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Sedona Lifestyles Nucleus of You with Heather Kay Column Debut

Dementia means “deprived of mind.” It affects our lives, our loved ones, and the way we live.

 

A woman in her early sixties, who was disoriented, was brought to the hospital by family members. An incident had occurred that that brought the problem to the attention of the family. During a shopping trip, she wandered, disappeared, and was reported missing to the police. After a search she was found in a nearby city mall parking lot. When found she expressed agitation; she could not find her youngest daughter who, in her mind, was still twelve years of age. The woman explained her actions as a search for her daughter who was playing a prank by hiding in the parking lot. This explanation was presented to her daughter (actually forty-two) and to the police: She intended to find the twelve-year-old, and go home!


This story is an example of a more common occurrence that can happen when dealing with dementia, or now often called Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s, named after the German doctor Alois Alzheimer, described the disease in 1906 while conducting a study on a woman named Auguste D after her death: Auguste D had suffered from memory impairments and other similar symptoms of dementia. Doctors were able to examine her brain and discovered that it had shrunken in size, contained several clumps of protein called plaques, and found tangled fibers inside the nerve cells.  


Alzheimer’s, which is a major cause of dementia in young adults and the elderly, shows up as a loss of brain function–affected are; language, memory, perception, emotional behavior, and cognitive skills.  

 

There are many forms of dementia:


Vascular dementia, (brain damage caused by strokes).

  • HIV associated dementia (HAD), resulting from infections.
  • Huntington’s disease (HD),   hereditary disorder from faulty protein gene.
  • Dementia pugilistica, or boxer’s syndrome (caused by head trauma).
  • Corticobasal degeneration (CBD), characterized by nerve cell loss or atrophy in many areas of the brain.
  • Thyroid induced, metabolic disorder (shows up as apathy, depression,  and dementia).

 

 

Recent studies done by the U.S. Congress’ Office of Technology Assessment estimates that roughly 6.8 million people in the United States have the symptoms of, or suffer from dementia. Half of them are over the age of eighty five. Dementia is not to be considered a normal part of the aging process. 


Most aging Americans do not have dementia, and memory loss does not necessarily implicate Alzheimer’s. Doctors diagnose dementia if two or more brain functions are impaired; memory loss, language skills, perception, or cognitive skills including judgment and reasoning abilities. Such impairments may lead to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s that would require treatment.


Let’s examine some dietary suggestions and educational information for those who are in the aging process or are being treated for symptoms of Alzheimer’s; Drink plenty of water; staying hydrated as you get older is important. People between the ages of thirty to forty maintain 60 percent hydration in the cells and muscle tissue throughout the body while the average maintained hydration in the body of a person sixty or older is between 30-40 percent.  Fluid levels drop from air pollution, deterioration of cells during aging, and the pollution that we ourselves inflict, being emotional or chemical.


Toxic metals are a known contributor to the break-down of human cells: The most damaging is aluminum. Aluminum can build up in the body, accumulating in the tissues of the brain.  Studies have shown such an accumulation over an extended period of time can contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms.


Aluminum can be found in cookware, and common drinking water. Aluminum sulfate is frequently used to filter municipal water supplies and is often not completely removed. Another source of aluminum is baking powder, and the use of antacids.


Dietary adjustments can help prevent or eliminate some of Alzheimer’s symptoms with such being; garlic, seaweeds such as nori used in sushi, or kelp, blue green algae, miso soups that may or may not be made of fermented soy, wheat or barley grass mixes for those not gluten sensitive, and pre-soaked mung beans. Mung beans are exceptionally good for removing metals and toxins from tissues, including lead.

 

Chlorophyll rich foods like green leafy vegetables and broccoli contain vitamin B12 that feed and regenerate the cells of the body. Apples containing pectin are known to bind metals and residues, aiding removal from the body.

 

These foods help increase hydration in the body giving us the ability to think clearly, make decisions, and function well. If we lose hydration, we are not thinking clearly and left in this condition long enough, our body and mind will deteriorate.


Let’s not forget plenty of oxygen. Find a breathing exercise that fits in your or your families’ daily lives or routines: Tia Chi, Qi Gong, and Prana Yoga exercises (to name a few) increase the fluidity to our brains, body tissues and help support hydration and elasticity.


Research these ideas and or suggestions to find what works best for you. Health is key to enjoyment here on this earth; without health, we are simply just making up for what is lacking. The best way to stay healthy is to listen to your body, not get tied up in the emotions that occur during our learning processes, and to be responsible for our daily lives. For those of you who have loved ones that are suffering, do your best to make sure they are comfortable and have the needed support.


All material written is an opinion of the author, and does not replace professional medical advice. Always check with your physician before making any changes to your diet and exercise, and or before taking any dietary supplements.


Thanks so much for reading the new Lifestyles column debut “The Nucleus of You: Dementia” on SedonaEye.com by Heather Kay, Bachelors in Science and Biology. The “Nucleus of You” SedonaEye.com and Sedona Times Publishing newspaper column will focus on nutrition, daily life habits and lifestyles. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Social networking is encouraged.

1 Comment

  1. Bob W. says:

    good article Miss Kay — our family and a few friends have found it necessary to help various members of the family suffering from dementia or altzheimer’s — sad, sad, sad condition that takes often the best and brightest among us. glad that you are writing for this good local newspaper.

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