| After hearing from some of my family members and | | | | sunflower, and sesame).f. Eat a relatively low- calorie |
| friends that they are suffering with their memory and | | | | diet. Don't go hungry but go light. You can achieve this |
| they can't remember a thing sometimes, and since | | | | by eating low-fat and nutrient-dense foods.g. Eat free |
| memory lapses are annoyance and anxiety is often | | | | range, organic eggs that are high in omega 3s.h. Use |
| coming along with them because of the fear from | | | | Extra-virgin olive oil for salads and cooking.i. Minimize |
| Alzheimer's disease, I decided to do some research | | | | your intake of fried foods, overcooked foods, |
| about the topic to help them take care of their brain | | | | processed foods in addition to meat and dairy |
| before it lets them down. | | | | products.j. Eat mackerel, herring, salmon or fresh tuna |
| People have come to expect that, as they age, their | | | | 2 or 3 times a week.k. Eat good vegetable protein |
| ability to remember will begin to deteriorate and that | | | | sources such as: beans, lentils, quinoa, tofu, and seed |
| their power to recall will diminish. This is not necessarily | | | | vegetables.l. Eat 4 or more servings per day of |
| true. When we forget where we put our car keys | | | | wholegrains, such as: millet, rye, oats, and whole |
| sometimes, is something natural and is part of life and it | | | | wheat.m. Eat 5 or more servings of fruits and |
| doesn't mean that we will suffer from serious memory | | | | vegetables a day. From vegetables, you can choose |
| loss. | | | | dark green leafy and root vegetables such as: |
| What I found very interesting is that the brain is entirely | | | | watercress, carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, Brussels |
| dependent on adequate and suitable nutrition, it uses | | | | sprouts, spinach, green beans or peppers row or lightly |
| about a third of all nutrients taken in from food. Thus, | | | | cooked. From fruits, you can choose apples, pears, |
| good nutrition DOES play a major role in the health of | | | | berries, melon or citrus fruits. |
| our mind and can transform how we think and feel. In | | | | 2. Supplements:o Take an antioxidant formula that |
| fact, with proper diet, nutrition and memory use, the | | | | contains: Vitamin A as mixed carotenoids, vitamin E as |
| memory should remain sharp and active well into one's | | | | mixed tocopherols, vitamin C, Zinc, Selenium and |
| nineties or beyond. | | | | copper.o B-complex 50mgo Flaxseed oilo CoQ10, soft |
| As per Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa, almost 20 percent of | | | | gel capsules 30mgo Magnesium: If you are under |
| all cases of memory loss are caused by a wide | | | | stress-as are most people with memory loss- you |
| variety of lifestyle factors, including:o Inadequate | | | | need much more of nutrients such as Magnesium, |
| nutrition: Mainly a diet which lack specific vitamins such | | | | which is a calming mineral. |
| as vitamin C, B12, riboflavin, and thiamine. Even a | | | | 3. Herbs:a. Brahmi, an Ayurvedic herb, helps increasing |
| moderate deficiency of these vitamins can disrupt | | | | circulation in the brain and it has been found that it will |
| cognitive function. Also, a diet deficient in several | | | | improve both short- and long-term memory.b. Garlic |
| minerals which are necessary for optimal function of | | | | has been found to possess memory-enhancing |
| the brain, including iron, iodine, zinc and | | | | properties.c. Ginkgo biloba has the ability to increase |
| copper.oWeight-loss dieting: Caloric restriction may | | | | blood flow to the brain and central nervous system; |
| cause hypoglycemia, which can create several | | | | thereby, enhancing memory and brain function. For |
| negative mental symptoms such as the inability to | | | | memory enhancement, try taking 40mg of a |
| concentrate, fatigue and mood swings.o Smoking: | | | | standardized extract 3 times per day with meals for a |
| smoking can cause constriction of the blood vessels | | | | 2 month trial. Ginkgo is nontoxic.d. Other herbs that are |
| that supply oxygen to the brain in addition to destroying | | | | helpful for memory include:i. Aniseii. Blue cohoshiii. |
| the lungs. This is dangerous because a consistent lack | | | | Ginseng (do not use it if you have High Blood |
| of oxygen in the brain will slow cognitive processing, | | | | Pressure)iv. Rosemary |
| reduce energy, and impair memory consolidation and | | | | 4. Exercising:o As per Dr. Khalsa, exercise has been |
| retrieval. Consequently, it can contribute to the death of | | | | proven repeatedly to produce abundant amounts of |
