RedNailz Intro

[RedNailz]

After finding out that I am part of the "4/4" club, I decided to do my best to fight Alzheimer's disease. Now, I already knew there was a danger of getting AD, based on the history of the disease on my mother's side. I read some of the AD research and measured it against what I knew of my family, and then decided what I could do differently. But finding out that I am 4/4 really kicked me into action. (Well, first I felt sorry for myself because I imagined how ecstatic I would've been to be 3/3. Then I was mad because I wasn't 3/4. And then something in me said, "Are you done? Get over it and do something because there is no time to waste!")

I started Googling everything APOE4 and reading the research. I felt quite alone and frustrated because there isn't more clear guidance out there. Then I remembered there was a 23andme forum, which led me here. I usually lurk before joining anything, but based on what I saw on 23andme, people here provide intelligent, informed opinions, with data to back them up.

So here I am. I wish that my mother would have had the tools and information to fight AD more effectively. But when her mother was diagnosed, my mom's only defenses were to stop using any products with aluminum and start doing all kinds of brain puzzles. She is the one who taught me to reason and figure things out for myself, so I feel like I am honoring her by learning and making changes in my life.

What I am doing so far:
Exercise - Running (not fun) and weight training. Mom and Grandma did NOT work out, but were quite thin.
Drinking in moderation. Mom and Grandma didn't drink at all (but some family members who did fared better).
Reducing my sugar intake. I come from a long line of bakers and if there is a sweet tooth gene, I have it!
Increasing my greens & veg intake via homemade green smoothies. If nothing else, my nails have gotten much stronger.
Taking Vitamin D on my doctor's advice.

What I am about to do:
Adopt a low carb diet. I just finished "Grain Brain" and can see where a lot of the recommendations make sense. But I am NOT looking for to giving up sugar and reducing carbs!

[Starfish77]

Welcome RedNailz. It is great that you are being proactive and getting in the best possible health for you. Many of
the things that you are doing to prevent AD will help you avoid some of the other ankle biters that are waiting for us
as we get older. I just signed up for a NMR lipidprofile because I learned about it from MarkES on this site.
I'm waiting to be able to add my NMR values to the chart that MarkES has created with the lipid numbers from a
number of people who are part of this forum.
I'm a fellow 4/4.
Starfish77

[Julie G]

Welcome, Red! So nice to have you here. I'm especially sorry to hear of your family history, but so proud of YOU for taking proactive steps.

I'm also a fellow 4/4 and was also initially devastated to learn of my status. I'm finally at the point where I'm feeling grateful for the knowledge; knowledge IS power. I've learned so much from this tremendous community and look forward to learning more with you

[RedNailz]

Thank you for the kind welcome! It is inspiring to hear what other 4/4s are doing, especially after reading studies that say something like "...results showed a definite benefit...except for APOE4 carriers." It can be discouraging, you know?

[tee]

How to interpret a homozygous 4/4 status in the face of a completely negative family history for AD?

[Starfish77]

Tee your question
How to interpret a homozygous 4/4 status in the face of a completely negative family history for AD?

I wondered how I could have a second 4 when my father's side of the family did not have AD as far back
as we know. I realized that many of the women lived to their nineties in great mental health. The men
died as young as their thirties from heart failure. These men who died so young might have been the
Apoe4 carriers. AD might have shown up if they had lived to old age.

All the factors that cause AD are not known. All the factors that protect against AD are not known. Your family might not have had all the factors necessary to develop AD or they might have had factors that protected them
from getting AD. We share our information here and learn from each other.

[Julie G]

Welcome Tee. I felt the same way when I learned of my 4/4 status. But, when I examined things closer, I found more clues like the ones Starfish supplied. Some died young before symptoms could show. Maybe Grandpa's old age "goofiness" was something more, etc.

...and if anyone needs a little injection of HOPE; that last answer was supplied by a 77 y/o 4/4

My mantra: I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, Starfish did, Starfish did, Starfish did, I can too, I can too, I can too.

[Starfish77]

Julie
We know you can! I'm sure I'm going to make it a lot longer with the good information I'm getting from you
younger knowledgeable folks. I'm eating walnuts, blue berries, mangoes and avocados from your good example and having my NMR test tomorrow thanks to MarkES's example.

[Julie G]

You go, girl! I'm guessing your numbers will be amazing