Natural Alzheimer's Treatments

We all experience "senior moments" as we age, and we may wonder when we should start worrying about them.
In the health care field, a nurse or physician will evaluate a patient's mental status with the terms "alert and oriented," along with a number. The majority of healthy people would be described as "alert and oriented times 3" -- the "times 3" includes person, place and time.

Think of it this way: the one thing that changes with a person the most is "time." Those with Alzheimer's experience major deficits with short-term memory. Although the only way you can conclusively diagnose Alzheimer's is by dissecting the brain at death, MRI scans of those with Alzheimer's show thin areas of the cerebral cortex, responsible for memory, language and higher-level thinking. Patients with Alzheimer's will know their name and in the early stages will know where they are; however, they will become confused when it comes to the details of time and current events.

For example, your mother may call you up for a chat then call you up an hour later to discuss the same details. If she doesn't immediately recognize that she's repeating herself and denies that she just called you up or becomes confused when you start reiterating the details, you might want to call up her primary care physician and state your concerns then schedule an evaluation of her mental status. Because the Baby Boomer population is aging and increasing the senior citizen demographic, drug companies are jumping on the bandwagon in terms of producing medications to decrease the symptoms of Alzheimer's. Unfortunately, these drugs not only do not stop Alzheimer's but may trigger preexisting mental health issues, such as OCD or anger/rage. 

One problem that individuals with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia may suffer is Sundowner's Syndrome. This is characterized by odd behavior right around sunset, such as a desire to clean out closets or paranoia about a family member or caregiver. If your loved one exhibits these symptoms, speak with their family physician to see if their current medication regimen may be contributing to the behavior. Also ask about using an herbal supplement to alleviate the symptoms, such as Herb Pharm's Valerian Extract that can be added to tea or cocoa. This liquid formulation offered by Herb Pharm is hand-harvested at its peak freshness and never treated with fumigants or radiation. If you're concerned about the alcohol typical in homeopathic tinctures, Herb Pharm also offers their Valerian Extract with distilled water instead of alcohol. 

 In 2006, researchers at MIT noted increased neural connections in the brains of lab animals when they were given Omega-3 fatty acids, including choline. This nutritional supplement regimen may delay the onset of increased dementia in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's. To take advantage of this "brain food," consider adding the Alive!® Liquid Multi vitamin to your loved one's diet. This easy-to-take, whole food supplement from Nature's Way
contains bioflavonoids from grapefruit, oranges and lemons, along with spirulina, known for its amino acids. You'll feel good about giving your loved one the best possible nutritional help available for their continued quality of life.