| millions of neurons in the brain.o Alcohol intake in large | | | | nerve growth factors. Because of this phenomenon |
| quantities, which is one of the most damaging thing you | | | | and because of other benefits of exercise, it's one of |
| can do to your brain. Regular ingestion of relatively high | | | | the "fountains of youth" that can keep your brain |
| amount of alcohol can cause shrinkage of internal | | | | young, vital and regenerative throughout your entire |
| areas of the brain.o Environmental toxins: Mainly Lead | | | | life.o Regular exercise can help the brains of active old |
| poisoning which can cause severe swelling of the brain | | | | people to be sharper than the brains of sedentary |
| and results in marked mental impairment. Also, | | | | young people.o Researches have shown that getting |
| exposure to Mercury can produce very harmful | | | | mental exercise is as important to your brain as getting |
| mental effects. What is interesting to know is that the | | | | physical exercise. It does far more than just increase |
| silver composite materials used by the dentists to fill | | | | your knowledge. It actually changes the brain physically. |
| cavities in teeth can contribute to the onset of | | | | 5. Practicing mental and body/mind exercises:a. As per |
| Alzheimer's.o Certain drugs whether pharmaceutical or | | | | Dr. Andrew Weil, the secret of memory is Attention. |
| recreationalo Exposure to allergy-causing substances | | | | So, make sure to focus on things that you may wish |
| especially food allergies: Some people whether children | | | | to remember and be sure to give them meaning. |
| or adults react to certain foods with either an allergic | | | | Often, we blame our inability to recall something on a |
| response or a less severe "sensitivity". This reaction | | | | failing memory when the problem is that we didn't |
| can include several cognitive symptoms such as | | | | really pay attention in the first place. And be sure to |
| depression, forgetfulness, migraines, anxiety, and | | | | get the proper amount of rest to avoid fatigue which |
| hyperactivity. Fortunately, all food allergies can be | | | | can have a direct effect on the ability to focus. |
| detected and avoided. | | | | The secret of attention is Motivation. In fact, many of |
| Also, the following may be contributing factors to | | | | us are not really as interested in remembering as we |
| memory loss:o Candidiasiso Stresso Thyroid | | | | think we are. It may be that motivation changes as we |
| disorderso Poor circulation to the brain | | | | age, more than memory itself. Thus, try not to worry |
| Finally, consider having hair analysis done to rule out | | | | about your memory; the chances are good that |
| intoxication by heavy metals such as Aluminum and | | | | nothing is wrong with it.b. Practice holding your breath |
| lead. Either of these conditions can lead to impaired | | | | for 30 seconds every hour for 30 days. This improves |
| mental functioning. | | | | mental alertness.c. Keep yourself active mentally by |
| So, what now, how can we boost our memory and | | | | using your brain on a daily basis. Reading, surfing the |
| sharpen our mind?1. Diet Recommendations: (inspired | | | | internet, doing crosswords, Sudoku, etc... are good |
| by Dr. Khalsa and Patrick Holford)a. Eat a low-fat diet. | | | | examples. Research has shown that the more you put |
| What is good for the heart is good for the head.b. | | | | your memory to use, the more vital it will be. In other |
| Avoid refined sugars- these "turn off" the brain.c. Eat | | | | words, the more you think- regardless of your age- |
| more blueberries and spinach, since it is believed that | | | | the bigger your brain become and the better it |
| flavonoids found in these foods may aid in memory | | | | functions.d. Breathing exercises which help to control |
| retention.d. Combine complex carbohydrates with | | | | the flow of blood to the brain. |
| foods containing 10% protein and 10% fats because all | | | | To conclude, the vast majority of people who think |
| carbohydrates meals have an adverse effect on the | | | | they are losing their memory are actually NOT. Your |
| memory. For example, you can eat fruits and cereal | | | | memory should serve you well into old age if you |
| with nuts and seeds, and starch foods (potato, bread, | | | | know what to feed your brain and what to avoid, and |
| pasta, or rice) with fish, lentils, beans or tofu.e. Eat nuts | | | | how to keep it active and challenged. |
| (almonds and walnuts) and seeds (pumpkin, flax, | | | | |