If you or a loved one has a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment or early Alzheimer’s disease and need encouragement, this post is for you.
Ellen has a maternal family history of Alzheimer’s disease. She scheduled an initial consultation with me in March of 2021 shortly after her neurologist diagnosed her with Mild Cognitive Impairment and prescribed one of the standard Alzheimer’s medications. After our conversation, she decided to move forward with the cognoscopy testing for ReCODE – the lab testing to identify hidden contributors to cognitive decline – and she joined my Direct Access membership where she was able to immediately learn about and begin implementing the ReCODE protocol while we waited for her test results.
Recently, Ellen posted the photo and comments below in the Direct Access group. She’s adopting the anti-Alzheimer’s lifestyle according to ReCODE, and her doctor approved discontinuing the Alzheimer’s medication. Her progress is a great encouragement for everyone in the group and I asked her if I could share her words with you. Remember, she began this journey with us as a founding member in March which was just 5 months ago:
“Looking at these old hands of mine this morning, feeling a bit defeated and overwhelmed because I’m not doing everything right on the ReCODE protocol…I don’t exercise enough. I don’t always eat the “right” foods. I don’t drink enough water. I don’t take time to breathe and meditate. I don’t do BrainHQ. And then I look again at my old hands. I know….I’ll never be a hand model, but six months ago my fingers were bent & sore & swollen, my nails ridged, short and brittle (wish I had a before picture) and I realize just how far I’ve come on this journey to repair my brain. If my hands have visibly improved I know that the rest of my body is following suit. I’ve lost 20 pounds. I take my daily supplements. I exercise more often than before. I test my blood for glucose & ketosis. I get plenty of rest. I sit quietly outside in my secret garden with my wonderdoodle Daisy every morning and watch the bees and butterflies and hummingbirds and enjoy the hummmm. I’m in rehearsal for a show where I have to memorize lines, dance, & sing. My brain is no longer foggy and I don’t have to work so hard to think & remember. AND these old hands feel and look better than they have in years. That’s when it hit me. This journey that we’re on together to repair our brains is not about Perfection….it’s about Practice and Progress and Persistence. It’s the LITTLE things that change us in BIG ways. It’s hard to totally change the way we lived our entire lives. But the rewards and the benefits are worth the effort. Thank you Angela Chapman for being our brilliant leader and continuing to cheer us on and encourage us to be the best we can be….to strive for perfection knowing that none of us will ever get there because perfection is impossible. And in the end I know that my life is in God’s hands. I’m just helping HIM along!!! It’s God who led me to where I am today. So, Friends…here’s to being perfectly imperfect.”
Ellen’s description of her progress is a great example of ReCODE in action. Progress is the daily goal, not perfection because perfection is discouraging and unattainable. Progress can be felt, seen and measured. Progress is doable and it adds up over time just like compound interest. Of course, compound interest can be good or bad based on whether it accumulates from an investment or a debt. Ellen is investing in her brain-body wellness every day as she uses our step-by-step approach to implement a proven protocol.
I’d like to encourage you to read the success stories of The First Survivors of Alzheimer’s who are featured in Dr. Bredesen’s new book. The link will take you to it. Alzheimer’s prevention and reversal are possible, the people featured in this book have done it and so have hundreds, if not thousands of others.
I envision a world in which Alzheimer’s is a rare disease. It’s possible.
Angela Chapman is a Bredesen ReCODE Practitioner and Functional Health Educator. If you’re searching for practical tips to protect your brain health and avoid Alzheimer’s disease, her Sunday email is a great resource for you.