Monday, October 31, 2011

Alzheimer's Disease: What If There Was a Cure?

Earlier in the blog I did review The Coconut Oil Miracle and how it helps diseases. But I have been eagerly waiting for this book at the left to come out for two years. Dr. Mary Newport and I even e-mailed each other about the topic of coconut oil and how it can help someone with Alzheimer's. I read the article she wrote here.  Her husband has Early-Onset Alzheimer's and you have to read their love story. I ordered my copy through Barnes and Noble, but you can get it through Amazon with e-books to follow.

This summer when finances were tight, I wondered if coconut oil was really necessary. When I read her book this month, however, I knew my husband needs to have that coconut oil once again.

  • The ketones in coconut oil provide an alternate fuel to keep the brain cells alive. Lots in the book about the science of ketosis.  
  • Dr. Mary's husband's energy returned.
  • Steve Newport's personality and sense of humor returned.
  • His gait or walk returned.
  • Coconut oil seems to take the fog away.
  • I think all of this is true for DH as well.
There has not been significant clinical testing to determine if it works. People tried to stop Dr. Mary's crusade. She was able to speak in Europe about it, but not in our country. Humm. This is the same thing that our chiropractor said about Ribonucleic Acid and CoQ10 that he recommended my husband take. There aren't studies. But we think these supplements do help.

Dr. Mary recommends a combination of MCT (I get this from Vitacost) and coconut oil (I get from Tropical Traditions).See my links at the side. You can't heat coconut oil over 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  You can use coconut oil from the drug store section at Walmart.

I am just using coconut oil, however, and had trouble lately adapting recipes that my husband would eat.  While coconut oil in oatmeal worked for a time with my husband, he got tired of oatmeal for breakfast.

New recipe. There is a simple recipe in this book that may have helped my husband pass that Alzheimer's driving test for the second year in a row--"Coconut Fudge". Lately I have been serving this to my hubby after I got Newport's book and before he took that driving test last Friday.

Melt  chocolate chips and combine with an equal amount of liquid coconut oil. Freeze in ice cube trays. You can add walnuts and/or shredded coconut before you freeze. When frozen, pop each fudge piece out of tray and refrigerate. This works with my husband. I know it does, and he likes the fudge.

This is not a formal review of Dr. Mary's book, folks, but I just had to get the word out. Is coconut oil a cure for Alzheimer's once someone has it?  Probably not, but coconut oil may help prevent health problems in general and improve the quality of life for the dementia patient.

This is good news!

12 comments:

  1. I wonder how the fudge recipe could be made for diabetics? Any ideas?

    Are you noticing an improvement for yourself Carol?

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  2. That's fascinating. I've read a lot of good stuff about coconut oil lately. I put it in fruit smoothies that I make for myself and my boys. Congrats to your husband for passing his driving test. Carol - I hope and pray that there is a cure!

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  3. “Give me one friend, just one, who meets the needs of all my varying moods.” ― Esther M. Clark

    Barb and Living on Less,
    I have yet to meet both of you, but I love your challenges and your concern for reading this blog even though your husbands don't have Alzheimer's. I think of you often.

    L-on=L,
    Coconut oil is great all around. My husband has diabetes, type 2 since his heart attack, but does fine with what he is given. Also, he has lost a lot of weight and probably the diabetes is not as much of a factor anymore. I only have coconut oil incidentally to save the $70 tub of it from Tropical Traditions for cooking for my husband.

    Barb,
    I see a smoothy recipe in Newport's book, but wonder if it gets hard with the ice cubes in a smoothy. What recipe do you use? I know it would work with MTC from Vitacost and maybe I should buy some MTC again. There is coconut ice cream, but not always available. I also tried to melt ice cream and then mix with coconut oil and then refreeze--this didn't work--all the coconut oil rose to the top when frozen. Hubby loves ice cream and milkshakes so it would be good. Spreading on bread or putting in in oatmeal isn't cutting it any more for hubby.

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  4. L-on-L,
    Sharon on Facebook gave this recipe:

    "I make this with the coconut oil and cocoa powder and Steviva Blend (like Truvia). Mix it well, pour it in an 8x8 parchment paper lined pan, freeze for only 10 minutes, break apart, and store in a covered container in the fridge for snacking. I sometimes add shredded coconut and chopped walnuts to it, also. We call it chocolate-coconut bark."

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  5. Carol - We just make smoothies in a slapdash fashion - lol. We add either a fresh or frozen banana, frozen berries, some yogurt (flavored or plain) and either milk or juice to thin it a bit ,otherwise you have to eat it with a spoon. I add a spoonful of coconut oil. It doesn't seem to harden, but we drink them right down, so maybe it doesn't have a chance - lol!

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  6. It's goood! I've had some you've brought to church. I've wondered sometimes if when your dh has had good sundays, exhibiting all the positives you've mentioned, if he had an extra quota of the oil that week.

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  7. Carol I'm just hopping on to the coconut oil discussion--does it lower cholesterol? I've been aware that we have hit a beneficial combination of drugs for my mother, and have suspected that the combination of a daily antihistamine, plus a drug called "colestipol" which lowers her cholesterol but isn't a statin, might be a part of our success. I sure wish the coconut oil was cheaper. Carol, thank you for the way you research topics so thoroughly and for your book reviews. I'm headed to your post on the Coconut Oil Cure now!

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  8. Linda,

    Coconut oil is part of the good cholestrol oil like olive oil, oil in salmon and oil in walnuts. It is even more pleasant than other oils. I buy a huge tub from tropical traditions. The warmer the temperature in the house the more liquid it is.

    Yesterday for our church covered dish I brought three items with coconut oil--coconut fudge, mashed potatoes that also that tumeric in it (forgot to salt it more, however) and carrot cake cupcakes made with coconut oil. I baked the cupcakes just below 350 degrees which you need to do for coconut oil. I used sugar free frosting for the cupcakes and sprinkled shredded coconut on half of them.

    Linda, see if coconut oil will improve your mother's disposition after several days. Does she like oatmeal with raisins and walnuts? Put it in that.

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  9. Hi Carol..... not sure how I missed this post..... sorry.

    We tried the Coconut the neurologist prescribed (medicinal) ...
    It didn't help, but maybe I should try a recipe or two from you.
    So good to hear that it helps your husband!
    Hugs,

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  10. Dolores,

    What was the prescription from your neurologist called? I didn't know this was available.

    I did read (and Dr. Newport told me early on) that you have to build up tolerance to coconut oil

    DH and I went out to Outback last night to celebrate my book becoming an e-book on Barnes and Noble. For dessert we had a CocoBerry Smoothie with coconut oil and stawberries. It was delicious. Hubby joked that he will again slide across the bed because of all the coconut oil! I will have to start making those smoothies at home!

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  11. I've read a lot of good stuff about the professionals at Age Matters memory disorder clinic in Toronto. They are helping the family cope with the challenges brought on by Alzheimer's disease.

    Alzheimer’s clinic Toronto

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  12. Alzheimer's Disease, thanks for the ad. Please give me an appropriate comment on how you folks in Toronto use coconut oil. Thanks.

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