Ever forget where your keys are? Or maybe what you did yesterday? Yeah, we all blank on those from time to time, no matter what age we are. Sometimes there's just too much going on to remember everything, or maybe some things aren't important enough to keep track of. But, sometimes it's more of a concern to people than you think.
Memory loss can be a devastating condition to come to terms with. It may appear as short-term, age-onset, disease-onset, stress, or even trauma induced. This makes it difficult to spot exactly what's causing it and what to do about it. It might even feel like you're just grabbing at straws seeing what proactive actions work. But there ARE known, beneficial actions you can take, and studies and research have shown that memory loss may not have to be as permanent as people think!¹*
Brain Exercise
Memory needs to be exercised to stay healthy. But wait! There's an app for that! With apps being developed for just about everything, there are now tons of apps/games for improving memory and brain function. Popular ones include:
- Luminosity - Has games that focus on improving memory, attention span, problem solving, and thinking. You'll be challenged by games constantly changing on you and you'll be playing against a clock.
- Fit Brains Trainer - Improved memory and concentration are the focus of these games. This app tracks your progress daily by utilizing 10 sets of games that work on different areas of the brain.
- CogniFit Brain Fitness - This app was developed by neuroscientists and focuses on memory and concentration. Your progress is tracked and you can customize the difficulty level to suit you as you progress. You also have the ability to play challenge rounds with friends.
- Brain Fitness Pro - This fun app is user friendly and can encourage improvements in just 30 minutes a day in just 3 weeks. The makers of the app claim that it can improve the IQ of the user, and improve intelligence and memory.
- Clockwork Brain - This app comes with a variety of games to play to help give fun exercises for the brain.
The Blood-Brain Barrier
You might not know this, but there's a protective layer around the brain known as the blood-brain barrier, which allows only certain substances to pass from the bloodstream into the brain. If the blood inside this layer is filled with cholesterol and triglycerides, then the amount of nutrient-rich blood trying to pass through this layer to get to the brain decreases. It's just too "thick" to pass through. This is why it's important to have a good, low-fat diet, incorporate daily physical exercise, and limiting the things that can cause this.*
Some good habits to incorporate and improve this are:
- Limit refined sugar intake
- Eat more raw foods - fruits (good sugars), vegetables, fish, nuts, brown rice, farm eggs
- Avoid excessive use of alcohol
- Get regular physical exercise, even if it's just 30 minutes of walking outside - get the body moving!
- Avoid tobacco
- Eat more blueberries and spinach
- Avoid dairy and wheat products
Beneficial Nutrients
- Ginkgo Biloba - It's been found to improve mental function at any age. It acts as a powerful antioxidant and increases blood flow to the brain, which allows the brain to get enough blood oxygen and energy for enhanced memory and brain function.*
- Phosphatidylserine - This is present in the structure of cell membranes and is used to help prevent a decline in learning capacity and improve memory.²*
- Acetyl L-Carnetine - This is an amino acid that has shown improvement in cognitive function and memory. Two separate studies were conducted with Alzheimer's patient taking Acetyl L-Carnetine - the results showed a significantly reduced decline in mental deterioration than compared with a placebo.³*
- L-Glutamine - It's another amino acid thought to play a role in mental sharpness and memory improvements. It's commonly referred to as glutamic acid or 'brain food' which is used as an energy source by the brain. Glutamine transforms into glutamic acid in the brain after successfully passing the blood-brain barrier. It also helps strengthen immunity brought on by stress.⁴*
- Alpha Lipoic Acid - It's used as a potent antioxidant that detoxifies heavy metals and regulates blood sugar levels. It acts as a key constituent in energy production, slowing the aging process, and may help regenerate neurons in humans. This would make it potentially useful for brain neuro-degenerated diseases.⁵‾⁶*
- Vitamin B Complex - Has been shown to promote proper circulation to the brain and aid in brain function and memory.*
If you want to be proactive and you don't have any of these in your daily routine, check out our custom BRAIN & MEMORY formulas for all ages.
References
- Mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm
- Hendler, S.S. MD, PhD, The Doctor's Vitamin and Mineral Encyclopedia, Simon & Schuster Publishing, 1991, pp. 271-2.
- Mqrx.com/gateway/acetyl-gate.html
- Carper, J, Stop Aging Now, HarperCollins Publishers, 1996, p.135
- Lef.org/magazine/mag96/march96_update6.html
- Cichoke, A.J., PhD, The Complete Book of Enzyme Therapy, Avery Publishing, 1999, p.67.