Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

ALS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Disease (metals, lead, toxins, plaque, and mini strokes)

Lead

Lead is stored in bones and builds up over a lifetime.

It is a toxic metal and considered a metabolic poison that can damage the heart, kidneys,liver, nervous system, and brain.

It can be released from the bones and into the bloodstream at any time during periods of high levels of stress, acid-base imbalance or acidic blood pH can reduce bone mass, and as we age people can lose bone mass.

Alzheimer's

A new study and theory suggest that floating pieces of amyloid beta called oligomers are what's killing off brain cells in Alzheimer's.

The plaques may be the body's way of trapping and neutralizing oligomers a toxic substance; "The plaque is not the main culprit in terms of toxicity," -- "It actually sequesters all of that amyloid," adding that oligomers are "the really toxic substance."

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease affecting the nervous system.

Some people with Parkinson's have been found to have high levels of lead in their brain.

One theory is that the cells are destroyed by toxins within the body that the liver is unable to filter out, metabolize, or detoxifiy because as we age the liver loses some of its efficiency.


NFL FMR. Players and Alzheimer's

Trauma to the head such as concussions are linked to dementia and Alzheimer's.

A study found that former NFL players' rate of Alzheimers is 19x the public rate.

Mini Strokes and Alzheimer's

Mini strokes happen all the time in the brain without much damage but over time can lead to problems associated to Alzheimer's.

Lifestyle factors play the largest role in preventing strokes, 80% of second strokes are preventable, risk factors include obesity, smoker, blood pressure > 140/90, cholesterol > 240, diabetic, family history, lack of exercise.

Diet, Stroke, and Alzheimer's

Diet can reduce strokes and sharply reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s by 40%.

Saturated fatty acids in red meat and butter, need to be avoided and omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin B12 and folate, benefit and directly protect the brain.

"People who adhered mostly to this dietary pattern compared to others have about a 40% reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease,"

Good Cholesterol (HDL), Plaque, Stroke, Dementia, and Alzeihmer's

A good diet can also reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL).

Detoxification and reduced plaque in blood vessels is linked to HDL cholestrol, the higher the better.
- Higher HDL levels are linked to reduced plaque in blood vessels and lower risk of heart disease.

Red wine has resveratol linked to DNA repair and the daily 1-2 glasses of red wine contains alcohol that can significantly increase HDL levels.
- Alcohol can significantly increase HDL levels.
- 1-2 drinks a day, alcohol, is linked to lower risk of dementia such as Alzheimer’s.

Aerobic exercise, walking, jogging, exercise that raises your heart rate for 20 - 30 minutes at a time may be the most effective way to increase HDL levels. (duration)

Excercise and Strokes

"More active people generally demonstrate a 25 - 30% lower risk of stroke,"

Women who walked at a pace of 3 miles per hour or faster had a 37% lower risk of suffering any type of stroke compared to those who walked at a slower pace.

"Exercise is as close to a magic bullet as brain fitness gets," says John Medina, PhD


When sedentary adults in one study jogged for half an hour 2 or 3 times a week for 12 weeks, their memory and ability to juggle tasks improved by 30%.

Physical activity can actually repair neurological connections in your brain and make it physically larger.

Older women who exercised in their teens are 35% less likely to be mentally impaired at old age. (dementia)

Sugar, HDL Cholesterol, and Strokes

Lower added-sugar consumption linked to better levels of good cholesterol HDL.

Access sugar decrease good cholesterol HDL and increase triglycerides which can be a lethal combination, lower cardiovascular risks.

One study on diabetes indicated that through diet people were able to go into remission.

High Blood Pressure, Salt, Stress, and Strokes

Excessive salt intake is associated with high blood pressure, which can damage the arteries and lead to heart disease, stroke, and other health problems and linked to health care costs.

Stress, there is a strong correlation between prolonged stress and large vessel disease, small vessel disease and cryptogenic stroke.

Air Pollution and Strokes

A growing link and evidence between air pollution and peripheral vascular diseases, irregular heartbeats, heart failure, and ischemic stroke.

Cause-and-effect relationship fine particulate matter, which comes from fossil-fuel-burning says AHA.


