“The sooner you get started, the better your odds are of success.”
– Frank McNear

Listen now:

In this episode of Rebuilding My Health Radio, I’m bringing you one of the most important interviews and stories I’ve ever had the honor of capturing – on an Alzheimer’s recovery.

A Diagnosis of Early-Onset Alzheimer’s

In the episode, I interview Francis McNear, or Frank, who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s 12 years ago, at the age of 62. The average life expectancy for someone diagnosed is typically about a decade and it’s a frightening decline.

And yet… 12 years after his diagnosis, Frank and I had an intelligent conversation about his journey back from Alzheimer’s. Frank went on to write his story and title the book, Defeating Dementia.

That would not have been possible if he had not overheard a conversation years ago – while having lunch – about a promising approach to cognitive decline that was uncovered by the neurologist Dr. Dale Bredesen. Dr. Bredesen found 36 factors that can potentially lead to cognitive impairment.

Studies on Precision Medicine for Alzheimer’s and Cognitive Impairment

Dr. Bredesen’s approach merges interventions known to help cognition along with testing to uncover specific triggers for individuals. In an early pilot of his precision medicine approach, 9 out of 10 of the participants saw improvements in their dementia. Dr. Bredesen has gone on to complete larger studies, and now, hundreds are finding help with a precision medicine approach.

Recovering from Alzheimer’s with Precision Medicine

Frank studied the case studies included in Bredesen’s pilot study and began applying some of the common elements across their stories.

He noticed some improvement within months, but really began to turn it around after meeting with Dr. Bredesen about a year later.

Here are the top steps he took to reverse his Alzheimer’s symptoms:

  • No refined carbs, sugar, processed food, or gluten
  • Fasting at least 12 hours between dinner and breakfast
  • Not eating for at least three hours before bed
  • Organic fruits and vegetables
  • Fish several times per week
  • Supplements such as fish oil, methylcobalamin, vitamin D, CoQ10, methylated B12
  • Reduced stress
  • Tries for 8 hours of sleep per night with melatonin before bed
  • Daily walking, sometimes up to 10,000 steps per day, plus light weight training
  • Optimizes oral hygiene
  • Meditation
  • Support from his family and friends

With those steps, Frank turned around his symptoms within about a year.

Episode Highlights

In our conversation, Frank candidly shares…

  • What it was like to begin losing his cognition and the fallout in his business and relationships
  • His struggle to come to terms with what was happening
  • How he got a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s
  • How he found an alternative Alzheimer’s treatment
  • What the approach looked like for him and the impact on his cognitive abilities
  • And finally, what his life is like today

Now, Frank lives a vibrant life and has written several books since his diagnosis. And he’s thrilled to have become a grandfather for the first time and is able to truly be present to enjoy his granddaughter.

My hope is that Frank’s story gives you hope and inspiration and a new understanding of what’s possible. Frank is by no means the only one experiencing life-changing results with a precision medicine approach to dementia.

Resources Mentioned

Defeating Dementia: My Story of Recovery from Alzheimer’s by Francis C. McNear

Taking Care of the Caretakers: Maximum Caregiving – Minimum Stress by Francis C. McNear and Patricia H. McNear

The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline by Dr. Dale Bredesen

Dr. Dale Bredesen’s studies.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might also like: After Alzheimer’s Diagnosis, Man Regains His Memory – and His Driver’s License.