Healthy Ways To Improve Your Memory

11/8/2015
HealthyWaystoImproveYourMemory
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HowYourMemory
Works,andtheSurprising
ImplicationsofImpairedMemory
Function
November07,2015 | 135,873views
ByDr.Mercola
Formostpeople,theabilitytorecallmemoriesisan
automaticfunction,andthemechanicsofmemory
formationisrarelygivenmuchthoughtorattention.
Thatisuntilsomethinggoeswrong,andtheir
memorybeginstofalter.
Asnotedinthefeaturedvideo,yourmemoryholds
arecordofyourentirelifeandshapesyouridentity.
Asyourmemoriesdwindle,itcaneasilyfeelasif
you'relosingtheveryessenceofwhoyouare.
Thevideoreviewsthefascinatingtopicofhowyour
memoryworks,andthesurprisingramificationsof
memoryloss.
HowYourMemoryWorks
Atbirth,yourbrainbeginstoshapeitselfbasedon
theinteractionsyouhavewithyourenvironment.
Bybranchingandmakingnewconnections,the
neuronsinyourbrainactuallyrecordyour
experiences.
The"recordings"storedintheseneural
connectionsareyourmemories.Interestingly,the
abilitytoformmemoriesandrecallpastevents
doesnotoccurimmediatelyuponbirth.
AccordingtoprofessorMartinConway,anexpert
onchildhoodamnesia,thisiswhymostpeopledo
nothavememoriesgoingfurtherbackthantheage
ofabout5,orinsomecases3.
He'sbeenlookingforthekeyeventorchangethat
occursthatfinallyallowschildrentorecallthepast.
Storyataglance
Yourmemoryholdsarecordofyourentirelife
andshapesyouridentity,buttheabilitytoform
memoriesdoesnotoccuruntiltheageofabout
five.Priortothat,lackofselfrecognition
preventsautobiographicalmemoryformation
Thesamebrainareasareactivatedduring
memoryrecallandactiveimagination.
Researchersbelievethereasonforthisisthat
youusememoriestopiecetogetheran
imaginedpictureofthefuture
Withoutmemory,youalsoloseyourabilityto
projectorimagineyourselfinafuturescenario
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http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/11/07/howmemoryworks.aspx?e_cid=20151107Z2_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email...
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Pediatrictestsdesignedtoassessselfrecognition
achild'sabilitytounderstandthattheyarea
separateindividualfromotherpeoplealongwith
testsdesignedtoassessmemory,revealsa
fascinatinginsight.
InfectedFactoryFarmedMeatMayBe
AnotherCausativeFactorforAlzheimer's
Disease
Selfrecognitionisanessentialingredientforformingautobiographicalmemories.Thistypeofmemoryis
differentfromrotememoryhowever,orthememorizationoffactsanddata.
LivingWithoutMemories
ThefilmfeaturesJohnForbes.Now30yearsold,hewasbornprematurely,andhismemorycircuitwasnever
fullydeveloped.
Asaresult,hehastroublewitheventhemostbasictasksinvolvingmemory,suchasnavigatingtoa
destination,evenwhenhe'sbeentherehundredsoftimes,rememberingthenamesofpeopleheknows,or
followinginstructionsgivenjustmomentsearlier.
What'smore,eachactionyoutakeonanygivendayisactuallydependentonyourrememberingtotakeit
whetherit'stobrushyourteetheachmorning,orthatyouhaveanappointmentthatdayandthisis
somethingJohncannotdo.
Hehastorelyonwrittenlistsforeverything.Healsocannotrecallanythingthathappenedinhispast.
ThedamageinJohn'sbrainiscentralizedaroundtheprimarymemorycircuit,thehippocampus.Whenyour
hippocampusworkswell,eachmomentofyourlifeisregistered.
Whenitisdamaged,youwillstruggletorememberfactsandevents,andinseverecaseslikeJohn's,eventhe
mostbasicmemoryfunctionswillsuffer.
