RECENTLY, I SPOKE on a panel for PBS TV at the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) convention in Boston. The topic was dementia.
There was a woman with mild cognitive impairment on the panel. Her condition is sort of like pre-Alzheimer’s disease. Everyone on the panel — including the Harvard neurologist — agreed that memory loss is NOT a normal part of aging. The sad part was that the panel didn’t have much to offer people in the way of prevention. Their only solution was just a very bad and pretty ineffective selection of drugs with lots of side effects.
But there is another way to think about brain aging. The brain responds to all the same insults as the rest of the body — stress, poor diet, toxins, lack of exercise or sleep, nutritional deficiencies, and more. All we have to do is give the brain a tune-up and we can see miracles. In today’s blog I will give you nine tips that will allow you to do that. But first, let’s look a little more closely at the magnitude of this problem.
Dementia on the Rise
Dementia is a big problem and growing every day. Ten percent of 65-year olds, 25 percent of 75-year olds, and 50 percent of 85-year olds will get Alzheimer’s disease — at a cost of $60 billion a year to society. Worse, the number of people with Alzheimer’s is predicted to triple in the next few decades. It is now the seventh leading cause of death.(i)
I believe this preventable, that we can slow this trend and even reverse it. In a moment, I will tell you how. But first I want to explain why just naming a disease — whether it is dementia or anything else — is becoming increasingly unhelpful (unless you just want to match the drug to the disease which is the only thing doctors are trained to do).
We have to think about individuals, not diseases. In medicine, our genetic differences are more important than our similarities.
Sometimes the practice of medicine lags behind the science, and sometimes the practice gets ahead of the science. Genetic testing puts us squarely in the middle of that dilemma. We are at a crossroads, where the old ideas we have about disease and diagnosis become less meaningful as we understand more and more about the importance of individual differences in determining illness. This a time when personalized medicine will replace medicine based on diagnosis and disease.
We once thought that heart disease and artery-clogging plaques couldn’t be reversed (and now have proof that this does happen), I believe dementia can be reversed…
In fact, disease and diagnosis as we know it will soon be an obsolete concept, an artifact of medical history, like bloodletting or phrenology (the art of diagnosis based on the shape of your skull, popular in the 19th century). The reason is simply this: Naming a disease does nothing to help us identify and treat the underlying causes of the disease. We must address these causes if we have any hope of helping individuals heal.
I’d like to illustrate this through the story of one of my patients who had a diagnosis of dementia.
Treating Individuals, Not Diseases
George and his wife came to see me because he could no longer manage his business affairs, had become increasingly unable to function at home, and had to withdraw from family and social relationships. He was desperate as he felt himself slipping away.
There is no effective known treatment for dementia. But we do know a lot about what affects brain function and brain aging: our nutrition, inflammation, environmental toxins, stress, exercise, and deficiencies of hormones, vitamins, and omega-3 fats.
It is not just one gene, but the interaction between many genes and the environment that puts someone at risk for a chronic disease such as dementia. And we know that many things affect how our genes function — our diet, vitamins and minerals, toxins, allergens, stress, lack of sleep and exercise, and more.
Even though no long-term studies have been done to look at treating dementia based on genes, there are so many scientific threads that weave together a picture of how and why our brains age and what genes are involved. This leads me back to George …
For this man, whose mind and life were evaporating, I looked deeply into his genes and the biochemistry his genes controlled and found places where we could improve things.
He had a gene called apo E4, which is a high-risk gene for Alzheimer’s disease(ii) and also made it hard for him to lower his cholesterol and detoxify mercury from his brain.(iii) He also had a version of a gene for detoxification of metals and other toxins (glutathione-S-transferase, or GST)(iv) that was very inefficient, making him accumulate more toxins over his lifetime. Having the combination of a problem with GST and apo E4 puts people at even more risk for dementia.(v),(vi) In another study, people with an absent GST gene were likely to have much higher levels of mercury.(vii)
George had another gene called MTHFR(viii) that made him require very high doses of folate to lower his blood levels of homocysteine, which is a substance very toxic to the brain. Lastly, he had a gene called CETP that caused his cholesterol to be high, which contributes to dementia. Combine this gene with the apo E4 gene and your risk of dementia goes way up.(ix)
We found that George had high levels of mercury(x) and helped him detoxify with foods such as kale, watercress, and cilantro, herbs such as milk thistle, nutrients such as selenium and zinc, and medications that helped him overcome his genetic difficulties by getting rid of toxins.
We lowered his cholesterol with diet and herbs. We lowered his homocysteine with high doses of folate and vitamins B6 and B12.
What happened then was impressive …
After a year of aggressive therapy that was matched to his genes, not his diagnosis, he had a remarkable and dramatic recovery. Before I saw him, he could not manage his business, nor did his grandchildren want to be around him. After matching his treatment to his genes, he was again able to function, and his grandchildren loved being with him again.
While this area of genetic testing and nutrigenomics is new, and more research is needed to help us refine our understanding and treatment, there are ways to look through new doors into an entirely new era of medicine that no longer focuses on the disease, but on the person and their uniqueness. Here’s another example of how we can do that.
A woman named Christine was eighty and was experiencing severe memory loss and cognitive decline. Her family was obviously concerned, so she was tested with hours of neuropsychological testing and found to have dementia.
Her neurologist offered her words of comfort, but told her and her family there is no treatment truly effective to stop or reverse the progression of dementia. That’s when her daughter brought her to see me.
We discovered many subtle changes in her health that on their own wouldn’t explain dementia, but when added all together put a strain on her brain function. All we did was correct those problems — low thyroid function, mercury toxicity, inflammation, and deficiencies in vitamins B6 and D, folate, coenzyme Q10, and omega-3 fats — and improved her diet overall. I encouraged her to exercise, because exercise can help improve cognitive function and prevent dementia.
Six months later, she had the extensive memory tests repeated. Her psychologist was surprised to report that her scores got BETTER!
To put this in perspective, mental decline happens progressively, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but NEVER gets better — according to our traditional medical thinking.
But just like we once thought that heart disease and artery-clogging plaques couldn’t be reversed (and now have proof that this does happen), I believe dementia can be reversed (if caught early enough) by attending to all the factors that affect brain function – diet, exercise, stress, nutritional deficiencies, toxins, hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and more.
It is really quite simple. Like everything I describe in UltraWellness, you get rid of the bad stuff, put in the good stuff, and the body heals. It’s common sense, but we are so far from that in the way we treat chronic illness with conventional medicine.
So if you know someone with memory loss, look at all the keys to UltraWellness extremely aggressively to find what imbalances are present and how to fix them. Remember, there will be no one treatment that works for everyone, because everyone is different. But here are some things to think about if you or a loved one are experiencing memory loss or dementia.
9 Steps to Reversing Dementia
Start by looking hard for correctable causes of memory loss. They include:
• Pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome
• Low thyroid function
• Depression
• Deficiencies in B vitamins, especially vitamin B12
• Omega-3 fat deficiencies
• Mercury or other heavy metal toxicity
• Vitamin D deficiency
• High cholesterol
• Unique genes that predispose you to nutritional or detoxification problems
Doctors who practice Functional Medicine and follow the principles I talk about in UltraWellness can help you find these problems.
Once you identify the underlying causes of the imbalance, here are a few things that can help your mind get a tune-up:
1. Balance your blood sugar with a whole foods, low glycemic diet
2. Exercise daily — even a 30-minute walk can help
3. Deeply relax daily with yoga, meditation, biofeedback, or just deep breathing
4. Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement
5. Take an omega-3 fat supplement
6. Take extra vitamin B6, B12, and folate
7. Take vitamin D
8. Treat thyroid or low sex hormones
9. Get rid of mercury through a medical detoxification program
This is just a start, but it can go a long way to giving your brain the chance to heal and recover if you have memory problems. Even if you aren’t suffering from cognitive decline, you should take these steps because they can help you prevent the aging of your brain and obtain lifelong health.
Now I’d like to hear from you…
Have you noticed memory loss as you’ve gotten older?
What have you done about the problem so far?
Which of these steps do you plan to follow?
Do you have any other recommendations?
Please share your thoughts by adding a comment below.
To your good health,
Mark Hyman, M.D.
References
(i) http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm
(ii) Tsai, M.S., Tangalos, E.G., Petersen, R.C., et al. (1994). Apolipoprotein : Risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. American Journal of Human Genetics. 54 (4):643-649.
(iii) Godfrey, M.E., Wojcik, D.P., and C.A. Krone. (2003). Apolipoprotein E genotyping as a potential biomarker for mercury neurotoxicity. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 5 (3):189-195.
(iv) Stroombergen, M.C., and R.H. Warring. (1999). Determination of glutathione S-transferase me and theta polymorphisms in neurological disease. Human and Experimental Toxicology. 18 (3):141-145.
(v) Bernardini, S., Bellincampi, L., Ballerini, S., et al. (2005). Glutathione S-transferase P1 *C allelic variant increases susceptibility for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease: Association study and relationship with Apolipoprotein E4 allele. Clinical Chemistry. 51(6):944-951.
(vi) Spalletta, G., Bernardini, S., Bellincampi, L., et al. (2007). Glutathione S-transferase P1 and T1 gene polymorphisms predict longitudinal course and age at onset of Alzheimer’s disease. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 15 (10):879-887.
