Past vs going forward (alcohol in particular)

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kellipsf
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Past vs going forward (alcohol in particular)

Post by kellipsf »

Hello! I've been off/on this site since I discovered I had the A/4 gene 5 years ago. My father has since died of AD and my grandmother (maternal side) died from AD as well. Both were in their early 80's. Determined to not be consumed by the news I also possibly ignored a major contributor to AD's development: alcohol. I've been a very social/business drinker since I turned 18 - almost 40 years ago. At the age of 56, I've now deeply rabbit-holed on the studies that project even 1 drink/mo. to contribute to the development with the A/4 gene. Hormonal changes are what led me to a book on the topic of hormones and the sentence "stop drinking if you carry APOE4".

My question: other than all of these studies, does anyone have any direct experience themselves and any suggested channels to understand if there is plaque build-up? I am in the challenging process of eliminating alcohol at social events (vacations are the hardest) but wonder just how much damage has been done and if there are truly ways to understand and reverse it (choline, etc.).

Many many thanks for any experienced insights in advance! I've got some positive lifestyle factors (thin, healthy eater, very physically active, best friend is a dog :-)) and some negative (high stress jobs, not enough sleep, live alone) but will course correct going forward. And if anyone else is freaked out by a similar situation, would love to hear from you too. It feels a little shameful to be posting a less than glowing health background on this site.
TLS
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Re: Past vs going forward (alcohol in particular)

Post by TLS »

I don't have personal stories regarding alcohol and alzheimer's, but do have a personal story of breast cancer to which alcohol is a well studied risk factor. That led to lifestyle changes and a drastic reduction in alcohol. I do however still drink socially and allow myself a measured dose once a week. This is a balance I am willing to live with as I think there is a difference between a small amount of alcohol and a large amount.
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Tincup
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Re: Past vs going forward (alcohol in particular)

Post by Tincup »

I quit drinking some time ago because of the impact even minor amounts of alcohol has on my sleep quality. Huberman's podcasts are always science based. This is one on alcohol for all, not just E4's. There are links to studies in the notes. This reinforced my decision to quit.
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Re: Past vs going forward (alcohol in particular)

Post by Nords »

kellipsf wrote: Fri Sep 02, 2022 8:58 pmDetermined to not be consumed by the news I also possibly ignored a major contributor to AD's development: alcohol. I've been a very social/business drinker since I turned 18 - almost 40 years ago.
Why set yourself up?

My father was a classic 1950s social drinker, and when he developed early-stage Alzheimer’s he insisted on continuing to live independently (alone). I figured out (in retrospect) that his afternoon drink with poor short-term memory turned into a succession of drinks until he passed out in his recliner later in the evening, waking up late the next morning.

Eventually his chronic overdoses of alcohol (and malnutrition) burned a hole in his duodenum and put him in the emergency room of his local hospital at midnight. After the surgeon saved Dad’s life, they found my phone number in his wallet and called me to ask if he was an alcoholic. The surgeon said that his peritoneal cavity was awash in alcohol from the duodenum leak, which at least sterilized the area. There was no evidence that Dad had eaten during the day.

From Dad’s credit-card charge records, I was able to reconstruct that he must have been drinking at least a pint a day of Wild Turkey or Early Times. Or both.

I started drinking alcohol at age 13, and by the time I reached my 40s I’d drunk my lifetime quota (and most of yours, too). My last alcohol was late February 2011 (a few days before the surgeon’s phone call). By that point I was already a little chagrined at how two beers with dinner could shut me down for the rest of the evening, disturb my sleep at night, and slow my ability to train taekwondo. When I decided to stop drinking I quickly lost ten pounds. My sleep and health improved.

It took about five years to completely lose interest in drinking alcohol. I kept telling myself that I was no longer someone who drank it. I used to be tempted by beer commercials or the smell of spicy food, but I’ve broken those associations.
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Re: Past vs going forward (alcohol in particular)

Post by TCHC »

I recently read a great book: The Easy Way to Stop Drinking by Allen Carr.
I wasn't even thinking of stopping completely myself although like you, I have tried to cut down during some hormone changes. I'm peri menopausal.
I was actually only reading it to see if I could recommend it to a client who has been advised to stop by his FM Practitioner.
Well, I read it. And just stopped. Just like that. I've not even thought about it since.
I think it had a big impact on me because it comes at the topic a number of different ways and the thing that really landed with me was some of the things it said that really aligned with how I feel about processed food. I don't eat that stuff. So why would I drink alcohol.
Like I say, it does come at it a few different ways. Give it a go. See how you feel after reading it.
Let me know.
By the way, it's a really short book, an easy read.
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