TheSurprisingLinkBetweenMemoryandImagination
Researchusingbrainimaginghasrevealedremarkablesimilaritiesinthepatternsofbrainactivitywhenyou're
rememberingapasteventandimaginingafutureone.
Infact,theexactsameareasareactivatedduringthesetwomentaltasks,andresearchersbelievethereason
forthisisthatyouusememoriestopiecetogetheranimaginedpictureofthefuture.
Whatthismeansisthatasyoudeveloptheabilitytorememberthepast,fromaroundtheageof5onward,you
alsodevelopyourabilitytoreflectandimaginethefuture.
Formostpeople,thisabilityto"timetravel"inyourmindishonedbytheageof9.
John,ontheotherhand,cannotmentallyprojecthimselfintothefuture,sohe'strappedinaneternalpresent,
withneitherfuturenorpast.Asnotedinthefilm,atfirstglance,thismightseemlikearatherpleasantcondition.
Hedoesn'tworryasmuch,forexample,becausehecannotrememberthattherearethingstoworryabout.But
ontheflipside,he'sstumpedwhenaskedwhathewantsforhisownfuture.Inessence,hislackofmemoryof
thepasthasrobbedhimoftheabilitytoimaginehimselfinafuturescenario.
TheBenefitsofMentalTimeTravel
Theabilitytotravelthroughtimeinyourmind,backwardandforward,liesattheheartofourmostsophisticated
mentalabilitiesthatdefineusashumans.Oneofthereasonswhywecareabouttomorrowisbecausewe
rememberyesterday,andthisallowsustomakeplanstocreateabetterfuture.
Italsogivesyouthepowerofabstractthought,creativity,andproblemsolving.Ifnoneofushadmemory,no
planswouldeverbemade,andwe'dallmullthrougheachdayatrandom.We'dhavenoindustriesormodern
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technologiesprojectsthatrequireagreatdealofplanning,organizing,andfollowthrough.
Memoryisthementalfacultythathasallowedmantostakeaclaimatthetopofthefoodchain,asitallowsus
tolearnfrompastmistakes,andimaginewhattheoutcomemightbeifwechangeouractions.
Inshort,memoryisessentialforthesurvivalofourspecies.It'salsothoughtthatlanguageandadvanced
problemsolvingskillsareadirectoutgrowthofthehumanmemoryfunction.
RememberingWhatYou'dRatherForget...
Yourmemoryreachesitspeakpotentialattheageof25.Atthispoint,yourbraincanrecall200bitsof
informationpersecond,allwhilecontrollingyourbodyatthesametime.
Forexample,youdon'thavetorelearnhowtorideabikeasthispatternisstoredinyourprimitivereflexive
brain.Similarly,mostofuscandrivetoworkon"automaticpilot"asitwere,withoutneedingtogivereflective
consciousthoughttosteering,breaking,andnavigating.
Whenitcomestomemories,wetendtorememberthingsbetterthatareimportanttous.Unfortunately,
traumaticmemoriesarealsousuallyrecordedwithincrediblesharpness,makingadistanteventseemasfresh
todayasitwasrightwhenithappened.
Memoriescannotbedeletedatwill,whichcanhavenegativeconsequences.It'sbeenestimatedthatby
adulthood,atleast10percentofpeoplewillhaveexperiencedsomethingthey'dratherforget.Posttraumatic
stressdisorder(PTSD)istheresultoftheinabilitytoforgetatraumaticeventthatcausessevereemotional
distress.
ThefilmfeaturesGenevieve,whoseviolentsexualassaultnineyearsearlierleftanindelibleimprintinher
mind.Itshowsherparticipatinginaresearchprojecttoseeiftraumaticmemoriescanbedampenedwiththe
useofamedicationcalledpropranolol,abetablockerusedfortreatingcardiovascularandanxietydisorders.
