1 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 1: Welcome Math to Wellness Unmasked doctor Nicol Saftmeier, and this 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: is your weekly rundown for it this week. Well, a 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: lot of big things happening at the FDA with new 4 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: FDA Commissioner, doctor Marty Mcarey. And one of the big 5 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: things to come out of the FDA this week is 6 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:18,119 Speaker 1: a new FDA proved blood test for the early detection 7 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: of Alzheimer's. Now, this test was actually able to be 8 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: expedited in its approval because it is similar to an 9 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: existing blood test on the market. But what is different 10 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: with this blood test is it's looking at the ratio 11 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: between the amyloid and the tau proteins, and this plasma 12 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: ratio test is designed for the early detection of amyloid 13 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 1: plaques that are associated with Alzheimer's disease. The existing test 14 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: on the market is a blood test, but it was 15 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 1: also needing to be used in conjunction with more expensive 16 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: and invasive methodologies like pet slash, CT scans or lumbar 17 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: punctures to look at spinal fluid. This blood test is 18 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: designed to be a standalone test, so if it is positive, 19 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: the assumption can be that the pay has Alzheimer's disease. Now, 20 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: this is not being recommended as a screening test for 21 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 1: everyone to see if they have Alzheimer's disease. What it's 22 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 1: approved for is an adult's age fifty five and older 23 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: who are starting to show signs and symptoms of the conditions, 24 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: specifically memory loss, word finding difficulties. At this point, after 25 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 1: you have been recommended to see a neurologist, the neurologists 26 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 1: can decide whether or not the patient qualifies for this 27 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: blood test. This new test is exciting because it allows 28 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: for early detection, and the benefit of early detection is 29 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: early intervention. So this new test follows the recent FDA 30 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: approval of two medications which are being shown to be 31 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 1: highly effective in removing amyloid from the brain. Clinical trials 32 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: have shown that these treatment may be able to actually 33 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: slow the progression of dementia. Ten years ago, Alzheimer's was 34 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: thought as having no hope, but now there is hope. 35 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: Not only now do we have treatments that are approving 36 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: the life expectancy and the quality of life of these patients. 37 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: This blood test gives us the ability for early detection, 38 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: and as you have heard me say at nauseum, early 39 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: detection saves lives, not just in cancer care or cardiovascular disease, 40 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,639 Speaker 1: but also when it comes to Alzheimer's. At this point, 41 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: given that there is no specific treatment indicated for someone 42 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: who's asymptomatic, who meaning who doesn't have any symptoms of Alzheimer's, 43 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 1: it's not recommended to get the blood test because if 44 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: you have a positive blood test but you have no symptoms, 45 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 1: then at that point we may be introducing psychological harm 46 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: and worry and anxiety of what the future might bring. 47 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: So as I recommend to everyone, there are healthy approaches 48 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: to lifestyle that remains central to how we should be 49 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: living to maintain our brain health and do everything we 50 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 1: can to decrease our risk of dementia. The biggest thing 51 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,519 Speaker 1: with that is eating healthy, eating diets that are high 52 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 1: in omega three fatty acids like Mediterranean diets high in 53 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: fish and eggs and other things. You also want to 54 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: make sure that you are exercising. Increasing that blood float 55 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: of the brain is crucial for making sure that your 56 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: brain is healthy. Prioritizing your sleep. If you are not 57 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 1: getting adequate sleep, your brain is suffering. I promise you. 58 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: You also want to make sure you're engaging in social activities, 59 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: and that doesn't mean being on your phone, especially not 60 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 1: on social media. You need to have face to face 61 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: interaction with people, challenge your brain puzzles, learning a new language, 62 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: doing anything, gardening, being outdoors. And also you want to 63 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: protect your hearing. Did you know that if you have 64 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: difficulty hearing, that causes a sense of isolation that also 65 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: increases your risk of dementia. And as you know, I 66 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 1: love natural herbs, so in supplements in general, so coline 67 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: is one of the best things for your brain. My 68 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:39,119 Speaker 1: family gets a ton of colin in our daily egg consumption. 69 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: Creating is tried and true. It is good for not 70 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: only building lean muscle, but also for your cognitive health. 71 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 1: And some specific herbs like bacoba, monieri, ginseng, giggle baloba, rosemary, 72 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: stage these are all good things for your brain. So 73 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: don't spend your time worrying about dementia. Do everything you 74 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: can to prevent dementia and keep your brain as health 75 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: as possible. And if you are starting to have symptoms, 76 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: go see a doctor. You may qualify for this blood test. 77 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,119 Speaker 1: Another big thing that came out of the FDA this week, 78 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: which I'm very excited about, is the fact that the 79 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: COVID vaccines will removed from the recommended vaccine schedule in 80 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 1: healthy young kids as well as pregnant patients. Now, while 81 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: I'm very excited to get into the details on why 82 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 1: this occurred, we are lucky enough to have doctor Marty mcarey, 83 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 1: the new FDA Commissioner. He is going to sit down 84 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 1: with us on Wellness on Mass next week and we 85 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: are diving into exactly what happened to make this decision, 86 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 1: whether it was reviewing old data or if there's new 87 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: data that we don't even know about. That is an 88 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 1: interview with doctor Marty McCarey. You do not want to miss. 89 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to Wellness Unmasks on America's number one 90 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 1: podcast network, iHeart. Follow Wellness on Mass with doctor Nicole 91 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: Sathfire and start listening on the free iHeartRadio app, Apple 92 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts, and we'll catch 93 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: you next time.