Finding “Yoyu” [Excerpt 25]

At lunchtime, I took Otosan a tray with sweet bean buns and tea to wash down his afternoon medication. He wolfed down the buns within minutes. I was grateful he was so easy to cook for and please!

Even though he was happy with the bean buns, I knew it wasn’t a healthy lunch. I knew that all that sugar was not good for anyone. The more I read about Alzheimer’s, the more I suspected that Otosan’s addiction to sugar and ability to eat a whole bag of candy in one sitting was probably related to his dementia. Or vice versa.

Allowing Otosan to indulge in so much sugar weighed on me. However, I couldn’t convince him of any reason not to eat it. He was not overweight and unbelievably, nor was he diabetic. And besides, it was so much easier for me, and he was so much happier eating those sweet bean buns for lunch.

Listen to the latest excerpt above to learn about one of the ways I tried to change Otosan’s diet.

If you missed any of the previous excerpts, you can find the playlist here.

Resources

Today, I know there are a number of things we could have done differently with Otosan and especially his diet. I wish I knew then about some of the great resources available today. I’ve listed a few below.

Dr. George M. Mufarreh

Mufarreh Wellness Institute
If you want to consult with someone about what you can do to prevent and even reverse Alzheimer’s, my brother-in-law helps individuals and families who are struggling with cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. He uses the reCODE program developed by Dr. Bredesen.

Dr. Dale Bredesen

Dr. Bredesen’s book, The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline, is a must-read. Technical in some parts, but worth reading because his reCODE program has been successful. For my Japanese friends, be sure to look for the Japanese translation – アルツハイマー病 真実と終焉 “認知症1150万人”時代の革命的治療プログラム.
See all of Dr. Bredesen’s books available on Amazon
Learn more about Dr. Bredesen here

Dr. Mary T. Newport

The book I mentioned in the video – What If There Was A Cure?: The Story of Ketones. She has a new book that I haven’t read yet, but I bet it’s good. For my Japanese friends, look for the translation – アルツハイマー病が劇的に改善した! 米国医師が見つけたココナツオイル驚異の効能.
See all of Dr. Newport’s books available on Amazon in English

Dave Asprey

Dave Asprey has a wealth of information on how to biohack your body. The interview with Dr. Newport I mentioned in the excerpt was episode #13 from December 2, 2011, and SO many things have changed since then!
Mary Newport: How To Upgrade Your Brain with Coconut Oil & Ketones – #13

Dave’s “Bulletproof Coffee” is something I’ve continued making for myself. I had one for breakfast this morning!
Dave Asprey’s Bulletproof Coffee Recipe

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About the book, Finding “Yoyu”

A few years ago, we moved my husband’s parents from a rural part of Japan to live with us in Tokyo in our tiny 800 square foot (73 square-meter) condo. My book, Finding “Yoyu,” is about what it took to decide to move them. It’s also about navigating the Japanese health care system and finding an appropriate nursing home for my mother-in-law while helping my father-in-law transition from a lifetime of farming to retirement in the big city. It’s about how we discovered he had Alzheimer’s and my husband had stage 3 colon cancer. It’s about how I managed to support these two men and keep (or find!) my yoyu all while going through a career change.