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Alzheimer’s Disease is a degenerative, neurological disease that results in memory impairment and deterioration in everyday functioning. Usually it culminates in death, three to 20 years after the diagnosis. Although Alzheimer’s is considered incurable, several natural treatment options recommended by Functional Medicine practitioners often help alleviate the symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. Functional Medicine is a relatively new health care perspective that instead of treating symptoms in a standardized way, looks for the root cause of an individual’s health problem and tries to remedy it with nutrition, supplements, lifestyle changes, detoxification and other drug-free modes of treatment. Why Nutritional Therapy for Alzheimer’s? In Functional Medicine, we try to optimize the body’s natural defenses against disease, which may involve detoxification, nutritional rebalancing or supplements for some missing elements needed for proper functioning of the body. Nutritional therapy is a science-based approach to treating Alzheimer’s without drugs. It’s important to embark on these treatments only after laboratory tests assess the patient’s comprehensive medical profile. Nutritional Tools for Treating Alzheimer’s Based on an individual’s laboratory test results, a Functional Medicine practitioner might prescribe one or more of these substances: * Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC): This substance has therapeutic potential because it functions as a precursor for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and it also promotes cellular energy production. * Vitamin E: It prevents oxidative damage and delays memory deficits. In one study, 633 people aged 65 or older who did not have Alzheimer’s took either Vitamin E, Vitamin C or a multivitamin. The results suggested that higher-dose Vitamin E supplements may lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease. * Phosphatidylserine: In clinical trials, this led to improvements in memory and neuropsychological functioning. Interestingly, the patients retained these beneficial changes for some time after discontinuing phosphatidylserine. * Ginkgo: This herb increases delivery of nutrients to the brain and enhances memory, delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s. * Huperzine A: Studies show this substance makes more acetylcholine available to stimulate neurons, which tends to be deficient in those with Alzheimer’s. Where to Find Help Functional Medicine practitioners are highly trained in using advanced laboratory tests to identify biochemical imbalances, nutritional deficiencies and the presence of toxins in the body. They then prescribe natural treatments to remedy the problems identified. On the Web, a directory of Functional Medicine practitioners around the world can be found at http://www.functionalmedicinedoctors.com . Dr. Ron Grisanti, D.C., is the founder and director of Functional Medicine University, a training program for medical professionals. For the general public, he has created the health information site YourMedicalDetective.com, which offers free, easy-to-understand articles on a broad range of health problems. For a free membership in YourMedicalDetective.com, go to http://www.yourmedicaldetective.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_Ron_Grisanti [...]