Testimonial: Alzheimer’s Improvement With Coconut Oil

Testimonial written by: Marie Nowak MD

Dear Robb and Squatchy,

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Marie Nowak. I feel like I already know you because I listen to your Paleo podcast. I’m writing to tell you that I believe in coconut oil.

I was a chemistry major in college and went straight on to Medical school at Indiana University. My interest in food and its effect on the human body started when I attended a boarding school for high school. I could eat carbs for every meal and snack. An after lunch slump I thought was a mental block against Physics, I now see was a fried carbs/sugar slump.

During Medical school my interest in biochemistry and how food could affect the body peaked. More than one person convinced me that Cheetos, pizza, and raw veggies could sustain humans with no  affect on survival….

Enter my muscle brain Crossfit trainer, who gave me one of your books. Imagine my surprise when your book opened my mind to the Paleo world of eating. I didn’t know my enthusiastic former marine trainer could read; I’m just an Emergency Department doctor, and your biochemistry is over my head.

I travel as a locum tenins ER Doctor and I downloaded your podcast to help me understand the Paleo way of eating.
You have helped me answer a lot of questions and connect a lot of dots……fatty liver, diabetes…and beyond. Thank you. And beyond.

In one of your podcasts, you discussed with your guest the benefits of coconut oil. My trainer told me I must use it, but I didn’t listen, after all, he was my strong but muscle brained friend. In this podcast, you mentioned that everyone knows coconut oil can really help people with Alzheimer’s…..what? I didn’t know this!

Over the past few years, my mom has been nearly destroyed by Alzheimer’s. My husband and I moved in with her because she lost the ability to care for herself. My husband helped her through some really lean times. Mom, 4’11” went from 125# to 95#. She lost interest in eating anything. She would chew and spit food.
I begged her physician for another pill. We tried pills for Alzheimer’s, pills, patches, and appetite stimulants. I would sit at her bedside crying. She was starving to death. My husband spent more than one day offering her a sip of Mountain Dew (her favorite) every 15 min, hoping to keep her alive until I arrived home from my locums trip.

You explained how coconut oil plumps up the brain cells allowing the synapses to connect. I must admit, I never thought it would work but I didn’t have much to loose. Your words lit up in my brain… “Their brain cells are starving!”

Within days of adding coconut oil to her diet her thoughts improved. She went from not knowing she was in a car to being critical of my driving again!

My husband and I are believers. How can I thank you for suggesting something so simple that has greatly improved her quality of life! We mixed it in her Mayonnaise because not trying it was not an option.

When one has severe dementia, even a little bit of improvement is HUGE. She still doesn’t remember the neighbor’s kids’ name but at least she doesn’t take her pants off and walk outside into the cold Chicago winter night. Recently she made us wait as she had to put on her lipstick to go out to pay the water bill! Thank you Jesus! I’m a believer in coconut oil.

In the scientific community, this is anecdotal, but it has improved the quality of life for my mom and her caregivers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thanks for helping my mom. As she would say, “God Bless You!”

Keep the faith! Love you lots!!!!!
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
Marie Nowak MD

Squatchy

Christopher Williams (a.k.a. Squatchy) is a paleo aficionado, educator, personal trainer, wellness coach, and hobbyist chef. He also works as part of the Robb Wolf team.