Helping my father

[mike]

Anyway, I really appreciate the validation of letting go of trying to influence this course of events, if that's necessary. I guess I haven't quite gotten there yet... I will post later on what my plan is at this point... .

Deb, I lost my dad earlier this year to AD, and I also did not have much control over his care. And back when it might have made a difference, I did not even know prevention was possible. After seeing my dad near the end, I wonder what your dad and/or stepmom might say if they could see the end that is coming? Another possibility would be to try MCT oil and/or Ketone Salts. This post had some good info, and a number of good links.

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=6619&p=70891&hilit ... mct#p70891

It is talked about here as a way to get into ketosis. It is also possible that if your dad is not getting enough usable fuel (glucose) to the brain, and neurons are going dormant (causing MCI symptoms) but have not died, adding another fuel (ketones) can help revive them and relieve symptoms. Here is a link to more info. https://gocogno.com/keto-drink/
This is new, but I think has potential. Dietary Ketosis is clearly preferable, but if that is not possible, I would try this route. MCT oil is available at Costco. Ketone Salts are stronger and can be ordered online. I would try MCT first. Also I would micro-dose - maybe divide into 5 doses instead of the two that they talk about; ketones only last a little while, so instead of getting just 2 big peaks, and having the body react, better to keep ketone levels as stable as possible. Again, this is new, so if you do try it, please report back.

[floramaria]

Anyway, I really appreciate the validation of letting go of trying to influence this course of events, if that's necessary. I guess I haven't quite gotten there yet... I will post later on what my plan is at this point... .

HI Deb, I think Mike’s suggestion of trying to add some exogenous ketones and see if there is any benefit is an interesting idea. It is probably easier for most people to add something (ketones) than to let go of something (sugar!).
My comment was not intended to mean that I suggest that you withdraw entirely from any attempt to move things in a positive direction. In my own case, the response was very clear: “Not interested. Please back off!” And I respected that. Your situation is different, but similar in that we both felt (if I interpret what you wrote correctly) “ How could you not want to try this?”
Looking back on my own experience, I think the thing to watch for is the sense of frustration. Freely offering is one thing and as long as your can offer openly, without pushing, it is probably fine to offer whatever you feel might help your dad. Your dad and stepmom may very well appreciate your attempts to help. It is a delicate line to walk between offering and imposing.
Sending love and support to you,
Floramaria

[Deb]

Deb, I lost my dad earlier this year to AD, and I also did not have much control over his care. And back when it might have made a difference, I did not even know prevention was possible. After seeing my dad near the end, I wonder what your dad and/or stepmom might say if they could see the end that is coming? Another possibility would be to try MCT oil and/or Ketone Salts.

So sorry to hear about your loss Mike. Tough times . Yes, I feel like now that my dad is getting worse, my stepmom may be more open to trying other things, especially if they do not involve a total overhaul of her lifestyle! Thanks very much for these suggestions. I had already thought about the MCT, and that's a great idea of something that wouldn't be too disruptive. I was just hesitant to try anything new with my dad while it was just me and him, especially since I actually seem to have developed an allergy to coconut!

If we give it a go, I will definitely keep you all posted about the results.

[Deb]

Thanks again for your support and suggestions everyone. I am back at home now, and had decided not to say anything before I left, but somehow it came out when we were having lunch anyway, lol. I had thought after reading the responses here that it may actually be more effective to couch information in terms of what I'm doing for myself, so I mentioned that I was thinking about seeing a practitioner, and would keep them posted. I did also mention that doing just parts of the protocol can be helpful, that changes can be introduced slowly, and that it doesn't necessarily mean cutting out all treats. Last time I had talked to them about it, I just sent them information to look up, and my stepmom got totally overwhelmed, which certainly makes sense. She seems open to ideas, but I can just see the panicked look in her eyes when she thinks about making all those changes on top of everything else! I told her not to worry about it for now, that I would follow up later, and that maybe at some point I could come back to help with implementation if they would want that. One thing I am interested in though, is whether anyone in the Alzheimer's society where they live has looked into these approaches, so I might ask her to inquire about that, and may also recommend trying the MCT after I look into it a bit more. One other stumbling block is that their regular doctor doesn't seem particularly open to suggestions, and I know my Dad puts a lot of weight into what doctors say. Anyway, I will keep you all posted about any progress...

[Tincup]

may also recommend trying the MCT after I look into it a bit more.

On MCT, caprylic acid (C8) is one of the medium chain fats in MCT. MCT also has C6, C10 & C12. It turns out that the C8 is the form that creates beta hydroxybuterate in the liver. Hence, taking C8 gives you more bang for your buck. I think Dave Asprey's Brain Octane product is a safe bet, though there are other C8 products. In your shoes, it is what I would start with.