"We fear Alzheimer's as we fear no other disease for two reasons. It is the only all one of the nation's ten most common causes of death for which there has been no effective treatment. And it is not only fatal: it robs its victims of their lives long before they are gone. But Dale E. Bredesen, MD, has turned the tables, showing that Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline can not only be prevented but, in many cases, reversed. Now, in this paradigm-shifting book, he brings hope, and the first good news, to Alzheimer's patients, with a new understanding of the disease and a new program they can put into effect themselves. Dr. Bredesen reveals that Alzheimer's is not one condition, as it is currently treated, but several. They are driven by different mechanisms and typically manifest in different ways and at different ages. But all are dramatically influenced by imbalances in thirty-six metabolic factors that can trigger "downsizing" in the brain. He then explains his research-based protocol, which addresses ways to rebalance these mechanisms by adjusting lifestyle factors; including micronutrients, hormone levels. stress, and sleep quality. He explores the critical role of diet in cognitive decline as well as the importance of autophagy, which involves a strict overnight fast. The results have been impressive. Of the first ten patients on the protocol, nine displayed significant improvement within three to six months; since then the protocol has yielded similar results with hundreds more. With wide-ranging patient stories that allow us to understand what it's like to recover when recovery is deemed impossible, and specific information that will help patients, caregivers, physicians, and treatment centers put the protocol into action, this book will fundamentally change how we treat, prevent, and even think about Alzheimer's disease."--Jacket.