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Senior Times • September 2018
DEMENTIA, From page 1 That’s when he found out he suffered from mild cognitive impairment, which was likely Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is the name for a group of brain disorders that make it hard to remember, think clearly, make decisions, or control emotions. Alzheimer’s is one of those disorders, but there are many different types and causes of dementia. Brown learned no drugs exist to cure Alzheimer’s or prevent it from progressing, but there were plenty of studies showing the effectiveness of other strategies to stop and even reverse the progress of the disease. He tried a mix of them and found success. His cognitive test scores stopped their decline, and even showed signs of reversal, and his regular episodes of depression disappeared. Brown’s regimen consists of going to gym, staying socially connected, an improved diet, getting good sleep and reducing stress. He’s motivated because he’s facing a formidable foe: Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. “It’s only going to get worse partly because of the terrible lifestyle people have and our aging popula-
Dave Brown, 69, of Richland, recently wrote and self-published a 99-page book, “Beating the Dementia Monster,” which chronicles how he stopped the advance of cognitive decline. (Courtesy Dave Brown)
tion,” he said. Brown writes in the book that his life “absolutely depends on the treadmill. I believe that daily aerobic exercise, more than any other factor, has turned my condition around, at least for the foreseeable future.” Brown cited studies that
exercise promotes the production of a protein that repairs and regenerates brain cells. After joining a 24-hour fitness gym near his home, he began a routine of 45 minutes on the treadmill, seven days a week. He’s kept it up for two years, missing only a few
days, mostly due to travel. “I’m fighting for who I am. I eat right, and I go to the gym every day, or I will die. When these things were clear, the disciplines were easy,” he wrote in the book. Brown decided to write “Beating the Dementia Monster” in 2017 and it took him about three months. His son edited the book. Brown makes it clear in the book that he’s not a doctor or an expert and speaks from his own experiences. “You should not accept anything I say at face value. Do your own research, but rely on reliable sources.” He cites many of these studies in the book. To promote the book online, he recently hired an Italian public relations firm. Amazon sells and publishes the book on demand and Brown gets a royalty. He doesn’t expect to get rich from the project. “It’s not my intent and it’s not reality,” he said. But once he sells 1,000 copies, he might be able to interest a traditional book publisher, he said. He’s already plotting penning a second edition of the book. To read Brown’s blog, visit https:// dementia-monster.blogspot.com.