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This newsletter is about Alzheimer's and diet.
Februrary 12, 2012
Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Remedy?
The Ketogenic Diet
Hi ,
Your brain manufactures its own insulin to make sure that every brain cell gets the energy nutrition it needs. Insulin opens the nerve cell walls to blood sugar and stimulates the energy factories in the cell (mitochondria) to produce energy. A variety of factors seem to either cause the cells to stop responding to the insulin (resistance), or decrease forming the insulin in the brain. This is bad news when it happens because your brain cells can literally starve to death. As cells stop functioning, you develop the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's, dementia, and even Parkinson's.
Much research is being done to try to find ways to stop the brain inflammation process that damages the cells causing this insulin problem. One consideration I came across is that high levels of the "good" cholesterol protect the brain's ability to form memories. Your brain's nerve cell walls are made of cholesterol. If you don't have enough, the cells start using damaged junk floating around called beta-amyloid to patch the cell walls. This is one of the key findings in Alzyheimer's, the appearance of amalyoid plaque in the nerve cell walls. Coconut oil has been found to raise good cholesterol. Many herbs and flavinols are also powerful substances to fight brain inflammation (such as those found in Apex's Neuroflam and Nitric Balance products at the office).
Another novel approach is currently being studied, providing the brain with a different energy source that is not insulin dependent - ketones. Research with synthetically produced ketones is significantly reversing Alzheimer symptoms in rats, but the studies have not been done on humans.
Another simpler approach is to induce the body to produce its own ketones by putting the patient on what is called a Ketogenic Diet. This diet has been used for almost 100 years as a treatment for certain types of epileptic seizures. Simply put, this diet means getting most of your daily calories from fats and eliminating the carbs from your diet. This puts your body into a fat burning mode. Since fats can't' get directly into the brain for energy, your liver breaks down fats into ketones, which your brain loves to use as fuel. This is what kept you alive in ancient times during the winter when there was nothing to eat. Your body starts burning its own stored fat to keep your brain functioning.
In my own experience, eating a low carb diet for the last 2 years and staying in a fat burning and ketone forming state keeps my brain very happy. Anyone who is familiar with the rapid mood fluctuations that result from unstable blood sugar knows how insane that can make you. When you burn fats/ketones that completely stabilizes. Your mood becomes steady and calm.
Another approach to this same goal that has been getting a lot of press recently is the consumption of coconut oil. Coconut oil is about 65% medium chain triglycerides, which your liver readily converts into ketones, which can then be used by your brain as an energy source. With these ketones as an energy source available, your starving and dying nerve cells can recover and heal. One doctor has written a book on treating her Alzheimer's husband with 4 tablespoons of coconut oil each day and the amazing recovery he has made. There are many stories of this benefit but no scientific study has yet been done.
My basic take on this research is that living on a diet that supports using ketones as an energy source at least part of the year is a fundamental health process our bodies are designed to engage. Cholesterol is good for your brain - it is literally made from the stuff. Inflammation is bad for your brain - it fries your circuits. Coconut oil is a good food for us as it raises "good" cholesterol and is readily converted into ketones for energy. A ketone based energy diet or Ketogenic Diet is valuable for most people, but may be especially helpful for anybody with any neuro-degenerative condition such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, dementia, and so on.
One last note on Alzheimer's - exercise. In one study it was found that your odds of getting Alzheimer's increased 400% if you do not exercise much. Exercise is the best way to stimulate the frontal lobes of your brain - much better than doing cross-word puzzles. So "move it or lose it" applies to your brain as well.
Take care,
David
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On the Wire
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SUV-Sized Treadmill Pool
Exercise is good for us, but sometimes the effort we expend just to move our joints can get a little silly. A case in point is this exercise pool in which you are harnessed in place and swim without ever moving an inch. Since this "pool" is only the size of an SUV you could even put it up in your 2 car garage right next to the family Toyota...or not.
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"I never let schooling interfere with my education."
~Mark Twain
Heartburn Drugs Linked to Bone Fracture
I have been telling my patients for years that those heartburn drugs are for short term use only - maximum of 2 months. It says so right there in their literature. This recent study found a 50% increase in fracture amongst PPI (proton pump inhibitor) users, particularly if they also smoke. Heartburn drugs block the hydrochloric acid you need to absorb your minerals from your food or pills. No minerals means weak bones.
"Education is a progressive discovery of our ignorance."
~Will Durant
Volkswagen's Think Blue Beetle is Made From 2,805 Pieces of Recycled Trash!
Artists are a strange lot - I love them for that very reason. So how about a Volkswagen Beetle made from recycled trash. There is even a link to a time-lapse video of the construction of this art piece...
"You can lead a boy to college, but you cannot make him think."
~Elbert Hubbard
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About Dr. DeLapp
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Dr. DeLapp has been a philosopher, non-force Chiropractor, medical intuitive, and health innovator for over 30 years. He began experimenting with medical intuition in 1972 while studying physics at UC Davis. In addition to physics he designed and completed an individual major in the philosophy and psychology of education. Shortly after he choose to pursue a career in the only truly health oriented profession available at that time, Chiropractic. He graduated with honors in 1981 with his doctorate and opened a private practice.
Since that time he has continued his research into the effects of consciousness and learning on health.
He developed the Biomagnetic Retraining system for correcting movement abnormalities.
Since 1991 he has focused on developing a powerful system for uncovering and assisting the mind-body connection in health and personal growth. The in-depth coaching, guided by the subconscious direction from the body, is called Heartflow and the simpler mind-body retraining for health and unfoldment he has named Gracework. Both are available at Fair Oaks Health.
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