Research on Dementia and Alzheimer's

I get this e-mail newsletter from Vitacost.com where I buy the MCT coconut oil. Here is what research found:

• Smokers are 70% more likely to develop dementia than nonsmokers.
• Those with high blood pressure are 60% more likely.
• Those with diabetes are twice as likely. (Even moderate weigh loss helps prevent type 2 diabetes.)

I also read Dr. David Snowdon's classic Alzheimer's study Aging With Grace. In this book he studies nuns over many years and has access to their early records. He also emphasizes cardiovascula health and avoiding smoking. He finds that a positive attitude early in life was a characteristic of those who did not get dementia.

One of my favorite quotes from Snowdon's book is from Sister Laura. She says, "Do you know what my worst fear was? That I was going to forget Jesus. I finally realized that I may not remember Him, but He will remember me." (p. 120)

MCT Coconut Cream Pie

Why not put coconut oil in coconut cream pie, I thought and it worked! I adapted a Coconut Cream Pie recipe making it more diet conscious except for the MCT oil. Instead of the liquid for the milk (3 cups), I used 2 cups milk and 1 cup of the liquid MCT. My husband likes this pie.

Two 9 inch pie crusts
Two small boxes of sugar free vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
1 cup MCT
14 ounce package of shredded or flaked coconut
16 ounces of Light Cool Whip or whipped cream
Directions: In a large bowl, beat the pudding, milk, and MCT with an electric mixer until the pudding mixture thickens. Fold in 2 cups of coconut flakes and 1 cup of Cool Whip. Pour into prepared pie crusts. Spread the remaining Cool Whip on top. Sprinkle with the remainder of the coconut flakes. Refrigerate and serve chilled.

I think the coconut oil my husband is getting is helping him be more cheerful and ambitious.

How to Get MCT and Coconut Oil

Bloggers want to know about MCT, a coconut oil extract that has been purified. I have gotten Smart Basics MCT Oil 16 oz. for $7.94 plus shipping and handling from vitacost.com, 130 Lexington Parkway, Lexington, North Carolina 27295. You can get it sent to you on a regular schedule, or you can order only one or two bottles. Carefully read the directions or talk with customer Service number at 700-793-2691. Recently I baked brownies with it. As I shared in posts below, I put it in oatmeal and pancakes and anything else I can think of including salad dressing.

I also get a huge tub from Tropical Traditions, Inc., P.O. Box 333, Springville, CA 93265, 1-866-311-coco--http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/.

Humor

We couldn't remember if we had given thanks for breakfast. We laughed and Sweetheart prayed for the first or second time.

We laughed at this joke this morning when I found it on my computer. My husband reminded me that I had shared it with him before!

A couple is having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember.

Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. "Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?" he asks.

"Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?"

"Sure."

"Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?" she asks.

"No, I can remember it."

"Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so's not to forget it?"

He says, "I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries."

"I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it down?" she asks.

Irritated, he says, "I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!" Then he toddles into the kitchen.

After about 20 minutes, The old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs.

She stares at the plate for a moment. "Where's my toast ?"

Tuna Noodle Coconut Oil Casserole

My husband doesn't like salmon. At times I can sneak in a tuna casserole. So I developed this recipe with MCT.

1 Betty Crocker Creamy Parmesan Tuna Helper (includes sauce mix, noodles, but I don’t use butter and milk as they suggest); or, 2 cups dry noodles and your own seasoning
1 3/4 cups boiling water
½ cup MCT
1 cup non-flavored fat free yogurt or sour cream
2 ( or 3) 6 oz. cans tuna
Note: add mushrooms, asparagus, green beans, peas drained or whatever is free.

Heat oven to 425 degrees . Use ungreased 2 quart casserole and stir together everything above. Cover and bake 25 minute.
Five minutes before finished, stir to mix the MCT. Add grated parmesan cheese, crumbled crackers or bread crumbs on top and bake uncovered the last five minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe: Coconut Oil Carrot Soup

6 T coconut oil or MCT or more if you drain meat
1 lb. lean hamburger
1 small red onion, chopped
2 lb. shredded carrots
12 oz can pineapple/orange juice concentrate, thawed (don’t add water to it)
6 lb. (two large cans) chicken broth
1 T ginger or to taste
2 T. cinnamon or to taste
1 cup raisins

Saute onion and lean hamburger in coconut oil or MCT. If you drain meat, be sure to add coconut oil or MCT back to soup to get the benefit. Add all ingredients to large pot or crockpot and cook slowly. Makes hearty servings that can we warmed up.

Delicious with the coconut taste and carrots and raisins.

One Week of Cooking With Coconut Oil

Cooking Simply

Last Friday my husband started on coconut oil. It was put in breakfast oatmeal all week. The coconut taste is so pleasant. Several nights I had to be gone and I put a little cup of that coconut oatmeal left over from breakfast with his dinner that he heated up.

I spread it on his sandwiches--especially delicious with BLT sandwiches. However, he did not usually get much oil at lunch and we ate out several lunches.

