Jeff, 65, Mild Cognitive Impairment Improved With Ayurveda

Jeff, 65, Mild Cognitive Impairment Improved With Ayurveda

Jeff was a 65-year old man who was still very physically active and worked as a contractor. He ran his own business and had no plans to retire, but he began having problems with brain function that led to challenges with numbers and difficulty remembering tasks, things that he had never experienced in his own life. He struggled to do all the things he needed to do for his business. He lived alone and was fiercely independent, and didn’t want to become a burden on others.

 

Jeff Was Diagnosed With Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

He was eventually referred to a neurologist, who diagnosed him with Mild Cognitive Impairment (or MCI) which I explain at length in this course. Briefly, this is the loss of brain function that often precedes full-blown dementia. His doctor told him that there was nothing he could do until the patient developed full dementia, at which point he could prescribe a drug for him. But Jeff was not satisfied with this.

After online research, he heard about my approach, and came to me extremely motivated. He felt in his heart that there must be something he could do, although his doctor didn’t know what it was. He agreed to extensive testing. We identified multiple food allergies and Jeff made a huge change in his diet. I also tested his microbiome and identified something called Leaky Gut Syndrome – a condition of inflammation in the gut. This is often associated with Leaky Brain, a real, measurable condition that subsequently triggers severe brain inflammation and impaired brain function. So normally the Blood-Brain-Barrier does not let anything pass into the brain in order to protect it. But when this breaks down in Leaky Brain, that’s the first step to inflammation in the mind.

So I put him on a gut-healing program to restore his microbiome, get rid of pathogenic fungi that had overgrown in his system, and heal his Leaky Gut and then repair the Leaky Brain. From an Ayurvedic perspective, I diagnosed him with excess Kapha, which corresponded with about 30 pounds of extra weight that he had gained over the past two decades. I put him on a regimen of intermittent fasting, and over several months, he noticed weight loss, as well as a boost in mental clarity.

After six months, he reported feeling better than he had ever felt in his life. His energy and weight had improved, but most importantly, his mental sharpness returned and his difficulties in running his business vanished. I kept him on a healthy diet and certain herbs and supplements, and his brain function has stayed strong these past few years.

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akileshpalanisamy@gmail.com'
Akil Palanisamy, MD is a Harvard-trained physician who practices Integrative Medicine, incorporating the best of conventional medicine and alternative therapies. He completed his premedical training in biochemistry at Harvard University, received his medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco and completed his residency in family medicine at Stanford University. He also completed a Fellowship in Integrative Medicine with Dr. Andrew Weil at the University of Arizona, and is certified by the Center for Mind-Body Medicine at Georgetown University.

2 comments

  1. karuna@futurecities.org'

    Hi . How does someone like me who lives in India get help? My son is autistic and epileptic . Gut health over the years got better with my efforts . Pro and pre biotics , coconut oil and kefir etc I have used for him

    • The Ayurveda Experience

      Hi Karuna,

      Thanks for your comment. It’s good to hear that you’ve seen improvement in your son’s condition with your efforts. That’s fantastic. Please reach out to Dr. Akil here. He may be available for distance consults: http://doctorakil.com/

      Jennifer

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