What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that results in symptoms such as memory loss, disorientation, confusion, mood and behaviour changes, difficulty speaking, swallowing and walking.
Communication networks in the brain are formed by nerve cells (neurons) which connect to one another at synapses. Neurotransmitters are passed along the neurons via impulses which affect various physiological functions within the body and brain.
Although neurological degeneration is associated with ageing, people with Alzheimers disease experience this degeneration predominantly in the hippocampus (related to memory formation) and in the cerebral cortex – responsible for language, reasoning and social behaviour (da Silva Filfo et. al., 2017).
Alzheimer’s disease and Gut health
Studies have shown that bacterial composition in the intestines could be linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
Bacterial imbalances have been shown to increase intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and immunological activation which results in systemic inflammation 
(Kowalski & Mulak, 2019).
Neurons in the brain are highly susceptible to systemic inflammation due to the effect on the blood-brain barrier, resulting in neuroinflammation, neural injury and neurodegeneration.
Studies have shown that there are two abnormalities which play a role in the onset of Alzheimers’ disease.
- Beta-amyloid plaque which accumulates in the spaces between neurons
- Neurofibrillary tangles (tau) which collect within neurons
Certain microbes within the human microbiome have been show to secrete pro-inflammatory pathogenic signals, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and large amounts of amyloid (Zhao & Lukiw, 2015).
These factors have been shown to increase systemic inflammation and thus, neurological inflammation contributing towards central nervous system amyloid accumulation in humans.
Thus, the potential onset of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
How can we support our gut and brain health naturally?
Owing to the bidirectional relationship between the gut and the brain, it is important that we support our neurological health holistically by taking into account various factors such as diet, stress management, lifestyle and supplementation.
Diet
Diet plays a key role in modulating inflammatory responses within the body. While everyone responds differently to various foods, there are some foods that generally tend to cause inflammation especially if that individual is already compromised in their gut. Foods to be mindful of:
- Processed sugars and carbohydrates
- Chemical additives, flavourings, colourants
- Gluten
- Dairy
- Alcohol
- Fizzy drinks
- Processed foods
- High omega 6 and grain fed meats/ eggs
- Saturated fats and fried foods
- Spicy foods
Foods that may assist in modulating inflammation in the body are:
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Avocado
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh fruit and vegetables
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Wild caught fatty fish
*Note: it is recommended that you first activate any grains, nuts, seeds, legumes that you consume by soaking overnight before consumption/ preparing
Stress management
Chronic stress has been linked to systemic inflammation due to the effects on the gut microbiome and immune system (Liu et. al., 2017). Stress is a broad term used to describe a disruption in homeostasis which might be caused by physical, mental, emotional or chemical stress. Asking yourself the following questions might shed some light on the origins of your personal stress
- Am I aware of my daily chemical, toxic exposure?
- Am I moving my body daily in a health-giving, sustainable way?
- Am I aware of the effects that my food has on my body? And is my diet conducive to supporting longevity?
- Am I aware of my breath? Especially when I am confronted with external stresses
- Am I living in accordance with my passions and talents?
- Where might I be placing unnecessary pressure on myself?
- What patterns of behaviour might be contributing toward unnecessary stress?
Supplementation:
In addition to various lifestyle adjustments that support the longevity of your neurological health, supplements such as Lions mane and CBD would help to leverage this intention.
Lions mane assists with promoting nerve growth factor which supports the survival and regeneration of neurons. The Beta glucans in Lions mane support bacterial balance and function within the intestines (Li et. al., 2018).
Both CBD and Lions mane support dopamine levels. Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter that is affected in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Both have also been shown to lower inflammation levels within the body and brain. Nature’s Relief have developed a Neuropro Nootropic blend that contains CBD and Lion’s Mane as well as cacao for extra clarity.
CBD full spectrum may be effective for neurological support owing to its effects on anxiety, stress, depression, mood and sleep disorders.
Aether lions mane
Alternatively, Nature’s Relief Neuropro Nootropic blend is made up of three ingredients (300mg nano CBD, 3000mg cacao extract and 4500mg Lion’s Mane extract) which work synergistically to support the reduction of stress and anxiety and help to increase alertness.
Testimonial
“My husband has been suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease for many years and I am the primary caregiver. Alzheimer’s Disease is a difficult condition to 
manage. After giving my husband the Nature’s Relief 600mg CBD Calm drops and infusion drops, I have noticed a huge improvement in his condition. He is less aggressive, mush calmer and sleeps well throughout the night. Thank you Nature’s Relief” (Anonymous) (NR 600mg Broad spectrum high CBD Calm drops) (NR 300mg full spectrum canna infusion drops)
Please consult with a qualified practitioner who understands a personalised approach to healing in order to formulate a protocol that is best suited to you and your stage of life.
You can reach out to myself, Kate Arnott, via my website www.katearnott.com for online consultations or Nature’s Relief who offer free consultations with their clinical homeopath in-store and virtually if applicable.
Durban Branch
68 Adelaide Tambo Drive, Durban North, KwaZulu-Natal
+27 79 884 8588
Olivedale Branch
17 President Fouche Dr, Olivedale, Randburg, 2158
+27 63 502 2974
info.olivedale@naturesRelief.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
