Can Alzheimer’s really be reversed? hope, prevention, and root causes | Part 2

Alzheimer’s can feel like one of those topics that instantly brings up fear.

But in this part of our conversation with Dr. Joshua Helman, MD, that fear starts to shift into something else, curiosity, better questions, and a little more hope.

In Part 2, Tina Rains, RN, and Melinda Lee Foster continue their conversation with Dr. Josh about younger Alzheimer’s, prevention, brain health, and why age is not the only thing that matters. They talk about chronological age vs. biological age, controversial medical questions, what to ask your doctor, how to find someone who thinks more holistically, brain training, self-compassion, and why caregivers need support too.

In Part 1, Dr. Josh introduced his TIME framework — toxins, inflammation, microbes, and energy. In Part 2, we keep going with younger Alzheimer’s, prevention, brain health, better questions to ask, and why there may still be hope. 
T = toxins
I = inflammation
M = microbes
E = energy

That framework carries into this conversation too, especially as they talk about sleep, stress, brain energy, and what families can do next.

Watch Part 1 here:

About Dr. Josh:
Dr. Joshua Helman, MD is a Harvard-trained physician, board certified in emergency medicine and lifestyle medicine. He holds degrees in biochemistry from Harvard and the University of Cambridge, and earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and MIT.

Learn more about Dr. Josh

Dr. Josh also mentioned Mike Cohen and brain training in this episode

This conversation is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please talk with a qualified healthcare provider before making medical decisions.

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Transcript

Younger Alzheimer’s and why it feels so alarming

SPEAKER_01 0:09

Here we are again with the part two of our great conversation with Dr. Josh. Um, Tina, uh you learned a lot in the first one. Ugh, so much. All right, so stay tuned.

SPEAKER_00 0:20

Well, it's interesting because I don't remember ever knowing or hearing of people um that were younger getting Alzheimer's until here recently. I literally have three friends. And so it's really hit me hard, one of which I hadn't seen in a long time, and I saw them Sunday, 56 years old, and he's in moderate, I mean, moderate Alzheimer's, and I'm just blown away. And my family, you know, my daughter's boyfriend, his mom is 53 dealing with this. And so as I'm looking at that, I'm like, okay, if we could really reverse it in these younger age people, especially because they are young, is it easy? I mean, not easy, none of it's easy, I'm sure, but is there more chance with someone in their 50s to be able to reverse it? Or does age matter where that's concerned, Dr. Josh?

unknown 1:18

Right.

SPEAKER_02 1:20

So first of all, I agree with you. I'm seeing people younger and younger getting Alzheimer's or other dementias, and it's it's concerning. And but I think it e if they're younger, it's easier to reverse this and to prevent this. But the key is it's not just your chronological age, it's your biologic age. If you happen to have high levels of these fatty toxins and heavy metals that are prematurely aging the the your cells and in different organs in your body, um, then the reality is that it even though you may chronologically be 56, if though those toxins, those fatty toxins could could make make it seem like your body is 76.

SPEAKER_00 2:08

Wow. That's interesting. And do you think there's any relevance?

Biological age vs. chronological age

SPEAKER_00 2:13

I've heard from you know a lot of the research I've been doing in the last few weeks of how statins play a huge part it because so many people are getting on statins. Do you think that has any relevance?

SPEAKER_02 2:25

Yeah, so let's talk briefly about statins. And first I'll say this is a controversial topic. I'm just sharing my my experience. Um, well, I also have two degrees in biochemistry, two degrees from Harvard. I'm not your typical physician, but but my understanding is unfortunately statins are mitochondrial disruptors, they will do damage

The statin conversation

SPEAKER_02 2:49

to the parts of your cell that produce energy and oh, by the way, remove toxins. So, but if you look at physicians, the standard of care today, as we speak here in 2026, is statins for high cholesterol. I would argue that there are safer options to lower cholesterol than statins. Number one is is diet and exercise.

