Memory Loss

Half of all people over the age of sixty complain of memory problems.  Many of them  have an apprehension that forgetting names of people they know may be a prelude to Alzheimer.  Not at all.   According to Frank Benson, M.D., professor of neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles,  when people start aging, they are likely to experience lapses in memory.  It is called  “senescent forgetfulness, which is a relatively new term.  The body slows down as you age; so does the mind.  It happens to all of us.  Study shows that people in their seventies and eighties, can learn just about as well as those that are younger. The only problem is that they are slower at retrieving things that they have learned and generally lack the ability to recall correctly. According to Dr. Benson,  those that complain that they may be candidates for Alzheimer’s disease, surprisingly test well.

Your memory is in your brain and your brain is in your body.  The brain is sustained by the same blood and nutrients as the rest of the body.  In order to improve your memory, you must keep your body in good shape.

The following are some tips that can help prevent memory loss:

Walk that extra mile:  A 20-minute walk can get your blood pumping all the way to your head to feed your memory cells.

Get a good night’s sleep:  Sleeping soundly at night can help keep you alert the next day and enables you to learn and remember what you want to.  In order to assure your chances of sleeping well, you should abstain from eating late at night.

Diet:  Diet plays a major role.  The B-complex vitamins are important, together with the right amounts of protein and carbohydrates.  What your brain needs is a balanced diet of fresh foods, such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, fish, and grains.

Add spice to your life:  The stimulus that helps is variety.  Dine out from time to time, socialize and read.

Do not live in the past:  When people get older, they are likely to reminisce.  Study shows that while reminiscing gives satisfaction, it can produce memory loss. 

Relax:  Even when you cannot remember a particular name,  there is no reason why you should not relax.  There is a possibility that you will suddenly remember the name that you have forgotten.

Exercise your body and mind:  It helps your circulation, physically and mentally.