Brain Health
Great news! There are things that we can do TODAY to prevent and even reverse cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Up until recently, Alzheimer’s disease was irreversible. At best, there were drugs on the market that could sometimes slow, but never stop, the symptoms. These drugs, and most of the research on Alzheimer’s, have been focused on removing the amyloid plaque that is evident in Alzheimer’s patients. However, what has recently been determined is that this beta-amyloid is actually a protective response that the brain employs as a result of other assaults. Thus, even if we remove the amyloid plaque (which some drugs effectively do), we have not removed the root cause of the amyloid plaque formation, so we haven’t solved the true problem.
Dr. Dale Bredesen, an internationally recognized expert on neurodegenerative disease, has identified several different root causes of the formation of the amyloid plaque. From this, he’s identified different types of Alzheimer’s Disease. Dr. Bredesen then developed a comprehensive program to reverse cognitive decline (ReCode). The treatment is personalized, based on specific laboratory results. Dr. Bredesen published his findings as well as his treatment protocol in his book “The End of Alzheimer’s”. The solution doesn’t lie in one single therapy, but a holistic and customized approach that includes diet, lifestyle and functional medicine. This comprehensive approach really resonates with me, and his guidance on nutrition and meal timing is especially relevant. Obviously, the earlier a person starts treatment, the greater the chance for complete reversal.
Dr. Bredesen writes "insulin resistance [is] arguably the single most important metabolic contributor to Alzheimer's disease development and progression."1 His primary solution is DESS (diet, exercise, sleep and stress reduction). Dr. Bredesen believes that diet is a "surprisingly powerful part of the overall program to reverse cognitive decline."2 In his book, Dr. Bredesen describes his recommended anti-Alzheimer's diet, which he calls Ketoflex 12/3. "Keto" stands for a mildly ketogenic diet, which is low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fats like avocado, coconut, MCT oil, and olive oil. "Flex" stands for a flexitarian diet, which is heavily plant-based with an emphasis on vegetables (especially non-starchy ones). Fish, poultry and meat become condiments to your meals. "12" refers to overnight fasting of 12 hours, although he recommends that people with the ApoE4 genotype extend this overnight fast to 14-16 hours. Finally, "3" refers to finishing your evening meal (and any eating) at least 3 hours before bedtime. The benefits of each of these components are numerous and can be found both online and in his book.
While we are still in the infant stages of reversing cognitive decline, this is an exciting and hopeful start! I highly recommend that you read Dr. Bredesen’s book, “The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline”. See the images below for things that we can do right now, regardless of our cognitive health status. Additional resources for brain health are also below.
To your abundant health and wellness!
P.S. It’s super cool that Dr. Dale Bredesen mentions Ayurveda at the beginning of “The End of Alzheimer’s”. Check out my Ayurvedic resources here.
1. Bredesen, Dale, The End of Alzheimer's: : The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline. p. 177, Avery, An Imprint of Penguin Random House, 2017.
2. Bredesen, Dale, The End of Alzheimer's: : The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline. p. 178, Avery, An Imprint of Penguin Random House, 2017.
Dr. Dale Bredesen, an internationally recognized expert on neurodegenerative disease, has identified several different root causes of the formation of the amyloid plaque. From this, he’s identified different types of Alzheimer’s Disease. Dr. Bredesen then developed a comprehensive program to reverse cognitive decline (ReCode). The treatment is personalized, based on specific laboratory results. Dr. Bredesen published his findings as well as his treatment protocol in his book “The End of Alzheimer’s”. The solution doesn’t lie in one single therapy, but a holistic and customized approach that includes diet, lifestyle and functional medicine. This comprehensive approach really resonates with me, and his guidance on nutrition and meal timing is especially relevant. Obviously, the earlier a person starts treatment, the greater the chance for complete reversal.
Dr. Bredesen writes "insulin resistance [is] arguably the single most important metabolic contributor to Alzheimer's disease development and progression."1 His primary solution is DESS (diet, exercise, sleep and stress reduction). Dr. Bredesen believes that diet is a "surprisingly powerful part of the overall program to reverse cognitive decline."2 In his book, Dr. Bredesen describes his recommended anti-Alzheimer's diet, which he calls Ketoflex 12/3. "Keto" stands for a mildly ketogenic diet, which is low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fats like avocado, coconut, MCT oil, and olive oil. "Flex" stands for a flexitarian diet, which is heavily plant-based with an emphasis on vegetables (especially non-starchy ones). Fish, poultry and meat become condiments to your meals. "12" refers to overnight fasting of 12 hours, although he recommends that people with the ApoE4 genotype extend this overnight fast to 14-16 hours. Finally, "3" refers to finishing your evening meal (and any eating) at least 3 hours before bedtime. The benefits of each of these components are numerous and can be found both online and in his book.
While we are still in the infant stages of reversing cognitive decline, this is an exciting and hopeful start! I highly recommend that you read Dr. Bredesen’s book, “The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline”. See the images below for things that we can do right now, regardless of our cognitive health status. Additional resources for brain health are also below.
To your abundant health and wellness!
P.S. It’s super cool that Dr. Dale Bredesen mentions Ayurveda at the beginning of “The End of Alzheimer’s”. Check out my Ayurvedic resources here.
1. Bredesen, Dale, The End of Alzheimer's: : The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline. p. 177, Avery, An Imprint of Penguin Random House, 2017.
2. Bredesen, Dale, The End of Alzheimer's: : The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline. p. 178, Avery, An Imprint of Penguin Random House, 2017.
A few components of Dr. Bredesen's ReCode program that you can implement right away (his DESS protocol):
KetoFlex 12/3: a plant-heavy, high fat, lower protein diet with an overnight fast; see description above
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Additional Cognitive Health Resources
- IS ALZHEIMER'S TYPE 3 DIABETES?
- Why is Alzheimer's Disease being called Type 3 diabetes? Researchers reviewed the evidence; here's the PubMed abstract and here's an article which reviews the findings.
- GENIUS BRAIN FOODS
- Pick up a copy of Max Lugavere's “Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life” (2018). This book turns the most recent groundbreaking science on brain health into actionable lifestyle changes. It will definitely motivate you to add extra virgin olive oil, avocados, dark leafy greens and blueberries (among other brain-boosting foods) to your daily diet.
