Sandra Day O'Connor makes plea for Alzheimer's FUNDING!

WASHINGTON... Speaking out for the first time about her husband's Alzheimer's disease, retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor told senators Wednesday that the disease takes a "staggering toll" on families and said, "our nation is certainly ready, and have to get deadly serious about this deadly disease."
As she referred to her "beloved husband," John, and how he is "not in very good shape," her voice cracked.

Who feel it knows it...Living with this disease has been sad and difficult for my entire family or any family," O'Connor wrote in the testimony she prepared for Wednesday's morning session. "The disease begins quietly, with memory difficulties that gradually become more serious and much more frightening with each passing year. Then, what follows is confusion ... impaired judgment ... trouble expressing even the simplest thoughts .... disorientation ... and socially inappropriate behavior." Yet Sandra Day O'Connor who was the first woman on the Supreme Court, clearly conveyed her main message to the Special Committee on Aging: that Alzheimer's disease research must be expanded to find a CURE, and it will take both public and private funding, I must say every dollar count.

Speaking from experiences In Sandra Day O'Connor's actual remarks to the committee, she did not read that text and instead highlighted the need for policymakers to focus on research of this deadly disease that currently has no cure.

Senate Special Committee Hearing on Alzheimer’s

Sandra Day O’Connor and Newt Gingrich testify
The Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing to examine the tremendous burden Alzheimer’s poses not only to the estimated some 8 million Americans with the disease and their 12 million caregivers, but also to the healthcare system.


Recently, researchers identified abnormal tau protein in the entorhinal cortex before dementia was even clinically detectable. For years now most researchers targeted a different symptom, the amyloid beta plaques that gum up the spaces between the brain's neurons, causing them to die. You can now see many famous people such as Charlton Heston 1924-2008,former President Ronald Reagan and more who die from Alzheimer's disease on our web site ( my forum )

We are asking everyone for their support let us fight this disease together, I watch my mother and two of my cousins slowly past away from Alzheimer's disease.

Mary Joseph Foundation

We are trying our best to find a cure and at the same time helping individuals who have Alzheimer's disease.
There are still no CURE of any kind for Alzheimer's disease today on the world market... Dr.William Thomas.
Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit international organization for Alzheimer's disease
Register with the Federal government and incorporated in the state of New Jersey.

The loving letter to all Americans that make me cry.

 

Letter from President Ronald Reagan to the American people:
Nov. 5, 1994

My Fellow Americans,

I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease.

Upon learning this news, Nancy and I had to decide whether as private citizens we would keep this a private matter or whether we would make this news known in a public way.

In the past, Nancy suffered from breast cancer and I had my cancer surgeries. We found through our open disclosures we were able to raise public awareness. We were happy that as a result, many more people underwent testing.

They were treated in early stages and able to return to normal, healthy lives. So, now we feel it is important to share it with you. In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater awareness of this condition. Perhaps it will encourage a clearer understanding of the individuals and families who are affected by it.

At the moment I feel just fine. I intend to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have always done. I will continue to share life’s journey with my beloved Nancy and my family. I plan to enjoy the great outdoors and stay in touch with my friends and supporters.

Unfortunately, as Alzheimer’s disease progresses, the family often bears a heavy burden. I only wish there was some way I could spare Nancy from this painful experience. When the time comes I am confident that with your help she will face it with faith and courage.

In closing, let me thank you, the American people, for giving me the great honour of allowing me to serve as your President. When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future.

I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead.

Thank you, my friends. May God always bless you.

Sincerely,

Ronald Reagan

I will always LOVE you.

"My fellow Americans, I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer's disease."
When President Ronald announced that a decade ago, it shook us. Sure, everyone dies; and not all of us leave behind the legacy of winning the Cold War. But a disease that slowly robs you of your mental faculties is a nasty way to go.
Alzheimer's was the eight-leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2001 An estimated 5 million Americans and between 13 to 16 million people worldwide already suffer from the disease, and as populations age it's predicted that by 2020 more than 61 million people worldwide will be afflicted with this painful and deadly disease. Today in America there are more than 8 million people and growing who suffer from dementia/Alzheimer's. The Mary Joseph Foundation is working hard with several research organizations to see if we can find a CURE...In the mean time we will continue to take care of individuals who have dementia/Alzheimer's.

www.maryjosephfoundation.blogspot.com

www.marycharityfoundation.blogspot.com

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit organization for Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's, the cost and the pain

 

The elderly and anyone who suffer from dementia/Alzheimer's aren't able to say when something hurts or is sore, I know first hand because I experienced it with my own mother after seeing her painful suffering for eight years going from a strong healthy lady to a state of a little child then finally pasting in 1998 from this deadly and painful disease call Alzheimer's Frank Joseph president for the Mary Joseph Foundation stated while he was working for Chase Manhattan Bank he got the news in his office, it really hurt me to know someone who was so loving and kind had to suffer with so much pain. People with Alzheimer's may demonstrate their pain through behaviors like rocking or striking out, and we often dismiss these actions as symptoms of the dementia instead of pain, which is usually from a different problem. Arthritis, diabetic neuropathy, fractures, muscular contractures, bruises, abdominal pain and mouth ulcers are among the list of common ailments that go undetected. It is important for those who live or work with persons with dementia to know how to identify when an elderly person is experiencing pain - and receive treatment sooner rather than later. It is very difficult to determine the depth of pain experienced by someone with dementia.

