My Mom – Alzheimer’s-Parkinson’s-Purpose

Welcome to my blog!  You will find two versions here:  the long one and the short one.  Scroll down to the page-break for the shorter one.

THE LONG ONE

My dear sweet mother, whom I loved with all my heart and soul, died on July 30, 2025. She loved her husband, her six children, and her fifty plus “grands” and great-grandchildren more than life itself.  She was ninety-three years old, and that hideous disease that steals your dignity and eats away at your mind—Alzheimer’s—took her life.

Alzheimer’s has been a part of my life since I was the tender age of eight. My maternal grandmother had Alzheimer’s, and by the age of seventy (younger than I am now), she didn’t know her name, what gender she was, that she was supposed to wear clothes—and she didn’t know me. She had been my hero. She was my rock. And then she didn’t even know what a rock was.

Then it was my great-aunt. Then my cousin. Then my aunt. Then another cousin. Then my friend. And on and on. Alzheimer’s was everywhere. And it looked like I was in line to get it.

One in nine people over the age of sixty-five has Alzheimer’s. The majority are women. I was at an event with a couple hundred young-at-heart senior women, and we counted off by nines. The first eight remained seated, and the ninth stood up. What a powerful visual it was to see all those standing women—each one representing someone who could have Alzheimer’s. Especially if you were one of the ones standing!

Alzheimer’s is one of the top five leading causes of death, and the number of cases has more than doubled between 2000 and 2021. There are currently approximately 55 million individuals with Alzheimer’s. That number is projected to reach 82 million by 2030, and 152 million by 2050. Math is not my forte, but even I can see the odds go way up from that “one in nine” exercise.

Who is going to take care of all of these people? How will this impact the economy and our healthcare system? How will this alter your life and your plans—and those of your family?

But enough doom and gloom. I started seriously researching Alzheimer’s about twenty years ago when I was fifty-one, and I discovered something extraordinary: some people are actually getting better and reversing the disease. I also learned that Alzheimer’s starts forming twenty to thirty years (or more) before memory loss begins—and that there are preventative measures.

As a tribute to my beautiful mother, I want to shout from the rooftops and teach people that there is hope for this heinous affliction—and that the time to start is now.

Some functional medicine professionals have even dubbed Alzheimer’s “Type 3 Diabetes.” In layman’s terms, sugar is one of the core issues. Sugar can be controlled by diet. I’m oversimplifying, of course, but there are excellent bestselling books by respected doctors like Dale Bredesen, MD; Mary T. Newport, MD; and Heather Sandison, ND, who explain the benefits of ketosis and dietary interventions for Alzheimer’s—and the shocking, positive transformations they’ve witnessed and documented.

While researching Alzheimer’s and taking courses on the disease, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease four years ago. The doctors told me there was no cure and that slowly, I would get worse and worse. But naturally—having discovered people making progress with Alzheimer’s—I sought out a better prognosis for Parkinson’s as well.

What I discovered is that some people have healed from Parkinson’s Disease. I’ve read their books, met the doctor, and taken the classes. Dr. Greg Eckel wrote Shake It Off: An Integrative Approach to Parkinson’s Solutions. His new book is due out next year. There is hope—even in the face of dire predictions.

I’ve seen sources claim that Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing neurological disease on the planet—approaching pandemic proportions. The number of people with Parkinson’s is expected to double by 2050, which means around 25 million people  could have the disease.

One article stated that 1 in 15 will develop Parkinson’s. They compared it to 1 in 100 who will die in a car accident. They wrote, “There are seat belts and airbags for cars, but for Parkinson’s, as of now, there isn’t much.”

But what we do know about Parkinson’s—according to the Michael J. Fox Foundation and many functional and naturopathic doctors—is that it is believed to be caused by environmental toxins. In fact, there are messages circulating that an official announcement is imminent, confirming that Parkinson’s is caused by these “killer” toxins: toxins in our air, our food, our water, and even our personal care products.

The good news? We can do something about that!

We can control what we put on and in our bodies—and that can be beneficial in preventing or even reversing Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. I learned decades ago that our skin is our largest breathing organ, and what we put on it goes directly into our bloodstream. And yet, many people are still unaware of this.

They’ve missed the lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson over cancer-causing talc in baby powder. They haven’t seen the commercials about pesticide companies paying out settlements for their harmful products. Newsweek reported that the European Union has banned 2,200 toxic ingredients from cosmetics, while the United States has banned only 22.