Changesinmemoryfunctionwasoneofthesideeffectsthatemergedwhenthedrugwasinitiallyreleased,
whichledsomeresearcherstoconsideritforuseinpatientswithpainfulmemories.AsreportedbyMedical
Daily:1
"Havinganalyzeddatafromavarietyofstudies,researchersfoundthatpropranololgivenbefore
memoryconsolidationreducedsubsequentrecallfornegativelyperceivedstories,pictures,andword
lists.Useofpropranololbeforereconsolidationalsoreducedsubsequentrecallforwordswithnegative
impactaswellastheexpressionofcueelicitedfearresponses.
Consideringthepivotalroleofharshandpowerfulexperiencesinthedevelopmentandpersistenceof
mentaldisorders,interferingwiththeconsolidationorreconsolidationofanymemorynaturallyopens
thedoortonewtherapeuticapproachesinpsychiatry."
TreatingPTSDbyDisruptingMemoryReFormation
Foroveracentury,scientistshaveknownthatmemoriesarestoredintheconnectionsbetweenbraincells.
Thecellsgrowtowardeachotherinordertoformtheseconnections,throughwhichsignalscanbepassed
betweenthem.What'sstillnotunderstoodishowtheseconnectionsactuallyrepresenttheexperiencestored
withinthem.
Whateverthemechanism,itwasthoughtthatoncestored,amemorywithallofitsdetailswasfixed.Butrecent
researchhasfoundthatrecallingamemorymakesitmalleableandfluidagain,anditisatthisstagethatthe
painassociatedwithamemorycanbereducedbypropranolol.Thedrugappearstoinhibitproteinsthat
enablethememorytobesavedagain.Sobytakingthedrug,followedbyrecallingthememory,theemotional
punchthatgoesalongwithitcanbereducedovertime.
ThisisactuallylikelywhytheEmotionalFreedomTechniques(EFT),anenergypsychologyapproach,works
sowellasitisabletohelprepatterntheneurologicalcircuitsthatstorepainfulmemoriesthatseverelyimpair
one'sabilitytoliveafullyfunctioningpainfreelife.
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AgeRelatedMemoryDecline
Liketherestofyourbody,yourbrainchangeswithage.It'snotuncommonforchangesinmemorytooccuras
well,althoughmostpeopleadaptandcompensatequitewell,allowingthemtofunctionnormally.Not
surprisingly,theabilitytoformandrecallmemoriesisdependentonhealthybraincells.
Onefactorthatdrivesagingofyourbrainisbloodflow.Asbloodflowisdecreased,yourwhitebrainmatter,
andtheconnectionsbetweenthedifferentbrainregions,beginstodeteriorate.Whenthatoccurs,thinking
becomesimpaired.
Informationcarryingchemicalmessengersarealsoaffected.Bythetimeyoureachtheageof80or90,you
willhavelostabout50percentofthesechemicalmessengers,andthisalsoimpairsmemoryandcognitive
ability.Eventhen,it'sremarkablehowmuchofyourmemoryisretained,ifyou'rehealthy.Therealproblemis
whenyourpoorlifestylecatchesupwithyou,andyourbrainstartstodeterioratebeyondthenorm.
Thiscanalsohappenthroughneurovascularaccidentslikestrokeorneurodegenerativediseaseslike
Alzheimer's.Thankfullysciencehasbeguntomorefullyappreciatetheneuroplasticityofthebrainto
compensateforsomeofthesechallenges.IwillbepostinganinterviewwithNormanDoidge,MDinafew
months.HeistheauthorofthefascinatingbookTheBrain'sWayofHealing,thatgoesintoextensivedetailson
someofthesehealingstrategies.
WhatCausesDevastatingMemoryLoss?
Alzheimer'sdisease,asevereformofdementia,isnowthethirdleadingcauseofdeathintheUS,rightafter
heartdiseaseandcancer.Oneofthehallmarksofthediseaseisthebuildupoftoxicproteinsinthebrain,
particularlyinthehippocampalarea,causingmemoryloss.Butwhatcausesthebuildupoftheseplaques?
Modernresearchhasfoundanumberofdifferentriskfactorsthatmayplayaroleingeneralmemorylossand
Alzheimer's,andmostofthemaredirectlyrelatedtounhealthylifestylechoices.
