How do you recognize Alzheimer’s?

Typical early symptoms for Alzheimer’s patients range from apathy and depression to difficulty remembering recent conversations, names or events. Later signs include impaired communication, disorientation, difficulty swallowing, or walking, confusion, poor judgment or behavior changes. Brain changes caused by deposits of plaques (protein deposits) or tangles (twisted strands of proteins) are common. There is also nerve cell damage and death. These elevated levels of protein are found in and around brain cells and interfere with communication between the cells. The hippocampus, the deep brain center of learning and memory, often has damage caused by elevated protein levels, which is why, at times, memory issues arise early in AD patients.

Vascular Dementia

Vascular dementia strikes about 10 percent of dementia patients. It is typically caused by stroke and is the second most common form of dementia. The main diagnostic difference is that in vascular dementia, impaired judgment, or the inability to make decisions, plan or organize are the primary symptoms, not memory loss, as in AD. Damaged blood vessels are linked to brain changes and tied to vascular dementia.

Other Alternate Treatments

Alternative treatments have always coexisted alongside Western medicine but because they are seen as unorthodox, and they have mostly been unrecognized by Westerners, these treatments are largely unfamiliar to most of us. These practices include homeopathic techniques, use of herbs and acupuncture. Four alternate and natural remedies you may not have considered for dementia are reviewed here for you.

1. Foods rich in vitamin K and beta-carotene have previously been discussed.

2. Omega-3 fatty acids. This is a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid that has been linked to a reduction in coronary disease. It is found in cold-water fatty fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel. There are two types of fatty acids and both have been found to lower heart disease and stroke risk. It has also been found that an increase in omega-3s could result in a decrease in the risk of dementia or cognitive decline. To a lesser extent, omega-3 oils are found in flaxseed, soybean and canola oil and English walnuts. One must be careful because in high doses, these oils can cause bleeding, especially in conjunction with blood thinners.