Saturday, December 24, 2011

Are there benefits of eating fish, antioxidant vitamins,Vitamin E, B, B12, and Vitamin C to help prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease? Are stress and aluminum possible contributory factors to the onset of Alzheimer's disease in some people?

YES!!!


Here are some web sites you can refer to!













Exercise may help reduce your risk of Alzheimer's!

Evidence and studies have shown that regular exercise may be beneficial in lowering your risk of developing Alzheimer's and dementia!

Here are some web sites you can refer to!

http://www.alz.org/research/science/alzheimers_prevention_and_risk.asp


http://www.helpguide.org/elder/alzheimers_prevention_slowing_down_treatment.htm


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4616502.stm


http://www.alzinfo.org/08/treatment-care/diet-exercise-health

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

In Loving Memory of Joan Susan Lyle



My mom died of Alzheimer's at the age of 74 on November 23, 2003 in Buffalo, Wyoming where I live now.  She was born May 28, 1929 in San Francisco and was the daughter of Clarence and Marion Grace Kretchmer.  She was raised in Belvedere, California, attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, and graduated from the University of California-Berkeley in 1952 with a bachelor of arts degree in English Literature.  In 1951 she was married to Elmer Austin McCallum Jr. for a short time.  By 1956 she married Gale Harding Lyle and moved to Tyler Texas for a short time and then resided in Park Ridge, Il where they had 3 children, John, Bev, and myself, Norb.  By 1991, she was diagnosed with the onset of Alzheimer's disease.  In the year 2000, Joan moved to Buffalo, Wyoming.

My mom was such a wonderful loving person.  She supported me in everything I ever did, good or bad.  She loved her children so much too, it was sometimes too much!  I personally wish I would've relished and soaked up more of that love she was giving to me on a daily basis!  Only if we all would've known what was really happening!

She was a very accomplished musician, singer, artist, writer, and swimmer!  She also studied and played the pipe organ throughout her college years.  Everything she loved doing, she had a passion for. I think this gift she gave me, and I'm very grateful for it.  I love you mom!

Joan struggled with this awful disease for a very long time.  We now believe her struggle started in her 50's.  In the 1980's there wasn't a lot of information of Alzheimer's, so we just didn't know.  At first, we all thought that it was "just mom", but as time went on it was clear that something else was going on that my sister, brother and myself couldn't quite grasp.  It was developing so slowly!  When we finally found out the outcome, we were kind of in shock and didn't know what to do.  Alzheimer's is such an "unfair" disease.  Joan was basically robbed out of being a grandmother to her 6 grandchildren.

I truly wish that we find out a cure for this disease because it's just so devastating to everyone involved.

Thank you for reading.  May God bless you all.

Monday, December 19, 2011

What is Alzheimer's?

Quoted directly from the Alzheimer's website,  "Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that damages and eventually destroys brain cells, leading to loss of memory, thinking and other brain functions. Alzheimer's is not a part of normal aging, but results from a complex pattern of abnormal changes. It usually develops slowly and gradually gets worse as more brain cells wither and die. Ultimately, Alzheimer's is fatal, and currently, there is no cure.
But there is a worldwide research effort underway to develop a new generation of more effective treatments. The Alzheimer's Association is moving this research initiative forward by funding scientists who are searching for more answers and new treatments, collaborating with stakeholders, and raising the visibility of Alzheimer's as a global health challenge.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, a general term used to describe various diseases and conditions that damage brain cells. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 50 to 80 percent of dementia cases. Other types include vascular dementia, mixed dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia."  http://www.alz.org/

What are the Symptoms?

Quoted again from the Alzheimer's website,
"Scientists have identified several hallmark Alzheimer's brain abnormalities, including:
  • Plaques, microscopic clumps of a protein called beta-amyloid peptide
  • Tangles, twisted microscopic strands of the protein tau (rhymes with "wow")
  • Loss of connections among brain cells responsible for memory, learning and communication. These connections, or synapses, transmit information from cell to cell.
  • Inflammation resulting from the brain's effort to fend off the lethal effects of the other changes under way
  • Eventual death of brain cells and severe tissue shrinkage
All these processes have a devastating impact on the brain, and over time, the brain shrinks dramatically, affecting nearly all its functions." http://www.alz.org/

Sunday, December 18, 2011

The HURL 50K





My first 50K!  Helena, Montana  The H.U.R.L. 50K  August 6th, 2011

I'm pretty proud, but really humbled by it all - the people, the commitment, the volunteers, and all the runners!  My whole knowledge of "running" in general, has been turned completely upside down and inside out.  These ultra runners are a very special breed - I love em!
My family being there too, I was truly moved.  Wow, what a feeling!  I want more!

Read about my whole experience during this race (and more of all races) at Runrace.net at:

http://www.runrace.net/runreports.php                  


Donated: $100.00  12/19/11

Why 100 by 100?

The plan is to run 100 Ultra Marathons by 100 years of age !


Plus.....


In every Ultra I run, I personally donate $100.00 to the Alzheimer's Association to help in their continued research in finding a cure for this dreadful disease.  During training and at the Ultra runs I plan to help make aware of Alzheimer's and its effects on the afflicted and families.  I will be running with specially designed running shirts and visors to help in this process.  Since I am 54 now and have run 2 Ultras so far in 2011, I will need to run an average of at least 2 Ultras per year for a total of $10,000.00 donated.


It would be fantastic if more people could help me achieve this goal by contributing whatever they can to this Association at  http://alzorg/greatplains/in_my_community_donate.asp

whenever possible too! I invite all to share their Ultra running experiences or just running in general, and information they might have on Alzheimer's itself on this blog as well!  Lets all help to make a huge awareness! 


At the Alzheimer's Website I hope to have a personal "ongoing event" that is labeled the same as this blog, "100 by 100" so it is kind of linked to the blog, so to speak.  We'll see how that goes.  


...... and for the most important of all......


Running has given me so much in my life.  Running now for nearly 40 years I've struggled with the fact lately that I have never really put all this running to good use -   for a good cause, and to help people in some way!  I think I've finally found a way that would continue till my dying day.  My mother, Joan Lyle died from this disease which robbed her of so much in her life. She suffered from this disease starting in her 50's and finally succumbed to it at 74 years of age.  This was the most dreadful part - seeing our own mother slowly losing all abilities to function on her own.  This is such a horrible and "not fair in any way shape or form" type of disease!  My mom was basically robbed of being a grandmother.  She had a total 6 grandchildren.  We have to try to help stop this disease.  


I will be posting all my Ultras that I've run so far this year with (hopefully) pictures etc. and continue this as long as I can put one leg in front of another!


Please help in any way shape or form!  Thank you all so much!















Friday, December 16, 2011

100 Ultras by age 100

I have been a runner for most of my life.  Going on now almost 40 years.  I couldn't bear to live without running.  Running has given me so much in my like so far, I can't begin to describe in a short paragraphs alone.  I am now 54 years old, and have been struggling for a while with the fact that I haven't done anything positive to help the world in any way with all this running I do.  

I lost my Mother in 2003 to Alzheimer's.  In case you don't know, this is a disease that affects 5 million Americans, has no cure and is a progressive disease which leads to death.  Since if affects the brain, a person eventually in the later stages has to completely depend upon a caregiver to help with all simple tasks of daily living.  It is said it will affect 1 in 85 people worldwide by 2050.