Theseinclude:
Processedfooddiet.Mountingresearchsuggestsourmoderndietisplayingasignificantroleinthe
skyrocketingprevalenceofAlzheimer's.Processedfoodstendtobenearlydevoidofhealthyfat,
necessaryforhealthybrainfunction,whilebeingexcessivelyhighinsugar.Thiscombinationappears
tobeattheveryheartoftheproblem.Fortunately,thesolutionisquitesimple:eatREALfood,andavoid
processedfoodliketheplague.
Insulinresistanceanddiabetes.Alzheimer'sissometimesreferredtoas"type3diabetes."Yourbrain
actuallyproducesinsulinnecessaryforthesurvivalofyourbraincells.AtoxicproteincalledADDL
removesinsulinreceptorsfromnervecells,therebyrenderingthoseneuronsinsulinresistant,andas
ADDLsaccumulate,yourmemorybeginstodeteriorate.Previousresearchhasalsoshowndiabetics
haveadoubledriskofdevelopingAlzheimer'sdisease.AccordingtoneurologistDr.DavidPerlmutter,
anythingthatpromotesinsulinresistancewillultimatelyalsoraiseyourriskofAlzheimer's.
Lackofexercise.Exerciseencouragesyourbraintoworkatoptimumcapacitybycausingyournerve
cellstomultiply,strengtheningtheirinterconnectionsandprotectingthemfromdamage.JohnJ.Ratey,
apsychiatristwhowrotethebookSpark:TheRevolutionaryNewScienceofExerciseandtheBrain,
saysthereisoverwhelmingevidencethatexerciseproduceslargecognitivegainsandhelpsfight
dementia.
Heclaimsyoucaneasily"pushbackcognitivedeclinebyanywherefrom10to15years"by
incorporatinganexerciseregimenthreetofourtimesaweekevenifyoubeginduringmiddleage,
andexerciseatamoderaterate.
Sleepdisturbances(suchassleepapnea,insomnia,orchronicallyinsufficientamountsofsleep).
Inonestudy2,3,4 patientswithsleepapneaand/orsnoringwerediagnosedwithmildcognitive
impairmentmorethanadecadeearlierthanthosewithoutsleepapnea.Onaverage,thosewith
untreatedobstructedsleepapneastartedexperiencingcognitiveimpairmentattheageof77,
comparedto90amongthosewithoutbreathingproblems.
OnsetofAlzheimer'sdiseasewasalsomorerapidamongthosewithuntreatedsleepapnea.On
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average,theywerediagnosedaboutfiveyearsearlierthanthosesleptwell.
Evenifyoudon'thavesleepapnea,chroniclackofsleepalsopromotesAlzheimer'sbypreventing
criticaldetoxification.Yourbrain'swasteremovalsystem,knownastheglymphaticsystem,only
operatesduringdeepsleep.Theglymphaticsystemallowsyourbraintoclearouttoxins,includingthe
harmfulproteins(amyloidbeta)linkedtoAlzheimer's.Withoutpropersleep,harmfulwastebeginsto
accumulateinyourbrain.
KeyDietaryConsiderationsforAlzheimer'sPrevention
Research5 fromtheMayoClinichasrevealedthatdietsrichincarbohydratesareassociatedwithan89
percentincreasedriskfordementiawhilehighfatdietsareassociatedwitha44percentreducedrisk.This
combinationofverylittlesugarandcarbs,alongwithhigheramountsofhealthyfatisessentialnotonlyto
addressAlzheimer's,butdiabetesandheartdiseaseaswell,sincealloftheseconditionsarerootedininsulin
andleptinresistance.
