Type 3 Diabetes and Alzheimers
Functional Medicine:Type 3 Diabetes and Alzheimer’s - WHAT???
By Dr. Cynthia Crosser
The statistics are staggering: 10% of 65 year
olds, 25% of 75 year olds and 50% of 85
year olds will develop Alzheimers. By 2050 106
million people will be affected. There has been
much research done on the connection between
insulin resistance and blood sugar levels which
comes from high carbohydrate diets that are low
in fats and Alzheimer’s. The standard American
diet starts the trajectory to brain damage as
a result of inflammation and neuronal death
leading to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.
Many people are told they are pre-diabetic and
don’t take this as seriously as they should. This
also indicates they are in pre-dementia or early
Alzheimer’s! Diabetics have a four-fold risk of
developing Alzheimer’s and it usually starts with
what is called mild cognitive decline. This trend
can be slowed and perhaps even reversed.
When too much sugar is consumed, insulin
surges. When this is combined with too little
fat, inflammation follows, leading to insulin
resistance. Some call this the “brain-on-fire.”
Adequate fat intake is critical for preventing
age related brain diseases. Overconsumption of
sugars leads to high cholesterol which creates
vascular inflammation, plaque, reduced oxygen,
reduced nutrients, reduced cerebral blood
flow, and ultimately, neuronal cell death. Too
much sugar encourages fat storage, which also
leads to inflammation and cytokine production,
causing neuronal cell death. Individuals with
high blood sugar and high insulin typically have
difficulty sleeping or even sleep apnea. They do
not get into deep sleep when growth hormone is
produced and the brain flushes proteins which
causes inflammation, there is build up of Beta
Amyloid and, again, neuronal cell death. These
are merely a few mechanisms by which a high
carbohydrate diet influences brain health.
Functional medicine practitioners approach
health concerns by looking for the source or
the root cause of the dysfunction to optimize
health vs. treatment by diagnosis. In cases
such as these the whole person is evaluated
to ultimately combine their genetics, their
biochemistry and metabolism. Inflammatory
markers are assessed such as homocysteine and
CRP in addition to heavy metals that can impact
the degeneration of neuronal cells. Much can
then be done based on this information.
In a most general sense, it is primary to
balance their blood sugar and insulin levels
with a low glycemic diet that typically will
reduce gluten as well as grains by eating whole
foods. Healthy fats are also so very important to
include wild caught, fatty fish, coconut oil, extra
virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds. Regular exercise
increases cerebral circulation and assists in
regulating blood sugar. And any detoxification
should be doctor supervised. Hormonal
imbalances need to be addressed as they too are
a reflection of blood sugar dysregulation.
Much can be done to prevent and work with
those dealing with Alzheimer’s. This is a major
health concern for many families that feel
helpless in warding this off; similar to breast
cancer. Most of us wish to remain aware and
ourselves until our last breath . . . it can be
done! If you are concerned about your brain
health, please call Dr. Crosser at 302-994-1010
or 302-836-9454.
Testimonials
“Dr. Crosser is amazing. I HIGHLY recommend
Dr. Crosser! She has been my chiropractor for at
least 15 years. I had disc surgery 21 years ago,
which took care of the immediate problem, but
I continued to have back issues. I went through
a couple rounds of physical therapy and also
saw a different chiropractor, but none of that
had a lasting impact. I saw Dr. Crosser’s ad in
the phone book and decided to see if she could
help. She did a thorough exam to determine
what was wrong and devised a treatment plan. I
stuck with it and saw definite results. I’ve been
a loyal patient ever since then! What keeps me
going back is that she continues to make me
feel better, and the fact that she genuinely cares
about her patients on a personal level. When
I’m with her, she makes me feel like I’m her only
patient. I know that some of her patients only
make an appointment when they’re in pain.
I’ve found that it works better for me to see
her regularly so she can fix issues before they
become major problems. Her treatments have
improved my quality of life.” - Lauren H.