This was a really interesting book! I hope it's true. I hope, one day, we find a cure for Alzheimers.

The recent news is providing a more optimistic outlook for Alzheimer’s disease treatment options. After a long period of time, we have drugs approved and others awaiting approval. This book is both a personal story of how the author Mary Newport coped and tried various treatment options for her husband Steve, as also her learnings as a result and advice for others.

The first half of the book details Steve’s diagnosis, progression of the disease and attempts at treating it. Steve was an accountant, and Mary trained to be a neonatologist. Significant symptoms became evident in 2000-2001 when Steve started making mistakes in accounting. The most widely known markers for the disease are amyloid plaques and tangles in the brain; abnormal lipid deposits are also being studied. The complication has been that plagues & tangles seem secondary effects and just attempting to address that has not worked. It has been speculated that Alzheimer’s is Type 3 diabetes - Insulin resistance in the brain, where brain cells are unable to absorb the glucose they need. After the disease had progresses significantly for Steve, Mary came across an article on the benefits of ketones in alleviating symptoms of Alzheimer’s. The theory is that ketones can supply alternate energy to brain cells since glucose is not making it there. She mentions she wishes she had known about this earlier as giving Steve coconut oil and MCT oil every day led to significant improvement and Steve himself mentioned that he felt as if the fog had lifted from his brain. In parallel, they continued to check on drug trials Steve could participate in – though sadly it did not work out. Mary also worked to get the word out that ketones help – but she was largely ignored initially by research organizations. After a fall, and later seizures and complications thereof, Steve passed away in 2016. Mary continues to follow Alzheimer’s treatment developments, at the same time advocating ketones as an option, which has worked for many.

There is detailed information in the later sections on – the disease (symptoms, diagnosis etc), diet advice (most significant triggers believed to processed food and sugars), letters outlining benefits others have written to her on using ketones and a few food recipes mostly with coconuts. Her efforts in supporting Steve for many years, without doubt also extending his life as a result, and getting the word out about ketones makes for inspiring reading. I believe this is well worth a try, considering the toll the disease takes. Based on her personal experience, clearly ketones are worth exploring as an option at any stage of the disease.