CoQ10 and Parkinson's

- CoQ10 like Glutathione decreases as we age.
- CoQ10 like Glutathione seems to be lower in patients with chronic disease.
- Deficiences of CoQ10 is also linked with periodontal disease, diabetes, and musculardystrophy.
- People with heart failure have been found to have lower levels of CoQ10 in heart muscle cells.
- Lower levels of CoQ10 have been observed in people with Parkinson's disease.
- Statins can reduce serum levels of CoQ10 by up to 40%.
- May slow brain cell death and slow progression of disease.

Glutathione

- The body’s most powerful detoxifier and antioxidant.
- Often found depleted in people with serious disease and Parkinson's.
- "Glutathione deficiency states include, but are not limited to: HIV/AIDS, chemical and infectious hepatitis, prostate and other cancers, cataracts, Alzheimer's, Parkinsons, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, radiation poisoning, malnutritive states, arduous physical stress, aging, and has been associated with sub-optimal immune response."

Vitamin B Complex

- Vitamin B Complex is vital in cellular enzyme function and important in brain metabolism; Helps to remove lead from the brain.
- Extremely important in brain function, the brain vitamin, and important for glutathione.

L-Lysine, L-cysteine, L-cystube

- Helps boost glutathione
- Sulfur-containing amino acids that act as detoxifiers and remove heavy metals.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA)

- Helps detoxify the liver of metal pollutants.
- May also help people with Alzheimer's disease.

Garlic

- Helps to bind with and excrete lead or metals.

Apple Pectin

- Binds toxins and metals, which helps remove them from the body.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)

- Helps detoxify the body and remove metals.

Calcium and Magnesium chelate form

- Prevents lead from being deposited in the body tissues.
- Calcium and magnesium are important for the nervous system, nerves, and muscles.

Kelp

- Helps remove metal deposits.

Zinc

- Can displace lead, low zinc linked to people with high lead.

Milk Thistle

- Milk Thistle helps detoxify the liver.

Food

Broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, garlic, onions, spinach, beans, legumes, and eggs are some foods that can help remove lead from the body.


Good Cholesterol (HDL)

High levels of good cholesterol (HDL) are linked to longevity. (people living to 100)

Exercise is linked to higher HDL levels.

- Aerobic exercise, walking, jogging, exercise that raises your heart rate for 20 - 30 minutes at a time may be the most effective way to increase HDL levels. (duration)

A good diet can also reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL).

- Vitamin B, B3 Niacin, can help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and boost good (HDL) cholesterol.
- Alcohol, one or two drinks per day can significantly increase HDL levels.
- Omega-3 fatty acids can also increase HDL levels.
- Monounsaturated fats such as olive oil can increase HDL levels without increasing the total cholesterol.
- Soluble fibers such as oats, fruits, vegetables, and legumes can reduction LDL and an increase HDL levels.
- Calcium supplementation can increase HDL levels. (postmenopausal women)
- Cranberry juice has been shown to increase HDL levels.

- Trans fatty acids, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, can increase LDL and reduce HDL levels.
- Sugar can decrease HDL and increase triglycerides levels.

Lose weight, obesity can increase LDL and reduced HDL levels.

Stop smoking, giving up tobacco will increase HDL levels.

Ultra-low-fat diets have been reported to result in a significant reduction in HDL in some individuals.


Cancer risk is reduced with increased HDL levels.

Detoxification and reduced plaque in blood vessels is linked to HDL cholestrol, the higher the better. (heart disease)

Sleep and DNA Repair

The body is repaired during sleep and releases chemicals into the body that repair DNA damage and mutations, with sleep loss the damage accumulates and increases the risk of cancer or disease.

The Secret of Red Wine

For many years doctors have wondered and searched to discover why in France heart disease is lower than in North America, and believed it to be linked to the red wine they drink.

- Red wine has resveratol linked to DNA repair.
- The daily 1-2 glasses of red wine contains alcohol that significantly increase HDL levels.

Alcohol

- 1-2 drinks a day is linked to lower risk of dementia such as Alzheimer’s.
- Alcohol can significantly increase HDL levels.
- Higher HDL levels are linked to reduced plaque in blood vessels and lower risk of heart disease.


