Two Individuals Defy Alzheimer's: Lifestyle Changes Reverse or Halt Progression

Boca Raton, Florida, USA United States of America
Both individuals emphasized the importance of diet, exercise, stress reduction, and sleep optimization for brain health.
Cici Zerbe adopted a plant-based diet, regular exercise routine, group support sessions, yoga practice, and meditation regimen.
Simon Nicholls carried two copies of the APOE4 gene but managed to prevent Alzheimer's progression with lifestyle changes and preventative measures due to family history.
Two individuals, Cici Zerbe and Simon Nicholls, reported halting or reversing Alzheimer's disease progression through strict lifestyle changes.
Two Individuals Defy Alzheimer's: Lifestyle Changes Reverse or Halt Progression

In a series of surprising developments, two individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease have reported halting or even reversing its progression through strict lifestyle changes. The cases of Cici Zerbe and Simon Nicholls have gained attention due to their remarkable turnarounds.

Cici Zerbe, a participant in Dr. Dean Ornish's clinical trial, adopted a plant-based diet, regular exercise routine, group support sessions, yoga practice, and meditation regimen. After five years of abstaining from her favorite food – veal cutlets – she reported experiencing a reversal of symptoms.

Simon Nicholls carried two copies of the APOE4 gene, which significantly increases Alzheimer's risk. Despite this genetic predisposition, he managed to experience a remarkable turnaround after implementing lifestyle changes. In addition to diet and exercise, Nicholls took preventative measures due to his family history of heart diseases and dementia.

Nicholls underwent significant physical changes within nine weeks, losing 21 pounds with approximately 80 percent attributed to fat loss and gaining muscle mass. These improvements led to a major reduction in fasting blood sugar levels, preventing his progression towards diabetes.

Both individuals emphasized the importance of these preventative measures and lifestyle changes in managing Alzheimer's disease. Their stories add to the growing body of evidence supporting the potential benefits of diet, exercise, stress reduction, and sleep optimization for brain health.



Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • Check if there are any potential conflicts of interest with Dr. Dean Ornish and his clinical trial.
  • It is important to verify the accuracy of the reported reversal or halting of Alzheimer's disease in both individuals.

Sources

98%

  • Unique Points
    • Dr. Sanjay Gupta underwent an intensive exploration of his brain to obtain a complete story of it from his earliest days to present day.
    • Testing could give him a clearer idea of where he was headed and how to steer his path in the most favorable direction.
  • Accuracy
    • The documentary 'The Last Alzheimer's Patient' premieres on CNN on May 19, at 8 p.m. ET/PT and streams on MAX on June 18.
    • Cici Zerbe and Simon Nicholls claim to have reversed their Alzheimer's symptoms through lifestyle changes.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

97%

  • Unique Points
    • Cici Zerbe and Simon Nicholls, both Alzheimer’s sufferers, claim to have reversed their symptoms by adopting a plant-based diet, serious exercise routine, and wellness practices.
    • Cici Zerbe has not eaten her favorite food, veal cutlets, for five years.
    • Simon Nicholls is a participant in a clinical trial led by Dr. Dean Ornish exploring lifestyle changes on early dementia and mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s Disease.
    • Simon Nicholls has two copies of the APOE4 gene, which increases Alzheimer’s risk but experienced a remarkable turnaround after lifestyle changes.
    • Dr. Richard Isaacson was astonished by the disappearance of telltale Alzheimer’s biomarkers in just 14 months for Simon Nicholls.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article by David Landsel does not contain any formal fallacies. However, there are several informal fallacies present in the article. The author uses dichotomous depictions and appeals to authority throughout the article. Additionally, there is some inflammatory rhetoric used in the article.
    • A new CNN documentary, “The Last Alzheimer’s Patient,” features Cici Zerbe, who reported feeling “much better” after switching to a plant-based diet and adopting a serious exercise and wellness routine.
    • Zerbe, who confessed to missing her beloved veal cutlets — she hasn’t eaten her favorite food in five years, she said ”
    • Cici Zerbe saw her symptoms “reverse” after a series of lifestyle changes, according to a new documentary.
    • Gupta also interviewed another study participant, Simon Nicholls, who shared his own, similar experience.
    • In possession of two copies of the APOE4 gene, known to dramatically increase Alzheimer’s risk — Avengers star Chris Hemsworth is famously affected
    • Nicholls appeared to have found considerable motivation from previous experience with dementia in his family — his mother passed away from what was assumed to be Alzheimer’s in her 70s.
    • Isaacson said he was surprised to see Nicholls’ biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disappear in just a little over a year.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