(vii) Gundacker, C., Komarnicki, G., Jagiello, P., et al. (2007). Glutathione s-transferase polymorphism, metallothionein expression, and mercury levels among students in Austria. Science of the Total Environment. 385 (1-3):37-47.
(viii) Dorszewska, J., Florczak, J., Rozycka, A., et al. (2007). Oxidative DNA damage and level of thiols as related to polymorphisms of MTHFR, MTR, MTHFD1 in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentals. 67 (2):119-129.
(ix) Rodriguez, E., Mateo, I., Infante, J., et al. (2005). Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) polymorphism modifies the Alzheimer’s disease risk associated with APOE 4 allele. Journal of Neurology. 253 (2):181-185.
(x) Mutter, J., Naumann, J., Schneider, R., et al. (2007). Mercury and Alzheimer’s disease. Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie 75 (9):528-538.
We have found similar causes with our mother and it was in relation to Cadmium toxicity from her work environment.
First was onset of Type II diabetes, then neuro-muscular pains, then reactions to all the Diabetic and cholesterol drugs High Blood-pressure.
Lead to path ten years later with Alzheimer’s symptoms, then Aricept, Excelon and no success.
Went thru defining getting the body healthy with supplements and diet changes, no improvement.
Found Naturopath that defined the cadmium issue. Not alot of testing availble to define metal toxicity across the blood brain barrier, without severe physical access.
Then the costs of all this not supported by Medicare is eating us alive, with home-care and supplements.
Jim
how would one fine a doctor in my area that does what Dr Hyman recommends
Thank you, Charles, for your message and your interest in Dr. Hyman’s work. To locate a practitioner of functional medicine in your area see the “Find a Functional Medicine Practitioner” link at the Institute of Functional Medicine’s website. Here you will find a place to enter your zip code and look for practitioner’s in your area that have completed the institute’s five-day training course in functional medicine. Understand that not all of the doctors listed here will fit your particular needs. Many different medical professionals complete this training, and you will have to do additional research on your own regarding a particular practitioner’s approach and whether or not it fits your specific medical requirements. This may include calling the practioner’s office, visiting his or her website, and/or scheduling a consultation.
Wishing You the Best of Health!
I like this article very much. This is the right medication, the future medication. Thank you for your article..
My 87 year old mother has dementia and I try to have her eat well/healthy which is always a battle as she loves sweets and claims she is not hungry. She takes synthroid but recently had the amount reduced. She is also depressed and takes Mirtazapine/Remiron for depression and Aricept for her dementia. Could you please mention the affection of medications for asthma such as Advair on dementia. Thank you.
As a health care professional, (PhD) I have been involved in the field of homeopathic/natural/orthomolecular/alternative/complementary medicine, (whatever term you wish to name it), for nearly 30 years. I have to laugh at this new term called “Functional Medicine”. It implies that doctors are dysfunctional unless they sign up and pay for a very expensive course in Functional Medicine which, after having perused the website content, I find is like stepping backwards rather than forwards. I respect Dr. Hyman’s work and have collected all his books; however, there is no mention of the L.S.A. or M.O.R.A. diagnostic tools used by complementary medicine physicians all over the world. This includes my own personal MD/HMD here in the USA. They are tools that are light years ahead of what is offered in the coursework of the Functional Medicine program. Further, few physicians are willing to explore the use of Cold Laser or LLL as a healing modality. I find that only chiropractors to date have “seen the light” as it were and are using this incredibly effective tool. I had a cyst in my L-4 spine that was causing loss of sensation and motor ability in my left leg. My traditional doctor felt it required surgery. Oh, no!. I found a chiropractor who used the LCT1000 LLL, and after 29 treatments of 5 minutes each, it healed the cyst and left my spine stronger and pain free. There is so much to explore in the field of complementary medicine. I just wish that well intended physicians like Dr. Hyman would design his program to include the aforementioned tools that are truly healing modalities.
Glad of your info. I cannot remember the name of a book I read last week! Sometimes I cannot even remember the content without a lot of searching. I am gluten, soy and egg sensitive so some natural remedies I am not able to take. I do eat organic food only – grass fed beef maybe once a week. Tons of veggies and fruit. I do like to take only natural products – a multi vitamin made from natural organic food. Just started taking folate and B 12. Have not found a natural B6 as yet. Thank you for being so generous with your knowledge and time. I exercise with weights twice a week and walk almost everyday for 2 miles. I am 74years young!
I have heard of a product used for mercury and heavy metal detox called Zeolite, made from microscopic volcanic particles. I was wondering if you have ever heard of this product, and if so would you recommend it?
Thanks Doug
How do I locate a local doctor who pracices functional medicine?