The long, painful and slow goodbye

Alzheimer’s disease was first diagnosed just over 100 years ago, yet it remains an area of high unmet medical need with a heavy burden of care. So where are research taking companies today?

Whoever and wherever the patient, Alzheimer’s disease can leave a trail of worn out, broken-hearted relatives as they care for their loved ones on a journey that cannot be reversed

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s include memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, personality changes, disorientation and loss of language skills. It is the most common of irreversible dementia

In the absence of better therapy, this global health problem will only get worse as population age. Today in 2009 it is estimated there will be over 61 million patients with dementia by 2020.

Understanding the needs of people with Alzheimer’s

Our main gold is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; at the same time to provide and enhance care and support for all affected by this disease, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. We are working very hard so that one day there would be a world without Alzheimer’s disease, but for now your donation allows us to build homes, give medicines, food, vitamins, care and also remove individuals who have Alzheimer’s disease from the street who are homeless and are from mental homes and care for them, our services are FREE.

In the case of Alzheimer’s, however, there is an additional need. “ Alzheimer’s is a condition that affects not only the patient but also the career, the patients family and society as a whole.”

While the core symptoms are memory and cognition loss, these can lead to other symptoms and physical ailments. “If an Alzheimer’s patient has trouble remembering the names of close friends and answering questions in social situations, chances are that this will eventually result in embarrassing social situations. In turn, this will lead to a lack of confidence and withdrawal.” says Dr. Jason Thode from the world health organization on Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer’s Facts

• New study today shows over 30 million people worldwide now are estimated to have Alzheimer’s
• More than 50 percent of people with Alzheimer’s live in developing countries. By 2050, this will be over 74 per cent.
• Alzheimer’s can occurs at any age, even as young as thirty (30) years in some cases.
• The new numbers shows total worldwide cost of dementia care is estimated to be well over US $460.5 billion annually
• It is not possible to predict who will get Alzheimer’s- it can strike anyone irrespective of gender, caste, creed, culture or socioeconomic status
• 21 September marks Alzheimer’s Disease Day, an umbrella body for Alzheimer’s group around the world.

Brain changes precede memory loss:

In some cases the disease is very difficult to detect until it has progressed from mild memory loss to clear impairment, individuals eventually loose all ability to care for themselves and others.

The brain structure changes can be seen in clinically normal individuals, an average of two years before they are diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. In Dementia/Alzheimer’s disease cases, lesions known as (plagues and tangles) from in the brain, due to the abnormal clumping of two proteins called beta-amyloid and tau. MRI showed loss of gray matter two to three years before symptoms.

In normal older individuals, MRI of the brain reveals loss of gray matter about two to three years before symptoms of the mind cognitive impairment set in.

Dr. William Thomas said.

It hurts me very, very much that tears sometimes come to my eyes to see so much people here in America and around the world suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and the children who go without food and many times are homeless.

Mary Joseph Foundation cares and we are doing everything possible to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease, homelessness and hunger.

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit international organization.

Register and incorporated in the state of New Jersey.

www.maryjosephfoundation.blogspot.com

Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s Disease

Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s Disease

New research is showing that two medications used for other disorders can significantly help patients wish Parkinson’s disease, MS and Alzheimer’s and other inflammatory diseases.

Actos, traditionally used for diabetes has been shown to decrease the inflammation associated with neurological diseases with few side effects. It also doesn’t lower one’s glucose if one is not a diabetic. The decrease in inflammation is also not associated with the typical side effects associated with other anti-inflammatory like steroids.

Minocyclin, an antibiotic has been shown in recent studies to reduce inflammation in the brain and nervous system. Specifically has been shown to inhibit Astroglial cells, which are the immune cells found in the brain.

In my practice, I have seen excellent results with the use of these medications, especially when combined with various natural therapies that reduce inflammation and improve brain function. As suppose to other medications that are now available for these diseases, Actos and Minocyclin address the underline cause of these disorders: they reduce the primary inflammatory process in the brain. Once the inflammatory process is reduce through the use of these medications and detoxification of chemicals and heavy metals such as lead and mercury, I focus on improving brain function with various natural compounds, many of which are found in the brain. This is point where science and art meet because one has to not only know the science but one has to intuitively feel how these various natural compounds work in fellowship with our own biochemistry and cell function. Some of these natural compounds are novel and promising. They include a new compound Phosphatidylserine, attached to DHA, which is naturally found in the brain, Prevagen which has been shown to improve brain function, high potency Curcumin, IV and IM Glutathione, Lipostable and others.

