Recipe for brain health

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Fruits and Veggies Matter, Adult Recipe Cards by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, public domain government resource.

ry this delicious Taste-of-India Alzheimer's-fighting side-dish. The chickpea base is rich in dementia-resistant arginine. While high-iron chickpeas and spinach guard against stroke and vascular dementia, India's curry spice is rich in neuroprotective turmeric. This offers the brain an added preventative to fight off Alzheimer's. Serve over brown rice.

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For information on the health benefits of these ingredients, check out:

1. (Arginine-Rich Chickpeas): Arginine Deprivation - The Alzheimer's Trigger?
2. J147, a Derivative of Turmeric, Outperforms Aricept (Donepezil) in Memory Tests
3. Coconut Oil & Dementia (Videos & Articles)
4. See what a teaspoon-a-day of the spice turmeric did for 3 people suffering from Alzheimer's.

• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup onion, coarsely chopped
• 1½ Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped or grated
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1½ tsp curry powder
• 1 x 19-oz can chickpeas, rinsed.
• 1 x 14-oz can no-sodium-added diced tomatoes with liquid
• 1 x 10-oz bag fresh spinach, stems removed
• ½ cup water
• ¼ tsp salt (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine onion and ginger in food processor and pulse until minced.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat.
3. Add onion mixture and curry. Sauté 3 minutes.
4. Add chickpeas and tomatoes; simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Stir in spinach, water, and salt. Cook another minute until spinach wilts.

TIP

• If you don’t have a food processor, chop onion and ginger into small pieces.

VARIATION

• Try with other beans, such as navy beans, black-eyed peas, or lentils instead of chickpeas. These beans should be cooked before using in this recipe.

SOURCE:
Fruits and Veggies Matter, Adult Recipe Cards by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, public domain government resource.

Expert explores diet and Alzheimer's risk

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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. 

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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.

Coconut oil dementia diet

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

Coconut oil for Alzheimer's is based on the well-researched benefits of ketone-rich diets in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, Vascular and Lewy Body Dementia. Learn about the Coconut-Oil-Dementia Diet, a rich source of ketones & other brain-healthy nutrients.

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Welcome to our series investigating dementia and the science behind the brain's use of ketones. This series offers much well-referenced information but is not medical advice. Before using any of this information, ask your doctor.

A coconut-oil-dementia diet focuses on foods that are rich in ingredients that help the body make ketones, as well as other brain-healthy nutrients that fight dementia. Here is how it works.

Glucose

Glucose is our brains' primary energy source. Like an athlete too weak to run due to hunger, a brain with too little glucose can experience cognitive decline. That means a person will have problems thinking and remembering.

As our brains age, they "burn" glucose less efficiently. Furthermore, research has shown that a drop in glucose metabolism usually occurs in people with dementias such as Alzheimer's. This glucose-drop often occurs years before people begin to exhibit symptoms.

To address this problem, scientists began studying ketones as an alternative energy source to glucose.

Ketones

In 2008, the medical journal "Neurotherapeutics" published the study, Ketone Bodies as a Therapeutic for Alzheimer's Disease. The groundbreaking research demonstrated the brain's apparent ability to use ketones as an alternative energy source.

With this new evidence regarding ketones' benefits for the ailing brain, scientists began taking a closer look at the "Ketogenic Diet." The ketogenic diet activates the "ketosis" process in our bodies, generating these energy-giving ketones.

Brain Studies on Ketones

Indeed, researchers found the ketogenic diet to have neuroprotective effects, breathing new life into brain cells. In uncontrolled clinical trials and animal studies, the ketogenic diet provided "symptomatic and disease-modifying activity in a broad range of neurodegenerative disorders."⁽¹⁾ This includes:

• Alzheimer's disease
• Parkinson's disease
• Traumatic brain injury
• Stroke (Vascular dementia) ⁽¹⁾
• Huntington's Disease⁽²⁾
• Lewy Body Dementia⁽³⁾

Further research strengthened the evidence in such studies as the one showing that the Ketogenic Diet improves dementia in mice.

Even more recently, the University of South Florida (USF) Byrd Alzheimer Institute launched a clinical trial of coconut oil in 65 people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. It is currently in progress as of June 2013.