I live in Laguna Woods, CA, surrounded by traditional doctors.
Thanks
Thank you, Renee, for your message and your interest in Dr. Hyman’s work. To locate a practitioner of functional medicine in your area see the “Find a Functional Medicine Practitioner” link at the Institute of Functional Medicine’s website. Here you will find a place to enter your zip code and look for practitioner’s in your area that have completed the institute’s five-day training course in functional medicine. Understand that not all of the doctors listed here will fit your particular needs. Many different medical professionals complete this training, and you will have to do additional research on your own regarding a particular practitioner’s approach and whether or not it fits your specific medical requirements. This may include calling the practioner’s office, visiting his or her website, and/or scheduling a consultation.
Wishing You the Best of Health!
I am interested in finding a person(medical doctor) to help with your suggestions/recommendations above. Location: Montreal, Quebec – Canada,
Appreciate to hear from you as soon as possible. Thanks.
Thank you, Mirella, for your message and your interest in Dr. Hyman’s work. To locate a practitioner of functional medicine in your area see the “Find a Functional Medicine Practitioner” link at the Institute of Functional Medicine’s website. Here you will find a place to enter your zip code and look for practitioner’s in your area that have completed the institute’s five-day training course in functional medicine. Understand that not all of the doctors listed here will fit your particular needs. Many different medical professionals complete this training, and you will have to do additional research on your own regarding a particular practitioner’s approach and whether or not it fits your specific medical requirements. This may include calling the practioner’s office, visiting his or her website, and/or scheduling a consultation.
Wishing You the Best of Health!
This is a very good article. I’ve seen many people helped with their mental decline by eating a good green diet, exercise, and neurobright supplement. It is worth a try, I think, if you are having any signs of mental decline. Our mind is our most important asset.
Dr Hyman –
This is a truly excellent article. You are doing a lot of good in the world.
After a year of being on a protein-type Metabolic diet, upping good B’s, D, thyroid & other bio-identical hormones, I feel SANER, look LEANER, have more ENERGY. Happier with life & work & family again, (on LIFE’s terms, not mine!). Fine-tuning all this year, and looking forward to yet another shift upward.
Thankyou for your contributions.
- Dena
Hello Dr. Hyman,
I am a pharmacist who is waiting for my Medication Therapy Management [MTM] certificate to come through. Once I get this I will be able to counsel patients in the Functional Medicine line of thinking. I am also studying for my Pharm. D. for working pharmacists. Where could I send my patients to get their genetics tested? I live in St. Paul, MN. MTM is a provision in Medicare part D. The patients I see are in assisted living arrangements or in their own home. It would be wonderful if Medicare would pay for the tests. Usually this patient population does not have the money to spend on the genetic tests. I am with your way of thinking 100%. Any resources you can suggest for m to learn when and how to refer patients for testing?
Thanks so much.
Judy Silman-Greenspan,R.Ph, M.Pharm. Sci., Pharm. D. candidate
I know absolutely no doctor who is going to test my genes.???
So do I just do the nine steps?
Hello Dr. Hyman:
Thank you for the information; Question: My Dad is an 88 yo healthy individual with mild memory loss resulting in mild cognitive impairment: I would like to recommend either the Vitamin B12 or the Vitamin B-Complex for my Dad; thanku
ps What would be the amount of B12 for an average healthy adult individual?
I would like to know the answer to this question for myself I use 1,000 mcg. B12
per day…is this adequate? thank you; Anne Conn. 1951
I had a severe poisoning of Carbon Monoxide in 1998. The neuro psych doc. put me on several nutritional supplements, but when tested two years later, I didn’t have any improvement. I’d lost 30 points on my IQ, and had/have severe memory deficiencies. Now in my 60′s I’m noticing a significant loss of memory abilities. Why didn’t the antioxidants work for me the first time? I’m already on pharmaceutical grade, high quality, COQ10, fish oil, b-complex, mineral complex, vit. D and take SAMe for depression. I’ve had my thyroid tested (ok) and am taking bio identical hormones. I’ve still got high cholesterol but it has gone down from 250 to 230 in the last 8 months through these nutrients. I just don’t see an improvement in my memory. Any other suggestions? Or am I doomed because of the brain damage done by the CO?
Thank you, Barb, for your message and your interest in Dr. Hyman’s work. Your question and constellation of symptoms represents a complex medical condition. Questions regarding conditions like these cannot be answered in a responsible manner via the Internet.
If you would like information on becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center please see “How to Become a Patient” at http://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com. That site is designed to give prospective patients a comprehensive source of information about The UltraWellness Center. You may also feel free to call The UltraWellness Center at (413) 637 9991.
Regardless of becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center, it sounds like you need to consult with a doctor. Please seek medical attention for the issues that you outlined in your message.
