Dementia doctor with Alzheimer’s reveals how he pumped breaks on disease

A dementia doctor has detailed how a little-known symptom in his 50s revealed he would develop Alzheimer’s disease later in life.

Neurologist Dr. David Gibbs had been studying and treating patients with the disease for more than 25 years, so when he started losing his sense of smell at the age of 50, alarm bells started ringing.

From his expertise, Dr. Gibbs knew that “almost all people with Alzheimer’s disease have at least some sense of smell,” he tells DailyMail.com. But “most are not aware of it because it happens so gradually,” he adds.

Dr. Gibbs’ odor began to fade around age 55, which he said was a positive thing because “I don’t get disgusted easily, I don’t mind picking up dog poop or doing other smelly chores.”

He knew it would be too early for a doctor to officially diagnose him with dementia (he had no other symptoms yet), so he referred himself for a genetic test that would give him a better idea of ​​his risk .

The results showed that he had two copies of a gene that would almost certainly mean he would develop Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Gibbs was stunned by this discovery, as both his parents had died of cancer in middle age, “but looking back a generation or two there was clearly a family history of dementia.”

Nine years after his diagnosis in 2015, Dr Gibbs tells DailyMail.com that by implementing a series of lifestyle changes he has been able to slow the progression.

He encourages others who know they are at risk of developing the condition to make immediate changes in their lives to delay or prevent it.

He takes 10,000 steps a day and has even practiced tai chi, as research shows the ancient Chinese martial art can help improve cognitive function.

Multiple studies have shown that regular physical activity can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by up to 50 percent. In light of this, Dr Gibbs says ‘the sooner you start, the better’.

The retired neurologist goes on to say that nutrition is of paramount importance, and that “the evidence for adopting a plant-based diet is almost as strong as exercise.”

His message to others in his position is to make lifestyle changes as soon as possible, “preferably before the onset of cognitive impairment.”

“For people with a family history of Alzheimer’s disease, these changes could be made even before diagnosis,” adds Dr. Gibbs.

He follows a variation of the Mediterranean diet, which “places more emphasis on berries and strict restrictions on dairy products.”

The diet, says Dr. Gibbs, has been shown to slow the progression of the disease by 30 to 50 percent.

He admitted that cutting out cheese was difficult at first because it’s one of his favorite foods, but once he found out he was lactose intolerant, cutting out dairy was no longer a choice.

Alcohol is another thing that Dr. Gibbs has given up.

Traditionally, he would drink a glass of beer or wine every day, but studies have shown that even modest amounts of alcohol can accelerate the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Fortunately, the market for non-alcoholic drinks has grown and there is more choice of products. Dr. Gibbs says he was “surprised” to discover that non-alcoholic beer tastes “pretty good.”

Sleep is another thing that Dr. Gibbs credits with his ability to stay as sharp as possible.

He ‘almost always’ sleeps around eight hours.

Studies have shown a link between insufficient sleep and an increased risk of dementia later in life. It is suggested that 7.5 hours is the optimal amount of eyes closed to counteract this risk.

Although it becomes increasingly difficult as his dementia progresses, “staying socially and intellectually engaged” is another thing Dr. Gibbs advocates.

To keep this under control, he organizes gatherings with only one or two friends at a time.

In the meantime, to stay mentally active, he does a crossword puzzle every day at lunch and tries to keep reading and writing.

In addition to socializing, Dr. Gibbs says that reading and math are things he is now having more and more difficulty with.

He explains: ‘I can still read, but I read books with only a few characters better because I can’t keep them straight.

‘My wife Lois now also arranges all financial matters. I can no longer balance a checkbook.”

Looking ahead, Dr. Gibbs’ greatest hope is that he can continue to halt the progression of his Alzheimer’s.

Looking back, his first symptom of Alzheimer’s disease occurred in 2006, when he was 55 and realized that his sense of smell was not as sharp as before.

At the time he assumed it was due to old age. But within five years he “couldn’t smell anything anymore.”

Dr. Gibbs said he only became “particularly concerned” when, in 2012, while doing genealogical research (his wife, Lois, thought DNA testing would help fill in some of the missing branches of their ancestral trees), he discovered that he had two copies of the APOE-4 allele.

This is a variant of the APOE gene and is the most important genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Having one copy increases your risk about threefold; two copies approximately twelvefold.

Before that, Dr. Gibbs said Alzheimer’s disease wasn’t on his radar.

He revealed he was ‘stunned’ by this news. It wasn’t until 2015 that Dr. Gibbs’ Alzheimer’s diagnosis was confirmed.

He concludes, “My wish is to spend time with family and friends, continue to advocate for early treatment, and die of something else before I reach the final stages of dementia.

‘As a neurologist, I see that my disease is progressing very slowly, probably due to the lifestyle changes I have made, and that is very encouraging.

‘My wife Lois has been an angel. She makes it possible for me to continue living at home for the foreseeable future.’

Dr. Gibbs has an ongoing blog detailing the ins and outs of his condition Tattoo on my brainwhich is also the title of his first book and spin-off documentary.

His most recent book, Messages from the land of Alzheimer’s diseasepresents a topical discussion on recent developments and setbacks in Alzheimer’s disease research.

Dr. Gibbs says the biggest drawback is that ‘fIt all tastes about the same, not bad, but not very interesting.’

He adds: ‘I really miss the smell of bacon frying in the pan.’

There are also some dangers associated with not being able to smell, such as not being able to smell a gas leak or smoke from a house fire.

On the other hand, however, Dr. Gibbs says there are a few notable benefits.

He explains: ‘I don’t waste money on expensive wine. I can’t smell a skunk. And I don’t want to mess up cleaning up dog poop or changing a diaper.

‘By the time my sense of smell was completely gone, I started to become aware of something else. I don’t get indignant anymore.

‘At first I thought this was because I couldn’t smell bad things anymore, but it turns out it’s more complicated than that.

‘I notice that I have become a more tolerant person. I’m going to talk to a homeless person, something I’m ashamed to admit I wouldn’t have done in the past.’

Nine years after his diagnosis, Dr Gibbs tells DailyMail.com that by making a series of lifestyle changes he has managed to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.