When someone loses their memory,       

it is like a glass slipping from their hand.  

As they try to retrieve it from the abyss of synaptic failure, it shatters and leaves in its wake a feeling of distress and helplessness.  

The thought died because the neuron upon which it relied died. Just last night, I told someone that I like being concise when I speak.  

The truth is, I wanted to say succinct, but that word did not come to me until this morning. When it came, I felt like I gave birth. That word was there, waiting all night, germinating and gestating to fall from my tongue.

It was a horrible feeling not to be able to conjure a word that is an ordinary part of my vocabulary. I am 48 years old and this happens to me all too often.  

Am I getting Alzheimer's disease? Do you ever wonder if you are on the precipice of developing this disease?

There are many age associated memory problems that can change your ability to think or remember. It is important to differentiate between normal aging and treatable causes of memory loss from irreversible causes such as dementia.  

Some of the signs and symptoms to watch for are:   

1) increasing and persistent forgetfulness, (repeating the same questions or forgetting conversions appointments and dates);  

2) difficulty with familiar and complex tasks (e.g. balancing a checkbook or preparing a meal;  

3) orientation (time and dates); language (e.g. difficulty with word finding and naming objects) reasoning ability (poor judgment and decision making);  

4) personality and behavior changes,( increased irritability apathy and restlessness ).

The truth is that Alzheimer's is an old person's disease. Five percent of the population age 65 has Alzheimer's disease, and 50% of the population over 85 has Alzheimer's disease.

However, the process of plaque accumulation can start at least twenty years prior to the manifestation of symptoms. I learned this at the University of California Irvine's Alzheimer's Research Conference last week. This was an eight hour event and I would love to share my notes with you at my seminar.

Here are some of the salient points: 

Some people will develop Alzheimer's disease due to a combination of genetics and environmental factors. We cannot change our genetics but we can influence our environment and lifestyle.  

Our lifestyle choices may act as a trigger for the timing of the onset. The most important time for adjusting your health and lifestyle is at middle age. I will share the risk factors at my next seminar.  

You will be surprised to know that stress and the chemical that it creates is extremely problematic as mice studies have proved that high levels of cortisol contributes to the development of Alzheimer's disease.

One woman asked a panel of highly esteemed experts whether egg yolks and ginkgo biloba were effective in treating Alzheimer's disease. She had heard that from a doctor on a daytime talk show whose name will go unspoken (Dorothy had a heck of a time meeting its wizard-hint, hint.)  

The answer to this question was a resounding no. It was not that this panel of experts was too rigidly Western in their though process as they acknowledged that drinking alcohol was a protective factor, it is just that the science does not back up these claims.

If you want to learn more about whether the drugs that are on the market work to help those who have developed Alzheimer's disease, I will be discussing this on Saturday as well as the new studies and clinical trials that are in existence.  

There are centers all over the Western United States that offer technology for early detection and treatment.   If you want to learn what you can do to stave off this age related disease, I will share that with you.   

Do not stay in the dark about this disease. Be my guest, come and learn. If you can't make it, but are caring for someone that has Alzheimer's or suspect it, you can call me at (310) 897-7434.

Now, I am going to take a walk, keep my weight in check and lower my cortisol.

Caretaker Support Groups Now Being Formed

Support groups are important for caretakers and anyone who is faced with elder care challenges. Through sharing, support, and information, the benefits can be tremendous.  

I have been asked by countless people to form support groups in their community. In response to these requests, I would like to hear from you if there is an interest and see if there are others who share a similar interest in your community.  

If you are interested in becoming part of a support group near you, just email me by clicking on this link susan@mymomnpop.com