Raising Your HDL Levels
Increasing the GOOD cholesterol
http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/cholesterol/a/raiseHDL.htm

"HDL cholesterol, or "good" cholesterol, appears to scour the walls of blood vessels, cleaning out excess cholesterol. It then carries that excess cholesterol -- which otherwise might have been used to make the "plaques" that cause coronary artery disease -- back to the liver for processing. So when we measure a person's HDL cholesterol level, we seem to be measuring how vigorously his or her blood vessels are being "scrubbed" free of cholesterol."



News Articles

Studies suggest that floating pieces of amyloid beta called oligomers are what's killing off brain cells in Alzheimer's - Reuters (article link)
- The plaques may be the body's way of trapping and neutralizing oligomers.
- "The plaque is not the main culprit in terms of toxicity,"
- "It actually sequesters all of that amyloid," adding that oligomers are "the really toxic substance."


Football Concussions: NFL Study: FMR. Players' Rate of Alzheimer's 19x Public Rate - MSNBC (video)


Diabetes drug linked to B12 deficiency; B12 is essential to maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells; Mental changes and neuropathy - Reuters (article link)
- symptoms of B12 deficiency include fatigue, mental changes, anemia and nerve damage known as neuropathy.
- all these symptoms can easily be misdiagnosed as being due to diabetes.
- an estimated 246 million people have diabetes -- rates are expected to rise -- type 2 diabetes linked to poor diet, lack of exercise.


"Exercise is as close to a magic bullet as brain fitness gets," John Medina, PhD, Brain Center for Applied Learning - Prevention (article link)
"Exercise is as close to a magic bullet as brain fitness gets," says John Medina, PhD, director of the Brain Center for Applied Learning at Seattle Pacific University. Physical activity bathes neural tissue in oxygen-rich blood, increasing the production of chemicals that improve memory, attention, and problem-solving.
- When sedentary adults in one study jogged for half an hour 2 or 3 times a week for 12 weeks, their memory and ability to juggle tasks improved by 30%.
- A study in the American Journal of Public Health reported that women with large social networks slashed their risk of dementia by as much as 26%.


Diet can reduce strokes and sharply reduce Alzheimer's risk according to a study, about a 40% reduction - Reuters (article link)
- Saturated fatty acids in red meat and butter, need to be avoided and omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin B12 and folate, benefit and directly protect the brain.
- "People who adhered mostly to this dietary pattern compared to others have about a 40% reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease," Gu said.


Sugar not only contributes to obesity, but also is a key culprit in diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke according to the AHA - Reuters (article link)
"Just like eating a high-fat diet can increase your levels of triglycerides and high cholesterol, eating sugar can also affect those same lipids,"


The lower the amount of added sugar people ate, the better their good cholesterol and their blood triglyceride levels - CNN (article link)
- The less sugar added to foods for typical people, the better are their blood-fat profiles and the lower are their cardiovascular risks.
- Lower added-sugar consumption linked to better levels of good cholesterol.
- Access sugar in processed foods decrease good cholesterol HDL and increase triglycerides which can be a lethal combination


Cutting salt intake by 1/2 teaspoon daily could reduce heart attacks and strokes, and boost nation's health - CNN (article link)
Excessive salt intake is associated with high blood pressure, which can damage the arteries and lead to heart disease, stroke, and other health problems and linked to health care costs.
- A reduction in salt intake of just 1g or about 400mg would produce large declines in the rates of cardiovascular events.
- Cutting salt intake by 3g or about 1,200mg the number of heart attacks in the U.S. could decline by up to 13%.
- New cases of heart disease and the number of strokes could also be expected to decline by up to 11% and 8%.
- Processed foods, not salt from shaker, account for 75% to 80% of salt consumption.


Dr. Gupta's mailbag; What's bad for the heart is bad for the brain and physical activity can actually repair neurological connections in your brain - CNN (video)
- What's bad for the heart is bad for the brain, the brain requires a lot of blood flow.
- Mini strokes happen all the time in the brain without much damage but over time can lead to problems associated to Alzheimer's.
- Physical activity can actually repair neurological connections in your brain and make it physically larger.
- One study on diabetes indicated that through diet people were able to go into remission.


Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports that lifestyle factors play the largest role in preventing strokes - CNN (video)
80% of second strokes are preventable, cost the U.S. 74 billion a year, risk factors include obesity, smoker, blood pressure > 140/90, cholesterol > 240, diabetic, family history, lack of exercise.


A study found that women who walked for two or more hours a week had a lower risk of stroke - Reuters (article link)
- "More active people generally demonstrate a 25 - 30% lower risk of stroke,"
- Women who walked at a pace of 3 miles per hour or faster had a 37% lower risk of suffering any type of stroke compared to those who walked at a slower pace.


Breathing polluted air is more strongly linked to heart attacks and strokes than previously thought - CBC (article link)
- cause-and-effect relationship fine particulate matter, which comes from fossil-fuel-burning says AHA.
- A growing link and evidence between air pollution and peripheral vascular diseases, irregular heartbeats, heart failure, and ischemic stroke.


Serious stress causes strokes - EurekAlert (article link)
- The patients were split into stressed (permanent stress for 1 year or greater) and non-stressed (never stressed or infrequent periods of stress) groups. When this was compared with stroke incidence and the type, there was a strong correlation between prolonged stress and large vessel disease, small vessel disease and cryptogenic stroke.


Causes of Inflammation and Heart Disease - (news flash)
Toxins, allergies, autoimmune diseases, infections, acid-base disorders, injury, and free radical damage can trigger or cause inflammation. Heart and cardio-vascular disease may be a result of inflammation in the linings of the arteries.
- Omega-3 essential fatty acids are very powerful anti-inflammatory
- Turmeric (curcumin), Bromelain, Boswellia, Aloe vera, Bilbery, Cat’s claw, Garlic, Vitamin C can help reduce inflammation.
- Pineapple contains bromelain and papaya contains papain, both enzymes that reduce swelling and inflammation.
- Citrus fruits can reduce acid-base disorders.


Study strengthens evidence linking long-term lead exposure to the fatal neurological condition ALS - Reuters (article link)
- Researchers found that a doubling in the blood lead level was associated with a doubling in the risk of ALS.
- Even when they accounted for markers of bone breakdown, blood lead levels were still associated with ALS.
- In older adults, whose bones mass may be breaking down faster, stored lead released may be the main driver of blood lead levels.


Children attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD linked to pesticide exposure - CNN (article link)
Children exposed to higher levels of a type of pesticide found in trace amounts on commercially grown fruit and vegetables are more likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder than children with less exposure, a nationwide study suggests.


Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports from Mossville, Louisiana, where residents say chemical plants are causing diseases - CNN (video)
- Blood test revealed dioxin known carcinogens levels 3 times too high.
- Dioxin stored in fat, in pancreas leads to diabetes, in liver leads to cancer, in kidneys, and in the brain.


Smoking may increase risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) - Reuters (article link)
The findings suggest that smokers who have high levels of a protein that protects against the Epstein-Barr virus, a common herpes virus, were twice as likely as nonsmokers to get multiple sclerosis (MS), the researchers wrote in the online edition of the journal Neurology.


Mothers who have low exposure to sunlight vitamin D during their first 3 mths of pregnancy may have higher risk of developing MS - Reuters (article link)
- Low vitamin D levels have long been linked to a higher risk of multiple sclerosis.
- Experts suspect an expectant mother's lack of exposure to sunlight - the main source of vitamin D - may affect the fetus's central nervous system or immune system, and predispose it to developing MS later in life.


Vitamin D and Cancer: Take Vitamin D; "Sunshine" vitamin D is crucial for immune system and killer T cells - (news flash)
- Women who take vitamin D every day were at 24% lower risk of breast cancer.
- "T cell must have vitamin D or activation of the cell will cease."
- "If the T cells cannot find enough vitamin D in the blood, they won't even begin to mobilize."
- New "cancer treatment involves taking white blood cells and using a drug that trains them to more actively attack cancer cells."


Coffee drinkers may be at lower risk of liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson's disease - CNN (article link)
- A 2005 study found that Americans get more antioxidants from coffee than anywhere else
- "Polyphenols or flavonoids, the type of antioxidants found in coffee, are also found in other foods and drinks, like tea, red wine, and chocolate. All three have been proven to moderately help brain function"

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