Wishing You the Best of Health!
I am a 57 year old female. In July 2010, after I was put on a Bi-pap machine, I experienced unusual daily headaches. By October I had very noticeable cognitive impairment and I went to my primary doctor. Since then I have had MRI’s, MRA’s, MRV’s, neuro-psych testing, multiple bloodwork and two neurologist’s opinions. They found no reasons for the problems and started a series of seizure medication and narcotics trying to find an answer to this problem. Four days ago I ended up in the ER from a severe side-effect from one of the drugs.
I have an appointment with a functional doctor in two weeks. I have had the appointment for two months. Because the headaches where so bad and my memory problems were worsening, I chose to put a bandage on my pain until this upcoming appointment. I would do it differently next time. I have already been following Ultra-metabolism for over a year. I know I needed more help in solving my health issues. But I think I should have reread your book instead of using all those pain killers. I have followed your recommendations from your book that have best been suited for my everyday diet needs. But there is so much more information in your book that would have been helpful for me to follow for my memory problems until I’m able to see this functional doctor.
I am 78 yrs old. I have read your columns and watched your videos on functional medicine. It does interest me. I follow much of the regitment you suggest to try to prevent dimenia. However, at the present time, I am concerned about my husband who is 85 years old and suffers from early dementia. He has had short term memory loss for the past two years. I am always searching for help for him.
He is fairly active for his age; rides a bike for 1/2 hr 3-4 times a week, plays bridge, works on sudoko, crossword puzzlesand recently passed his driver’s written, vision and driving test. He personally takes care of himself. He has been on a high energy daily vitamin, vitamin C, calcium w/D, fish oil. and a 1/4 aspirin , saw palmetto and garlic for years. 6 months ago I added 2500 mcg of sublingual Vitamin B12, Vitamin B complex comprised of B1,B2,B6 and B12, Vitamin E Magnesium Oxide and Folic Acid.
He just completed a physical last November.At the time, his cholesterol was 210 . HDL’s were 55, His LDL’s and tryglycerides were high also. Since then the doctor prescribed 20 mg of Simvatstin. His cholesterol is now 156, HDL’s remained the same, LDL’s and triglycerides dropped within excellent range. His lab tests showed that his Vitamin D level was normal and his thyroid activity is normal. Sex hormones may be low. They have never been tested. But I attribute that to his age.
Last summer I noticed he was acting depressed showing little interest in social events or world news.After a visit with his physician, the doctor recommended 10 mg of Lexipro. The medication helped and he is much better.
Other medications he takes are Valsartan, Flomax, Omneprezole, and Symbicort
for COPD.
I am curious about your comments on medical detoxification and getting rid of mercury. We both have old fillings in our mouth. We are in southwest Florida for the winter; and live near the Rockford-Chicago area in Illinois.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mary, for your message and your interest in Dr. Hyman’s work. Your question and constellation of symptoms represents a complex medical condition. Questions regarding conditions like these cannot be answered in a responsible manner via the Internet.
If you would like information on becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center please see “How to Become a Patient” at http://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com. That site is designed to give prospective patients a comprehensive source of information about The UltraWellness Center. You may also feel free to call The UltraWellness Center at (413) 637 9991.
Regardless of becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center, it sounds like you need to consult with a doctor. Please seek medical attention for the issues that you outlined in your message.
Wishing You the Best of Health!
I have had good results with reducing the incidence of senior moments of
forgetfulness by taking brain food supplements. These include PS (phospha-
tidylserine) and by using extra B complex vitamin supplements.
I am wondering if these brain food supplements and others like PC (phospatidylcholine) will help a person with a diagnosis of early AlZHeimers. My mother in law has this problem now at age 93 (!).
Thank you, Phil, for your message and your interest in Dr. Hyman’s work. Your question and constellation of symptoms represents a complex medical condition. Questions regarding conditions like these cannot be answered in a responsible manner via the Internet.
If you would like information on becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center please see “How to Become a Patient” at http://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com. That site is designed to give prospective patients a comprehensive source of information about The UltraWellness Center. You may also feel free to call The UltraWellness Center at (413) 637 9991.
Regardless of becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center, it sounds like you need to consult with a doctor. Please seek medical attention for the issues that you outlined in your message.
Wishing You the Best of Health!
Hi Dr. Hyman,
I am 57 and feel I do already have some memory loss. I also talked to my doctor regarding an article that I had received from you not to long ago regarding finding the cause of the illness and not just treating it. I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, fybromyalisa, inflammation and went through mentapause early.
I just don’t know what to do and am depressed over it all. Please help!
Thank you, Carol, for your message and your interest in Dr. Hyman’s work. Your question and constellation of symptoms represents a complex medical condition. Questions regarding conditions like these cannot be answered in a responsible manner via the Internet.
