Jean-Pierre Willem, M.D., is the founder of the French Barefoot Doctors movement, which brings traditional healing techniques back into clinical settings. The author of several books in French on natural healing for degenerative diseases, he lives in France.

• Cites multiple clinical studies to show how Alzheimer's is critically bound with the sense of smell and how the loss of this sense is often the first symptom of onset
• Details how to use essential oils to stimulate memory, prevent cognitive loss, and counter the isolation, withdrawal, and depression of Alzheimer's patients
• Reveals the striking results seen in several French hospitals and senior living homes where aromatherapy has been used as a therapy for Alzheimer's
While there is still no known cure for Alzheimer's, new research and trials from France reveal that it is possible to slow its progression, ameliorate some of its effects, and improve the quality of life for those suffering from this degenerative condition, using the sense of smell.
Citing years of clinical evidence, Jean-Pierre Willem, M.D., shows how Alzheimer's is critically bound with the sense of smell. He explains how the olfactory system is connected to the limbic area of the brain, which holds the keys to memory and emotion and is the area of the brain most severely afflicted by Alzheimer's. He reveals how one of the very first signs of Alzheimer's is typically the loss of the sense of smell. Sharing the striking results seen in French hospitals and senior living homes where aromatherapy has been used as a therapy for Alzheimer's for more than 10 years, Dr. Willem details how to use essential oils to stimulate memory, prevent cognitive loss, and counter the isolation, withdrawal, and depression these patients are likely to feel. He explains how essential oils make a direct connection with the cerebral structures involved in emotion and memory and make it possible for the patient to bring deeply buried memories back to the thinking surface. This allows the patient to recover a portion of their identity, which can become the foundation for additional healing, including regaining the ability to communicate and reducing behavioral issues. Tracing the evolutionary links between smell and taste, he also explores the effects of diet and nutrition on Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, explaining the benefits of raw foods, what foods to avoid, and what supplements can help.
Offering a hands-on and medication-free way to help those suffering from Alzheimer's, this guide provides a way for Alzheimer's patients and their families to recover the joy of living again.

INTRODUCTION
Understanding Alzheimer's
1 Alzheimer's Disease Decoded
Evolution of the Human Olfactory System
2 Cerebral Lesions and Their Consequences
A Look inside the Anomalies of the Alzheimer's Brain
3 How to Establish the Diagnosis
A Multidisciplinary Approach
4 Laboratory Analysis
Biochemical Factors for Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment
5 The Brain and Its Neurons
A Primer
6 A Stroll Down Memory Lane
The Systems and Stages of Memory
7 Development of the Disease
The Stages and Progression of Alzheimer's
8 The Multiple Causes of Alzheimer's Disease
Medications, Mitochondria, and More
9 Additional Risk Factors and Considerations
Knowledge Is Power
10 The Body's Five Protective Barriers
And What Happens When They Rupture
11 Neuroplasticity
Caring for the Brain
12 Alzheimer's Disease and the Sense of Smell
A Closer Look at Our Primary Sense
13 Finding Help from Essential Oils
The Benefits and Practice of Olfactory Therapy
14 The Cooking of Food
Problems and Solutions
15 Return to the Raw
Establishing an Olfactory-Friendly Diet
16 Prevention
Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Mental State
17 We Are What We Eat
Brain Food Supplements
18 Navigating Alzheimer's Disease
A Guide for Families and Caregivers
CONCLUSION
Writing a New Page of Medical History
APPENDIX 1
Diseases Akin to Alzheimer's
APPENDIX 2
The Nose Knows Learning from Man's Best Friend
Bibliography
Index