Coconut Oil vs The Big Bad Rx Companies

It's easy to get a bit overwhelmed with all the "Alzheimer's" information on the internet.  I really appreciate my friends sharing info with me, since my time is so limited, and they do much of the "sorting out" of what's important.  BUT, sometimes I feel guilty for not giving Gary enough coconut oil, cumin, saffron, Vitamin D, dropping the statins, etc, etc, etc. It could be a full time job keeping up with all the latest, deciding what will help, and then implementing things.  The problem is that though all the testimonials are likely true, there are many reasons someone can improve.  "Hope" for one thing.  If an Alz. patient is depressed, then having hope can be a huge help in lifting the depression, which also causes cognitive impairment.  Another thing that concerns me is that lots of folks on the internet, say their loved one's A.D. was turned around because of some diet change.  Did they really have A.D.?  Was it diagnosed?  There are MANY things that cause cognitive impairment and dementia.  Depression, lack of sleep, mini strokes, brain injury, etc, etc.

When I was buying Coconut Oil the other day, someone asked me if it helps.  I said, "I don't know, but it can't hurt and it seems to help some people."  I have no way of comparing Gary "with coconut oil", to Gary "without coconut oil".  I have tried most of the popular "natural" remedies for dementia (for weeks, sometimes months), and never seen a change for the better.   Unfortunately, the drug companies are the ones with the money to fund widespread testing, so the drugs get tested and the nutritional things don't.  Therefore, we are left with testimonials, and circumstantial evidence to base our decisions on. We live in an age when there are MANY resources, and we can know about them because of the internet.  We DO use medications which have been tweaked and fine-tuned by Gary's excellent neurologist, a reseacher at USC.  That is the course we have chosen to take.  If others elect to avoid them, hopefully they do so, because their loved one would want it that way and that is the best course "for them".  I can't measure how Gary would have been without the meds, but based on research, that has been conducted over many years with many people, the "test groups" that were on these meds did better overall than those without.  After 6 years into this journey, I strongly believe that no one should look down on another because of their philosophy of treatment. 

Many folks have mentioned Dr. Mary Newport's research into Coconut Oil recently.  Actually a friend told me about her several years ago, and I occasionally check her blog.  ( Dr. Newport's Blog ) Her research into Medium-Chain-Triglycerides seems very thorough, and  I have no doubt that her husband has improved since the daily regimen of Coconut Oil but my strengths are not in the area of nutrition or chemistry.  I am better at making memory books for Gary, and playing hymns for him when he is "stressed or fatigued".  Some of my friends ARE good with understanding nutrition and so they will care for their loved ones with more of an emphasis on diet.    Meanwhile, I continue to cook with Coconut oil, and give Gary the chocolate/coconut oil fudge snacks.  Good thing he loves coconut.  In fact, he used to enjoy buying a coconut, and then busting in to it, digging out the coconut meat and drinking the coconut milk, so even though he doesn't say so, I think he must enjoy all the coconut in his diet.

I'm trying a new recipe today for Double Coconut Muffins from SmittenKitchen.com.  Here's a link:  Double Coconut Muffins