Greetings from a new member

[Pat]

Hello to everyone,

I'm a 63 y/o female Colorado resident with an ApoE genotype of 3/4. My father spent the last several years of his life with dementia in a nursing home. I never heard it called Alzheimer's back then, but it fit the bill.

It took me awhile to start researching this issue. For decades, despite trying lots of things, I felt kind of hopeless about being able to change my lifelong eating patterns--especially the self-medication eating that started when I went through puberty. My high-refined-carb, low-fiber habits were sabotaging my overall efforts to eat well, my energy level, and my cognition, but I felt pretty addicted to them. I'd also been fully educated and hooked into the prevailing low-fat paradigm for healthy eating. I researched keto for over 4 years before finally trying it a few months ago, desperate to feel better and scared about the increasing mental sluggishness and dullness I felt. After 4 months of strict keto, I finally added more complex carbs like sweet potatoes, winter squashes, and more fruit back into my diet several times a week, but I'm still low carb and expect to stay that way. I got great relief from finally not being a slave to simple-carb cravings and have felt cognitive improvements. I'm experimenting with intermittent fasting and trying to take it easy; IF is still hard at this point. Now that I feel I finally have reasonable control over my food consumption, I'm motivated to seriously look into other things I might try to mitigate a long family history of dementia.

My biggest challenges are learning to relax, increasing my low HRV (heart rate variability), and getting better sleep (more deep sleep, in particular, and a lower resting HR). Does anyone here use an Oura ring or other wearable to track sleep and recovery metrics? I had a recent severe cold, and seeing that 3+ weeks of miserable sleep and recovery data is a sobering reminder of how stressful anything that interferes with breathing and sleep is. It's taking time, but it's a relief to be climbing out of that trough.

I'm eager to dive further into this website's treasure trove of info and personal stories. I'm very glad to have found this wonderful resource.

Pat

[floramaria]

Hello to everyone,

I'm a 63 y/o female Colorado resident with an ApoE genotype of 3/4. My father spent the last several years of his life with dementia in a nursing home. I never heard it called Alzheimer's back then, but it fit the bill.

It took me awhile to start researching this issue. For decades, despite trying lots of things, I felt kind of hopeless about being able to change my lifelong eating patterns--especially the self-medication eating that started when I went through puberty. My high-refined-carb, low-fiber habits were sabotaging my overall efforts to eat well, my energy level, and my cognition, but I felt pretty addicted to them. I'd also been fully educated and hooked into the prevailing low-fat paradigm for healthy eating. I researched keto for over 4 years before finally trying it a few months ago, desperate to feel better and scared about the increasing mental sluggishness and dullness I felt. After 4 months of strict keto, I finally added more complex carbs like sweet potatoes, winter squashes, and more fruit back into my diet several times a week, but I'm still low carb and expect to stay that way. I got great relief from finally not being a slave to simple-carb cravings and have felt cognitive improvements. I'm experimenting with intermittent fasting and trying to take it easy; IF is still hard at this point. Now that I feel I finally have reasonable control over my food consumption, I'm motivated to seriously look into other things I might try to mitigate a long family history of dementia.

My biggest challenges are learning to relax, increasing my low HRV (heart rate variability), and getting better sleep (more deep sleep, in particular, and a lower resting HR). Does anyone here use an Oura ring or other wearable to track sleep and recovery metrics? I had a recent severe cold, and seeing that 3+ weeks of miserable sleep and recovery data is a sobering reminder of how stressful anything that interferes with breathing and sleep is. It's taking time, but it's a relief to be climbing out of that trough.

I'm eager to dive further into this website's treasure trove of info and personal stories. I'm very glad to have found this wonderful resource. .

Pat

Hi Pat, and a warm welcome to you from a fellow ApoE3/4. We are happy that you have joined us. Congratulations for taking the plunge into Keto and whipping your carb cravings. That is an enormous and tremendously important step, and I am happy to hear that you are already reaping the rewards. Your approach of taking it easy is a good one. Making changes incrementally works well for many people. It sounds like you know yourself well and understand your personal need to take it slow and not get overwhelmed.
There is an excellent resource here, the Primer written by a physician member that gives an overview of the possible impacts of the ApoE4 allele on health and prioritizes steps that reduce risks. It includes a good section on sleep.