One of the easiest ways to protect yourself is to use toxin-free makeup, soap, shampoo, moisturizer, etc. My body was loaded with lead—probably from the lipstick I used for thirty-five years before I discovered Arbonne’s healthy, vegan products. (Yes, there is lead in your lipstick if you’re not thoroughly researching your brand and its ingredients.)

It’s also easy to pay attention to ingredients in your food and vitamins. Arbonne has supplements you can trust, and healthy vegan protein shakes that are delicious, keto-friendly, and—with an intermittent fasting program—great for brain health and Alzheimer’s prevention.

This might sound like a commercial for Arbonne —and maybe it is.

Arbonne has been in business for forty-five years and was founded as a vegan company before most people even knew how to pronounce the word. We are a certified B Corporation, which means we put products and the planet before profits. I’ve been honored to be part of this company I trust for over twenty years.

And yes—sometimes our products are more expensive than what you find on Amazon. But they come with a 90-day money-back guarantee and are formulated without those 2,000+ banned ingredients. I’ve spent thousands of dollars on Parkinson’s medications, physical therapy, and hospital stays. I wish I had discovered Arbonne in my twenties. I would have gladly paid a little more for my lipstick!

Now—I’m not saying Arbonne products will cure your Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. What I’m saying is: there is hope—and there is research to support that hope.

Like millions of people, I never thought I would be one of “those” people who fell victim to Parkinson’s. That happened to other people. Not me.

Well—guess what? At the rate we’re going, we will all be intimately involved with someone who has the disease—if not ourselves.

So I am gathering women in intimate groups to share in conversation, to “Mind the GAP” (a British version of “watch your step”)—and to make a difference while doing it.

There are several acronyms for GAP that I’ve adopted for my body, mind, and spirit approach to health and well-being. These serve as healing discussion topics:

          Gather, Awaken, Purpose                           Granddaughters, Aging, Prevention

          Grief, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s                Girlfriends, Abundance, Power

          Grace, Arbonne, Possibility                        Gratitude, Alignment, Peace

And I want to say something about grief, which is one of the Gs in GAP. Grief comes in many forms—not just the death of a loved one. You might grieve over a diagnosis, a loss of health, or even a loss of self. Many family members who become caregivers for loved ones are actually grieving their “patient” while they’re still alive.

In addition to my life experiences with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s—and years of personal research—my background includes:

• Certified Grief Educator

• Master’s Degree in Energy Medicine

• Certified Life Coach

• Vice President of a health and wellness company for twenty years

If you are geographically unable to attend one of my live gatherings (in the Coachella Valley or Palm Springs area), Zoom is an option.

Some of my “Parties with a Purpose” themes include:

     Women, Wine, and Wonder

     Transformational Tea

These are not Arbonne sales parties, but they are informative and fun!

If you or someone you love is navigating Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or grief, I am here to listen, share resources, and walk beside you.  Reach out to attend a local gathering,  join a Zoom, or schedule a coaching session.

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SHORT VERSION

My mother died on July 30, 2025, at age 93. Alzheimer’s took her life. I’ve been surrounded by this hideous disease since I was eight years old—my grandmother, great-aunt, cousins, friends—all affected. Then came my own Parkinson’s diagnosis four years ago.

The numbers are staggering. One in nine over 65 has Alzheimer’s, and one in fifteen is projected to get Parkinson’s. These diseases are growing rapidly—and they’re personal for me.

But there is hope. I’ve spent the last 20+ years researching prevention and healing. Some doctors and researchers are proving it’s possible to slow, halt, or even reverse symptoms—through diet, detoxing, lifestyle changes, and reducing environmental toxins.

I’m not a medical doctor—but I am a certified grief educator, life coach, and health advocate. I’ve studied with functional medicine doctors and lived this experience firsthand. And now, I’m gathering women in intimate circles—both in-person and via Zoom—for open conversations on Grief, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Prevention.

We call it “Mind the GAP”—and it stands for more than one thing:

• Gather, Awaken, Prevention

• Grief, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s

• Grace, Arbonne, Possibility

This is not about selling products. It’s about sharing hope, research, and resources. And if you’re interested, I’ll offer a complimentary coaching session to support you or a loved one facing these challenges.

There are things we can do—starting now.