Alzheimer’s disease can afflict anyone
Alzheimer’s is a disease that respects no person. It can afflict anyone – rich or poor irrespective of education, gender, social status or race.
Many people are also misinformed that Alzheimer’s disease hits only elderly people. Not true. On record, the youngest person who developed Alzheimer’s disease was only 17 years old. On the other hand, there are many people over 90 years old or even 100 years of age and yet they never develop Alzheimer’s disease. One may ask: Why is this so? Because Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal process of aging; nor is it a condition that happens in a later life.
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia, a brain disorder that is characterized by impairment of memory which seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out his normal daily activities.
Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t develop overnight. Says, Dr. Bruce Fife, author of the book Stop Alzheimer’s Now: “It is a progressive disease that begins decades before the first symptoms become manifest. The mild to moderate stages of Alzheimer’s generally last 2 to 10 years. Severe Alzheimer’s may last 1 to 5 years. The incidence of Alzheimer’s is growing rapidly. In 1979 the disease affected only about 0.2 people for every 100,000. By 2006 that number had shoot up to 20 per 100,000. Incidence is expected to double over the next 20 years.”
There are risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease like high blood pressure (hypertension), coronary artery disease, diabetes, and probably also elevated blood cholesterol. Also, higher risk for those who have less than eight years of education. This does not, however, mean that persons with these risk factors will, without doubt develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Memory lapses for recent events are common early symptoms of the disease like forgetting repeatedly to turn off the flat iron or forgetting repeatedly to take one’s regular medicine or slowly withdrawing from social interactions.
As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, the person may slowly have difficulty in computing figures in his bills; or be sloppy in his grooming (not dressing properly) or have problem in his behavior (like getting easily irritable or quarrelsome).
In the later course of the disorder, the affected person gets confused and disoriented – even forgetting the month or year; or forgetting the address of the residence and in worse cases, total failure of recognition of his/her spouse! Even if the affected person stares at him/her the whole day. Eventually the affected persons will no longer be capable of taking care of themselves.
The Alzheimer’s Association listed ten (10) warning signs/symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, as follows:- 1) Memory loss; 2) Difficulty performing familiar tasks; 3) Problems with language; 4) Disorientation to time and place; 5) Poor or decreased judgment; 6) Problems with abstract thinking; 7) Misplacing things; 8) Changes in the mood or behavior; 9) Changes in personality; and 10) Loss of initiative.
Finally, Dr. Bruce Fife, (the author of the book Stop Alzheimer’s Now), a certified US nutritionist and a naturopathic doctor recommended in his book that those who have clear symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (and other neurogenerative diseases as well like Parkinson’s disease) can be treated by taking five (5) tablespoons of coconut oil daily (2 at breakfast and the remaining 3 tablespoons can be divided up between lunch and dinner in any manner). Dr. Fife also recommends 2-3 tablespoon daily for those who do not yet manifest symptoms as a preventive measure. This is what many Americans afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease are doing now – taking virgin coconut oil.
Indeed, Alzheimer’s disease is a frightening disease!
We Filipinos are greatly blessed that there abound in our country coconut trees, the source of coconut oil. In our country, we have more than 3 million hectares devoted to coconut out of our total twelve million hectares of farm lands.
Have a joyful day! (For comments/reactions please send to Ms. Villafuerte’s email: villafuerte_nelly@yahoo.com)