This medical mistake could help you take charge of your health

Last year, I attended the Grand Rounds presented through the Cleveland Clinic, where Dr. Dale Bredesen spoke about the reversal of cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Even if you’re not interested in dementia or other mental health concerns, and they haven’t yet impacted your life or those of your family members, read on. The messages here apply to you no matter what…

There was something poignant that the good doctor said which speaks directly to those of us who Helping Alzheimer’s Patients with Cognitive Decline: Plugging the Metaphorical Holes in the Roofare interested in taking charge of our own health, even (or maybe especially!) if we are contending with difficult-to-treat conditions.

Dr. Bredesen spoke about the mistake the medical community has made with regards to Alzheimer’s treatments.

The Mistake

The mistake? It’s trying to target the disease with one single agent.

Just like we now know that the reversal of AIDS requires a “cocktail” therapy, Bredesen said Alzheimer’s requires a similarly many-pronged approach.

This approach is needed because Alzheimer’s is multifactorial. It’s a condition that has many underlying causes. And in order for people with this (or any!) condition to reach their healing potential, they need to be treated in a personalized manner with a multi-pronged approach.

In other words, we need to take a Functional approach—even (or especially) with conditions such as Alzheimer’s and other mental health challenges.

Dr. Bredesen went on to compare Alzheimer’s to having 36 holes in a roof…

Hang on here, you’re going to love this concept, because the 36 holes in the roof scenario means that there are things you can do all day, every day to help reverse your risk of Alzheimer’s and any other chronic or degenerative conditions.

You see, you can’t just plug one hole and expect your problems to resolve. (Imagine the water that would still come pouring in through a physical roof that still had 35 holes!)

Instead, we have to plug multiple holes. As many as possible. With our everyday diet and lifestyle choices.

In fact, what Bredesen found in his research was that essentially plugging even half the holes can lead to complete reversal of symptoms.
One hole isn’t enough. Many holes make a difference!

It’s when Dr. Bredesen said this that my ears perked up. Do you know why?
Because so many of the holes in your particular roof are truly within your power to plug. With the help of a Functional Nutrition practitioner who can uncover the needs of your unique body, you can get back in the driver’s seat of your own health. You can not only reverse your risk of disease, but even reverse conditions that have been plaguing you for years!

What You Can Do

You can make the dietary changes that add the proper nutrients into your diet, transforming your food into medicine.
You can alter your bedtime, enabling your body to better detoxify.
You can reach out to friends and family and create space in your calendar to connect with those whose company nurtures you.

You likely have the power to plug many more holes than you realize. And in so doing, you’re building your resilience and increasing your healing potential.

Remember, every hole matters, even though no single one will do the trick alone.

Together, with a Functional Nutrition practitioner who can guide you, you can become the hero of your own healing journey.

How cool is that?

What’s one thing you can do today to plug a few holes in the leaky roof that may be putting you in unnecessary risk?

Reference
Bredesen, D. (2017) The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline. New York, NY: Avery

By: Andrea Nakayama, FxNA Founder & Functional Medicine Nutritionist

Functional Nutrition Alliance provides the comprehensive online Functional Nutrition training in the Science & Art of the Functional Nutrition practice. Learn to address the roots of your clients’ suffering with client education, diet & lifestyle modifications.