Axona^®

The ketogenic diet is complex. It usually requires supervision by a professional nutritionist. This is worth the effort when it is administered for its proven benefits for epileptics. However, for people living at home with dementia, it can be too demanding. When not strictly supervised or adhered to, it can have undesirable side effects.

To make its benefits more accessible to the millions of people with dementias such as Alzheimer's, the biotechnology company Accera introduced Axona^®.

Axona^® is a brand-name high-quality FDA-recognized prescription-only medical food. It comes in clean, easy-to-use one-a-day packets. For those who can afford it, clinical trials have shown it to be a promising supplement. At about a hundred dollars a month, though, it is not for everyone.

MCT

The ketogenic diet's process of ketosis is not the only way to get helpful ketones to the brain. When a person eats or drinks anything rich in MCTs (Medium Chain Triglycerides), the liver quickly converts them into ketones, which make their way to the brain in just an hour or two.

Sources rich in MCTs include MCT oil, coconut oil and Axona^®. It is well worth exploring the least expensive concentrated source of dietary MCTs, coconut oil.

Coconut Oil

Virgin coconut oil is available at health food stores, food co-ops, Amazon.com and many grocery stores. It is inexpensive and contains about 60 percent MCTs.

The most famous advocate of coconut oil for dementia is Dr. Mary Newport. Dr. Newport almost gave up hope on treating her husband's Alzheimer's. After doing her own research, she began giving him a daily dose of coconut oil. He showed immediate improvement. 

In 2008, she started carefully documenting her husband Steve's progress. After two years of regular use, she carefully documented that he:

• improved dramatically
• jogged once more
• read again and remembered what he read
• got distracted less
• had a stable MRI for the entire two-year period.

Dr. Newport said at the time,

"I do believe that, overall, the use of coconut oil has taken us back in time at least two years. I don't know if we will beat it, but we have at least gotten a reprieve from this disease."

See the interview of Dr. Mary Newport on her Research on Treating Alzheimer's with Coconut Oil.

Update

In 2014, under the video, "How Much Coconut Oil for Alzheimer's & Dementia?", Dr. Newport wrote:

"About one year ago, Steve began having seizures which occur in about 1/3 of Alzheimer's patients eventually...not related to coconut oil. He fell straight back and hit his head with the first seizures. I wouldn't trade the extra three or so better quality years we had as a result of coconut oil even if Alzheimer's wins in the end. I have personally heard from about 400 people who have benefited, most with dementia, at least 35 with Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative disorders, some now stable for two to four years. It is a dietary intervention... it is your choice."

Coconut oil dissolves easily in anything from coffee to hot breakfast cereal. Check out, 20 Ways to Mix Coconut Oil into a Dementia Diet.

Coconut oil is an ordinary food that does not need a prescription. Notwithstanding, taking a lot of anything can have side-effects or interactions, so be sure to ask your doctor. , dementia views, dementia resource

For a practical guide to the use of coconut oil and MCT oil in dementias such as Alzheimer's, see the video, How to Use Coconut Oil for Dementia. 

Coconut Oil part of a Brain-Healthy Diet

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

There are hundreds of ways of incorporating coconut oil into a healthy diet to boost memory and cognition. Start with these 20 ideas.

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As a cooking oil, replace polyunsaturated oils, "vegetable oils" such as corn and soy, with coconut oil. Coconut oil should be your main cooking oil, as it is heat stable, and will not become toxic in uses that require high heat.

Use coconut oil for frying: Gluten Free Fried Chicken Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2009/9/23/Gluten-Free-Fried-Chicken

Gluten Free Coconut Fried Fish Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2009/9/27/Gluten-Free-Coconut-Fri...

Use coconut oil for baking: Roast Chicken with Coconut Oil Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2010/3/19/roast-chicken-with-coco...

Use coconut oil for making your own mayonnaise: Coconut Mayonnaise Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2010/1/19/coconut-mayonnaise

Use coconut oil in dips: Coconut Ranch Party Dip Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2010/10/22/coconut-ranch-party-dip

Use coconut oil to make your own salad dressings: Spicy Coconut Cilantro Dressing Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2010/1/28/spicy-coconut-cilantro-...

