Expert explores diet and Alzheimer's risk

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter
The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Cure Alzheimer's Fund

Harvard's Dr. Rudolph Tanzi, one of the world's best-known Alzheimer's researchers, explores lowering the risk. Topics include turmeric, vegetarianism, coconut oil and what he actually applies to his own daily life. 

---

Summary of Video: (Watch the video for more details on these topics.)

Do vegetarians get Alzheimer's at lower rates than meat-eaters?
We don't know that. Most vegetarians still eat dairy products, so they're still getting animal fat in their diets. It'll be interesting to see whether vegans, who eat no animal products, get Alzheimer's. That study hasn't been done yet. 

The only data about vegetarianism is with animals - old carnivores get Alzheimer's; old herbivores don't (so far).

Thoughts on turmeric?
Turmeric lowers amyloid production and aggregation…in a petri dish. The problem with turmeric (or more specifically, the 'active ingredient' curcumin), is that it doesn't get into the brain very well, and therefore can't help much with Alzheimer's pathology. There are other good things about curcumin, though - some studies say it could have anti-cancer effects.

At Cure Alzheimer's Fund, we're developing some curcumin-like compound that can get into the brain. If these can be made safe, they may be effective against Alzheimer's.

What about coconut oil?
I'd like to see a real trial. I'm intrigued by the anecdotes, but as a scientist, you get burned by anecdotes all the time. There are companies doing some trials now. Non-virgin coconut oil can have negative health effects - it raises your triglycerides.

What do you, Dr. Tanzi, do to lower your own risk of getting Alzheimer's?
I stay intellectually and socially engaged. I'm a vegetarian - we don't know for sure, but I do think that will help. The only supplement I take is called ashwagandha, which has anti-amyloid effects. Unfortunately, most of the ashwagandha you'll find online does not work. The best one comes from Douglas Labs, but you need to get it through a doctor.

President’s Budget Proposed Increase for Alzheimer’s Disease Research

Caregivers and healthcare professionals, here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter

The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition

CureAlzheimer'sFund

 

Good, but never enough until Alzheimer’s is gone!
The President states in the budget message for the National Institutes of Health that the proposed budget delivers on the "... Administration's commitment to enhance investment in Alzheimer's research" by adding approximately $80 million to the current year’s amount. This commitment which moves Alzheimer’s research from about 1.6% of the NIH budget to about 1.8% includes, "... investments in basic research on the fundamental causes and mechanisms of disease ..."
Cure Alzheimer's Fund is encouraged by President Obama's Fiscal Year 2014 budget and its commitment to ending Alzheimer's disease. Although we all agree that much more needs to be done and that much more money needs to be allocated to research, Cure Alzheimer's Fund applauds and welcomes the additional funds for Alzheimer's disease research in the budget.
Cure Alzheimer's Fund is gratified by the Administration's stated belief that research into the causes of Alzheimer’s disease is a key to preventing the disease because this has been the guiding principle at Cure Alzheimer's Fund since its founding. This principle is embodied in the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund Research Roadmap which focuses on finding and prioritizing the genes that affect risk for the disease followed by an understanding of the biological processes that propagate the pathology.
Increases in the budget for the National Institute of Aging and the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke are most welcome. However, we are also concerned about the proposed cut at the National Institute of Mental Health which has committed significant funding to Whole Genome Sequencing for Alzheimer’s in which Cure Alzheimer’s Fund researchers are taking part and which will provide critical data for drug discovery and development to Alzheimer’s researchers around the world.
Cure Alzheimer's Fund realizes this is the beginning of the budget and appropriation process, but it is hopeful that Congressional champions of preventing Alzheimer's disease will lead their colleagues in supporting the Administration's increases to Alzheimer's disease research funding. Cure Alzheimer's Fund will continue to work closely with Congress and the Administration to do all we can to end Alzheimer's disease.