Alzheimer's Disease: What If There Was a Cure?: The Story of Ketones Paperback – April 15, 2013

This is a must read by everyone. Mary Newport's story is of her husband's early onset of Alzheimer's disease which progressed very rapidly to a point where his end was apparent, He was in his mid 50's when this happened. Dr. Newport, however, couldn't just sit by and watch him disintigrate. She did something about it, by researching the WEB and learning about any therapys that were being developed. As she learned more, she chanced on a site that told of a ketone regimine that was showing promise. She knew that ketones were manufactured in the body naturally by the liver's transforming medium chain fatty chains into ketones which then traveled to all parts of the body and to the brain, displacing the use of sugars in the cells and mitochondria. Mary knew that coconut oil is mostly made of medium chains fatty acids and decided to give her husband the oil in his foods. The results were literally miraculous, as here husband's Alzheimer's symptoms lessened and he came back from the brink of complete breakdown. In a second part of the book, Dr. Newport tells of her efforts to tell the world of this discovery, giving the experiences of her own husband and those of many others who also benefited. The last part of the book is to much of the research being done on causes and treatments of Alzheimer's using ketone therapy, and also research on possible causes of the diseas - the misunderstanding of the whole carbohydrate and fat debate and how our modern society of de-natured foods and the eating of low-fat diets, along with eating large amounts of processed sugars is likely the cause of a number of modern diseases of the brain and body. This book was the clincher for me, as my mother and sister both had Alzheimer's. They both were treated for high cholesterol for many years, probably with statin drugs, which research now shows destroys brain cells and is probably a main cause of brain diseases. I have started taking coconut oil daily, along with cutting out all processed carbohydrates and am already noticing some positive changes and results. I say Thank You, Dr. Newport!

I saw Dr. Newport on 60 Minutes and was very interested in her medicinal use of Coconut oil. I have been a fan of Coconut oil for YEARS--ever since discovering its many wonderful applications while researching the Internet for a treatment for my husband's toenail fungus. I credit Coconut Oil with raising my good Cholesterol to a very respectable number. I use it as a lotion and I cook my pancakes in it and stir fry my onions and peppers with it. When singing its praises I tell people it reminds me of the old Saturday Night Live skit--it's a dessert topping AND a floor cleaner. OK--but now my interest is more serious. My husband was diagnosed with Parkinson's about five years ago--except that he has never been very typical--he doesn't have a tremor and doesn't seem to respond to the standard Carbidopa/Levodopa medication that is given to most Parkinson's patients. He also has cognitive issues--executive function problems, problems with sequential processes--though his long term and short term memory is better than mine. He is also 75 years old--and so often I feel that his doctors--in their late thirties/early forties--are arrogant and dismissive--with a "what do you expect? He's old" attitude. Couple all of this with my husband's attitude of denial/noninterest--you can probably sense my frustration. We've tried two antidepressants which made him practically catatonic--sleeping even more than he already does. He was put on Namenda for a while and there seemed to be a tiny improvement--but he began having dizzy spells and falling. He decided the Namenda was the problem and with the doctor's permission we stopped it. Again--a little backsliding cognitively--but then it evened out or I got used to it. After that, however, I decided to hit the Internet to see what other people were doing--and came across this book again, began reading it, and decided that we were going to try some therapeutic doses of Coconut oil. We are still working up to the amounts recommended--and we have not had a miraculous improvement--but I do think he is a little better. I think he is more conversant, perhaps more engaged. I am impressed with the logic, the science, behind this approach. I'm very depressed about the roadblocks that have slowed the research. I feel that this is something I can DO that might help my husband. It has helped put a little weight back on him too, I think. He has been steadily shrinking---though much of that I believe is due to muscle atrophy since he doesn't MOVE a lot. I will continue this course for a while and hope for more improvement. I have not quite finished the book, but I am very glad I discovered it.