Alzheimer’s disease is sneaky. It begins long before you have symptoms. You don’t even know the processes that contribute to it are developing. It doesn’t help that it’s a common medical practice is to treat Alzheimer’s like there are just two phases to the disease: no-Alzheimer’s and Alzheimer’s.
The truth is, there are actually 3 pre-Alzheimer’s phases that lead up to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis during which early intervention is possible to prevent a diagnosis. That’s really good news.
The phases of Alzheimer’s that precede a diagnosis illustrate the importance of early action for preventing or reversing the earliest symptoms. The following is a summary of Dr. Bredesen’s explanation of these pre-Alzheimer’s phases.
Phase One: Pre-symptomatic. Here’s what typically goes on for several years before symptoms manifest:
- Your FDG PET Scan may be abnormal. This is often related to brain hypometabolism, which begins a couple of decades before symptoms show up and is also part of the profile of the majority of Alzheimer’s patients. It’s related to brain energy and can be dealt with before you have symptoms – or after – if you know what to do.
- A spinal fluid test that measures amyloid will be abnormal, but you will not have any symptoms. Amyloid doesn’t mean you’ll get Alzheimer’s, but there is an association therefore we must take action to prevent or reduce amyloid.
I consider myself to be in this stage because of my APOE/4 gene and my maternal history of Alzheimer’s. I use the ReCODE™ protocol to keep my brain healthy and I’m preventing Alzheimer’s — you can too.
Phase Two: Subjective Cognitive Impairment. This phase lasts about 10 years:
- You’re still scoring normal on cognitive tests, but you know something has changed.
- You may have trouble with word finding or remembering why you walked into a room.
- You notice increasing forgetfulness, losing your train of thought.
- You may feel overwhelmed when making decisions, planning or trying to organize.
- You may no longer enjoy reading.
Most people blame this on “normal aging” and don’t realize they can improve.These early symptoms of cognitive decline do have causes and they do precede Alzheimer’s. Get the right lab tests so you can take data-driven action and start living a preventative lifestyle.
Phase Three: Mild Cognitive Impairment. At this stage, your symptoms are bothersome enough to prompt a doctor’s visit, and now you have a diagnosis. Here are some other important things to know:
- You are not at the beginning of your cognitive decline.
- Dr. Bredesen says calling this stage Mild Cognitive Impairment is a mistake because the symptoms are a result of several years of decline. Calling this phase mild is like saying you have mildly metastatic cancer in that it’s an advanced point in the process for those who progress to Alzheimer’s.
- Approximately 10% of those with MCI progress to Alzheimer’s –– every year.
- An Alzheimer’s medication may be prescribed, or a clinical trial recommended – be cautious about both and make sure you have all the facts.
It’s still possible to reverse symptoms at this stage, but you need to take action immediately. Get the right lab tests and start learning how to adjust your lifestyle to support your cognition. DON’T WAIT.
Phase Four: Alzheimer’s. By the time you have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, you are long past the beginning of the disease.
- You’ve started depending on other people
- You’re losing activities of daily living
- It may be interfering with your judgment and your ability to drive
- Other people notice
Most doctors and drug trials focus on Phase 4 and some on Phase 3, when everyone should be focused on stages 1 and 2 because that’s when you have the best chance of stopping it. It’s when people are healthy enough – and usually more willing — to do all the things that will help them maintain and improve their brain function. It’s much easier to prevent and resolve in phases 1 and 2. Doing so also results in better overall health.
If you’re ready to use the ReCODE™ protocol to prevent or reverse symptoms of cognitive decline or have already been trying, but find the whole thing a bit overwhelming, my Direct Access community provides the resources, structure and support you need.
For now, just remember that we know more than ever before about the causes of Alzheimer’s and how to figure out what they are for each individual. We can do it before the actual symptoms of cognitive decline appear.
Don’t let Alzheimer’s sneak up you. Answers are available early enough to make a difference, and that’s the beginning of the end of Alzheimer’s.