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About Alzheimer's Disease
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Alzheimer's Disease Questions and Answers
Alzheimer's Disease Research
Alzheimer's Disease Resources
About Alzheimer's Disease
Learn about what Alzheimer’s disease is, its symptoms & risk factors, treatment options and how to live with or care for someone with the disease.
Questions and Answers
Are there any foods or alternative therapies that can help someone with early or intermediate Alzheimer’s disease? [ 02/06/10 ]

The most recent foods to receive attention by the medical community as being potentially beneficial for protecting against cognitive decline caused by Alzheimer's disease include coconut oil (also in fresh coconut and canned coconut milk), curcumin (the yellow pigment in the curry spice called turmeric), and apple juice. Foods rich in antioxidants may also be beneficial for slowing cognitive decline. Foods considered antioxidant-rich include blackberries, blueberries, spinach, strawberries, red bell peppers, walnuts, artichoke hearts and tomatoes, among many others. Green tea, dark chocolate and red wine all contain antioxidants too. Further research is required before definitive statements can be made with regard to the efficacy of using these food products for either the prevention or treatment of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms.

Any therapy that can help to reduce stress in the patient suffering from Alzheimer's disease is also good. Physical exercise (to the best of the patient’s capability), massage or relaxation therapy, music therapy and art therapy have all been reported as being helpful to AD patients.

Another lesser known alternative therapy is doll therapy, which involves giving a lifelike doll baby or teddy bear to a dementia patient and allowing them to interact with the doll. It has been observed that dementia patients given dolls to “care for” tend to be more communicative with caregivers and staff and less prone to negative behaviors, such as agitation or anxiety. Doll therapy seems to bring out the nurturing instinct in many dementia patients, particularly females, who may be reliving memories of being a parent of an infant, a time in their lives when they were very much needed and useful.

Non-formal observations by caregivers recommend that the doll be as lifelike as possible, and be introduced to the patient while he or she is still in the early stages of the disease to allow time for bonding with the doll. Given in the later stages, the doll may be less effective.

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Last Reviewed On: 12/18/09

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