

 A person might not be able to recall an event or a name they know. Over time the symptoms get worse, with patients being unable to do everyday tasks until they need round the clock care and attention.

By the year 2030, estimates predict American adults over 65 years old will double - that's 80 million people. All at higher risk of devastating, debilitating Alzheimer's disease. Given these numbers, the study authors feel the findings have pretty significant implications for public health.

 An epidemic may well be in the works... slowly but steadily approaching as more and more of us age. Not only will a rising numbers suffering with Alzheimer's impact countless family members and friends of patients, but also a healthcare system understaffed and struggling to cope.

 Meaning that finding new ways to prevent alzheimer's disease will become more and more important.

FREE Bonus Secret Health Reports - For a limited time you can grab 5 FREE essential health reports from the Daily Health Bulletin. Click through now to discover other possible ways to prevent alzheimer's disease.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kirsten_Whittaker