Saturday, February 27, 2021

Friday, February 26, 2021

Turning point in deterioration of my Alzheimers


Yesterday while walking my Newfoundland despite many attempts to slow down, I fell.  There was nothing around me.  At one point I called my big dog (115 pounds) and pushed on her back to help get me up and balance me as I got up.  As I was about 90% upright she paniced and pulled away which made me fall again.  I was one half block away from my house.  I lay on the sidewalk like a beached whale.  This is not the first time this has happened on my walk with hills.   Amazing no one walks by or drives by to see me.  As often often happens when needed most my phone said "try again  later".  After I rested, I was able to get into a squat position without falling over and slowly carefully stood up.  I felt my knee bleeding and I felt a scrap on my forehead from contact on the concrete. I am on a blood thinner but fortunately I had little swelling.  

Not like my bad blackeye which I got helping someone carry a bookcase up hill and when he suddenly stopped I kept going foward, could not stop, fell and landed on my eye.  I put that photo on the back of my Traveling with Alzheimers. Year Two Book.

Later I fell at home after too much alcohol and had a concussion which I wrote about in The Pursuit of Happiness with Alzhiemers Year Year Three at the publishers now.  

Concussion in March 2020 link

Post concussion syndrome April 2020 link

I think it is a clarion call when I realize I need to buy a walking cane that I am worse with my AZ.

Between poor balance and poor core strength I need to grab on to something to pull myself up.  

I choose the cane below. 







Thursday, February 25, 2021

Festination of Gait

I have Alzheimers diagnosed in 12-17.


Today I had festination of gait and fell again. 

I don't believe I have Parkinsons.  


Yesterday while walking my Newfoundland despite many attempts to slow down, I fell.  There was nothing around me.  At one point I called my big dog (115 pounds) and pushed on her back to help get me up and balance me as I got up.  As I was about 90% upright she paniced and pulled away which made me fall again.  I was one half block away from my house.  I lay on the sidewalk like a beached whale.  This is not the first time this has happened on my walk with hills.   Amazing no one walks by or drives by to see me.  As often often happens when needed most my phone said try again  later.  After I rested I was able to get into a squat position without falling over and slowly carefully stood up.  I felt my knee bleeding and I felt a scrap on my forehead from contact on the concrete. I am on a blood thinner but fortunately I had little swelling.  Not like my blackeye last year.  

Later I fell at home after too much alcohol and had a concussion. 

Concussion in March 2020 link

Post concussion syndrome April 2020 link


I am not sure the advice below will help much? 

My problem occurs when I walk downhill.















Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Update on my OmegaQuanta test.

 Prior blog when I sent my test in link

Tests results arrived today.

Taking four 1k mg/day Lovaza generic has done very well for me.  

Cognoscopy report from Dr Bredesin Recode 

 EPA seems very good at 3.02 
DHA 2.75
I am surprised Cognoscopy does not post my 
Omega 3 index. 

Question is whether my DHA is getting into my brain. DHA is not made in the brain.


Now for my Omegaquant results.  
It does a far surperior than Dr Dale Bredensen's 
Cognoscopy testing. 














I was surprised to read the above statement about staturated fats.
 I agree with it.









$50 is great value for information recieved.

I am a Board certified Lipidologist, but I have found much of the information above confounding. 
After the GISSI trial I decided to take Lovaza. 
As I followed my high triglycerides due to DM2
I increased my Lovaza to 4,000 mg a day.
I added Enduracin(nicotinic acid) 1,000 mg a day.
I have also been on Atkins diet since 2011. 

These 3 interventions now allow me to have a 
NON-FASTING Triglyceride level less than 100











Sunday, February 21, 2021

My new personal test to see if my Alzheimers is getting worse in my 4th year since diagnosis

 Today I took my fifth online cognitive test with remembering playing cards.  

This non-treatment trial I am enrolled in never tells me the results of my tests or scans.  

I usually do well on the MOCA exams. My cognitive exams link.

I made up this cognitive exam for myself in Aug 2020 Topeka Cognitive Assessment (TOCA) link

Today I made up my own personal Cognitive exam to alert me to when I am getting worse. 

1- Can't keep my 15 medications straight.

2- Can't make my own breakfast or lunch

3- Forget to check or how to check my AM glucose, ketones and weight. 

4- Get lost on my around the block 1 mile walk

5- Can't blog or twitter

6- Forget how to put my hearing aides in.


Friday, February 19, 2021

Article from Forbes: The Myth of Nordic socialism.

 

My comments in purple


Are the Scandavian countries "socialism"?

As the American left embraces a platform that continues to look more and more like a socialist’s dream, it is common for those on the right to counter with the example of Venezuela as the nightmare of socialism in reality. 

A common response from the left is that socialism (or democratic socialism) works just fine in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. It is certainly true that Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark are notable economic successes. What is false is that these countries are particularly socialist.

