Herbs For Alzheimer's Disease
� � Posted before Dec-31-2007
Alzheimer's disease is considered to be the most widespread variety of dementia or a condition typified by continuous decline of mental aptitudes. The ailment is an accelerating chaos distinguished by an extensive deficit of cerebral cells known as neurons, dumping of beta-amyloid in the blood vessels in the brain, growth of small flat patches on the inner lining of arterial walls as well as the existence of meshes of nerve cell fibers or neurofibrillary. In Alzheimer's disease, these transforms take place in the region linked with the cerebral cortex, the middle and temporal lobes of the cerebral and the hippocampus resulting to a decline in the intensity of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Scientists are of the view that insufficiency of antioxidants in the system may hasten the development of Alzheimer's disease. Hence, any endeavor to enhance the presence of antioxidants in the body and make it sufficient to tackle the free radicals may lessen the hazards of the ailment. And this can possibly be achieved by ingesting appropriate and nourishing meals or dietary enhancements.
Alzheimer's disease may be cured as well as prevented by applying natural substances. There are numerous such natural options available, but one must consult a physician before applying any of them mentioned below.
- If you are suffering from Alzheimer's disease, ensure that you consume sufficient fruit and vegetable juices, especially vegetable juices as they contain lower percentage of fructose. Fruit and vegetable juices are very useful in treating as well as preventing Alzheimer's disease as they enclose enough amounts of antioxidants that are helpful in neutralizing the harmful free radicals responsible for most of the disorders in our body.
- Using antioxidants like vitamin E has also been found to be very useful in lessening the acuteness or harshness of Alzheimer's disease. However, presently physicians do not recommend using more than 100 units of vitamin E each day and suggest that if anyone is using vitamin E, they should ensure that the variety of the nutrient they are using encloses all the tocopherols and tocotrienols. Apart from vitamin E, lipoic acid is one more important antioxidant and it yields desired results in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease when they use the substance in dosage of 10 to 50 mg a number of times every week. Most importantly, many herbs such as acai, curcumin, mangosteen, goji and others too possess antioxidant properties and are helpful in curing as well as preventing Alzheimer's disease.
- Even treatment using B vitamins like B6, B12 also known as methylcobalamin and folic acid that helps in reducing the intensity of homocysteine in the system have also been found to be useful in curing and preventing Alzheimer's disease. Experts are of the view that high intensity of homocysteine in the brain is responsible for neuronal damage and this in turn aggravates Alzheimer's disease in patients.
- It is important for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease to be exposed to sunlight everyday morning and restore their sleeping arrangement. Findings of a recent research conducted on the issue suggest that exposure to sunlight every morning and taking melatonin (a type of hormone) enhancements during the nights on a regular basis facilitates restoring beneficial sleeping arrangements.
- Using acetyl-L-carnitine is also helpful for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease. This is because acetyl-L-carnitine helps in safeguarding people against the harms of amyloid-beta neurotoxicity and has been found to be more effective when taken in mishmash with other drugs. However, physicians warn that the normal dosage of acetyl-L-carnitine should never exceed 100 mg to 300 mg taken in a day for a number of days every week.
- Administering harbingers of acetylcholine like choline to Alzheimer's patients has also been found to be useful in reducing the acuteness of the ailment. For best results, a dosage of 100 mg to 500 mg of acetylcholine precursors should be given for a few days each week.
- In addition, people enduring Alzheimer's disease and using acetylcholine precursors need to take additional chemical medications or enhancements derived from natural substances such as huperzine in order to obstruct the collapse of acetylcholine.
- Using curcumin supplements available with the drug stores and pharmacies also prove to be beneficial for Alzheimer's patients. Curcumin, the yellow colors amalgam present in turmeric, is gradually becoming a popular spice as people are beginning to learn and appreciate the element's potential in effectively safeguarding the body from various disorders.
- It has been found that people who consume around 180 mg of DHA on an average are less susceptible to having Alzheimer's disease and several other varieties of dementia than those who eat lesser amount of DHA or the fatty acid present in fish oils.
- Patients who are in the initial stages of Alzheimer's disease and enduring a moderate disorder may benefit from taking omega-3 fatty acids as a nutritional enhancement since the substance effectively shields the cerebral utility in such people.
- People enduring Alzheimer's disease need to be administered medications and dietary supplements that facilitate blood circulation to the brain cells.
- Efforts should also be made to enhance the frame of mind of the patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease by providing them with adequate nourishments and herbs.
- Researches have shown that ingesting herbal tea, even green tea, helps in improving the condition of the patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
- It is interesting to note that experts are of the view that muira puama, a herb native to Brazil and used extensively for sexual enchantments, is likely to possess properties to slow down acetyl cholinesterase actions.
All said and done, it needs to be mentioned here that it is still difficult to ascertain which of the above mentioned remedies, use of herbs and nutrients either used individually or in a combination will surely be effective as treatment to cure or prevent Alzheimer's disease. It is also difficult to tell whether any of these can serve as an alternative medication for the disease. In fact, as of now, it is only a 'trial and error' method which physicians and herbal medical practitioners are following now with the hope of finding the right medication and dosage to cure or prevent the disease. Another important thing to note is that experts are still unclear as to how these dietary enhancements intermingle with the drugs prescribed for Alzheimer's disease. However, Alzheimer's patients need to be cautioned regarding the use of supplements like galantamine and huperzine as they can be very strong. At the same time, if anyone is taking a number of medicines or supplements simultaneously, he or she needs to lessen the dosage of each drug or supplement as the potency of each one add up making the total intake very high. In such cases, the patients may suffer from lack of sleep or endure over excitement - both conditions are detrimental for anyone's health.