Being Proactive Is Key To Cognitive Decline
Cognitive decline begins long before symptoms appear, so being proactive in the fight against this horrid disease, for which there is no cure is crucial. This is especially true for women. Alzheimer’s is more common in women – nearly two-thirds of Americans diagnosed are women.
The Current Approach to Alzheimer’s has Failed.
Researchers and drug companies have spent billions of dollars trying to come up with a drug that will cure Alzheimer’s disease, yet not one drug has been found to prevent, stop the progression, or reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. We want a “magic pill”, but it simply won’t work.
Getting to the Root Cause
Instead of masking the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and other signs of cognitive decline, the functional medicine approach addresses the root cause. It looks at each person as a whole and works to identify their individual imbalances and lifestyle choices that have led to their symptoms.
The Good News
- Cognitive decline is preventable, and in many cases, even reversible.
- Your genetics are not your destiny. As the saying goes, “Genetics load the gun, but environment pulls the trigger.” Diet, lifestyle, and other measurable factors have significant impact.
- The earlier you start a prevention protocol, the higher the success rate.
- The same diet and lifestyle that can prevent cognitive decline also has been shown to enhance memory, lower bad cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and lead to weight loss.
The Bredesen Protocol Offers Hope
In his recently published book, The End of Azheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline, Dr. Dale Bredesen offers hope to those suffering from cognitive decline. In his book, he describes Alzheimer’s to having 36 holes in your roof: a drug may patch up 1 or 2 holes, but to treat the root cause, you need to address each of the 36 holes in your roof to stop the leakage. Some of these holes are related to the lifestyle you lead; others are related to your genes, your hormones, and your environment. To address each and every hole, he created The Bredesen Protocol, a comprehensive and personalized program that was designed to understand then target each of the holes in your roof. In his book, you’ll find not only a treatment for cognitive decline but an approach for prevention. In part 2 I have added a link for those interested in purchasing his book.