SPEAKER_01 3:14

It sounds so easy. Why aren't we doing it? Why aren't we doing eat the right food, eat your fruit and vegetables, have good, you know, protein, blah, blah, blah. Get out there and exercise. Sometimes connect with the planet, ground yourself, but we're not doing it.

SPEAKER_02 3:28

Right. So, unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, there's advertising getting us to do things that are not in our own best interest, trying to get us hooked on salt, oil and sugar, processed foods that sure will make companies lots of money, but will unfortunately prematurely age us. The statins are a little bit different. The statins are you've got physicians based on standard of care are required to prescribe a statin, otherwise, they're gonna get in trouble from their board. And and there are published studies showing pharma issue to me, sorry. So so it is scary, especially when I see patients when they start on statins, they develop muscle weakness, muscle pain, and they they also get cognitive problems. And then when they stop the statins, in many cases, not all, but in many cases, they're thinking their cognition gets better. So after seeing too many patients like that, I'm like, no statins for my patients. There are other options, both pharmaceutical and lifestyle. But again, I there are other physicians out there who don't agree with me, which is fine. You want and I think that's one of the important things is if you're not happy with the experience you've had with your own physicians, get a second or third opinion because fortunately there there's more information out there now.

SPEAKER_00 4:57

Absolutely. When I was even looking at some of the labs, right, they're trying to get cholesterol low, low, low, but some of the research actually shows you don't want your total cholesterol less than 150 for brain health.

SPEAKER_02 5:11

Well, I mean, the way I interpret it is most of my patients who have issues with their brain, vascular, the health or the blood vessels are part of it. And and the way I look at this is that um the ideal total cholesterol is actually going to be under 150. You're right. There are experts out there advocating for higher cholesterol. I just don't see it when I look at the data. So, but guess what? There there is a lot of information out there and there's a lot of misinformation. But everything I see, um most of my patients are not deficient in cholesterol because my patients make enough cholesterol on their own. They don't need extra from food sources, uh, etc.

SPEAKER_00 5:58

So right. Well, thanks for going there because I know a lot of people aren't brave enough to they don't they don't want to get into those tough discussions, but I think that's where we're at now, right? Is I think some of these tough discussions have to be had so that people, if nothing else, they're more aware and ask the right questions to their physicians or seek out. I mean, Dr. Josh, you have people that come from all over the world to work with you for a reason because you're looking at the whole model.

SPEAKER_01 6:28

So, can I ask a question about that? Because I'm sure you're available for people to call you and get information or sign up as a client. But if people don't have the resources to get on a plane and fly to you and have you, you know, work with them, um, what type of uh qualifications, degrees or whatever, if you're looking for someone who ha is in tune to the time, the T I M E you know concept um and will look at you holistically and not just do Western or Eastern medicine exclusively. You know, what what are the what does that look like as far as a practitioner?

SPEAKER_02 7:03

Right. So, first of all, I would interview more than one person uh before you find that person. Uh I would find someone like myself who's integrative, who is open to ideas. I mean, I I did lots of formal training in emergency medicine. I'm board certified in emergency medicine, but also birth certified in lifestyle medicine. So I I I would say search for someone who's open. I I have a weekly podcast on Alzheimer's that's free to watch. It's called Alzheimer's Breakthrough with Dr. Josh, and I get to interview every week experts on Alzheimer's around the world. And and and that's I think one reason why I'm able to share this with my patients, because I'm I'm seeking out that information. Whereas most neurologists, most physicians I know, it's they they don't have time to go to conferences to seek out the latest and greatest. And but when I go to a conference, literally there will be 30 new treatments, potential treatments for Alzheimer's, that I can introduce to my patients, and then I have to decide of these 30, well, which are the ones that make resonate with me.

SPEAKER_01 8:14

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:15

Exactly. So if if you seek out some, if you find someone and they're not talking to you about the latest and greatest cutting-edge treatments for a difficult disease like Alzheimer's, I would keep looking.

