Recurrent Breast Cancer

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Alzheimer's is not a death sentence.

If you are diagnosed with Altzheimers, daily function is crucial. Allow yourself to slow down and manage your capabilities. This is important before you flood yourself with various medications that could lead to drug interactions.

Compensatory strategies help you deal with Altzheimers. Make life easier for yourself by placing items in the same location. Make them easily visible by marking them with colorful tape. Consider using your cell phone calendar to help you remember the day of the week and the month. What about items you need at the grocery store? Do you have your or your to-do list? You can make "to do lists" for errands and appointments.

Try making "jingles" that you sing to yourself regarding groceries. Sing the list as you write the items down on an index card. Keep a small notebook in your pocket to recall important information, such as appointments. If you forgot your grocery list, sing the items to yourself.

Assess your overall health. Cognition can be affected for other reasons, such as job loss, traumatic brain injury, drug abuse, PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder ), depression, and a death in the family. These conditions mimic Altzheimers.

Insomnia disturbs sleep quality and hampers short-term memory.Consider stretching your back, shoulders, and legs before going to bed. If you awaken early, or you can't sleep, consider Melatonin, an over the counter sleep aid.

If your brain is getting tired, take a "Brain Break." Walk outside, play Sudoku, and try word puzzles.

If insomnia is keeping you awake and you can't fall asleep, take a Melatonin tablet, at bedtime.

Don't carry a grudge against someone. Apologize and let it go. Consider a tune from the
Beatles, "Listen to Words of Wisdom, Let it Be."

There is evidence that hearing aids improve cognition.They are are expensive. However, if you are a military veteran, you may be eligible to get them at no cost.

Should these strategies boost your mental function, you may notice a "dopamine rush" that will give you a "feel good" sensation.

Walking, running, and bicycling are great for exercise. Allways wear a protective helmet.Traumatic Brain Injury hampers cognition, which mimics Alzheimer's.

Consider taking Vitamin B6 and B12. Low levels of these vitamins can hamper cognition. How do you know? Try it.
Holidays can be depressing, especially if you have Alzheimer's, job loss, death in the family, and divorce. Anger and depression disrupt function, sleep, appetite, and cognition.

Depression can be managed with Tai Chi, aerobic exercise, or taking a walk in the neighborhood.
Having short term, goals and a long term purpose alleviates depression.

Sign up for volunteering, This can be something as simple as volunteering at a Veteran's Hospital, Dumb Friends League, or Food Bank.

If you angered someone, apologize promptly. Don’t allow your thoughts to ruminate. An apology diffuses depression and anxiety. If you feel guilty, frustrated, or angry with yourself, take a few deep, slow breaths to destress and recalibrate
A walk outside can calm you down and bolster your cognition. This is like pushing the reset button on your computer. Managing your emotions is beneficial. Don't shutter yourself from others, especially your family members.

Assertiveness training is a method to get what you need without causing confrontation. It allows you to bargain with others without animosity. Give it a try.


Misplaced car keys or cell phone? Methodically start searching your home starting from the bottom floor to the top. Put a red fob on your car keys and hang the keys at the entrance of your home. Consider getting a spare set of car keys and put them in a magnetic box that can be attached to the underside of your car.

A mental thealth check-up can dig deeper to see whether your are experiencing Alzheimers symptoms, or if there is another related conditon that has not be evaluated or treated.

A diagnosis of Alzheimer's does not mean that your life is over. Hopefully, you will find that these suggestions help you cope. Build a purpose inyour life, other than your Alzheimer's.
Vitamins B-6 and B-12 can improve cognition. Foods that are rich in these iinclude chickpeas, fish, potatoes, bananas, cottage cheese, and poultry

A wide variety of foods supply vitamin B-6, including chickpeas, fish, potatoes, bananas, cottage cheese, poultry and meat. B-6 plays a role in cognitive function, and it is also involved in more than 100 enzyme reactions. Along with B-12, B-6 helps control homocysteine, a substance that is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.


You get B-12 from fish, cheese, dairy, meat and eggs, as well as from fortified cereals. Vitamin B-12 plays a crucial role in energy metabolism and the production of red blood cells. Because B-12 helps your body convert carbohydrates from what you eat into fuel, low levels of the vitamin can lead to fatigue. You also need B-12 for healthy nerve function, so a deficiency may lead to nerve damage. In addition, vitamin B-12 promotes healthy neurological function and DNA production, and it's also needed for normal brain function.