Understandingthiscanmakeyourlifeawholeloteasier.Youdon'tneedtomemorizethedosanddon'tsfor
eachandeverydiseaseyouseektoavoidallyouneedtodoisshiftovertoamindsetthatisfocusedon
optimizinghealth.Diseasepreventionthenbecomesabeneficial"sideeffect."Myoptimizednutritionplancan
setyouontherightpathinthisregard.Insummary,thefollowingfourdietaryinstructionsarekeyfor
maintainingbrainhealthandstavingoffAlzheimer's:
EatREALFOOD,ideallyorganic.Avoidprocessedfoodsofallkinds,astheycontainanumberof
ingredientsharmfultoyourbrain,includingrefinedsugar,processedfructose,grains(particularly
gluten),geneticallyengineered(GE)ingredients,andpesticideslikeglyphosate(anherbicidethought
tobeworsethanDDT,andDDThasalreadybeenlinkedtothedevelopmentofAlzheimer's).
Ideally,you'llwanttokeepyouraddedsugarlevelstoaminimumandyourtotalfructosebelow25
gramsperday,oraslowas15gramsperdayifyoualreadyhaveinsulin/leptinresistanceorany
relateddisorders.Optingfororganicproducewillhelpyouavoidsyntheticpesticidesandherbicides,
manyofwhichareassociatedwithneurologicaldysfunction.
Besuretochooseorganicgrassfedmeatsandanimalproducts,asanimalsraisedinconfinedanimal
operations(CAFOs)areroutinelyfedGEgrainscontaminatedwithpesticides,alongwithavarietyof
drugs.SomeresearchershaveevensuggestedAlzheimer'smaybeaslowactingformofmadcow
disease,acquiredbyeatingcontaminatedmeatsandmadcowdiseaseoriginatedintheCAFOsystem,
whichforcesherbivorestoeatanimalparts.
Researchhasalsoshownthatvegetablesinparticulararebeneficialforslowingdownagerelated
cognitivedecline.Nutritionalinterventionwithvegetablesmayevenplayanimportantroleinreversing
suchconditions,courtesyoftheantioxidantstheycontain.
Replacerefinedcarbohydrateswithhealthyfats.Yourbraindoesnotneedcarbsandsugarshealthy
fatssuchassaturatedanimalfatsandanimalbasedomega3areFARmorecriticalforoptimalbrain
function.Healthyfatstoaddtoyourdietinclude:
Avocados
Buttermadefrom
raw,grassfed
organicmilk
Rawdairy
Organicpastured
eggyolks
Coconutsand
coconutoil(coconut
oilactuallyshows
promiseasan
effective
Alzheimer's
treatmentinandof
itself)
Unheatedorganic
nutoils
Rawnuts,suchas
pecansand
macadamia,which
arelowinprotein
andhighinhealthy
fats
Grassfedmeatsor
pastureraised
poultry
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Avoidalltransfatsorhydrogenatedfatsthathavebeenmodifiedinsuchawaytoextendtheirlongevity
onthegrocerystoreshelf.Thisincludesmargarine,vegetableoils,andvariousbutterlikespreads.
Avoidglutenandcasein(primarilywheatandpasteurizeddairy,butnotdairyfat,suchasbutter).
Researchshowsthatyourbloodbrainbarrierisnegativelyaffectedbygluten.Glutenalsomakesyour
gutmorepermeable,whichallowsproteinstogetintoyourbloodstreamwheretheysensitizeyour
immunesystemandpromoteinflammationandautoimmunity,bothofwhichplayaroleinthe
developmentofAlzheimer's.
Optimizeyourgutflorabyavoidingprocessedfoods(sugar,GEingredients,pesticides,andvarious
foodadditivesalldiscouragehealthybacteriainyourgut),antibioticsandantibacterialproducts,
fluoridatedandchlorinatedwater,andbyregularlyeatingtraditionallyfermentedandculturedfoods,
alongwithahighqualityprobioticifneeded.Dr.DavidPerlmutterexploresthecompellingconnection
betweenthemicrobiomeandbrainhealthinmyinterviewwithhim,connectingittoanumberof
neurologicaldiseases,includingAlzheimer's.
OtherAlzheimer'sPreventionStrategies
Besidesthekeydietaryinstructionsjustmentioned,andgettingenoughrestorativesleep,exercisealso
unquestionablyhelpspreventAlzheimer's.Itmayalsobeanimportantcomponentoftreatment.It'sbeen
suggestedthatexercisecantriggerachangeinthewaytheamyloidprecursorproteinismetabolized,6 thus,
slowingdowntheonsetandprogressionofAlzheimer's.ExercisealsoincreaseslevelsoftheproteinPGC
1alpha.
