The End of Alzheimer’s – By Dr. Dale Bredesen – Bing video
Also, The Good News that we can. Recent Dutch Research reveals it’s possible to keep your memory sharp through the age of 100 and beyond. To slash the risk of Alzheimer, dementia and declining memory loss by up to 88%, just…
Visit a friend: sneaking in 15 minutes of activity daily, liking making snow angels with your grandkids or delivering cookies to your neighbors; does more than spread good cheer:According to Swedish findings in the Journal of Neurology, it slashes your risk of dementia by upwards of 88%. Experts explain that moving your muscles increases
the size of the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for storing and retrieving memories.
Pretty up Presents; Whether you craft beautiful bows for gifts or crochet colorful scarves. Mayo clinics experts say doing crafts five times weekly cuts the risk for mental decline by 42%
Creativity activities spur the release of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that revs recall and recovery for yours. Also study authors found the stimulation folks got from daily computer use curbed their risk of memory production by 37%/
Try a Multivitamin: A new Wake Forest University study in Alzheimer’s & Dementia Journal found folks who took a multivitamin daily experienced significant memory improvements and slowed their brain aging by 60% within three years. Micronutrients such as selenium, vitamin C and B vitamins in Multis ward off heart disease. which can trigger memory decline by impeding blood flow to the brain. Savor Spuds: Mashed, baked added to soups and stews (or even crisped up into a latke) … potatoes are stellar sources of potassium, which is a nutrient that enhances brain-cell signaling. And in a Japanese study, folks whose daily diets were higher in potassium were
80% less likely to experience memory impairments over 17 years. Other potassium
rich foods: lentils, black beans, avocados and leafy greens. Melissa Gotthardt
Find Peace in 18 seconds: Before you set sail on the seas of a stormy father gathering. take 18 seconds to set an intention, urges Abby Metcalf. PH.D, I take a deep breath and slowly exhalewhile repeating, “My Intention is to be the Patient.” The conscious mind processes 40 bits of information per second. while my subconscious processes 11 million bits per second. So when you have a positive intention. your subconscious gives that off, instantly shitfting your energy.
Try these simple ways to improve your memory.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Can’t find your car keys? Forget your grocery list? Can’t remember the name of the personal trainer you liked at the gym? You’re not alone. Everyone forgets things occasionally. Still, memory loss is nothing to take lightly.
Although there are no guarantees when it comes to preventing memory loss or dementia, certain activities might help. Consider seven simple ways to sharpen your memory — and know when to seek help for memory loss.
Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory
1. Include physical activity in your daily routine
Physical activity increases blood flow to your whole body, including your brain.
This might help keep your memory sharp.
For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity, such as jogging — preferably spread throughout the week. If you don’t have time for a full workout, squeeze in a few 10-minute walks throughout the day.
2. Stay mentally active
Just as physical activity helps keep your body in shape, mentally stimulating activities help keep your brain in shape — and might keep memory loss at bay. Do crossword puzzles. Play bridge. Take alternate routes when driving. Learn to play a musical instrument. Volunteer at a local school or community organization.
3. Socializing regularly
Social interaction helps ward off depression and stress, both of which can contribute to memory loss. Look for opportunities to get together with loved ones, friends and others — especially if you live alone.
4. Get organized
You’re more likely to forget things if your home is cluttered and your notes are in disarray. Jot down tasks, appointments and other events in a special notebook, calendar or electronic planner.
You might even repeat each entry out loud as you jot it down to help cement it in your memory. Keep to-do lists current and check off items you’ve completed. Set aside a place for your wallet, keys, glasses and other essentials.
Limit distractions and don’t do too many things at once. If you focus on the information that you’re trying to retain, you’re more likely to recall it later. It might also help to connect what you’re trying to retain to a favorite song or another familiar concept.
5. Sleep well
Sleep plays an important role in helping you consolidate your memories, so you can recall them down the road. Make getting enough sleep a priority. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a day.
6. Eat a healthy diet
A healthy diet might be as good for your brain as it is for your heart. Eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Choose low-fat protein sources, such as fish, beans and skinless poultry. What you drink counts, too. Too much alcohol can lead to confusion and memory loss. So can drug use.
7. Manage chronic conditions
Follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations for medical conditions, such as depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and hearing loss. The better you take care of yourself, the better your memory is likely to be. In addition, review your medications with your doctor regularly. Various medications can affect memory.
When to seek help for memory loss
If you’re worried about memory loss — especially if memory loss affects your ability to complete your usual daily activities or if you notice your memory getting worse — talk to your doctor. He or she will likely do a physical exam, as well as check your memory and problem-solving skills.
Sometimes other tests are needed as well. Treatment will depend on what’s contributing to your memory loss.