Sleep has been a struggle for me too, and in addition to following most of the steps in the Primer, I recently heard someone suggest using Audible, an app that reads to me. It has a timer also I set it for 30 minutes, climb into bed with soft headphones on, and listen til the end of the 30 mins. That switch into listening mode has been really helpful for me and i drop off to sleep without my usual ruminations. Maybe that would be helpful for you too.

You will also benefit from the Search option, which lets you find all previous posts on topics like the Oura ring. Use the magnifying glass to the left of your user name, and ente the topic you want to research. We also have a Wiki that contains a lot of consolidated in-depth information on various important areas. It also has a section on getting the most out of this website that offers tips that are very useful. Check that out when you time.

Take your time as your explore the weath of information. We are all learning from each other so feel free to ask questions that arise. We look forward to sharing your journey towards long term cognitive health you.

Best wishes, floramaria

[Pat]

Thank you so much, floramaria, for your warm welcome and all of those great suggestions. I never thought about using a reading app to help with sleep. I can usually get to sleep pretty quickly, but if/when I awaken in the middle of the night, that's the hardest -- and when the rumination/worry beast finds me. That sounds like a very effective way to short-circuit repetitive and distressing thoughts. Best wishes to you, too.

[TheresaB]

Welcome aboard my fellow (fella?) Coloradoan.

I do have an Oura ring. When I bought it, I was particularly interested in what it could provide as far as sleep metrics. The feedback it provides is helpful, but I have found it is not gospel. In other words, it is indicative but not exact, there have been times when I've looked at the information it has told me and I think, "That's not quite right." This is something reiterated by the Rhonda Patrick interview with Dr Mathew Walker that I posted on earlier today Importance of sleep interview by Rhonda Patrick. So bottom line, if you are financially constrained, wait until technology gets better. But if you have disposable income, go ahead.

[NF52]

Hello to everyone,

I'm a 63 y/o female Colorado resident with an ApoE genotype of 3/4. My father spent the last several years of his life with dementia in a nursing home. I never heard it called Alzheimer's back then, but it fit the bill....

I had a recent severe cold, and seeing that 3+ weeks of miserable sleep and recovery data is a sobering reminder of how stressful anything that interferes with breathing and sleep is. It's taking time, but it's a relief to be climbing out of that trough.

I'm eager to dive further into this website's treasure trove of info and personal stories. I'm very glad to have found this wonderful resource.

Pat

Welcome, Pat!

Floramaria has already given you wonderful suggestions. I'll just offer some more handy links and a few tips, since you just joined us this morning.

First, enjoy the wide-ranging format of this forum! Some users have compared it to "drinking from a fire hose"; others have wondered why we don't agree on the same recipes, or follow the same recommendations, but that's baked into how we learn from each other as a community. Like you, I spent decades following a diet that could be characterized as "I'm doing my best to cope!" The good news is that we are resilient creatures--even after a bad cold---and at 63, it sounds like you are in a place (literally and figuratively) where you have the time and ability to find ways to enjoy life better and longer.

"How-To" Get the most out of the ApoE4.info website is a user-friendly resource for how to quote people so they see your replies, how to search topics, how to subscribe to forums of high interest and how to send Private Messages.

Our PRIMER, written by Dr. Stavia, a practicing family physician who is also ApoE 4/4, begins with a quick overview and has links to specific topics. It also has a handy link to an audio version, in a link at the end of the first post, for those of us who like to listen to our reading!

You may also want to check out some of our entries on clinical trials aimed at prevention of AD, which are generally geared to people with no symptoms ages 60 and older. Learn About Clinical Studies is a helpful link from the National Institute of Health's Clinical Trials website: Learn about Clinical Studies It includes info about protection for participants and questions to ask.

Feel free to jump into any conversation. What starts out feeling a little overwhelming becomes more like a great coffee house with friends. We're glad you found us!

[SamNZ]

Wow Pat, You have done so well in transforming your nutrition to really eating to serve yourself, I am delighted that you are noticing the cognitive benefits your new diet is giving you. Intermittent fasting can be hard but the benefits are becoming more well known. I am keen to hear more about your intermittent fasting and relaxing issues, you said you have been trying them both, I may be able to offer some simple ideas on places to start but don't want to be covering tracks you have already gone down. Behavior change is no easy feat. You are now using food as medicine and no longer craving the danger foods so congratulate yourself.
The advice being shared on sleep is fantastic, there are so many amazing resources out there and www.thesleepdoctor.com has some great podcasts with practical tips to offer you. Keep up with the courage to rewrite history for yourself and the family following behind you. Just Awesome, so lovely to meet you.

