The Natural Way, July 19 edition

While there has been much attention given to this type of dementia recently due to the passing of former President Reagan and ongoing research into conventional medical therapies, not much has been said about the natural approach. The natural supplements can mostly be used alongside the prescribed drugs.

Alzheimer's disease is classified as one of the dementias. A dementia is a decline in mental ability that usually progresses slowly, in which memory, thinking, judgment and the ability to pay attention are reduced -- and personality may change as well. There is no known cause for this disease, though genetic factors seem to be a key factor.

I do remember a conversation with my medical division chief at Harbor/UCLA who had made dementias an area of special interest, and he believed that if you didn't use it you lost it. He believed in keeping the mind active in as many ways as possible, yet remaining focused.

Certainly, if one of my family members showed signs of dementia I'd want them to start using and stay on fish oils,vinpocetine (unless on prescribed blood thinners), which is a fully natural vitamin E especially high in tocopherols and tocotrienols and phosphatidylserine.

All these supplements have good science supporting their use. None will stop Alzheimer's from progressing to the natural end but are likely to slow the progress and improve the quality of life for a longer time.

A promising supplement that I'm currently researching is uridol, but

other supplements should be on your short list as well: Acetyl-L-carnitine, NADH, L-carnosine, phophatidylcholine and coconut oil.

Again, good science exists on the possible benefits of these supplements for dementias often including Alzheimer's.

I've been around people with neurologic (brain & nervous system) medical / psychologic / emotional difficulties from a professional standpoint for over thirty years.

While understandings have deepened and advanced in the care of these precious souls, nothing gets you to know like experience does. My friend Hazel was my mentor while I learned from her as she developed Alzheimer's...she is missed sorely.