When it comes to preventing Alzheimer’s or reversing symptoms of cognitive decline, detoxification often is part of a personalized programmatic approach. The lab tests we order sometimes reveal a high amount of toxins, which isn’t surprising considering how many toxins we are all exposed to each day.
The inflammatory process that occurs in response to those toxic exposures can cause various health problems, including Alzheimer’s. Mycotoxins from mold is one of the most common exposures that can be a major contributor to Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. Other toxins that can affect your brain-body wellness include various environmental toxins, heavy metals like mercury and lead, and bacterial or viral infections. All of these should be investigated for anyone who is diagnosed with MCI or Alzheimer’s, as well as for anyone who wants to prevent those issues. Here’s why:
Toxic load: Over time, our bodies accumulate various toxins from the environment, including heavy metals, biotoxins, pesticides and pollutants. These toxins can potentially affect brain health and cognitive function. Detoxification processes help rid the body of harmful substances and reduce the toxic burden.
Inflammation: Chronic inflammation is a contributing factor to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases. Detoxification can help reduce inflammation by eliminating toxins that trigger the immune system’s inflammatory response.
Oxidative stress: Excessive oxidative stress can damage brain cells and accelerate cognitive decline. Detoxification can help counteract oxidative stress by neutralizing harmful free radicals.
Gut-brain connection: Research suggests a strong link between gut health and brain health. Detoxification can support a healthy gut microbiome, which in turn can benefit cognitive function.
The symptoms of mold toxicity can include:
- Cognitive impairment
- Anxiety
- Sleep disturbance/insomnia
- Mood fluctuations
- Fatigue
- Inability to organize and plan
- Difficulty with reading comprehension
- Difficulty with math or spelling
- Visual disturbances
- Gut issues
A typical doctor’s appointment for these symptoms can result in a diagnosis of MCI, Alzheimer’s, chronic fatigue, insomnia, anxiety or depression, etc. — all with the corresponding medication — but absolutely no investigation into actual causes, especially toxic causes. If toxins are at the root of it and are never discovered and addressed, it will be very difficult for that person to ever get well.
Fortunately, there’s increasing opportunity for working with functional health practitioners and doctors who focus on protecting wellness by preventing illness and finding root causes for chronic conditions with the goal of health restoration. ReCODE-certified practitioners know what to look for when it comes to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s.
Here’s a recent example from one of my clients who has Mild Cognitive Impairment: While there are several factors contributing to his cognitive decline, his past exposure to mold is potentially the most significant. Testing of immune system related inflammatory markers revealed high levels of inflammation, the visual contrast sensitivity test indicated biotoxin exposure, and urinary mycotoxins were high, including those associated with water-damaged buildings. The out-of-control inflammation caused by exposure to mycotoxins can lead to both gut and blood-brain barrier permeability. Tests related to nutrition, gut and heart health are pending and will likely reveal additional contributors to cognitive decline, some of which may also be related to the metabolic mayhem associated with mycotoxins.
The good news here is that we now know all of this can combine to create the perfect storm of Alzheimer’s, we can find it and there are things we can do about it.
Dr. Bredesen identified a subtype of Alzheimer’s he called the toxic type. It’s become known as the most difficult subtype to deal with because its effects are widespread, and by the time people get the help they need to discover it, they may have been affected by it for a long time. My hope is that awareness of this holistic, root cause, data-driven approach will continue to expand, and that people will start seeking this kind of help sooner.
Here’s the bottom line: Everything is connected. Once you have an understanding of those connections and what’s going wrong, you can make a logical plan to restore health, and it
generally will include significant lifestyle changes, detoxification and consistently applied stress management strategies.
Medications that treat chronic symptoms may help symptoms, but they don’t bring the body back into a state of wellness, and they don’t stop Alzheimer’s. While no one can guarantee that
the approach we use to uncover the actual contributors to cognitive decline and optimize them will work for every person, it has worked for a lot of people, and that can’t be said for any of the traditional medical treatments. There’s also every reason to believe that the vast majority of Alzheimer’s diagnoses can be prevented by taking action before you ever have any symptoms at all.
If you’ve been worried about your risk factors or have a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment and don’t know what’s causing it, why not schedule an initial call with me to talk about it? Here’s a link to my online calendar.
Angela Chapman, M.Ed, FDN-P, is a certified ReCODE practitioner and health educator. If you’re looking for ways to prevent or fight Alzheimer’s, her Sunday email is a great resource for you.