Reduce Memory Loss Due to Aging
We all know elderly people who suffer from memory loss.
The reasons for loss of memory are many, but may include depression, emotional stress or disease, We are going to focus on what is generally thought to be the most prevelant cause of memory loss, that being aging.
Commencing in our 20’s, we can expect to lose approximately one percent of our brain’s nerve cells each year. So a typical seventy-five year old could expect to operate with as little as about 50% of the memory function of his youth.
But there are many things one can do to reduce the rate of memory loss as the years pass. We will discuss only a few of the most crucial ones. For our discussion, we shall assume that no neuropsychological issues exist and that we are dealing with a relatively healthy person, whose memory loss is due exclusively to the passage of time.
There are several changes we can make to our diet and our lifestyle which may help the performance of our memory. These can involve reducing our consumption of alcohol, quitting smoking, and eating foods rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and especially antioxidants (such as fresh fruits and vegetables), as the latter can help with the health of the brain.
Some other recommended dietary improvements are switching from red meats to fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, and avoiding foods treated with chemicals like MSG and preservatives. In addition, modifying your life so as to reduce your general stress levels can help to reduce the rate of memory loss. Of course, participating in an exercise program or a daily regime of yoga can substantially lower stress.
The majority of people do not think of taking herbal and nutritional supplements designed to improve the health and functioning of their brain. We will briefly mention a few here. The well-known Ginkgo biloba and Vinpocetine (from the periwinkle plant) dilate our blood vessels thereby allowing more oxygen to reach the brain. Thiamine and Vitamin B are antioxidants that can help protect brain cells from free-radical damage. Two other possible supplements that are helpful in reducing memory loss as we age are acetylcarnitine and phosphatidylserine, each having been employed with Alzheimer’s patients with some success. In addition, Korean ginseng and bacopa have been the subject of studies showing their usage can improve the brain’s functioning, and in particular one’s memory.
There are several mental activities that can help us retain our memory as the years pass. Clearly an active brain is more likely to fight off the ravages of age. Engaging in a new mental activity, such as learning a new language, playing chess or card games like bridge, or taking up a new musical instrument, are good examples. Making a conscious effort to remember particular things, like a person’s name or a phone number, may seem trivial but when done regularly often helps maintain the level at which the brain operates. In addition there are various memory techniques available that can assist with particular items you may wish to be able to easily recall later, such as repetition, mnemonics (these are mental games designed to aid in memorization, for example the invented name Roy G. Biv where each of the letters in the name is the first letter of one of the primary colors) and just taking the time to write the words you wish to remember on paper and repeating them orally a few times.
The bottom line is that if one chooses to lead a life that is engaged and active, both physically and mentally, is prudent in selecting the foods that will be the basis of one’s diet, adds the necessary herbal and nutritional supplements to the daily regiment, and foregoes some vices, the memory loss which is a part of our growing older can be substantially reduced.
