When we first began working with the Bredesen protocol, we were very conservative in our testing.
We based most of our testing on the patient’s signs and symptoms. For a long time we ignored gut testing in patients who did not show any obvious gut symptoms. Now, with more experience and a greater understanding of how gut inflammation links in with cognitive decline, we have come to recognise the critical role gut health plays in getting lasting improvements. We’ve run over 100 gut tests this year alone and the biggest revelation for us have been that many of our patients who are asymptomatic (in terms of gut symptoms) have shown to have inflammation and/or permeability issues.
There are very good studies out there linking in increase in gut permeability to Alzheimer’s disease
This takes me back to my training in Traditional Chinese Medicine where I worked in the Neurology department in a large hospital in Shanghai.
The treatments delivered in nearly all of the cases were very gut focused. I remember feeling baffled why conditions such as Parkinson’s were always classed as stemming from the gut. It wasn’t until years later that the vagus nerve theory in Parkinson’s started filtering through from research into clinical practice. We now see a stronger recognition coming through on how the gut-brain signalling can affect the neurological system.
If there’s one single thing that you can do to improve your cognitive function and health as a whole, look to healing your gut. Our brain health workshops have a strong focus on the practical things that you can do to improve gut health.