Alzheimer's Disease

Not all dementia in old people is actually Alzheimers. It has unfortunately become a term to cover all memory problems and "senior moments" experienced by the elderly. Alzheimers is a serious condition which is primarily a result of years of damage by free radicals or oxidation in a genetically predisposed individual. There are other senile dementias caused by hardening of the arteries and lack of blood supply to the brain.

The key to preventing all forms of senile dementia is anti-oxidant protection. The following recipe is supplied with acknowledgements to Prof Willem Serfontein.

2000 IU VITAMIN E daily - is an anti-oxidant which is also cardio-protective.

ACETYL-L-CARNITINE - increases the energy supply within the brain.

Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy - Ralph Waldo Emerson

ACETYL CHOLINE ESTERASE INHIBITORS - stop the destruction of acetyl choline in the synapses between one brain cell and the next. Acetyl choline is a substance which makes one nerve cell communicate with the next. If this is in poor supply, brain function declines. This supplement prevents the esterase enzymes from destroying the acetyl choline.

MELATONIN - is a powerful anti-oxidant which is able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. It attacks and neutralises the extremely dangerous hydroxy free-radical.

GINKGO BILOBA - is a well-documented anti-oxidant and enhancer of blood perfusion in the vessels of the brain.

ZINC - another powerful anti-oxidant. It is also required by certain enzymes to enable them to work properly

METHYLCOBALAMIN (B12) - is a special form of vitamin B12. The more usual forms of B12 are cyanocobalamin and hydroxocobalamin. Methyl cobalamin however is the best one to take.

ALUMINIUM - must be avoided. Even though it is poorly absorbed from the gut one should avoid cooking with aluminium utensils and foods containing alum to enhance firmness. Baking powder may contain sodium aluminium sulphate. Some deodorants have aluminium as part of their anti-perspirant recipe. Before rushing out to replace your deodorant roll-on with one of those "crystal" sticks, make sure the latter does not contain alum which, as the name implies, contains aluminium.