The Five Underlying Root Causes Of Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s happens when the body starts creating amyloid beta, a protein which allows amyloid protein precursor (APP) to cause improper signalling in the brain. This will lead to a degeneration of neurons which then affects memory, neurological-based function, comprehension, motor skills and more.

There are different types of Alzheimer’s but remember, names are just semantics. It doesn’t matter what name you give it; it is all addressed the same exact way as long as you’re addressing the five underlying root causes.

We need to ask WHY the brain is creating amyloid beta and address that.

THE 5 UNDERLYING ROOT CAUSES OF ALZHEIMER’S:

1. Hormones

Thyroid malfunction (lower T3, T4 and higher TSH) can be a precursor but high cortisol as well as estrogen dominance causes inflammation which can then lead to Alzheimer’s…

High levels of blood sugar will also increase the risk of you getting Alzheimer’s.

That is why I always recommend running lab tests (even if you feel healthy right now) to ensure that everything is balanced.

2. Nutritional Deficiencies

Nutritional deficiencies at a functional level (not blood work level) can also increase the risk.

We know that high levels of copper can also play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s and this is something you can test for in a hair tissue test. It is very common for kids with ADD, ADHD, autism, executive dysfunction disorder, allergies and mood-based issues to have high levels of copper.

You will never know what your numbers are if you don’t test!

3. Viruses, infections and mould toxicity

There is research that shows that the bacteria implicated in Lyme disease, Epstein-Barr virus and a lot of other infections are implicated in brain diseases.

This happens due to the pathogens that cross the blood-brain barrier as well as inflammation. Remember, if your immune system is not functioning well because it is dealing with these viruses 24/7, it will cause systemic inflammation (in the entire body, including the brain).

Candida overgrowth in the gut is a yeast and pre-cursor to mould, so whether you have mould toxicity from exposure or candida, it can contribute to cognitive impairment in a subset of susceptible people.

4. Genetics

We all have the APOE gene and there are three types: APOE2, E3 and E4. Most people are an E3/E3, which means that they have a lower percentage of getting Alzheimer’s.

However, people with APOE4 have an increased risk of getting Alzheimer’s. About 25 percent of people carry one copy of APOE4, and 2% to 3% carry two copies.

However, if you have the APOE4, it doesn’t mean that you will develop the disease. It just means that you’re more prone to it and this is why you need to be extra careful with inflammation.

You can test which APOE gene you have.

I believe that running your numbers is an essential investment in your health because then it allows you to know what the best wellness plan for you would be. For example, someone with APOE4 needs to be very careful with fat in the diet (including healthy fats) because it increases inflammation.

However, those with APOE2 can be on a more low carb diet and have up to 35% of their calories from fat with no issues at all.

There are so many people out there advocating the keto diet which is 70% to 80% fat for everyone and this is extremely inappropriate. A keto diet will absolutely destroy someone with the APOE4 gene.

Lastly, if you have the APOE4 gene, be very careful with alcohol as this can have a huge impact.

5. Toxic exposure

The rate of Alzheimer’s has increased significantly over the past years and this is due to toxic exposure.

You’re constantly being exposed to heavy metals, plastics and other chemicals that will cause inflammation in the body including the brain. The inflammation will then trigger the amyloid beta, causing the degeneration of neurons.

This is why everyone should be doing a full-body detoxification not only once but every 12 weeks to keep removing all these toxins.

No matter what, I always have my clients complete a functional medicine detox before anything else.

As an integrative health practitioner, I don’t cure diseases. What I do is help rebalance the body at an underlying root cause level.

Remember, your body didn’t go wrong at any point. According to conventional medicine, the exact cause of why the brain creates amyloid beta is “unknown” but the truth is that your body is just protecting you. It is creating it as a protective mechanism to the inflammation going on in the body.