The myth of Nordic socialism is partially created by a confusion between socialism, meaning government exerting control or ownership of businesses, and the welfare state in the form of government-provided social safety net programs. 

However, the left’s embrace of socialism is not merely a case of redefining a word. Simply look at the long-running affinity of leftists (maybe some leftists but not the progressive wing of DEMS) with socialist dictators in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela for proof many on the left long for real socialism. 

I think this is a stretch.

To the extent that the left wants to point to an example of successful socialism, not just generous welfare states, the Nordic countries are actually a poor case to cite. 

Regardless of the perception, in reality the Nordic countries practice mostly free market economics paired with high taxes exchanged for generous government entitlement programs.

Yes, this is the model I think Democrats are looking for!

First, it is worth noting that the Nordic counties were economic successes before they built their welfare states. Those productive economies, generating good incomes for their workers, allowed the governments to raise the tax revenue needed to pay for the social benefits. It was not the government benefits that created wealth, but wealth that allowed the luxury of such generous government programs.

Doesn't the USA have even greater wealth?

Second, as evidence of the lack of government interference in business affairs, there is the fact that none of these countries have minimum wage laws. Unions are reasonably powerful in many industries and negotiate contracts, but the government does nothing to ensure any particular outcome from those negotiations. Workers are paid what they are worth, not based on government’s perception of what is fair.

Certainily not happening in USA.

A third example of Nordic commitment to free markets can be found in Sweden which has complete school choice. The government provides families with vouchers for each child. These vouchers can be used to attend regular public schools, government-run charter schools, or private, for-profit schools. Clearly, the use of government funds to pay for private, for-profit schools is the opposite of socialism. 

We can also confirm these isolated facts by looking at a comprehensive measure of capitalism relative to socialism. The Fraser Institute, a Vancouver-based, pro-free market, think tank, compiles a worldwide ranking of countries called the economic freedom index. Its website explains that its ranking “is an effort to identify how closely the institutions and policies of a country correspond with a limited government ideal, where the government protects property rights and arranges for the provision of a limited set of “public goods” such as national defense and access to money of sound value, but little beyond these core functions.” Clearly,(???) a socialist country should perform poorly in any ranking based on these principles.

What we find, however, is the Nordic countries rank quite high on this index of economic freedom. In fact, while Hong Kong and Singapore top the list and the U.S. ranks 12th, we can find the Nordic countries in quite respectable rankings. Denmark ranks 15, Finland 17, Norway 25, and Sweden 27. In terms of numerical scores, Sweden is only 5% lower than the U.S. For further comparison, South Korea and Japan, both considered fairly pro-free market, rank 32 and 39, respectively.

Socialism can take the form of government controlling or interfering with 

1-free markets,

2- nationalizing industries, and

3- subsidizing favored ones (green energy, anyone?). I think lobbies and money for campaigns have provided a capitalist favored status for oil companies among others.


The Nordic countries don’t actually do much of those things. 

Yes, they offer

1- government-paid healthcare,

2- in some cases tuition-free university educations, and rather

3- generous social safety nets, all financed with high taxes.

 However, it is possible to do these things without interfering in the private sector more than required. It is allowing businesses to be productive that produces the high corporate and personal incomes that support the tax collections making the government benefits feasible. The Nordic countries are smart enough not to kill the goose that lays the golden egg.

If the left insists on naming a system of generous government benefits combined with a free market democratic socialism, I cannot stop them. That seems unnecessarily confusing since the government is actually running no industries other than education (and meddling somewhat in healthcare). It certainly isn’t socialism. In fact, the only reason most such countries can afford those benefits is that their market economies are so productive they can cover the expense of the government’s generosity. Perhaps a better name for what the Nordic countries practice would be compassionate capitalism.

I wonder what percentage of these countries GDP goes to defense compared to USA?

 

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I am a professor of economics at The University of Georgia and consultant on economic issues to a variety of corporations and local governments. Taking a generally free…

New treatment for Alzheimers?

 I have been reviewing many books that suggest they have solutions for Alzheimers. 

Especially diet. 

I would now like to offer a new solution to my Alzheimers.  

My 85 inch Samsung TV that I purchased for my last Father's Day.


Even after my vision improved with cataract surgery and I use hearing aides, I believe having a large screen with vivid images engages my brain much more that the 65 inch TV's I use to watch.  

I have have a much larger screen in our theater room but during the recent sad Superbowl, there just was not the brightness of the large screen in the dark room compared to the large Samsung. 

I can see the faces so clearly.  The color of their eyes, the expressions.  

Perhaps not as good as real life but during the time of Covid isolation it has been a good subsitution for the best therapy for AZ which is probably socialization. 

The price of the TV is one half of what I spent on it. 

$2,500 is a lot of money!

It may be money better spent than trying the diets advised an many useless supplements. 

I mayself try to keep my nutritional ketosis greater than 1.0 with an Atkins type diet.  

Hopefully your the person who cares for you will also enjoy it as well with you.









Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Follow up with my nutritional therapist from Atma Holistic Clinic

 I found out today I don't have a nutritionist, I have a nutritional therapist. 

My comments in purple

Amy Bousman

12:01 PM (3 hours ago)
to me



First Issue 
Krill Oilhttps://www.amazon.com/Bulletproof-Strength-Essential-Astaxanthin-Omega-3s/dp/B07MTZ8G4S/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=bulletproof+krill+oil&qid=1613583822&sr=8-5

Amy was very pleased my mentor in lipidology, Dr Michael Davidson suggested Krill oil to get more DHA into my brain.
I purchased Antarctic Krill oil.  
She suggested another one as well, above. 

Second Issue

This is where Amy's expertise was very helpful to me.  I told her about my Thryve results, a company she was not aware of.  link my Thryve results



Third Issue eat heart and liver from natural grocery


Product with heart and liver already mixed in: https://forceofnature.com/


Fourth issue 
General advice
Recommendations from today's session:

1-Consider Bulletproof Krill Oil for a better concentration of DHA.
I am taking 2 Krill oil tablets with 3 generic Lovaza tablets.  
My cognoscopy report is already good.  I added Krill to help get the DHA into the brain.


2- Replacing artificial sweeteners in coffee w/ liquid stevia or green leaf powdered stevia.
I told her Dr Sanjay Gupta is concerned about artificial sweeteners changing the stool biodome.
Thyrve reported my biodome was good. 


3--Try increasing water consumption from 2 to 4 quarts/day.
I did do 4 quarts a day.  It was not sustainable.  2 quarts or 64 oz is more than enough I believe. She thinks coffee is a diuretic.  Peter Attia says it's not.  My endocrinologist said the greatest diuretic. Amy referred to results of my Cognoscopy that suggested why that I was dehydrated.  As an MD I am skeptical as my bun, creatine and sodium are normal. I need her to list the abnormal labs she is referring to.  

4--Keep experimenting with incorporating liver and heart into the diet on a Preferably) weekly basis.

This I will try even though my vitamin A level is normal.
 It is possible to have too much Vitamin A. 


I was surprised my B vitamins were so low.  She said they don't have proper methlylation and are just urinated out. 
Thus when I got the exam above I started Atma's suggestion to take 
Liposomal Methyl B Complex mouth spray. 
In four months I look forward to repeating my cognoscopy to see if my results improve. 








Review of Sanjay Gupta's Alzheimers book

 


I sent my review of his book two days ago but Amazon.com has not posted it yet.  


I gave him 4 out of 5 stars. 

However I pointed out some major lapses. 

What is new in the book? 

His message is similar to what I have written in my books. 

Make the diagnosis early.  Why?

1- Make plans for the rest or end of your life.

2- Use the time left in a useful or forfilling manner. 

3- Take better care of your health to slow progression of the disease.

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Thryve stool biodome results


#One


#Two

 
                                                            #Three


                                                    #Four

Faecalibacterium

Deficient; needs work
My Level:
 
4.732%
      
Healthy Average:
 
12.896%

Based on your test sample results, you’re deficient in Faecalibacterium. Probiotics and the right foods can help you bring this back to optimal levels.


Thursday, February 4, 2021

Bold new step for my Alzheimer's disease ASHWAGANDHA


The Bredesen Recode program for Alzheimer's advises 

ASHWAGANDHA



 My Doctor from the Atma Clinic Lawerence, Kansas suggested I take this. 


Today, I made the leap into non-traditional medicine and purchased 



I will start with one at night with my melatonin.  After 1 month if no side effects I will take one twice a day. 

Atma visit link Nov. 19, 2020

I was told "no one who follows the Recode plan with Mild Cognitive Impairment has worsening of dementia."



ReCode the basic plan link



What I have done with ReCode link


 Update March 9, 2021

I doubled my Ashwagandha to two pills a days over the last nine days. 

No side effects. 

My sleep seems better with Magnesium Threonate and Melatin but also my mood is more calm.  






Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Tony Bennett died at 94 with Alzheimer's

 Tony Bennett article link


I found this to be a very interesting article. 


This is why I am now writing: 

Alzheimer's is Inexorable 

Grit and Fortitude required

Year Four

Tony Bennett's diagnosis was made in 2016.

My diagnosis of AZ was made in Dec. 2017.

Despite being a board certified gerontologist and phyiscian director of nursing homes I had no idea what my personal prognosis would be.  


In my personal account over the last three years I have shown that I continued to have a very good life. 

Tony rehearsed his music twice a week despite worsening dementia.  







Monday, February 1, 2021

Which drugs to take for Alzheimers and which not to.






 


Observational article link



Let's not forget, we don't know what causes Alzheimer's.  

However we don't know what causes essential hypertension but we treat it very well with multiple drugs. 


Below is a photo of the drugs I take. 




update trials of Alzheimers

 The best part of the day is when I have a bowel movement.   Recently started Miralax. I found MOM too harsh. Pacing helps but I get exhaust...