ReCODE stands for reversing cognitive decline and has been developed from the research of Dr Dale Bredesen and colleagues. It has been successful in reversing subjective and mild cognitive impairment and some cases of early stage Alzheimer disease. Screening of cognitive health is carried out to identify individual contributing factors to cognitive impairment, after which a personalised ReCODE prescription can be compiled.

If experiencing cognitive symptoms, the earlier the protocol starts the more chance of success. My own screening showed some cognitive deficits, inflammation on the brain and a few recognised contributory factors from the precision medicine approach. I also had a neurofeedback session that identified age related cognitive decline earlier than I should have experienced it. At this stage I began an initial ReCODE protocol.

It is a treatment from integrated functional medicine addressing the causative factors and so reversing or halting the disease process rather than targeting the amyloid that is part of the disease presentation. Dr Bredesen's first book The End of Alzheimers explains the science behind ReCODE for anyone wanting to delve deeper.

I could feel myself returning from the cloud of cognitive decline on the protocol, which ,having watched the disease devour relatives, was truly a heartfelt remarkable experience. I had other ongoing health problems and the impact of the pandemic on accessing health services caused much delay and after surgery my memory scores fell to 32 on testing. I reached out to a ReCODE 2.0 health coach and started the protocol to a greater extent. By September of the same year my memory score was 92.

Dr Bredesen has explained should someone who has been doing well on the protocol develop symptoms once again, ReCODE practitioners would reassess to discover the "why". Once identified , this can be treated and cognitive function restored. There is now also a PreCODE protocol for anyone wanting to go onto a preventative program. In facet my last cognitive assessment with the memory score of 892 suggested I could continue on PreCODE, however, I do my best to adhere to the program that got me there.

You can read about my contributory factors in my book The A Word, Living in Harmony with my Alzheimer Risk, available on Amazon and this website.

If you search online for the subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease you will find a number of scholarly articles. I’m not downplaying these findings and they are undoubtedly valuable information from a research perspective. But there is no information on treatment. Dr Bredesen shared in an instagram post Dutch scientists have identified five subtypes from analysing spinal fluid. This supports Alzheimer's disease develops as a result of multiple factors, all of which need attention for successful treatment of the condition.

This is extremely important and may highlight why drug treatment has not been successful to date. To quote from an article on theses findings:

"The findings are of great importance for drug research. It means that a drug could only work in one variant of Alzheimer's disease. For example, medication that inhibits amyloid production may work in the variant with increased amyloid production but may be harmful in the variant with decreased amyloid production. It is also possible that patients with one variant have a higher risk of side effects, while that risk is much lower with other variants. The next step for the research team is to show that the Alzheimer's variants do indeed react differently to medicines, so that we can treat everyone with appropriate medicines in the future."

In the precision medicine approach developed through Dr Bredesen’s research, the biochemical subtypes he discovered are part and parcel of the information that will determine a personalised treatment plan. He explains there is some overlap in the ReCODE subtypes and the spinal fluid subtypes. At the time I began the protocol I only knew of the following subtypes.
Type 1 - Inflammatory
Type 2 - Atrophic
Type 1.5 - Glycotoxic or sweet
Type 3 - Toxic.

As things unfolded it became clear my biggest risk had been the toxic subtype, however mycotoxins cause a chronic inflammatory response and other factors were identified that may have led to a susceptibility to the other subtypes. Only in addressing all these factors did I emerge from the cloud of cognitive impairment. Further research identified additional subtypes.
Type 4 - Vascular
TYpe 5 - Traumatic

In chapters 8 & 9 of my book The A Word I detail the results of the screening and the other contributors uncovered that could have led to Alzheimer’s disease for me. If you would like to purchase the book its available on Amazon and most online book retailers. If you would like to read the article the above information is from you can access that here. The article Dr Bredesen referred to can be accessed through this link.

A number of factors may lead to a decline in cognitive health possibly a mixture of genetics and environmental factors. Anyone needing to consider the ReCODE protocol will become acquainted with the Bredesen Seven, which are lifestyle areas that aid cognitive health. As everyone’s contributory factors for cognitive decline are different, a personalised approach addressing which of these factors are appropriate to the individual is part of the way forward.

The Bredesen Seven looks at nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, stimulation, detox and supplements. The advised diet is the Ketoflex12/3, a ketogenic approach but not a strict keto regime. It includes an intermittent fasting approach and is hugely plant rich. My gut health needed healing and I began the Gaps diet in the beginning to try and attend to this. Later the ReCODE 2.0 health coach helped me transition on to the Ketoflex12/3 approach recommended on the protocol.

Exercise is important and should be a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise. I went back to the gym after an absence of many years and this was a great fit. I thankfully don't have a problem sleeping as restorative sleep is very important. Stimulation can be a mixture of personal interests, socialising and brain exercises.