[Creekside]

Nice to meet another Colorado 3/4 who's 63!

You're further along the keto path than I am. Life is a work in progress.

[Liam9653]

Hello to everyone,

I'm a 63 y/o female Colorado resident with an ApoE genotype of 3/4. My father spent the last several years of his life with dementia in a nursing home. I never heard it called Alzheimer's back then, but it fit the bill.

It took me awhile to start researching this issue. For decades, despite trying lots of things, I felt kind of hopeless about being able to change my lifelong eating patterns--especially the self-medication eating that started when I went through puberty. My high-refined-carb, low-fiber habits were sabotaging my overall efforts to eat well, my energy level, and my cognition, but I felt pretty addicted to them. I'd also been fully educated and hooked into the prevailing low-fat paradigm for healthy eating. I researched keto for over 4 years before finally trying it a few months ago, desperate to feel better and scared about the increasing mental sluggishness and dullness I felt. After 4 months of strict keto, I finally added more complex carbs like sweet potatoes, winter squashes, and more fruit back into my diet several times a week, but I'm still low carb and expect to stay that way. I got great relief from finally not being a slave to simple-carb cravings and have felt cognitive improvements. I'm experimenting with intermittent fasting and trying to take it easy; IF is still hard at this point. Now that I feel I finally have reasonable control over my food consumption, I'm motivated to seriously look into other things I might try to mitigate a long family history of dementia.

My biggest challenges are learning to relax, increasing my low HRV (heart rate variability), and getting better sleep (more deep sleep, in particular, and a lower resting HR). Does anyone here use an Oura ring or other wearable to track sleep and recovery metrics? I had a recent severe cold, and seeing that 3+ weeks of miserable sleep and recovery data is a sobering reminder of how stressful anything that interferes with breathing and sleep is. It's taking time, but it's a relief to be climbing out of that trough.

I'm eager to dive further into this website's treasure trove of info and personal stories. I'm very glad to have found this wonderful resource. .

Pat

Hi Pat, and a warm welcome to you from a fellow ApoE3/4. We are happy that you have joined us. Congratulations for taking the plunge into Keto and whipping your carb cravings. That is an enormous and tremendously important step, and I am happy to hear that you are already reaping the rewards. Your approach of taking it easy is a good one. Making changes incrementally works well for many people. It sounds like you know yourself well and understand your personal need to take it slow and not get overwhelmed.
There is an excellent resource here, the Primer written by a physician member that gives an overview of the possible impacts of the ApoE4 allele on health and prioritizes steps that reduce risks. It includes a good section on sleep.

Sleep has been a struggle for me too, and in addition to following most of the steps in the Primer, I recently heard someone suggest using Audible, an app that reads to me. It has a timer also I set it for 30 minutes, climb into bed with soft headphones on, and listen til the end of the 30 mins. That switch into listening mode has been really helpful for me and i drop off to sleep without my usual ruminations. Maybe that would be helpful for you too.

You will also benefit from the Search option, which lets you find all previous posts on topics like the Oura ring. Use the magnifying glass to the left of your user name, and ente the topic you want to research. We also have a Wiki that contains a lot of consolidated in-depth information on various important areas. It also has a section on getting the most out of this website that offers tips that are very useful. Check that out when you time.

Take your time as your explore the weath of information. We are all learning from each other so feel free to ask questions that arise. We look forward to sharing your journey towards long term cognitive health you.

Best wishes, floramaria

Thanks for the tutorial, it is also useful to me.

[floramaria]

Welcome Liam9653,
Is your location Sydney as in Sydney, Australia? (It has been several years since I was in Australia , but I remember Sydney fondly as a great city where I enjoyed my time tremendously.) Wherever you are we are happy you have joined the conversation. Thanks for letting me know that the post you quoted is useful to you. The Primer,the Wikiand
Search function will take you a long way. If you'd like more info about getting the most from this website, section 9.1 of the Wiki that gives you some practical tips. How-To Get the Most out of the ApoE4.info website

You will find a supportive community here, sharing strategies for minimizing the potential negative health impacts of the ApoE4 allele.
As you read through the Primer, take your time; there is a lot to absorb. If and when you feel so inclined, we would like to know who you are and what brings you to the website. It is by no means required, but helps to build a feeling that we know each other. If you'd like to introduce yourself, a good place to do that is in Our Stories.
We look forward to your continued participation.

Best wishes,
floramaria