Alzheimer’s disease is responsible for the deaths of over 100,000 people per year. Over half the people in nursing homes are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Chronic malnutrition and/or the malabsorption of essential nutrients can trigger neurological, psychiatric & biochemical changes in the body. The brain of an Alzheimer’s disease sufferer is unable to produce a substance called BH4. Its scientific name “Tetrahydrobiopterin” is a substance involved in the production of brain chemicals essential for proper brain function. These brain chemicals include: dopamine, serotonin & nor-adrenaline, hence a deficiency in BH4 will trigger many neurological & other mental abnormalities.
One factor that has been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease & many other brain abnormalities is heavy metal toxicity which needs further investigation to ascertain how these heavy metals affect the brain – and develop ways to remove them from the body before they cause extensive damage and become more difficult to treat/reverse. Heavy metals include silver, cadmium, mercury, lead, copper & aluminum.
Aluminium is a neurotoxin that is especially toxic to the brain and other bodily tissue. A build-up of this heavy metal has been found in the tissues of people suffering with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS/Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
Sometimes the intake of aluminium is unintentional from aluminium cookware, aluminium foil, antacids, douches, buffered aspirins as well as antiperspirants. It increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. All of these heavy metals contribute to the problem. Aluminium is a component of the so-called silver amalgam dental fillings. Many people use baking powder – this too also contains aluminium. Some baking soda may also contain aluminium but you can source non-aluminium baking soda at your local supermarket.
An aluminium coffee-pot deposits invisible amounts of aluminium in the body e.g. in one litre of water there is over 1,600mcg of aluminium. This is approximately 3,200% above the World Health Organisation’s safe level which is set at 50mcg per litre of water. Artificial kidney dialysis also presents a problem because it can cause dialysis dementia or a state of confusion and disorientation resulting from excessive amounts of aluminium in the bloodstream. Experiments with animals injected with aluminium compounds produce nervous system disorders in the animals.
Another toxic heavy metal that we are still contending with is Lead. Despite it being banned several years now, it is still a majour health concern. It’s in our air, soil & eventually winds up in our food supply from years of using Lead gasoline & paints. Researchers have found, people who held jobs that exposed them to high levels of Lead are at least three times likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Lead can enter our systems by direct skin contact or breathing in Lead dust. Even at low levels of exposure, Lead can have serious effects on the brain’s development & functioning.
Many people feel helpless when a family member is diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is treatable by removing aluminium from the blood. Calcium & magnesium both essential nutrient mineral supplements, taken daily, slow down the rate of absorption of aluminium in the body & benefits the Alzheimer’s sufferer. Vitamin C another very powerful antioxidant essential nutrient, at very high doses helps the body rapidly get rid of Lead from the body.
Researchers suggest proper nutrition & optimum doses of vitamin & other mineral supplements – before age fifty & continuing with this regime will greatly reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease.
Here is a short list of nutrient supplements that can benefit the Alzheimer’s sufferer:
? Vitamin B12: This kind of deficiency can be mistaken for Alzheimer’s disease because its symptoms are very similar e.g. moodiness, dizziness, confusion, apathy, slowness of thought, spinal cord degeneration & psychosis, to name a few. The elderly person’s diet is usually poor, coupled with the problem of malabsorption of nutrients and possibly a digestive tract surgery. The elderly are often dieting not necessarily intentionally because normal appetite & taste function are reduced. These diets are also deficient in vitamin B12. In this case the injection or intranasal administration of vitamin B12 is recommended. This is more effective than taking it by mouth. There is no threat of toxicity with vitamin B12.
? Choline: People with Alzheimer’s disease are usually deficient in the brain chemical Acetylcholine, resulting from another deficiency in an enzyme that helps the body make Acetylcholine. The trace element choline can be obtained from Brewer’s yeast.
? Vitamin C and Tyrosine: Increases in nor-epinephrine levels, a hormone which helps increase the contractions of muscles. It’s needed to make the amino acids Tyrosine & nor-epinephrine. However, this would not be possible if the person is deficient in vitamin C. A dosage of 3000-6000mg of vitamin C benefits people with Alzheimer’s disease.
? Antioxidants: Such as vitamins C, E and beta-carotene slow the progress of Alzheimer’s disease & may even prevent it. Beta-carotene can be obtained from bright yellow and orange, especially fresh vegetable juices.
To contact Dr. Stan Horne:
1-264-582-7045
1-784-531-1150
Email: naturopathyplus@yahoo.co.uk
