The average life expectancy in the U.S. is at an all-time high at 78 years old, but the rate of memory issues such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease is also on the rise and there’s still a lot to learn about how to prevent it and treat it.
A recent study out of UCLA (http://impactaging.com/papers/v6/n9/full/100690.html) found that taking a naturopathic-like approach to treatment was highly successful. The participants ranged from having mild cognitive decline to early stage Alzheimer’s disease. They underwent a thorough evaluation and were given individualized treatment recommendations including vitamin D, fish oil, etc., lifestyle and diet changes, and were followed for a period of time. At the end of the study, the majority of the participants had improvements in overall health, and most importantly, memory and cognitive improvements that allowed some to return to work or continue working after having had to quit due to memory issues before the study.
These results are powerful and should bring hope to those who have a strong family history of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, or are starting to notice issues with memory and concentration. It also shows that treatment should not just be focused on treating the brain, but the whole body in order to optimize health and minimize inflammation. Only then can you achieve the sustained improvements demonstrated in this study. I’m looking forward to more studies like this that support a more comprehensive approach to treatment!
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