If you would like information on becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center please see “How to Become a Patient” at http://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com. That site is designed to give prospective patients a comprehensive source of information about The UltraWellness Center. You may also feel free to call The UltraWellness Center at (413) 637 9991.
Regardless of becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center, it sounds like you need to consult with a doctor. Please seek medical attention for the issues that you outlined in your message.
Wishing You the Best of Health!
I had my husband write the the Jan. 17 comments about my headaches and cognitive problems. I asked him to write, it because it was such a nightmare to me because of all the side-effects that I had from the drugs I was using. I wanted others to try to find a different way to the approach of treating pain then I had done. I know that the last three months have been lost to me by memory impairment. I had gone to Dr. Hyman web site, only to not be able to follow, comprehend, or remember what I was trying to process. With the help of others I have found his book, “The Ultra Mind Solution”. I’m looking forward to getting help from Dr. Hyman once again.
I have a 81-year old sister who was diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s a few years ago by her doctor. He then gave her ARICEPT, that’s it, nothing else.
We give her vitamins and minerals such as calcium, Silver Centrum, vitamins D, vitamin complex B, fish oil omega-3…. but her condition is getting worse and her doctor do nothing.
I would like to know where is your clinic address, so I can bring her to visit you to get some help.
Please help!
Thank you, Pamela, for your message and your interest in Dr. Hyman’s work. Your question and constellation of symptoms represents a complex medical condition. Questions regarding conditions like these cannot be answered in a responsible manner via the Internet.
If you would like information on becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center please see “How to Become a Patient” at http://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com. That site is designed to give prospective patients a comprehensive source of information about The UltraWellness Center. You may also feel free to call The UltraWellness Center at (413) 637 9991.
Regardless of becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center, it sounds like you need to consult with a doctor. Please seek medical attention for the issues that you outlined in your message.
Wishing You the Best of Health!
I am in my 60′s and many of my older friends are very bright and clear minded and do drink generous amounts of wine in their daily lives. My parents who have never had any alcohol and are in their 80′s are affected by short term memory loss quite severely. We are told alcohol is “bad” for us and our brain, however I have seen many cases where this does not appear to be so. What is your opinion on this topic. I look forward to your reply.
Are there any doctors in San Diego or la Jolla CA who practice Functional Medicine?
Thank you, Ann, for your message and your interest in Dr. Hyman’s work. To locate a practitioner of functional medicine in your area see the “Find a Functional Medicine Practitioner” link at the Institute of Functional Medicine’s website. Here you will find a place to enter your zip code and look for practitioner’s in your area that have completed the institute’s five-day training course in functional medicine. Understand that not all of the doctors listed here will fit your particular needs. Many different medical professionals complete this training, and you will have to do additional research on your own regarding a particular practitioner’s approach and whether or not it fits your specific medical requirements. This may include calling the practioner’s office, visiting his or her website, and/or scheduling a consultation.
Wishing You the Best of Health!
I figured out I had lead poisoning in 1987 by looking my symptoms up in Merks Manual but it took another 13 years to find a doctor who knew how to test for it & treat it..
I have done everything except chelation therapy. My kidneys suffered terribly when I had the 1/2 dose challenge test which showed extremely high levels of mercury, elevated lead & cadmium. The kidney dr said he wouldnt be putting those chemicals in his body,,(edta, dmps)
I have been rebuilding for 10 years now & may try chelation again ???
I have been doing as many saunas as possible~read years ago that low temp saunas 1 hour a day every day pull out environmental toxins.
I also heard that blue green algae, spirulina , chlorella & cilantro pull out heavy metals so have been doing them for almost 20 yrs.
I do yoga, chiqong & tai chi daily at least one hour(for several years)
I am 64 & just in the past year have noticed slight cognitive decline..slight short term memory loss & not quite as good at finding bookkeeping errors (i am a mathemetician).
Wishing us all the best on our path to healing
We have a 7 year old daughter with Severe Childhood Apraxia and also some Sensory integration issures. I have always wondered, because Apraxia is a neurological disorder, and she cannot remember words learned from one speech lesson to the next…….are these conditions you speak of related to Apraxia? Also, how would one find a Dr. to help my daugher with these possible tests and treatments? We took her to a Functional Dr. last year, and they looked at me like I was nuts and the Dr. actually asked ME why I was there.
Hi Twinsand2more, thank you for your interest in Dr. Hyman’s website and for you comment. We can’t offer you medical advise over the Internet but suggest you try another doctor, if you want a functional practioner you can find one at: http://www.functionalmedicine.org. Dr. Hyman can be contacted for an appointment at: The UltraWellness Center at (413) 637 9991.