ResearchhasshownthatpeoplewithAlzheimer'shavelessPGC1alphaintheirbrainsandcellsthatcontain
moreoftheproteinproducelessofthetoxicamyloidproteinassociatedwithAlzheimer's.Exercisealsoleads
tohippocampusgrowthandmemoryimprovement.7 IwouldstronglyrecommendreviewingthePeakFitness
Techniqueformyspecificrecommendations.Thefollowingsuggestionsmayalsobehelpfulfortheprevention
ofAlzheimer'sdisease:
Intermittentlyfast
Ketonesaremobilizedwhenyoureplacecarbs
withcoconutoilandotherhealthyfats.
Intermittentfastingisapowerfultooltojumpstart
yourbodyintorememberinghowtoburnfatand
repairtheinsulin/leptinresistancethatisa
primarycontributingfactorforAlzheimer's.
Eatanutritiousdiet,richinfolate
Vegetables,withoutquestion,areyourbestform
offolate,andweshouldalleatplentyoffreshraw
veggieseveryday.Avoidsupplementslikefolic
acid,whichistheinferiorsyntheticversionof
folate.
OptimizeyourvitaminDlevelswithsensible
sunexposure
SufficientvitaminDisimperativeforproper
functioningofyourimmunesystemtocombat
inflammationthatisalsoassociatedwith
Alzheimer's.
Ifyouareunable,forwhateverreason,toget
enoughsensiblesunexposure,makesureto
takedailysupplementalvitaminDtomakeyour
bloodlevelatleast40to50ng/ml.Thisis
typicallyabout8,000unitsofvitaminDformost
adults.
Avoidandeliminatemercuryfromyourbody
Dentalamalgamfillings,whichare50percent
mercurybyweight,areoneofthemajorsources
ofheavymetaltoxicity,howeveryoushouldbe
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healthypriortohavingthemremoved.
Onceyouhaveadjustedtofollowingthediet
describedinmyoptimizednutritionplan,youcan
followthemercurydetoxprotocolandthenfinda
biologicaldentisttohaveyouramalgams
removed.
Avoidandeliminatealuminumfromyourbody
Sourcesofaluminumincludeantiperspirants,
nonstickcookware,vaccineadjuvants,etc.For
tipsonhowtodetoxaluminum,pleaseseemy
article,"FirstCaseStudytoShowDirectLink
betweenAlzheimer'sandAluminumToxicity."
Thereissomesuggestionthatcertainmineral
watershighinsilicicacidmayhelpyourbody
eliminatealuminum.
Avoidfluvaccinations
Mostfluvaccinescontainbothmercuryand
aluminum.
Avoidstatinsandanticholinergicdrugs
Drugsthatblockacetylcholine,anervoussystem
neurotransmitter,havebeenshowntoincrease
yourriskofdementia.
Thesedrugsincludecertainnighttimepain
relievers,antihistamines,sleepaids,certain
antidepressants,medicationstocontrol
incontinence,andcertainnarcoticpainrelievers.
Statindrugsareparticularlyproblematicbecause
theysuppressthesynthesisofcholesterol,
depleteyourbrainofcoenzymeQ10,vitaminK2,
andneurotransmitterprecursors,andprevent
adequatedeliveryofessentialfattyacidsandfat
solubleantioxidantstoyourbrainbyinhibiting
theproductionoftheindispensablecarrier
biomoleculeknownaslowdensitylipoprotein.
Challengeyourminddaily
Mentalstimulation,especiallylearning
somethingnew,suchaslearningtoplayan
instrumentoranewlanguage,isassociatedwith
adecreasedriskofAlzheimer's.
Researcherssuspectthatmentalchallenge
helpstobuildupyourbrain,makingitless
susceptibletothelesionsassociatedwith
Alzheimer'sdisease.
[+]SourcesandReferences
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