Dean Ornish and Alzheimer’s Reversal

Dean Ornish has spent over 45 years researching and developing programs to reverse heart problems and improve overall health. Now he has turned his attention to warding off and reversing Alzheimer’s Disease. In a recent documentary, The Last Alzheimer’s Patient, with Sanjay Gupta on CNN, a woman named Cici Zerbe explained how dramatically her life had changed over the course of five years by following Dean Ornish’s health recommendations.

As our population ages, and the prevalence of cases of AD increases, billions have been spent by pharmaceutical companies looking for drugs to combat a disease long thought to be unstoppable in its progression. According to Dean Ornish, the solution may be simpler. As we read on his website www.ornish.com: New research is beginning to reveal clues about risk factors that lifestyle choices can influence. A new study concludes that around 30-50% of AD cases are likely to be preventable because their causes are linked to risk factors that can be modified.

Read about the 9 lifestyle changes you can make to ward off or reverse Alzheimer’s disease:

9 Steps You Can Take to Ward Off Dementia

1. Stay physically active. Walking, bicycling, gardening, tai chi, yoga and other exercise of about 30 minutes a day will provide a good blood flow to the brain and encourage new brain cell growth.
2. Stick with a brain-healthy/heart-healthy diet. Limit the amount sugar and saturated fats you eat. Make sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
3. Stop smoking.
4. Maintain a healthy weight.
5. Stay socially active. Take a class at the local library or community college, volunteer, or just hang out with friends.
6. Stay mentally active. Exercise your brain on a daily basis. Engage in mentally challenging work or other activities, like learning a foreign language, puzzles or games with friends.
7. Get more quality sleep. Try for at least seven to eight hours a night. If you need help, free guided meditation apps are available on your smart phone, like “Insight Timer.”
8. Limit alcohol consumption. If you drink alcohol, stick with no more than two drinks per day.
9. Protect your head. Buckle your seat belt, wear your helmet when participating in sports, and “fall-proof” your home. Make sure floors are uncluttered, remove or tack down all scatter rugs, avoid using slippery wax on floors, and slip-proof the tub. Make sure the bath mat has a nonslip bottom and remove electrical or telephone cords from traffic areas.

Research suggests that combining good nutrition with mental, social and physical activities may have a greater benefit in maintaining or improving brain health than any single activity. A two-year clinical trial of older adults at risk for cognitive impairment showed that a combination of physical activity, nutritional guidance, cognitive training, social activities and management of heart health risk factors slowed cognitive decline.

What does reversing AD and increasing cognition look like in real life terms? Check out this video with testimonials from patients who have regained normal functions, resumed activities they had to drop previously, and experienced a renewed sense of dignity and worth in their lives.

Read more about the connection between the brain and heart health:  Some of the strongest evidence modifying risk factors for AD and other dementias comes from research that links brain health to heart health.