Wishing You the Best of Health!
Dr. Hyman,
I will be 51 in October and almost two years ago I had a terrible pain in the back of my headmand was very dizzy. I called my doctor after thinking it may have not been vertigo since the symptoms were slightly different and the pain was excrutiating. Was told to go to the hospital and that it was not vertigo.
After an MRI and a CAT scan I was told I had a shaded area in the front of my brain. I was sent to another facility that has the more advanced type of scan and it did not pick anything up. The nuerologist asked if I had ever had a head injury and all I could remember was back when I was 15 and ice skated and hit the ice hard enough to knock me out for a few moments.
From there she prescribed B-12 injections because she said my body isn’t producing it? All of a sudden I have all these symptons and this is the cure?
Since then I think B-12 (once a week) helps a littlem but I am still haivng difficulties with my memory retention and my eye sight seems even more blurry than it was and my husband (married in December) thinks I have demensia.
Is there a particular test I can take for it? Sometimes I say the most craziest things when trying to tell someone something or can’t formulate the words to express something to someone.
I suppose if it were progressive I wouldn’t be as concerned but it happened one day and I haven’t been the same since. Any suggestions?
Hi Terri, thank you for your comment and interest in Dr. Hyman’s work. We cannot offer medical advise over the Internet, you might want to consider getting another physician to examine you.
Wishing you good health!
My mother and father both were diagnosed with demential. I have been experiencing some forgetfulness and temporary memory loss. I am 62 and am taking Levoxyl (88mcg) for my thyroid. I was on Zocor (80 mg) but my doctor took me off that. She now recommends Lipitor (20 mg). I take calcium w/vitamin D. My last blood test was HDL – 79, LDL 95 and cholesterol was 187. I am considering not taking the Lipitor. What do you suggest?
Hi Jackie, thank you for your comment. We are unable to provide medical advice over the Internet. If you are interested in seeing a Functional Medicine Practitioner please refer to the “Find a Functional Medicine Practitioner” link at the Institute of Functional Medicine’s website.
Wishing You the Best of Health!
Dr. Hyman Staff
(Moderator, if you would delete my prior 2 posts, I would greatly appreciate it!)
Always searching for natural remedies to memory, depression, brain fog and sleeplessness, I have come to the conclusion that my issues are greatly influenced by sleep apnea. I’m somewhat atypical in that I’m in my early 50′s 120 lbs, fairly fit, eat well, etc. I say this to encourage folks to consider sleep apnea regardless of whether they fit the normal profile. In my case, symptoms included waking with dry mouth, racing heart due to adrenaline surges my body was providing in order to get me breathing several times during the night. After the surge, couldn’t go back to sleep for hours until adrenaline surge subsided (my take on it), Also noticed cognitive decline and accelerated aging, memory problems, depression, etc. Of course, the simple answer is hormones, which a couple of docs offered up. My wake-up call was heart issues such as short sprints would create left arm pain and heart palpitations and having my otherwise healthy, slim, fit, 52 year-old brother receive 3-bypass heart surgery out of the blue with no previous heart history. He also has a life-time history of heavy snoring.
These things started my research and realization of the major impact sleep apnea can have on your general health and heart. I’m sleeping through the night with no more awakening issues since I got my sleep apnea dental mouthpiece and head strap on amazon (but you can get them anywhere) for about $30. It’s a simple solution to see if it improves symptoms. Decided to forego sleep study due to convenience and expense issues as I am pretty adept at figuring out my own health issues. There are longer term solutions, such as cpap if you have the time and money, since a sleep study and fair amount of expense is associated. My brother is also using the simpler solutions for now. He was sent home post-surgery with lots of meds and no explanation for his heart problems. Wouldn’t that pretty much guarantee a repeat somewhere down the road? I think this is the explanation. Here’s one link. link to a medical study: http://men.webmd.com/news/20050317/mens-sleep-apnea-increases-heart-problems There ‘s much more out there if you google sleep apnea and heart problems. And ladies, don’t chalk your symptoms up to hormones without first considering sleep apnea.
very good information
a good health tip is too grind up organic grown carrots and drink the juice.
Your article is good news to me. I’m trying everything I hear about, it seems, to help my husband whose symptoms continue to worsen. We haven’t had any genetic testing and I’m concerned about that, as two of his sisters are in severe condition also. Where can we get that testing? Where are you located, as I’d sure like to take my husband, Bob, to see you? We’re in So. Calif. Thank you so much.
