END OF ALZHEIMERS, THE Paperback – International Edition, January 1, 2017

This part of my review is an update. My opinion of this book has changed. While a lot of my review is still accurate, and I based it on just diet and lifestyle changes without any products or services, Bredesen has turned his focus to unproven products and methods that are very expensive and do not seem to be beneficial. In other words, a lot of hogwash. Instead, I now highly recommend The Alzheimer's Solution by Drs Dean and Ayesha Sherzai. Unlike Bredesen's study of just 10 people, the Sherzais have studied thousands of participants over many years and are respected around the globe. There are no controversies with their program. Alzheimers cannot be cured. But it can be prevented or pushed back so we can enjoy life longer. Their program does not require the use of supplements or tests that prove nothing, like the Bredesen Protocol. It's all about lifestyle changes. Nutrition. Exercise. Stress reduction. Good sleep. And optimizing the brain through various techniques such as learning new skills. You can find all of their advice online for free or get their book. Also, Dr Sanjay Gupta has a book, Keep Sharp, that is very similar to what the Sherzais teach. Get either or both. But don't buy the Bredesen Protocol.I am hesitant to update my star rating just yet because it might make my review fall off the first page and I want people to read this. Please look for an alternative program. Original review is below______________________My mother, and roommate, has frontal lobe dementia and, they believe, Alzheimers. Watching her decline has been heart wrenching, and I'm constantly trying to find ways to make her life better. I worry not only about Mom, but about myself. I believe that I am on the same path.I first heard of the Bredesen Protocal last winter, when Maria Shriver discussed it on the Today Show. I quickly researched it as much as possible, but info was limited. I had a feeling a book was forthcoming, so I anxiously awaited it's release. I was worried The End of Alzheimer's would contain too much technical information that I might not be able to understand. I was very happy to see that it was written in a casual format that intentionally makes it easier for the rest of us. The details are clear, the tone is casual, and it's easy to follow.As I read through this book, I was surprised by how many points were familiar to me. That's me! I do that! Oh heck! It was as enlightening as it was scary. Living with Mom, I also live in fear because I know I'm on the same path she struggles down every day. That's my future.On page 97, Bredesen says "How to give yourself Alzheimer's. Live your life in a way that keeps your brain supplied with as many as possible of the 36 factors that influence whether APP gets cut into the destructive quartet or the beneficial duo. How to prevent it. Live your life in a way that minimizes the number of the 36 inducing factors in your brain." Those 36 factors are clearly laid out and I believe they are not difficult to control.Several years ago, I struggled with brain fog and often had difficulty remembering numbers for even a couple of minutes. I also was overweight and had heart problems. I reached a point where I thought I would die, so I wrote my will and made plans for my dogs after I was gone. Then I said enough was enough, and I dramatically changed my lifestyle. I cut out processed foods, ate lots and LOTS of vegetables and fresh fruits, especially leafy greens and berries. I ate wild caught fish, but no other animal products. My diet was low in grains. I used the USDA Super Tracker to make sure that my diet exceeded the RDA for every nutrient they tracked. There's a lot more to it, but I was eating all the time and I exercised every single day. Within a few weeks, I had much more energy. Within a few months, my brain was on FIRE! But then...I started a new job and everything about my lifestyle and schedule changed. Long story short, I fell back into old habits, abandoned my perfect diet and exercise program, and gradually regained weight. I also started losing clarity and life became more difficult. I recognize that. And I know that I alone can change that.I'm so very glad to have read the Bredesen Protocol because I know now, more than ever, the importance of getting back on track. I am making a serious effort to change my future. I believe this book can help. I have already marked my calendar and plan to follow up on this review in 3 months and again in six months. Mom may be too far along, I don't know, but it's worth trying for both of us. Dr. Bredesen states in the book that his protocol may not work for frontal lobe and other types of dementias. It has only been tested on Alzheimers. I feel that it's still very important to heed his advice, as Alzheimers often doesn't get a definite diagnosis until after death.___________________-Note that the above is the original review. Please read my update at the beginning of the review.

Good science and well-explained. This book may not be the end of Alzheimer's for everyone, but I am convinced that it can make a huge difference in the lives of many people. The author has over 20 years of research experience and he has applied his knowlegde to breaking down Alzheimer's according to the many small components that can lead to disease. The basic approach is to fix the underlying metabolic functions that have gone awry - mitochondiral inefficiency, insulin resistance, inflammation and nutritional deficiency. It gives you sound nutritional advice and emphasizes the importance of exercise, not only for your immune and muscle heath, but mainly for supplying critical growth factors that allow your brain to heal more quickly. The explainations in the book do for Alzheimer's patients what "The Diabetes Solution" has done for diabetes. It gives you a foundation for understanding the disease and changing your habits to fit your body's needs.Some of the essential supplements recommended for different people include omega-3 fatty acid supplements, like fish or krill oil, Vitamin E, basic nutrients for brain health, such as Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin D, Zinc for the immune system and a combination of nutrients that can support healthy neurons - Phosphatidyl choline, Phosphatidyl Serine, L-glutamine, Taurine, Acetyl-L-carnitine and alpha-lipoic-acid. Resveratrol can also be useful. Read the book. It is not simple, but it is pretty complete.The other book that is similar to this one, but hasn't quite got all the nutrition right is The Alzheimer's Solution by Dean and Ayesha Sherzai. Their philosophy is a little different, but there is an excellent section in the end of the book on brain exercises. Just like muscles, brains can wither away when not in use. You forget words that you don't use, forget how to solve problems you once could - all natural, but just like muscles, you can build back a lot of these abilities with practice. You can't really expect to regain function without practice, so don't forget this very important aspect of recovery.The final piece of the picture is inflammation. Gut health is directly related to brain health. If you have an infection, you might not always be aware of it. Bladder infections, fungal infections, viral infections can all be subtle affectors of brain and nervous system health. Stomach aches and leaky gut can also affect brain health. That is why it is important to identify and get rid of infection and irritations from allergies, etc. A combination of probiotics and eating fiber-rich, healthy green foods can be helpful in healing the brain and gut. if you decide to use a probiotic, choose a probiotic with a wide range of organisms to replace any possible deficiencies in your gut flora. This can be a path to increase immune tolerance for those with allergies (read about short-chain fatty acids) and increase digestive efficiency. Most people recommend using probiotics daily, but I find that it can be equally effective to take a probiotic weekly over several months. The point is to repopulate your gut with useful bacteria and probiotics are inefficient, since they mostly get killed off in your stomach, so providing repeated doses will increase your likelihood of success. Try to get a probiotic with as many of the following organisms as possible: Lactobacillus (acidophilus, rhamnosus, brevis, plantarum, casei, reuteri, gasseri, fermentum) and Bifidobacterium (lactis, longum, breve, coagulans, infantis). Don't be afraid of probiotics containing Streptococcus thermophilus or salivarius as these are well-known beneficial bacteria used in the fermentation of cheese and yogurt and they produce lactase, which can help digest the lactose in milk. This last bit of advice is personal rather than a direct recommendation from the book, but it makes sense to recruit as many helpers as possible, as long as they don't upset your already well-settled microbial workers. Additionally, I find that a probiotic with 30,000 cfu (colony forming units) is more than adequate and is less likely to upset your stomach than those with more bacteria.Hope you find this info motivational and increases your interest in reading the book.

Many good lists in the back of the book, especially foods to eat, foods to eat sparingly, and foods to avoid as they exacerbate the problem. A lot of doctor and research info, much of which a layperson could understand. Very grateful for this book!