Since a good deal of brain damage occurs before symptoms of Parkinson's disease appear, it’s vital to come up with a test that can identify the disease in the earliest stages. Existing lab tests have proven unreliable and even brain scans don't provide a definitive diagnosis of this independence-robbing disease. But all that may be [...]
The latest clue in the search for new, more effective ways to treat Alzheimer’s disease happened by accident. Scientists were studying people being treated for inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and discovered that when these patients took drugs called TNF inhibitors, the risk for Alzheimer’s disease decreases significantly. What does the research mean for the [...]
If there’s one thing we’re all losing sleep over in our golden years, it’s memory loss. Because chances are, your life is being directly impacted. Maybe it’s a family member… your spouse… your neighbor… or even yourself. Even worse? Memory loss doesn’t just show up overnight. Instead, it can creep up on you or a [...]
If you’re anything like me, you’re probably doing everything you can to avoid Alzheimer’s disease. Because without a sharp mind, you will slowly lose your independence… and identity. That’s why you never miss your morning tee time or bike ride… eat plenty of fresh produce… and always take the opportunity to learn something new. But [...]
For many of us, the ability to smell the world around us is something we take for granted. If there’s something cooking in the oven, we delight in the delicious odors wafting from the kitchen. On a spring day, flowering plants release a pleasing odiferous palate we savor every time we inhale. But the act [...]
When the saying “roughage keeps you regular” was coined it reflected fiber’s ability to prevent or relieve constipation. Soon doctors were touting the benefits of dietary fiber for everything from helping maintain a healthy weight and lowering the risk of diabetes to reducing the risk of heart disease and some forms of cancer. Now, a [...]
Cell-damaging free radicals in the brain are considered a consequence of Alzheimer’s. But in breakthrough new research, scientists now believe that free radicals, far from being a result of the disease, are a warning that an Alzheimer’s diagnosis lies ahead. A warning that we should heed and try to change. Free radicals are produced as [...]
Every wintertime people in cold weather climates take a “polar bear plunge” into an iced-over lake or river. Some might call it a test of physical strength while others might say it’s crazy. But this tradition is more than a wintertime fad. Medical researchers are discovering that cold-water dips can indeed provide substantial health benefits. [...]
Cannabis has been used medicinally for over 2000 years and about half the states in the U.S. allow physicians to prescribe it in select medical conditions, Alzheimer's being one of them. Decades of lab research provides evidence of its value, but the use of medical cannabis remains controversial because it contains the cannabinoid THC, the [...]
When beta amyloid and tau proteins go rogue, they form the characteristic brain plaques and tangles thought to be a cause of Alzheimer's. But inflammation is also an early feature of the disease and strongly involved in its development. Previous attempts to relieve inflammation in Alzheimer's patients have not been successful, but a new study [...]
