Alzheimer’s Disease (AD):

I’m looking at a picture of a cross-section of a normal brain next to a picture of a cross-section of a brain with Alzheimer’s Disease. I’ve read the accompanying article, the 1,000’s of printed words. Sometimes, pictures are worth more than words. I page back to the pictures. The normal brain is larger – it looks fat and happy. The Alzheimer brain is smaller – its looks thin and mad.

Alzheimer’s is a shrinking disease. The brain cells or neurons wither. The snaps of energy or synapses between neurons fire less frequently. The brain is atrophying, degenerating, disintegrating, wasting away, breaking down. When that happens, recall is diminished. Short-term memory goes first, the body begins not to work so well, long-term memories fade next, and then the body works only with the help of others.

I’ve held the slipping hands and gazed into the struggling eyes of dear ones with Alzheimer’s.

It is not easy to talk of disease, but understanding has helped.

Alzheimer’s is a shrinking disease.

It can be fatal.

 

Cancer:

With cancer, cells proliferate, expand and intrude into spaces and places they should not occupy. Unbridled growth restricts and damages tissues, limits function and can cause great pain.

As I age, the cancers of friends and family surround me more each day.

Cancer is a growing disease.

It can be fatal.

 

Shrinking and Growing Diseases:

For me, there are two kinds of diseases: shrinking diseases and growing diseases. Alzheimer’s (shrinking) and cancer (growing) are the leading examples of each type of disease. I believe there is no cure for either or for any disease, and no disease can be eradicated.

All diseases exist in all humans.

When an individual is healthy, the body controls the presence of disease. The controlled presence of disease is the normal condition.

When an individual is unhealthy, the body is unable to control the presence of disease. The uncontrolled manifestation and progression of disease is the abnormal condition.

The disease is not the abnormal condition.

The uncontrolled shrinking or growing of the disease is the abnormal condition.

This view has helped me to understand that what we call disease is not something to fear. Disease is normal. Underlying diseases cannot be cured, and their natural presence cannot be eradicated. This is the human condition. I respectfully submit that it may be folly to pursue a course to cure or eradicate a disease. The resulting actions may do more harm than good.

Other than by accident, every human person will die of disease. But, the natural presence of disease in the human body can be managed and controlled to prevent untimely and excessive appearance. And, once a disease manifests in an uncontrolled fashion, treatments can often control the symptoms of the unchecked disease, and, in some cases, intervening actions can return the disease to a controlled position within the body.

Manage, control, prevent, treat, intervene.

From understanding comes hope.

From hope springs action.

 

Preventive Steps:

I’m reading an article in the local paper, entitled “Sleep may play a role in Alzheimer’s.” The writer reports on a number of recent studies. The results suggest that certain actions can delay the appearance of Alzheimer’s or moderate the progress of the disease once it does appear.

What are these actions?

The golden mean, or close to it.

Sleep: get more, deeper and better sleep.

Mental Exercise: Keep the brain busy with mentally stimulating games and activities.

Physical Exercise: Moderate physical exercise can delay the onset of unwanted symptoms.

Diet: I found this one in another article. A balanced diet, more fruit and vegetables, a glass of wine now and again, and fewer processed foods keep the brain fat, happy and looking good.

Smile: I added this one. It was between the lines in much I read. Keep a positive attitude. Do something for someone. Laugh at something silly. Do something silly. Go to a movie with someone close. And, yes, you can have popcorn with butter. Every good rule has exceptions.

Sometimes the best preventive step is the two-step.

To dance and wave your cares away.

Live long and well.

 

Grandpa Jim