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From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n
Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRead more<\/span><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nJ<\/span>udy Benjamin was only 67 when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer\u2019s, the devastating disease her mother and several uncles all suffered from.<\/p>\nThe symptoms started slowly; a forgotten phone number, trouble reading the newspaper. But Benjamin soon found reason to panic after a brain scan showed damage and amyloid plaque build-up \u2014 hallmarks of Alzheimer\u2019s, the progressive neurodegenerative disorder that typically affects memory, thinking, and behavior. <\/p>\n
Now 81, Benjamin is in the midst of an epic cross-country walk to prove to herself, and others, that reversal of Alzheimer\u2019s symptoms is possible thanks to a specific, science-backed protocol \u2014 and she\u2019s living proof.<\/p>\n
Having started her journey April 5 in San Diego, her hopes to make it to Saint Augustine, Florida, by October 5. She\u2019s being accompanied by a support team, and a film crew shooting footage for a documentary. This week she celebrated hitting 1,000 miles.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been really thrilled with the people I\u2019ve met along the way,\u201d Benjamin told The Independent <\/em>. \u201cEveryone knows someone with Alzheimer\u2019s and they\u2019re very interested in my story because I reversed my cognitive decline by radically changing my life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Judy Benjamin is walking across the United States to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s disease (Courtesy of Apollo Health)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nGetting to this point took a series of small steps and big ones as Benjamin navigated her diagnosis. Her symptoms started shortly after her own mother died of the disease 20 years after her initial diagnosis. <\/p>\n
“I was working overseas and started to get really worried because I couldn’t remember things \u2014 even my own phone number or locker combination,” she recalled to Fox News Digital<\/em>. “I got lost driving, when I’m always really good about direction.”<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Judy Benjamin in West Texas ahead of hitting the 1,000 mile mark (Courtesy of Apollo Health)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nScans of Benjamin\u2019s brain showed lots of amyloid plaque \u2014 proteins that, when built up on the brain, can result in nerve cell death \u2014 and damage to the right and left parietal areas of her brain. Located behind the brain\u2019s frontal lobe, the parietal lobe helps with location awareness and processes your sense of touch, according to the Cleveland Clinic.<\/p>\n
“I knew that it was going downhill really quickly, and I was extremely depressed and distressed about that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
In an attempt to chart a new path forward, Benjamin met with Dr. Dale Bredesen at a friend\u2019s urging.<\/p>\n
Bredesen, an internationally recognized expert in the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and the Chief Science Officer of Apollo Health, had been developing a protocol to reverse the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer\u2019s but had yet to test it on a patient. He\u2019s long been a believer that Alzheimer\u2019s isn\u2019t just preventable \u2014 it\u2019s reversible, too.<\/p>\n
So, Benjamin seeking treatment at the time Bredesen was looking for a \u201cpatient zero\u201d was kismet.<\/p>\n
Brededsen recalled Benjamin taking \u201ccopious notes\u201d during her first appointment due to her poor memory. He had Benjamin follow his ReCODE (for \u201creversal of cognitive decline\u201d) protocol, which included changes to Benjamin\u2019s diet and exercise routine, as well as making adjustments to her sleep habits and starting meditation.<\/p>\n
As Bredesen explained to The Independent<\/em> about ReCODE: \u201cThe bottom line is that it is a personalized, precision medicine protocol that addresses the drivers specific to each person (so it is based on each person\u2019s lab results), and these drivers are in three major groups \u2014energetics (blood flow, oxygenation, etc.), inflammation (from any of many different causes), and toxicity (inorganics, organics, and biotoxins) \u2014 and three lesser groups \u2014 trophic support (hormones, nutrients, and growth factors), neurotransmitters (such as acetylcholine, which is needed for memory), and stress.\u201d<\/p>\nBredesen noted, too, that despite published documentation of the ways in which cognitive decline can be reversed, the vast majority of people remain unaware that it is often possible. Treatment is also more likely to be effective if started early on. He\u2019s documented his research in several books, including The End of Alzheimer’s <\/em>and The Ageless Brain.<\/em><\/p>\nTogether, the pair have worked to maintain her progress. She\u2019s become a brain health coach and a yoga instructor, and, as Bredesen described her, \u201ca survivor of cognitive decline, and a remarkable role model for anyone interested in healthy aging.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVery very few people are capable of walking 3000 miles, from coast to coast. But to have someone doing it who is 81 years old, and has reversed her cognitive decline after a diagnosis of early Alzheimer\u2019s in 2012, is truly historic,\u201d Bredesen told The Independent.<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cShe is doing something that I could not do, nor could most of the people I know. She is truly an inspiration.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, Benjamin\u2019s message is simple \u2014 offering the hope that cognitive decline can be prevented and reversed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is really the purpose of my journey,\u201d she told The Independent. <\/em>\u201cAnd also to show that you can be 81 years old and walk all this way one step at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Judy Benjamin was only 67 when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer\u2019s, the devastating disease her mother and several uncles all suffered from. The symptoms started slowly; a forgotten phone number, trouble reading the newspaper. But Benjamin soon found reason to panic after a brain scan showed damage and amyloid plaque build-up \u2014 hallmarks of Alzheimer\u2019s, the progressive neurodegenerative disorder that typically affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Now 81, Benjamin is in the midst of an epic cross-country walk to prove to herself, and others, that reversal of Alzheimer\u2019s symptoms is possible thanks to a specific, science-backed protocol \u2014 and she\u2019s living proof. Having started her journey April 5 in San Diego, her hopes to make it to Saint Augustine, Florida, by October 5. She\u2019s being accompanied by a support team, and a film crew shooting footage for a documentary. This week she celebrated hitting 1,000 miles. \u201cI\u2019ve been really thrilled with the people I\u2019ve met along the way,\u201d Benjamin told The Independent . \u201cEveryo…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2916,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2915"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2915"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2915\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2916"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}