Use coconut oil to make your own ketchup: Homemade Fresh Tomato Ketchup Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2011/6/1/homemade-fresh-tomato-ke...

Use coconut oil to make the best pie crusts: Coconut Oil Pie Crust Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2010/8/6/coconut-oil-pie-crust

Use coconut oil in your soups: Sweet Potato Coconut Peanut Butter Soup Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2009/11/15/sweet-potato-coconut-p...

Use coconut oil to make fudge: Black and White Toasted Coconut Fudge Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2011/12/9/black-white-toasted-coc...

Use coconut oil to make pudding: Quick Chocolate Coconut Pudding Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2010/3/2/quick-chocolate-coconut-...

Use coconut oil to make cookies: Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkles Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2010/12/7/gluten-free-chocolate-c...

Use coconut oil to make muffins: Gluten Free Lemon-Lime Coconut Flour Muffins Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2009/12/29/lemon-lime-coconut-flo...

Use coconut oil to make brownies: Coconut Peanut Butter Whole Wheat Brownies Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2010/2/24/coconut-peanut-butter-w...

Use coconut oil to make chocolate cake: Making A Foolproof Gluten Free Cake Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2009/11/10/making-a-foolproof-glu...

Use coconut oil to make chocolate candy: Homemade Honey Chocolate Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2011/2/18/homemade-honey-chocolate

Use coconut oil in gluten free and dairy free recipes: Strawberry Cream Pie - Gluten Free and Dairy Free Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2010/6/15/strawberry-cream-pie-gl...

Add coconut oil to your coffee: Spiced Coconut Mocha Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2011/11/23/spiced-coconut-mocha

Use coconut oil in hot chocolate: Coconut Peanut Butter Cup Hot Cocoa Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2010/1/5/coconut-peanut-butter-cu...

Use coconut oil to add energy to your smoothies: How to Add Coconut Oil to Smoothies without the Oil Clumping Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2011/8/24/how-to-add-coconut-oil-...

Use coconut oil in your protein shakes for extra energy: Chocolate Coconut Banana Protein Shake Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2010/5/7/chocolate-coconut-banana...

Use coconut oil in chocolate milk: Pecan Coconut Chocolate Milk Recipe - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2010/12/6/pecan-coconut-chocolate...

For hundreds of more uses of coconut oil, visit FreeCoconutRecipes.com where other coconut oil users submit their kitchen-tested coconut recipes. We post new recipes every week!
http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/

Anona for Alzheimer's

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

 

weartv.com

 

Alzheimer's disease eats away at the mind and the memory.

Some doctors are now prescribing a "medical food" as part of their treatment. But not everyone who works with Alzheimer's patients thinks it will help.

Draw some water, pour in the powder, stir, and voila. That's all it takes to make this milkshake neurologist Doctor Gerald Calegan is prescribing to some of his patients.

"It's a medical food that is approved for treating Alzheimer's disease."

The "medical food" is called Axona.

According to doctors, the treatment that contains a derivative of coconut oil helps fuel the brain with ketones, an alternative brain fuel to glucose which is what those suffering from Alzheimer's are losing.

"Just sip on it for a few minutes after you eat breakfast and it's shown to improve memory scores in patients with Alzheimer's disease."

While Axona was approved by the FDA back in 2009, some are still skeptical as to how effective it is in treating Alzheimer disease.

"People will try anything when they have a terminal disease."

Barbera Autin is the executive director for Alzheimer's Services in Baton Rouge. Her mother recently succumbed to the disease and says some under stress might be tempted to try something new.

"As the disease progresses, it's as though the person regresses to almost infancy. Where they need 24 hour care. So it demands so much attention from the caregiver it just wears them out."

But her organization and some other critics aren't ready to recommend the use of medical foods like Axona in place of long standing medications for Alzheimer's just yet.

In the meantime, Doctor Calegan says it's working, and is impressed by his patients' improvement.

"Remembering a grandchild's birthday, being able to remember a doctor's appointment, knowing that you're taking your medicines properly. those things make a big difference.""Medical food" being prescribed by some doctors to treat Alzheimer's