Alzheimer’s is a disease which effects memory thinking and behaviour. It is a progressive disease that’s develops with age. Those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s survive on average for up to 8 years from when they first see the symptoms, but the number of years can range from 4 to 20 years. As of now there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s but treatments can help to slightly manage and suppress the symptoms.

Nearly 36 million people have Alzheimer’s or a related disease and this number is said to increase rapidly within the near future. So, as with every illness changing your lifestyle and improving your diet can have a big impact. Giving your body the nutrients it needs to protect and heal itself is very important. Lately coconut oil seems to be helping reverse Alzheimer’s. I have come across many articles and also anecdotal evidence that consuming coconut oil has shown improvements in Alzheimer’s patients.

Dr Mary Newport is doing research into the effects of coconut oil on Alzheimer’s. Her husband has Alzheimer’s and after taking coconut oil showed significant improvement. One test is the clock test where her husband had to draw out a clock. One day before starting the coconut oil her husband was not able to even draw anything resembling a clock with only a few numbers most of which zeros written on the page. By the 14th day you can see a big improvement, he was able to draw a circle with numbers and lines and by the 37th day the drawing show an improvement from the one on the 14th day. The drawings can be found on her website which can be found at the bottom of this article. Dr Newport suggests that the Ketones which are a by-product of fat oxidation (breaking fat to produce energy) could be the key as they improve cognitive function.

What are Ketones?

Ketones are molecules your brain, heart and muscles can use for energy instead of fat or sugar. In actual fact cells using ketones are 25% more efficient. To increase your production of ketones you need to reduce your carb intake below 50g and increase your fat intake. By doing this your body will use up fat as your main source of energy and therefore create the by-product ketone. Having said that you don’t want to consume unhealthy fats so stick to healthy fats and coconut oil to see the best results. The reason why coconut oil is so effective is because it is sent directly to the liver and is therefore instantly converted to energy despite the amount of carbs or fats consumed by the individual.

How to incorporate Coconut oil into your diet?

You can replace oils that you currently use with coconut oil. There are many benefits of coconut oil including the fact that it is a HDL which is good cholesterol, its antibacterial and it boosts thyroid (a large gland which produces hormones regulating growth and development) function and improves the body’s use of insulin. Not to mention that coconut oil burns at a much higher temperature then other oils, therefore other oils can easily burn during cooking which creates toxic by-products whereas coconut oils does not. So you can replace oils you would normally use for cooking with coconut oil and see the difference. Dr Mary Newport recommends 35ml of coconut oil a day that’s about 7 teaspoons but there’s no harm in consuming more if you are also incorporating coconut oil into your meals.

Other things to consider

Avoid sugar

Increase consumption of omega-3 like salmon and other healthy fats like olive oil.

Improve magnesium levels and vitamin b12 levels

Remove Toxic chemicals from the body such as Fluoride, lead and Mercury which have a detrimental effect on the brain.

Increase you consumption of Vegetables and fruits, vegetables provide high amounts of vitamins and minerals to the body to help protect and heal it and berries are high in antioxidants, reducing oxidative damage to the body.

Adopt a diet such as the Raw food diet, Paleo diet or the Garson’s treatment, find a diet that is right for you which helps nourish the body. You don’t need ot follow the diet 100% but incorporate parts of it that make sense and gradually make a transition. You can strat by increase your vegetable intake, omega 3 intake and remove processed junk foods from your diet.

For more information check out Dr Mary Newport’s website http://www.coconutketones.com/

Much Love,

JustStartHealth.com

[Note: This blog is only for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice or diagnosis. Please consult with a Health care practitioner before making any diet, nutrition changes or when starting a new fitness program.