SPEAKER_00 8:28

And what would be

Questions to ask your doctor

SPEAKER_00 8:29

those like specific questions, Dr. Josh, that they could ask their doctors that they are interviewing?

SPEAKER_02 8:35

Sure. So what I would ask them are I mean, you you you raised some great ones. Like, I heard that statins are controversial. Are you okay if I don't start on a statin? Um, I heard that hyperbaric oxygen may be helpful for Alzheimer's. Are you okay with some something like this? I heard that it matters what I eat. Are you okay if I talk to you about my diet or talk to your nutritionist about diet? Another one would be explain to me how you've changed your practice when it comes to Alzheimer's or whatever disease it is in the last five years.

SPEAKER_01 9:12

Oh, that's good. Yeah, yeah. So otherwise they're not staying up to date on the next thing that uh um could be a could be a breakthrough. Well, we kind of started this with, you know, I've felt kind of scared of the topic, but now I'm curious. Now I want to go do my own research. I want to dig in a

From fear to curiosity

SPEAKER_01 9:33

little bit and find out, you know, like, okay, and start paying a little more attention. Tina and I keep on saying that we have these experts come in and they teach us all this stuff, but then sometimes we're not doing what we're being taught to do, and which we know, like taking time to exercise, taking time to pray or meditate, taking time, you know, just to calm yourself as a as a caregiver, you know, the eating, the all the stuff. It's just I find it very fascinating now. So I'm I'm kind of losing my fear. I'm losing my fear, Tina.

SPEAKER_00 10:01

Good, good, I'm glad. Well, it's interesting because I asked you, Dr. Josh, about um the headsets of brain tap, and I recognize for myself, like I said, I was getting a little worried. And a lot of it is because we have all these things going on, right? We're building an assisted living, we're got the caregiving company going and um just and life, just it's a busy season. And I was catching myself feeling very overwhelmed. And I'm like, okay, Tina,

It’s not too late to start

SPEAKER_00 10:28

you know what to do, and you've had experts. And even after talking to you, I'm like, it's time. Like, I have to practice what I preach. And I want to encourage anyone listening to this, like, just stop and we can all like move forward today. Because sometimes when we haven't, you know, paid attention, where we almost feel like, well, it's kind of too late. It's not too late. We can all start right here.

SPEAKER_01 10:50

And so I mean, that's what's so great. Every day is a new day, and you can make a new choice. I mean, and the thing that I think is so powerful, we all know this. I'm preaching to the choir here, is it's up to you, it's up to the individual to make these choices. Nobody else is like bending your elbow. That's what I say. Nobody's bending your elbow, putting your hand into your mouth. And you're, you know, like so we are it's just being conscious, being very conscious of the choices, making smarter, better choices for yourself. And there's something that kind of has to happen inside where you just say, um, Tina and I are women of faith, so we don't, oh, this doesn't put you off. But like, okay, God, give me a little direction here. Okay, God, you know, help me make a wise choice. Okay, God. You know, like sometimes when you call out for some support, maybe it's a sister, maybe it's maybe it's God, you know, and just like reach out for the help that you need wherever you need it, and it's a good thing because I mean, we're all meant to have beautiful, healthy lives. I believe that God created us perfectly. We're just the ones that screw it up, you know, making bad choices for ourselves. We do, you know, we he created these beautiful miracles, these health, uh, these health driving machines, right? I mean, these are like machines that know how to heal themselves, but we get in the way of the healing.

SPEAKER_02 12:03

Right. And then and then part of that is self-compassion. Be good to yourselves.

