Surviving Alzheimer’s: A Functional Medicine Approach To Prevention And Reversal

Overview

If you had thirty-six holes in your roof and only patched three of them, you’d still have a very leaky roof. This is how we have to think about brain health—we need to address all the various insults to create lasting healing. And despite what the conventional medical model has taught us about cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s, these disorders are actually within our power to reverse, which means tackling all the holes in the roof. Beta-amyloid plaque is not the only issue that needs to be addressed. There’s no better person to talk to about reducing the risk of cognitive deficits and supporting optimal brain health than today’s guest on The Doctor’s Farmacy, Dr. Dale Bredesen. This is such an important episode for all of us, considering that global rates of dementia are currently projected to triple by 2050. Dr. Bredesen is providing hope and a new way of looking at the brain, proving with his research that adding in the right inputs while taking out the offenders can actually reverse the devastating symptoms of cognitive decline. You might be wondering if this is possible even if you have genetic variants that predispose you to Alzheimer’s, and the answer is yes! We discuss the stages of cognitive impairment and the different actions that might be required for those with the severe forms of ApoE4. Some of the steps Dr. Bredesen has found imperative to healing his patients might seem too good to be true. Eating a high-fiber diet low in simple carbohydrates, intermittent fasting to induce autophagy, and reducing toxic exposure are just some of the accessible but powerful changes we talk about. He shares some truly amazing success stories from his patients, as well as the reasons he’s seen people fail to improve. It is possible for those who are struggling with cognitive decline to regain brain function and take back their lives. This episode reframes the possibilities of healthy aging; I hope you’ll tune in. This episode is brought to you by Beekeeper’s Naturals, BiOptimizers, and Cozy Earth. Beekeeper’s Naturals is giving my community an exclusive offer of 25% off your first order. Just go to beekeepersnaturals.com/HYMAN and enter the code HYMAN. Try BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough for 10% off by going to magbreakthrough.com/hyman and using the code HYMAN10. Right now, you can try out Cozy Earth’s bamboo pajamas and loungewear for 40% off—their highest discount ever offered. Just go to cozyearth.com and use the code HYMANPODCAST