Suspect your memory isn’t what it used to be? You could be right. But the reasons for your cognitive slump might not be the ones you worry about.
“Slow cognitive decline is expected as we get older,” says Joel Salinas, a neurologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Neurology Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health. What’s not considered a normal or expected part of aging, he says, is dementia — a disease signaled by “more rapid decline in cognitive abilities.”
Many older adults worry about big causes, such as Alzheimer’s, without realizing that, “in fact, many cognitive issues signal more general health problems such as thyroid issues, dehydration or lifestyle issues that can be reversed,” Salinas notes.
Low thyroid functioning, he says, can be experienced as ongoing fatigue and slowed thinking. Too much alcohol can impair memory, and dehydration — often simply not drinking enough water throughout the day — causes too little blood flow to the brain.
Getting at the bottom of what’s affecting your ability to reason, remember or articulate your thoughts is important. To that end, Donna de Levante Raphael, director of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America National Memory Screening Program, says a memory screening, covered by Medicare, should be part of your annual wellness visit. You might find out that your cognitive issues are caused by one of the below factors — and can often be reversed.
Boost your brain health with Staying Sharp
Medications
As we age, we tend to add a variety of medications to our daily intake — along with risks of adverse health effects from both individual drugs and the overall mix. One of the most common Rx side effects: cognitive impairment.
Tatyana Gurvich, an assistant professor of clinical pharmacy at the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, says that when older adults mention memory problems, the first thing she does is look at the medications they’re taking. Some over-the-counter medications such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), which can create confusion, can be purchased under brand names consumers don’t recognize or hidden in combination products like Advil PM. Medications for overactive bladder or incontinence and those for depression or sleep can, in various combinations, also cause cognitive impairment. Combining any with opioids can make an older adult more confused. “Unfortunately, older adults often take a cocktail of medicines — both over-the-counter and prescription — that can cause major changes in cognition,” says Gurvich, who encourages older adults to talk to their doctor or pharmacist about all the drugs they’re taking before making any changes.
Lack of exercise
Numerous studies show that exercise protects memory and thinking skills. One from the University of British Columbia found that regular aerobic exercise such as running or brisk walking boosts the size of the hippocampus, which stimulates the release of chemicals in the brain that affect the health and supply of brain cells. There’s a negative effect, too, for those who aren’t active: “Not walking or doing other aerobic exercise on a regular basis can cause brain shrinkage and lead to an increase of white matter changes or small injuries to the parts of brain cells that connect with other brain cells,” says Mary Ellen Quiceno, a neurologist and researcher in Dallas.
Boost your brain health with Staying Sharp
In good news, the positive effects of exercise on the brain appear to be immediate. A University of Maryland study of brain health in older adults shows that just one session of exercise increases activation in the brain circuits associated with memory. In people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment as well as in cognitively healthy older adults, verbal fluency and measures of brain function improve after just 12 weeks of exercise, says J. Carson Smith, associate professor of kinesiology at Maryland’s School of Public Health. “Being physically active helps protect the brain from cognitive decline and atrophy. Those who are at increased risk through their genetics and don’t exercise tend to have the most problems,” he says, adding that everyone should walk or do other moderately intensive exercise for 30 minutes at least four days a week.
Boost your brain health with Staying Sharp
Sleep issues
“Too much sleep or too little high-quality sleep can cause a problem with memory, reasoning and particularly executive function,” Salinas says. As he explains it, during deeper stages of sleep, the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for the formation and retrieval of memories, transfers newly made memories to the prefrontal cortex, a brain area responsible for long-term storage. Without enough shut-eye, this process is disrupted — with sometimes noticeable results.
A University of California Berkeley study found that older people who sleep poorly experience memory loss and brain disorientation. Researchers at Michigan State University’s Sleep and Learning Lab recently found that sleep deprivation doubles your odds of being unable to complete a series of steps without losing your place and triples the number of lapses in attention. “Our findings debunk a common theory suggesting that attention is the only cognitive function affected by sleep deprivation,” says Michelle Stepan, one of the study’s researchers.
Anxiety and depression
If you’re feeling mentally fuzzy, depression or anxiety could be playing a major role. Depression, which the National Institute on Aging says is common in older adults, who tend to be more isolated, can also mimic the signs of memory loss. “When you’re depressed, the serotonin levels in your brain decrease and this can affect attention, processing speed and memory consolidation, causing a ‘pseudodementia’ of depression,” says neurologist Richard Isaacson, director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
Research shows that depression and anxiety can also alter our brain physically. A study from Brigham Young University, for instance, shows that subjects with anxiety and depression showed less brain cell growth in key areas compared with those not dealing with such mood disorders.