new and quicker diagnostic test for Alzheimer's

This was just published in the British Medical Journal and reported on Medscape. This new test, according to the Medscape article , "is quick to use, examines ten different skills and reportedly detects 93% of Alzheimer's disease." The usual test given is known as the "Mini Mental State Examination" (MMSE) is only sensitive in 52% of cases. A nurse without experience working in memory clinics was able to evaluate the test as accurately as a specialist.

Worldwide 24 million people have dementia and it is estimated that the prevalence will double every 20 years. There is much that can be done to prevent Alzheimer's. More on that later.

Do Not Get The Swine Flu Vaccine!

My dear friend Edda West has been educating the public for over 20 years on the dangers of vaccinations. Much of the supposed safety of vaccines has no basis in scientific fact. The sheer number of vaccines- I believe it is 11- given to vulnerable infants starting at 2 months of age is of great concern. The link between measles vaccine and autism is also worrisome.

The business of making the swine flu vaccine is an industry with unlimited profit margin. It will be worth billions. It has however nothing to do with human health. In fact there is a dangerous additive to this vaccine that has triggered autoimmune disease. Please do your own research and by all means check out Edda's comprehensive website at vran.org

Fast ForWord Programme- exciting news for kids with learning problems

Thanks to my brother, Dr. Vince DeMarco for sharing the following information :"The Nature of Things was aired on Saturday, May 9th at 900am on CBC hosted by Norman Doidge. They showed the Fast ForWord program." According to Dr. Vince, this programme is so effective for ADD, slow learners and other learning problems, it has been adopted by many Ontario schools. Why are we using this technology everywhere?

The following is taken from their site at www.scilearn.com

The Fast ForWord® Program

The Fast ForWord program consists of a series of computer-delivered brain exercises to help educators improve academic achievement with a variety of student populations, meeting the individual needs and challenges of At-Risk, English Language Learners, and Special Education students.

When students can process more efficiently, every other instructional strategy a district invests in works better. Our results in schools throughout the country prove just that, with students achieving an average one- to two-year gain in reading skills in 8-12 weeks.

The Fast ForWord program is based on proven neuroscience research, validated by independent researchers, accepted by the scientific community, and most importantly, is school tested and district approved across the U.S. (and over 40 other countries).

losing inches instead of pounds

That so many women are permanently struggling with their weight is a sad commentary about our obsession with anorexic young models. I believe a high protein low carb diet is the best way to go. More important even then that is an exercise programme by Greer Childers called Body Flex. It helps you convert fat to muscle, is very easy to do, takes only 15 to 20 minutes a day, needs minimal equipment and best of all it works! Thanks Greer! See bodyflex.com

nutritional supplement big help for bipolar disorder

A recent study showed that a complex nutritional supplement can be immensely helpful for those that suffer from bipolar depression. The results of the study can be seen in the following news clip on global TV Edmonton. See truehope.com for further information

loss of smell early sign in 90% of Parkinson's patients

A certain type of sleep disorder, decline in sense of smell and depression may not only be preclinical signs of Parkinson's disease (PD)- they may be part of the disease itself.

"About 90% of patients have impaired olfactory function", says Dr. Harold Roberston, professor of pharmacology at Dalhousie Univeristy in an article in the Medical Post in April 2009.

Roberton is using a smell test known as the Univeristy of Pennsylvania smell test (UPSIT) to screen brothers and sisters of PD patients, If they have a decline in the sense of smell, they do a MRI and look at the olfactory tract to see if there are any changes.

It is still too non- specific to use as a screening test for Parkinson's. But certainly a symptom worth paying attention to if it does occur.

Essential oils that may help with loss of smells include basil, peppermint. rosemary, frankincense and golden rod. To order pure oils see my website drdemarco.com

Battling opiods bad rap

This is the title of an excellent article in the Medical Post dated April 21 2009. It is written by Dr. Roman D. Jovey, Program Director, CPM Centres for Pain Management. He quotes Henry Louis Mencken saying, " For every complex problem there is a simple solution...and it is usually wrong."

"Simple solutions for complex medical problems such as chronic pain rarely work, Jovey goes on to say, " rarely work. Simply banning or restricting certain opioids would likely cause great harm to the majority of people with pain who use opiods responsibly...

About 10 % of people will misuse the medications, that leaves a possible 90% improperly treated for severe pain.

"However ," continues Jovey, "what pain clinicians hear from our patients affllicted with intractable pain is that properly prescribed opiod medications in fact give them back their jobs, improve family relationships and enhance their quality of life by controlling their pain."