SPEAKER_00 12:07

Right. Absolutely. Have a little grace on yourself. Well, I started made wise choices for a week now, literally. And um I'm even doing, you know, the a whole week of just really, you know, like focused, because I think sometimes it's like any habit. You can create a habit in how many days, right? It takes takes doing it repetitively. And so sometimes you have to, you know, just give yourself grace if you mess up that day and just keep going. But um, yeah, so talk a bit, if you wouldn't mind, about um different brain, because I keep hearing about brain training, like I've been using the heads that we talked about, but there's a lot of modalities out there for the brain training as well as one of the treatments. Um, what are some of the suggestions that like or the ones you like the best that are out there?

SPEAKER_02 12:56

Right.

Brain training and calming the brain

SPEAKER_02 12:57

So in general, I I love the idea of brain training biofeedback. Um, you mentioned brain tap. I'm a fan of brain tap. There are other devices like new calm that will for for for patients with anxiety or that that will also calm their brain. But I also like going to an expert on brain training where they'll actually do what's called an EEG electroencephalogram to measure the different electrical activity in different parts of the brain, and then give the person an exercise and allow them with biofeedback to calm their own brain using that biofeedback. So that that is powerful that you have the power to uh in in breathing, but also with some of these exercises with this brain. So to me, it's not the device as much as finding the expert in brain training that can actually uh guide you through the process.

SPEAKER_00 14:02

And you have someone on your team that does that as well, Dr. Josh?

SPEAKER_02 14:05

I do, yes.

SPEAKER_00 14:07

I assumed you probably did. He's like the what's up shop for the brain.

SPEAKER_02 14:13

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 14:14

I love it.

SPEAKER_02 14:14

Yeah, I mean, I'll put a plug-in for Mike Cohen. I've got a recent podcast interview for him, but I mean there are other good brain trainers out there.

SPEAKER_00 14:24

I love it. That's awesome. As we close this podcast, you've been just a wealth of knowledge, amazing. And one of the things that we always try to focus on is laughter and joy in the midst of this difficult season. And we think about Alzheimer's, you think about dementia, you know, as a whole, it's not easy. And so, what would be just maybe a uh story that you have that could just lift us up, uh, kind of you know, help the caregivers think about an oh another way to have a perspective of

Laughter and joy in Alzheimer’s care

SPEAKER_00 14:57

looking for the joy and laughter in this difficult season?

SPEAKER_02 15:01

Yeah, so I'll give one example. I have a patient who with Alzheimer's, she's getting better, but but she's not there yet. And at the end of every visit, she'll say, you know what, you know, the next time you're in Florida, you should, you know, you know, you should come visit. And and and when she says that, you know, I'll look around, I'll say, that's good, but there's one problem. We're we're already in Florida. And then so the last time she said, Well, good, come visit me now.

SPEAKER_00 15:32

So come see me now. So sweet. Well, we appreciate you. We're gonna have all your links down below. And is there anything else you'd like to leave with for a caregiver that might be watching, whether it's for their family or for themselves? Um, what would that piece of advice or that one thing you might want to leave them with today?

SPEAKER_02 15:56

Yeah, I I would I would basically say two things. Number one, there is hope. There's hope with Alzheimer's, or if if you're taking care of another chronic condition. But number number two would be to re-emphasize the self-compassion, because as adults, we are not designed to take care of another adult 24-7. It's just we're not wired that way. So if you find that you're overwhelmed instead of blaming yourself or blaming

Hope and self-compassion for caregivers

SPEAKER_02 16:26

someone else, as you said, seek out help. Um, because if and I've seen this so many times, what whether it's Alzheimer's or other chronic conditions, what tips people over into the disease is normally stress. So if we can't lower your stress as a caregiver, you're not going to be very effective lowering the stress of the person you're taking care of. So so yeah, so it would be hope and self-compassion.

SPEAKER_00 16:58

I love that. Thank you so much for being with us today.

SPEAKER_01 17:02

Oh my gosh, it's like I'm not scared about Alzheimer's anymore. And this was such a great conversation. So join us, dairy strongest senior eye on we laugh, we love, we dare we laugh so we don't cry. Join us.