For dinner I put it in hamburger stroganoff and we had that two nights. He and I like salads with chicken or beef. Several nights I sauteed meat in coconut oil to serve in the salad. Then I dumped the coconut oil in his salad.

I had ordered the liquid MCT from Vitacost in NC (800-793-2601) last Friday and it came in the mail yesterday. So this morning I made a batch of pancakes with it, using 1/4 of it for the liquid instead of the milk. It was great and I have left-overs in the freezer for other breakfast pancakes that I can easily toast.

I have a new Swedish cookbook, a gift from family. I plan to put it in soup recipes from that book. There are great salmon recipes in that cookbook, but he doesn't like salmon. (Maybe, I can try it anyway sometime.)

Happy Husband

Tuesday was the last day my husband worked before retiring. He wasn't sure he would like retirement. Thought he would want to get a job in August. But he loves it so far! Of course it is great for me because I am semi-retired. I have felt like I am on vacation with him. Tuesday we went to a senior karaoke to celebrate his retirement. This week we have gone to the gym. He walked 2/3 of a mile on the treatmill. We went to two malls. We have seen two movies. He was interested in reviewing what all we did on Wednesday, his first day of retirement. Could it be that some short-term memory is improving? This morning his blood presure was 120/76. His agitated state is quite a bit toned down. He is patient when he tells me to turn off lights when I leave a room.

Thank you, Lord! You are blessing us!

Adustments

I am self-conscious in my own home now. I realize that when I don't follow these procedures, Sweetheart gets confused or frustrated. Then I get tense. As I wrote earlier on this blog, I am in training as a caregiver.

From experience with my Sweetheart's demenia I have learned to write things down. Pictured is the visor on his car. It is a small white board. I can write on this. He also is very dependent on the calendar and crosses out the days.

A nurse who works with Alzheimer's patients also told me:

• Give him one idea at a time.



• Use short sentences.



• Continue routines.



• Learn habits now such as GPS for the car. Maybe I should buy this birthday gift for him early so he can practice using it to get home.

The nurse said that patients light up when the loved one who sees them often comes to visit.

Coconut Oil and MTC

Thursday

I got a clue. Coconut Oil. It and MCT oil help dementia. Have it in oatmeal or salad dressing, Dr. Mary Newport says. Her husband has been using it for a year now and he has improved dramatically. Side effects might be diarrhea, so you need to start slowly.

So I e-mailed her and she wrote back:

My husband is doing very well with the oil. Thank you for asking! I have a website now with a lot of information on it that may help you out with this - www.coconutketones.com . There is a research group on Cortez about a mile east of the Suncoast, called Meridien Research - 597-8839. They have several studies going now for Alzheimer's and may be able to evaluate him further. Also, the Johnny Byrd Institute in Tampa at USF could do a complete evaluation - 813-974-4355. There are several causes of dementia, such as hypothyroidism that are treatable, so you may want to have him checked out thoroughly. Please let me know how it goes! Take care-
Dr. Mary Newport
http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/dr-mary-newport-coconut-oil-alzheimers-cure-episode-240/

http://www.coastcoconutfarms.com/download/Article_on_Coconut_Oil_and_Alzheimers.pdf

Friday Morning

I explained to Sweetheart why we would be having oatmeal with coconut oil for breakfast. He loves it with non-fat milk, walnuts and Splenda Brown Sugar Blend. He leaves his badge at home and I bring it to him; counting today he works only three more days before retirement. On the trip I listen to Dr. Newport's interview on my iPod. Check it out. "Dr. Mary Newport On Coconut Oil As An Alzheimer's Cure", 3/30/09, on "The Livin La Vida Low-Carb Show" from iTunes. Inspiring! Coconut oil and MCT are supposed to help MD and weight loss and other conditions.

Gentle Intervention

Friday Night

I couldn't have told him and gotten the same response. We went to dinner with our pastor and his wife. Gentle marriage counseling over pizza. Pastor skillfully told my husband that he has a handicap and that maybe no one will hire him at his age in this economy with his handicap of dementia. He would be a liablity to any company. The intervention was not ugly, and my husband seemed to accept what Pastor said to him in the midst of other stories and jokes. Yes, he will need to find things to do with his time--what scares my hubby. He might hang out at our church one day during the week, for example.

The Pastor's wife also said privately to me to not push him. Aha! This is how it works. Let him come up with ideas of what to do with his time, she said.

Sweetheart could take this reality better from our Pastor who married us, than from my suggestions. Of course we will need to trust God for our needs, but He has never let us down in the past.

But will he remember what our pastor said to him?

Monday at the Doctor's

Basically his doctor said he was doing well, all his lab results were good. No medcation was changed. He took an EKG while there and he will have a carotid artery test later this month. Come back in three months. His doctor said he would be a good greeter at Wal-Mart or a supermarket bagger if he choose to work. She had thought he should have retired some time ago with his handicap. Sweetheart seems more able to accept retirement now, but still it will be an adjustment.