Alzheimer’s Disease Hope!

Alzheimer’s disease is now the third leading cause of death in the United States following heart disease and cancer.

There are approximately 5.2 million Americans with Alzheimer’s disease and it has been estimated that as many as 45 million of the 318 million Americans now living can develop Alzheimer’s disease during their lifetime if no prevention is instituted.

The major reason my patients have fear of Alzheimer’s disease is there has been no treatment and no cure for it over these last many years. There are currently a few drugs for this condition but I have never seen these drugs be of significant benefit. In fact until recently there was very little objective testing that could determne that was the correct diagnosis for a patient. Now with special contrast MRI’s and certain findings in spinal taps, along with cognitive testing, a definite diagnosis can usually be made.

This is very unlike cancer and heart disease for which we have lots of tools to diagnose, and to treat both these conditions. It is also of note that most patients with cancer or heart disease are on several medicines and are asked to implement lifestyle changes in order to help their disease. So I wonder why the drug companies think they can find one “magic bullet” to reverse Alzheimer’s disease?

Because so many my patients over 50 are complaining of mild memory problems it stirred me to do more research into what could be done to prevent it and maybe even to reverse Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer’s disease?

I am delighted to tell you that my research led me to a study by Dale Bredeson, MD, from UCLA that has now shown that Alzheimer’s disease can be treated and in fact in the small study that was done it was reversed in nine out of 10 patients on the treatment protocol! These nine patients got so much better that they were able to go back to work.

The amazing thing about his study is that no drugs were used. Instead careful metabolic evaluations were done and the treatments were primarily integrative medicines such as herbs, vitamins, and other nutritional supplements along with lifestyle changes, yoga classes, meditation classes and other natural therapies.

This is obviously extraordinarily exciting to me as an integrative physician for the treatment of a condition which up until now has been almost hopeless.

In his article, Dr. Bredeson himself says “That suggested that a broader-based therapeutic approach, rather than a single drug that aims at a single target, may be feasible and potentially more effective for the treatment of cognitive decline due to Alzheimer’s”

He went on to say “The current, anecdotal results require a larger trial, not only to confirm or refute the results reported here, but also to address key questions raised, such as the degree of improvement that can be achieved routinely, how late in the course of cognitive decline reversal can be effected, whether such an approach may be effective in patients with familial Alzheimer’s disease, and last, how long improvement can be sustained.”

Dr Bredeson named his protocol for cognitive impairment the “MEND Protocol”– Metabolic Enhancement for Neurodegeneration.

After reading these articles I was extremely excited to begin addressing these issues in my office with patients who were experiencing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or early Alzheimer’s disease.

Because there are so many variables involved in the metabolic evaluation that was done in Bredeson’s studies, it would involve a lot of testing initially and I was going to organize a team of people in my office to help in the evaluations. This would not only be extensive but could be expensive.

In researching the MEND protocol further I discovered a relatively new company called MUSE laboratories.

MUSE laboratories allow me as a physician to collect blood tests and other tests including metabolic and genetic testing, MRIs of the brain, and cognitive testing and send it to MUSE lab for computerized evaluation on the primary metabolic and other imbalances in that given patient.

They then send me back a series of recommendations for not only lifestyle and diet but also nutritional supplements including doses, which as a physican I can implement with my patient.

The patient can also sign up for the MUSE laboratory protocol support system, where for four months they talk to a health coach on a weekly basis, to make sure they are implementing all the changes that have been recommended. That helps me to supervise and direct the treatment without having a whole team dedicated to give weekly support to patients for whom all of will be a very new approach to improving their health.

Dr. Bredeson’s research that has shown Alzheimer’s disease is not just really a single disease but consists of at least three distinct subtypes. These subtypes are directly addressed in the MUSE protocol. You can read more about it in this article.

In summary, Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is no longer the one-way street that it has been for so long. Now with Metabolic Enhancement and evaluation and the use of integrative therapy techniques this condition can actually be reversed! This brings great hope to the patients and families of older people with Cognitive Issues

I’m so excited to share this information with all my readers and patients.

I’m looking forward to implementing the MEND protocol in my own practice immediately.

By way of reminder, I wanted to let you know again about the big online webinar that starts on Today Monday July 25, that I announced in last week’s newsletter.

Every day for a week, new thought leaders in the field of Alzheimer’s will be interviewed about their recommendations and their research findings. This entire webinar is free for you to listen to, or for you to buy and download for listening at your leisure. I’m delighted to say that Dr. Bredeson will be one of the people interviewed, as well as my longtime friend Dharma Khalsa,MD, who will speak on the value of a specific yogic meditation that his research has shownn to be helpful with Alzheimer’s disease.

I look forward to staying in touch with all of you about these very exciting developments in the treatment and reversal of the disease that has long been considered untreatable.

Dr Soram

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Like me Facebook where you can leave me questions and comments.

Also remember to visit my Healthy Living Shop where you can get physician quality supplements for your health! If this is your first purchase at the store, you can use the code VPP10FT to get a one-time 10% discount on the entire order (before S&H and Tax).

References

Alzheimer’s disease consists of three distinct subtypes, according to UCLA study

Reversal of cognitive decline: A novel therapeutic program

Reversal of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease

Memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s reversed for first time