Hi Dorothy,
We are located in Lenox, MA and you are welcome to become a patient with us. However, there are wonderful local practitioners who could help you as well. To locate a practitioner of functional medicine in your area see the “Find a Functional Medicine Practitioner” link at the Institute of Functional Medicine’s website. Here you will find a place to enter your zip code and look for practitioner’s in your area that have completed the institute’s five-day training course in functional medicine. Understand that not all of the doctors listed here will fit your particular needs. Many different medical professionals complete this training, and you will have to do additional research on your own regarding a particular practitioner’s approach and whether or not it fits your specific medical requirements. This may include calling the practioner’s office, visiting his or her website, and/or scheduling a consultation
In good health
My main question is that I recently printed off your UltraMind diet plan, and saw that you recommend soy in several places. I’ve been told that all soy is a GMO, so I’m wondering about that.
I have led I would say a very healthy lifestyle for the past 30 years, (I am 69 yrs old)with numerous modalities, even, to the point of having all mercury fillings removed. In the last 6 years I have had several job changes (same field) and a total of 7 moves, therefore quite a lot of stress and loss. I have begun to have memory loss which I assume is from all the stress, and not being able to follow all the modalities I have been used to doing. What would you recommend as a bare minimum to get back on the right path other than the obvious…exercise, and a good diet, which I typically eat lots of vegetables, and fish…sometimes too many sweets, but have had problems waking every night between 2 and 4 with difficulty getting back to sleep. I take no meds even though I have just been diagnosed with low thyroid (hoshimotos which I understand is an auto immune disease) this after several years having hyperactive thyroid, with no symptoms, and no medication. Any suggestions you would have would be most welcome.
Hi Francine,
Thank you for sharing your health concerns. Here are some articles which might help you gain more clarity on Hashimotos and how you can help care for yourself properly and effectively:
http://drhyman.com/blog/conditions/how-to-stop-attacking-yourself-9-steps-to-heal-autoimmune-disease/
http://drhyman.com/a-7-step-plan-to-boost-your-low-thyroid-and-metabolis-776/
http://drhyman.com/blog/conditions/autoimmune-disease-stop-your-body-from-attacking-itself/
In good health!
Dr, Your websight was sent to me from my sister. I suffered an Aschemic Stroke last feb 14th. I had just has a physical and all was good less than 3 weeks before. I was 48 at the time. Severe vertigo and some memory loss of the 3 months after.Since then I am having emotional and depression issues. I am a greatfuly recovered alcoholic and drug addict. Sober almost 8 yrs. now. I have a history of severe headaches and was diagnosed with minerse disease a few years ago. Normal blood pressure and low cholorestoral. Any information you could share would be so helpful. I see an amazing neurologist here in the Detroit area. Just having a difficult time right now. Thank you so very much. Brian
HI Brian,
Thank you for sharing your concerns about your health. Wow you have been through a lot and seem to be in a great place to make some changes. Detoxification pathways are really important to have in optimal shape to promote wellbeing (no headaches, mood issues etc.) and also making sure your gut is in top shape to absorb and probperly metabolize your food. A lot of our emotional and psychological wellness are a testament to our gut health! Read these articles to learn more about how you can make some changes and feel better. And of course we would highly recommend seeing a functional medicine provider in your area to maintain good health and prevent other occurrences. To locate a doctor who practices functional medicine like Dr. Hyman, go to http://www.functionalmedicine.org and scroll down to where it says “locate a practitioner” and enter your zip. Progress accordingly from there.
http://drhyman.com/blog/conditions/how-to-end-migraines/
http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/04/28/ultrawellness-lesson-4-gut-digestive-health/
In good health
Lizzy
Very inspiring article! It’s so refreshing to see that alternative medicine/nutrition and holistic healing can actually change someone’s life, in this case make a huge difference and ultimately save someone’s life!
My boyfriend’s mother was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease at 50 years old, which doctors typically say “It’s genetic. There is nothing you can do. Each child has a 50/50 chance”
Do you think healthy living, diet and taking care of oneself can sometimes be more powerful than genetics? Basically, genetics doesn’t determine said disease, rather makes it more likely one will get it?
I’ve always believed that diet and nutrition alone can work wonders…even miracles!
Yes Rachel, we DO believe that food and lifestyle have the ability to influence our genes to award us a healthy outcome even if disease does run inthe gene line… An interesting read )or listen!) to learn more on this is:
In good health
Lizzy
Have you read about Dr. Mary Newport’s research into her husband’s dementia. She’s written a book called “What if there was a cure for Alzheimer’s”. She claims she’s reversing his dementia by adding coconut oil to his diet, any thoughts on this
Hi Rosemary,
Yes, coconut oil, unrefined and in responsible portions is a great fat to include among other healthy fats.
In good health!
Lizzy
Nutrition Coaching Program
A recent study at UCLA suggests that a combination of vitamin D-3 and Turmeric may prevent or ameliorate Alzheimer’s.