Our patients see profound changes both in motor function and control and also in cognitive and overall brain function. Our approach to neurodegenerative diseases is a perfect example of how traditional medicine and holistic medicine must merge in order to offer patients the most effective treatments.
Publisher's abstract: New England Journal of Medicine.
Subjects from the "Framingham Study" were examined over an eight-year period. Baseline homocysteine levels measured eight years earlier were examined in relation to those individuals who developed dementia on follow-up. The study concluded that an increased homocysteine level is a strong, independent risk factor for the development of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Occurrence of Alzheimer's nearly doubled in subjects with the highest level of homocysteine.

Healthy homocysteine levels can be maintained with a combination of Folate. B12 and B6. The body-ready (conenzymated) form of these vitamins may help overcome obstacles to metabolizing homocysteine.

COGNITIVE DISTURBANCES CORRESPOND WITH HIGH HOMOCYSTEINE ²
Publisher's abstract: Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology.
When 101 patients complaining of cognitive disturbances were investigated using brain imaging, laboratory assessment, electroencephalography and Mini Mental State Evaluation, the results correlated high homocysteine in 33% of the patients with subjective memory complaints, 45% of patients with Alzheimer's disease, and 62% of the patients with vascular dementia.



HOMOCYSTEINE AND COGNITIVE DECLINE IN HEALTHY ELDERY ³
Publisher's abstract: Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. Homocysteine appears to be an independent predictor of cognitive decline in healthy elderly and exerts a maximal effect on spatial copying skills.



BRAIN LESIONS AND SILENT STROKES RELATED TO HOMOCYSTEINE ⁴Publisher's abstract: Ann Neurol. Cerebral MRI scans revealed that as many as 28% of healthy people 60-90 years of age (1077 study participants) had white matter lesions and evidence of small strokes - two predictive indicators of dementia and stroke. Outcomes of the MRI scans were strongly associated with homocysteine levels, and the relationship was continuous with no obvious threshold below which homocysteine levels were not associated with risk of disease.

Healthy homocysteine levels can be maintained with a combination of Folate, B12 and B6. The body-ready (conenzymated) form of these vitamins may help overcome obstacles to metabolizing homocysteine.

ELEVATED HOMOCYSTEINE PREDICTS BRAIN DEGENERATION ⁵
Publisher's abstract: Arch Neurol. A three-year follow-up within the British OPTIMA project showed that patients with baseline homocysteine levels greater than 11.2 mmol/L showed a more rapid progression of atrophy of the medial temporal lobe (which includes hippocampus) over a three-year period.

IMPAIRED COGNITIVE ABILITIES MOST FREQUENT IN GROUP WITH HIGH HOMOCYSTEINE ⁶
Homocysteine Metabolism, 3rd International Conference 1-5 July 2001. Abstract 191.
The risk of impaired cognitive function (a decline of three or more points of the Mini Mental State Evaluation score) was almost four-fold among the 25% of subjects with the highest homocysteine levels, compared to subjects with 25% of the lowest values in a three year follow-up to a community based study of the elderly Dutch.

LOW FOLATE EQUALS HIGHER RISK FOR DEMENTIA OR COGNITIVE IMPARIMENT ⁷
Publisher's abstract: Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord.
The odds of developing vascular dementia, cognitive impairment or fatal stroke was 2.42 times higher for study participants with the lowest 25% of blood folate readings in a five-year follow-up study of 369 healthy subjects from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging.

HOMOCYSTEINE LEVELS AND CEREBROVASCULAR RISK FACTORS ⁸
Publisher's abstract: Arch Neurol.
Higher homocysteine levels are an independent risk factor for moderate to severe formation of cerebral white matter in individuals with Alzheimer's Disease, and of leukoaraiosis of the deep white matter in particular.

Healthy homocysteine levels can be maintained with a combination of Folate, B12 and B6. The body-ready (conenzymated) form of these vitamins may help overcome obstacles to metabolizing homocysteine.

FOLATE DEFICIENCY AND HOMOCYSTEINE IMPAIR REPAIR OF NEURONS ⁹
Publisher's abstract: J Neurosci. Folate deficiency and homocysteine impair DNA repair in neurons, which sensitizes them to oxidative damage.

VASCULAR DAMAGE INDUCED BY HOMOCYSTEINE A RISK FACTOR FOR ALZHEIMERS DISEASE ¹⁰
Publisher's abstract: Nutr Rev. Homocysteine is considered an independent risk factor for vascular disease, and this finding is consistent with the emerging hypothesis that vascular disease is a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

Notes

• Additional studies are underway to further demonstrate whether folate intake or lowering homocysteine levels consistently has a direct, causal role in risk reduction for memory decline, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
• This article is not intended to replace the advice or attention of your doctor or other health care professional. Do not stop taking medications or start taking any nutrition supplement without first speaking to a qualified health care professional who specialize in Alzheimer's care and disease.

www.maryjosephfoundation.blogspot.com

www.marycharityfoundation.blogspot.com

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit organization for Alzheimer's disease.