Lifestyle changes improve Alzheimer’s symptoms for some

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‘A study to give us hope’: Lifestyle changes improve Alzheimer’s symptoms for some

"Lifestyle changes can help microglia get back on track, Tanzi said. Besides a high-fiber diet, aerobic exercise and plenty of good quality sleep also encourage microglial cells and other amyloid-clearing enzymes to do their jobs."

“Exercise and sleep induce clearance of amyloid in different ways than the gut microbiome,” Tanzi said. “Combining them is a powerful tool.”

"Each day a fitness instructor led online strength training exercises and encouraged 30-minute daily walks. Meditation, deep breathing, yoga and other ways to reduce stress took up another hour every day. The program also encouraged participants to prioritize good quality sleep."

"Supplements were provided to everyone in the intervention group. They took a daily multivitamin, omega-3 fatty acids with curcumin, coenzyme Q10, vitamin C and B12, magnesium, a probiotic and Lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus)."

"To be sure the vegan diet was followed, all meals and snacks for both the participant and spouse were delivered to their homes. Calories were unrestricted, but protein and total fat were about 18% of the daily caloric intake — experts say the average American eats twice the amount of protein they need and obtains 36% of daily calories from total fat."

"Complex carbs found in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, tofu, nuts and seeds made up most of the diet. Sugar, alcohol and refined carbs found in processed and ultraprocessed foods were taboo."

“A minimally processed diet is key,” said Tanzi, who tests potential treatments for dementia on tiny organoids composed of human brain cells that develop signs of Alzheimer’s."

"The lifestyle intervention Ornish created — “eat well, move more, stress less and love more” — has been tested before. In 1990, Ornish showed for the first time in a randomized clinical trial that coronary artery disease could often be reversed with nothing more than diet, exercise, stress reduction and social support."

"Since then, research has shown the same four-part program can lower blood sugars and heart disease risk in patients with diabetes, reduce prostate cancer cell growth, improve depression and reduce “bad cholesterol.”