The effects of ginkgo biloba on dementia have been demonstrated many times before. In 1997, the very first year of my newsletter, I posted a study from JAMA that showed clear evidence that Ginkgo is helpful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

But this new study is yet another sign that conventional medicine is finally starting to acknowledge and appreciate all the benefits alternative treatments provide.

I wonder, however, if the beneficial effects of Aricept on study patients was a statistical aberration, or product of a serious conflict of interested researcher, considering cholinesterase inhibitors like Aricept, Reminyl and Exelon have been found to be beneficial for only 20 percent of Alzheimer's patients.

Alzheimer's is a sad and devastating disease. It is expected to triple over the next generation, so it will undoubtedly be a huge problem worldwide -- one that is far easier to prevent than to treat.

Fortunately, with Alzheimer's you do have some options. Ginkgo is merely one of several natural, safer treatments to beat Alzheimer's. Some of the rest include:

• Following the nutrition plan, paying special attention to avoiding sugar.
• Eating a healthy diet, rich in folate.
• Taking a high-quality fish or krill oil daily.
• Avoiding flu vaccinations.
• Starting an exercise program.
• Challenging your mind.
• Removing mercury from your body

In the Vital Votes section, Chip Engelmann, a nutrionist from the town of Indiana, Pennsylvania, has some interesting comments. While I agree with them I have yet to find a glyconutrient that was not sold from a multi-level company. I do not agree with that form of distribution and could never advocate anyone purchase them because of the seriously inflated prices:

"I have found two products that have a significant effect on extreme memory loss/dementia ... I choose to use these products with my clients because they work -- this is not a sales ad.

"The first is glyconutrients. Glyconutrients  are sugars that, depending on their arrangement on the exterior of the cell (think amino acid structures in DNA), are responsible for intercellular communication -- transmitting the needs of the cells. In essence, they make every cell perform better. It is hypothesized that how it works with memory loss/dementia is that it supports rerouting of neural pathways. What we've found in practice is that the client reverts to a lesser level of symptoms and stabilizes.

"Another product we've found useful is a lava-based zeolite. This has the properties of removing heavy metals, but unlike EDTA does not remove magnesium and calcium, etc. This is very useful in our area where we have the #2 and #8 rank mercury producing coal power plants in the country."

Other responses to this article can likewise be viewed at Vital Votes. If you want to add your own comment or vote on what other people have said, you can do so by first registering.