80%

  • Unique Points
    • Two Alzheimer’s sufferers, Cici Zerbe and Simon Nicholls, claim to have halted or even reversed its progression through strict lifestyle changes.
    • Cici Zerbe experienced a reversal of symptoms after participating in Dr. Dean Ornish’s clinical trial which involves switching to a plant-based diet, doing regular exercise, group support, yoga and meditation.
    • Simon Nicholls carried two copies of the APOE4 gene, which heightens Alzheimer’s risk but experienced a remarkable turnaround after lifestyle changes.
    • Nicholls emphasized the importance of preventative measures due to family history of heart diseases and dementia.
    • Nicholls underwent significant physical changes, losing 21 pounds with approximately 80 percent attributed to fat and gained muscle mass within nine weeks.
    • Weight loss and muscle gain led to a major reduction in fasting blood sugar levels, halting his progression towards diabetes for Nicholls.
    • Nicholls also took matters into his own hands, incorporating additional interventions like stem cell injections and sauna rooms into his regimen.
  • Accuracy
    • Two Alzheimer's sufferers, Cici Zerbe and Simon Nicholls, claim to have halted or even reversed its progression through strict lifestyle changes.
  • Deception (25%)
    The article discusses the experiences of two Alzheimer's patients who claim to have halted or even reversed symptoms through lifestyle changes. The author, Noa Halff, does not disclose sources for the claims made in the article. There is a lack of peer-reviewed studies cited to support the claims made about these lifestyle changes and their impact on Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, while the article does mention that there are many factors that can contribute to Alzheimer's risk and progression, it heavily focuses on these two individual stories as evidence for the potential reversal of Alzheimer's through lifestyle changes.
    • Two Alzheimer's sufferers claim to have halted or even reversed its progression through strict yet straightforward lifestyle changes.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (95%)
    The author's assertions do not demonstrate any clear bias towards a specific political, religious, ideological or monetary position. However, the article does contain an excessive number of quotations from individuals who have experienced positive results from lifestyle changes to halt or reverse Alzheimer's symptoms. This disproportionately reflects a positive position on the effectiveness of these lifestyle changes.
    • Nicholls emphasized the importance of preventative measures, having witnessed first-hand the consequences of heart diseases and dementia within his own family
      • Two Alzheimers sufferers claim to have halted or even reversed its progression through strict yet straightforward lifestyle changes.
        • Zerbe expressed significant improvement, stating she's 'much better' since adopting the program
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        100%

        • Unique Points
          • Simon Nicholls, a 55-year-old entrepreneur, showed signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in his blood biomarkers.
          • His blood biomarkers indicating Alzheimer’s disease had disappeared within 14 months.
          • Dr. Richard Isaacson, director of research at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, was surprised by the results.
        • Accuracy
          No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        100%

        • Unique Points
          • Patient Simon Nicholls had signs of early Alzheimer’s disease as indicated by telltale blood biomarkers in his brain.
          • Dr. Richard Isaacson confirmed the disappearance of these signs after 14 months.
          • Nicholls made lifestyle changes including diet, exercise, stress reduction and sleep optimization as recommended by Dr. Isaacson.
          • He also took supplements and medications prescribed by his cardiologist to reduce Alzheimer’s risk.
          • Nicholls was motivated to make these changes due to having young children and a family history of Alzheimer’s disease, as he carried two copies of the APOE4 gene which increases the risk tenfold.
        • Accuracy
          No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication