A diet consisting of certain vegetables and berries has allegedly cured 82-year-old Sylvia Hatzner of dementia, with the help of her son.
Mark Hatzer, her son, wrote in a blog that the diet did indeed work and he got his mom back, but experts are questioning Sylvia's method and whether this could ultimately be the treatment needed to help others that suffer from this condition.
Sylvia's Story
Dementia is a brain disease that can cause a long-term effect on a person's ability to think and function daily. Mark stated that he began to notice the change in his mother's behavior three years ago. His mother would forget birthdays and engagements she made with friends. Sylvia was then diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in December 2016.
Mark stated that he hit a devastating low blow when his mother couldn't recognize him.
"When my mum was in hospital she thought it was a hotel - but the worst one she had ever been in. She didn't recognise me and phoned the police as she thought she'd been kidnapped," Mark wrote.
A Son's Fight For His Mom
Mark lost his father in 1986 due to a heart attack and his brother in 1977, and claims he is very close to his mother. He stated that he and Sylvia came up with a diet plan together to help combat the illness affecting her. The foods the pair chose were mainly "brain-busting" foods that are known to stimulate the brain.
The diet that Mark and Sylvia created to help treat Sylvia's condition is closely similar to a Mediterranean diet. Mark wrote that his mother stuck to eating berries, leafy vegetables (such as kale, spinach broccoli), sweet potatoes, and oats. He continued that his mother stayed away from fatty or processed foods, but as a treat she would eat dark chocolate.
Sticking to this diet, along with engaging into some cognitive exercises such as puzzles, exercise, and going to social gatherings, helped drastically improve her condition according to Mark.
A Call For More Proof
While many experts who have read Sylvia's story of triumph commend Mark for taking the steps necessary to help his mother, they still want to see scientific proof that this can ultimately cure dementia or Alzheimer's.
"But eating a healthy, balanced diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and stroke, so it's likely eating healthily is a good way to look after the health of your brain too," Dr. Doug Brown from the Alzheimer's Society stated.