The thing that tipped me over the edge was exposure to mould and the amount of mycotoxins I ended up with in my body meant detox was a main area I had to deal with. While a few supplements were needed for this, I also had some other areas needing supplementation. My sleep pattern in the initial stages was fine. My gut health needed healing and I began the Gaps diet in the beginning to try and attend to this.

Ongoing health issues interfered with exercising although I did what I could. After recovering from an initial surgery I returned to the gym after many years absence and found it really helpful. Stress had been flagged up with the screening and it was unfortunately ongoing as I still had undiscovered health issues to cope with. I used Bach remedies, found somatic exercises helpful, took tips from books I read and began some kundalini yoga to manage this better.

On progressing from the Gaps diet I learned many things particular to me, that’s where a personalised approach to health is of great value. The ReCODE 2.0 health coach helped me transition on to the Ketoflex12/3 approach recommended on the protocol. I admit to being lazy with brain exercises for stimulation but this was in part due to the stress of ongoing health issues. The health coach helped me make a start in this area and it is one I will continue when the time is right.

All change can be difficult, but this journey has taught me that such changes are the foundation to a return to wellbeing. If you would like to read of the many ups and downs encountered on my road to wellness my book The A Word is available on this website and on Amazon and most online book retailers

Mould tipped me over the edge into cognitive decline but other factors may have led me there in time, a main contributor being gluten. Having recovered cognition I felt more was needed and decided to work with someone who dealt with the root cause. Working with a practitioner for whom mould was a specialism, imagine my surprise when she suggested, looking at my timeline, - my health over this lifetime - she would have been looking for gluten as a causative factor. According to the gluten free society in the US, mould toxicity and gluten sensitivity can cause similar symptoms.

Despite following a gluten free diet for 4 years, gut tests showed a reaction to gluten. I chose to eat sandwiches at my friend's funeral 5 months earlier, and I learned gluten remnants can take over a year to leave the gut. I had blood tests done to investigate this further as it was necessary to know regarding my brain health. Underlying factors behind those results was the presence of extensive leaky gut. I'd been ill for two years, unable to get medical assistance due to the effects of the pandemic on services. Analgesia, IV and oral antibiotics had left their mark.

The blood results where high on a marker that would have previously led to a diagnosis of coeliac disease. The marker has since changed and I will be retested at a later date. Alarmingly the levels of gluteomorphin was also high indicating that for me, gluten can damage the brain. The practitioner shared there's a gut form and a brain form of coeliac disease. For anyone considering testing, by all means go with the doctor first, but the NHS has only a 52 - 57% success rate in diagnosis and can often get a false negative. My tests were done through Cyrex Labs.

Gluten proteins can cause the immune system to trigger inflammation in the body. It was apparently obvious in my history, as the functional approach delves deeper, that I had a chronic inflammatory response on and off since childhood. Anti gliadin antibodies (that would be me) react strongly to blood vessels in the brain. Its not unusual to have little or no gut symptoms with gluten sensitivity and for damage  to occur in the brain and it only takes 1mg of gluten a day to trigger your immune system.

Some studies have shown a link between gluten and other autoimmune disease. Its also suggested extended exposure to gluten in coeliac disease may further the progress of other autoimmune conditions. And, in women, as autoimmune conditions are one of the top 10 causes of death, its worth knowing.

I developed an unwanted and uncomfortable relationship with fluoride many years ago. As a nurse I believed every word the "professionals" from the health board that employed me spouted forth. This led to giving both my sons fluoride supplements. Simon was fortunate to get half the dose as advised by my dentist. Adam wasn't so lucky as by that time I was ill and halving the dose didn't cross my mind. 

Adam went on to develop dental fluorosis and sustained a spiral fracture of a tibia at the same time. Despite halving the dosage, Simon was found to have symptoms of fluoride poisoning too. This all coincided with the anti fluoride campaign that was running at the time, for whom I'm thankful as they helped refer the boys to an Orthopaedic surgeon who worked in a fluoridated area. We were in the local press. I was hated by some mothers and thanked by others and did not like being in the spotlight one bit.

Knowing there is a potential risk from fluoride for some people, I was alarmed when I read of a potential link to dementia. However, the link with dementia does not lie with fluoride supplements or toothpaste. It concerns natural fluoride in the water supply and the actual culprit is aluminium. Researchers from Edinburgh and Stirling University in Scotland showed the risk of dementia rose were water contained natural levels of fluoride - so we're not even talking additional fluoride as in a fluoridated region - and higher aluminium levels. 

This is because fluoride can raise the amount of aluminium absorbed. Some studies have supported this while others have not but the researchers suggest " there may be no safe levels of these substances when it comes to dementia risk." If you want to know more about other risks for the toxic subtype of Alzheimer's disease see chapter 17 of The A Word.