There probably isn’t a baby boomer out there who does not have someone in their life affected by one of the dozens of conditions under the dementia or Alzheimer’s umbrella. Whether it’s a friend, parent, spouse, or even ourselves, the disease eventually attaches its tentacles to someone we know or love. While it is primarily considered an old person’s disease, we are increasingly seeing younger men and women affected.

This has become a personal issue for me. I have three friends who are currently affected and one of my former Willard Hall roommates from the sixties passed away from Alzheimer’s Disease a couple of years ago at the age of seventy-five—too young. And, my husband was diagnosed with dementia last year. Like cancer, diabetes or any other chronic disease, no one is beyond its reach. It can happen to any of us and being aware and prepared is a giant step toward managing the outcome.

As a result, I have been immersing myself in reading material to learn more about the disease to help prepare us for what is ahead. This journey means educating myself about lifestyle, behavioural, and other issues over which we might have a modicum of control.

I recently came across Reversing Alzheimer’s, The New Toolkit to Improve Cognition And Protect Brain Health, an excellent New York Times best-selling book written by Dr. Heather Sandison, a doctor of naturopathic medicine who has conducted extensive studies on the disease at the Solcere Health Clinic in San Diego, California. Managing lifestyle, diet, nutrition, and the environment can positively affect its progression. Working hand in hand with traditional medicine, it’s reassuring to know that as caregivers or patients, there are things we can do to improve the quality of life.

One of the most impactful and positive things I’ve done is attending monthly caregiver support meetings facilitated by the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Society in my community, Region of Peel, a suburb of Toronto, Canada. Through this group and its resources, I have gained a clearer understanding of the challenges ahead and have received immeasurable support in coping with many things that will help us in our journey. I strongly recommend joining a support group in your community if you have someone in your life with the disease.

As you can see by the numerous bookmarks flagged on my copy of the book (right), there is a lot of valuable information to be gained from reading it. It advocates a low-carb, high-protein diet and stresses the obvious benefits of socialization, exercise, and fresh air. It also provides meal plans and recipes to help us along the way and suggests modifications that can be made to our lifestyles and homes to make them safer and easier to navigate.

There are hundreds, even thousands of books and articles about dementia and Alzheimer’s and I hope to provide BoomerBroadcast readers with more suggestions as time goes on. There is no way any of us can absorb all the information available to us, but reading Reversing Alzheimer’s is one small step.

If Alzheimer’s or dementia has become personal for you or someone you know, I strongly recommend joining a local support group. You’ll be amazed at how sharing experiences can help.

If you cannot obtain a copy of Reversing Alzheimer’s by Dr. Heather Sandison at your local library or bookstore, please click on this link to have it delivered directly to your front door or tablet from Amazon.

(Disclosure: I may receive a teeny, tiny commission and you will receive Amazon’s best price. Thank you.)