This week’s post is going to be short and sweet! I’ve had no time to prepare for a deep-dive post, and I don’t want to serve up a 100% AI-generated space filler - but I do want to share a quick update!
As you’ll remember, on July 1st I made a trip down to Boca Raton, Florida, to have extensive Alzheimer’s biomarker testing done at RetainMed, an Alzheimer’s prevention clinic created under the leadership of Dr. Richard Isaacson, a pioneering neurologist in Alzheimer’s prevention.
The results are in!
I’m not going to pretend the wait for my results wasn’t fraught with some very real anxiety and trepidation. I’m sure those of you who have had p-tau and other biomarkers tested know exactly what I’m talking about.
After implementing a multimodal Alzheimer’s prevention strategy for more than eight years—one I largely built on the teachings of trailblazers like Dr. Dale Bredesen, Dr. David Perlmutter, Dr. Heather Sandison, Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai, and others—my results were finally going to put all of this to the test.
After all, as a 73-year-old female APOE4/4 carrier, these results were going to be the proverbial “proof in the pudding.”
Last week, on August 19th, I went back to Boca Raton for the “verdict.” To say I embarked on that trip with mixed feelings would be an understatement. What if I was told my p-tau was elevated? What if other markers were worrisome as well?
The Wait Is Over
I’m going to keep the details of my follow-up visit very short here because this is an exceptionally busy week for me.
While I’m no longer working full-time, part of my Alzheimer’s prevention strategy is to remain mentally active. My business, in the industrial sector, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and this week we are exhibiting at our industry’s largest trade show.
While the day-to-day operations have transitioned to the next generation, I’m at the show all day, on the floor—presenting our products, making new contacts, and truly enjoying seeing customers, vendors, and friends I have known for decades.
Thursday being my “Substack day,” I didn’t want to leave you empty-handed. So, while a more detailed post will be forthcoming, I imagine some of you are wondering where I landed on these tests!
The good news is that my p-tau remains within the normal range, my lipid markers are in a pristine place, and I was sent home with the reassurance that there is no cause for concern at this time.
My instructions?
Remain diligent and stay on top of my brain health.
After eight years of working at this every single day, I couldn’t have asked for much better news. I’ll share more detail and recommendations in a future post!
Phew!!!
Alzheimer’s disease is almost entirely preventable, and you are a perfect example of what it takes. Intelligence, discipline, open-mindedness, and attention to detail. Keep up the great work, you are making a very big positive difference in the world, especially for people like us with an Aop E4 allele or two.
My father had dementia and a fall and broken hip need his life at 86 years old. My mom is 94 with hearing and eye sight impairments and mild cognitive function. I will be 70 early next year and worry because of heavy drinking in my younger years and benzodiazapines use over the past 5 years. Would like to get tested for hereditary gene and to my dismay, found out Zanax causes a 50 percent increase in the risk of developing Alzheimer's. Currently trying to slow taper from benzos, but the withdrawal is brutal. Any suggestions for a positive game plan going forward?