Integrating Ayurvedic principles with Functional Medicine diagnostic tools alongside dietary & lifestyle protocols, offers a significant opportunity to reduce neurodegenerative changes in the brain.
No two individuals with a diagnosis of Dementia will have the same causative factors. Both will have different personalities, had exposure to different diets, lifestyles, stress and work patterns. This is why The Murthy Clinic treats everyone as an individual. Each patient will be assessed to understand their unique profile from an Ayurvedic perspective known as ‘Prakruthi’ allowing Dr Vijay Murthy to map out a personalised disease development algorithm (Samprapthi) to further individualise treatment strategies. These may include dietary changes, life style practices, mental resilience techniques, nutritional supplements or Ayurvedic cleansing and rejuvenatory therapies.
When we as individuals operate from at optimal capacity there is less chance for even genetic vulnerability to manifest, which is why the insights gained through Functional Medicine lab testing allow Dr Vijay Murthy and the team to accurately assess any risk factors from current metabolic, gut health, hormones and nutritional status, allowing for fine tuning of all treatment approaches to you as an individual.
Even when a patient is undergoing conventional medical treatment for Dementia, integrating a Functional Medicine & Ayurvedic approach, where appropriate, will provide a 360 degree view, giving your body and brain the highest opportunity to function optimally.
Although commonly seen in the elderly, Dementia is not entirely age-dependent nor is it inevitable. The Murthy Clinic understands it is vitally important to appreciate and utilise the protective and preventative benefits that a brain healthy diet and lifestyle can offer.
Understanding our metabolic status, inflammation, impact of stress on the nervous system and the toxic burden on us as an individual through functional testing, can be of immense value in a Dementia diagnosis. This will be even more valuable to know when there is a family history of Dementia, allowing you to assess your current risk factors.
There is evidence to show that an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory rich diet combined with regular exercise can reduce the risk for Dementia at any age. Epigenetic factors including stress reduction, good quality sleep, avoiding smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, alongside regular activities to keep the intellect stimulated with a social life to maintain connection in the wider community, can collectively aid in preventing Dementia.
While Alzheimer’s remains the most common form of Dementia, it exists in different forms. Conditions resulting in reduced blood flow to the brain such as strokes, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease or ageing related hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), can also cause Vascular Dementia.
Accumulation of abnormal protein deposits called Lewy Bodies can cause Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), often having symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s.
Degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain results in Frontotemporal Dementia, which can lead to personality changes and difficulty with language.
Memory loss, slow thinking and difficulty solving problems can also occur as one of the less known symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Regardless of the form of Dementia, oxidative stress, gut-brain barrier disturbances, a poor gut microbiome, inflammation, stress and exposure to toxic elements can often be the underlying drivers of the symptoms we see and feel. This is why a diagnosis of Dementia from your GP does not mean the end and is also why you should consider using Functional Medicine with Ayurveda to investigate how you as an individual can remain healthy, optimistic and work towards better brain health.
Functional Medicine does not define a person by symptoms but rather understands that we are all bio-individual, there is no one-size fits all approach to healing, meaning your treatment path will be specifically tailored to you. In combining nutrition, lifestyle and mental health, the ultimate goal is to create a bullet-proof system that functions optimally. This is Why Dr Vijay Murthy incorporates Functional Medicine, a medical model rooted in science alongside Ayurveda, both of which aim to get to the very root of the problem or disease.
