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Apple Juice Helps Alzheimer’s Patients

http://blog.drdavidwilliams.com/blog/digestive-health-guidance/apple-juice-helps-alzheimers-patients

There’s an old saying that an apple a day can keep the doctor away. Now, research shows that a glass of apple juice a day can have a dramatic effect on the behavior of Alzheimer’s patients.

A study from the University of Massachusetts involved 21 Alzheimer’s patients with moderate-to-severe disease. They were given two 4-ounce glasses of apple juice a day for a month. Their caregivers reported a 27% improvement in the patients’ levels of anxiety, agitation, and delusion.

Apple juice certainly didn’t cure the problem, but the changes were quite dramatic, particularly for the caregivers. This is a very simple and inexpensive tool that can help lower the emotional stress of family members and other caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients.

An earlier study suggests that apple juice is just one item that prevents the oxidative stress induced by the neurological “tangles” (amyloid plaques) present in Alzheimer’s disease.

Oxidative stress from free radicals contributes to mental decline in both normal aging and in neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s. Foods like vegetables and fruits that contain high levels of antioxidants can help slow the decline. Under normal circumstances I would be more inclined to concentrate on whole vegetables and fruits—but obviously in this case, if apple juice works, I’m all for it. It’s inexpensive and easy to obtain, and couldn’t be easier to take. Pass this information along to anyone you know who has a loved one or family member with the disease.

If you have the opportunity, juicing your own apples will provide the highest level of antioxidants (just be sure to juice the entire apple, peel and all). In my juicer, it takes approximately 3 medium-size apples to make 8 ounces (the amount recommended above).

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