More Than Just a Fleeting Memory

Memory loss is an insidious thing. Changes in your ability happen so slowly that you’re not even aware of them until some event triggers a realization. For me, that event has been playing card games with my boy. His young mind rarely forgets a card, while I often have a hard time remembering the card I just turned over. What a worrisome wake-up call.

As a society, we are living longer than ever, so preserving our cognitive ability and protecting our brains is more important than ever. As many as 4 million people are grappling with the memory loss that comes with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but perhaps 100 million of us are worried about suffering from it—and for many people it’s a bigger worry than death itself. You needn’t worry, and I want you to know this with confidence: You can keep your wits for life. You can improve your memory, processing speed, and ability to focus.

Conventional Wisdom Is Wrong

Some degree of decline in brain power is natural with aging. My medical training said that once brain power is gone, it’s gone for good—and that line of thinking came out of a progressive medical school. Fortunately, we have learned differently in the years since then.

The drug companies, of course, are busy with the next generation of brain pills. The first wave is in clinical studies now, but so far nothing has emerged to write home about. Also, understand that the FDA approves drugs to treat illness. After you have fallen far, they try to break your catastrophic fall. The FDA doesn’t approve drugs to make you healthier. That’s my job—to help you get healthier.

My point here is that what you do for yourself will make a bigger impact than any drug in the foreseeable future. The way you live is what will build or bust your brain power. And supplemental brain nutrients will play a central and vital role in powering up your brain. My experience tells me that the modern attack on our brains, from fog to failure, is not a genetic misstep, but a misfire from lifestyle.

What Goes Wrong?

Everything your brain needs—oxygen, glucose, other nutrients—gets pumped in from outside, and poor circulation can block the delivery of those vital elements. In addition, your brain relies on good circulation for the removal of wastes and other toxins that can otherwise cause inflammation.

Your brain is exquisitely tuned, and disrupting its nutrient flow starts a potential cascade of cognitive decline. The brain is also highly susceptible to nutritional shortcomings and the effects of chronic stress. It actually shrinks and shrivels from stress, excess sugar, and poor care.

In a nutshell: Low flow, low fuel, and low function lead to flames of inflammation and faltering faculties. But not for you!

The Keys to the Cognitive Kingdom

Fortunately, much of what you need to maintain your brain health will already be a part of your overall health program, so we’re not talking about adding a tremendous amount to your daily regimen. Five areas need particular attention. Address any or all of them, but know that the more you do the better your results will be.

Keep the blood flowing.  Exercise of all types is a winner for your brain as well as your brawn. I particularly recommend the aerobic activity of your choice (such as walking, swimming, or cycling); yoga’s many inversion poses that lift your feet over your head; rebounding; and stretching activities. You’ll even get benefit from something as simple as lying with your feet higher than your head.

Several botanicals offer reliable support for blood flow. The most widely known is ginkgo, but others have their place too. For example, Panax ginseng (200 mg, standardized to 5 percent ginsenoside content) is the premier adaptogen with a reputation for supporting better brain performance.

As a treat for your taste buds, the very latest research on cocoa shows that it can stimulate brain blood flow. Cocoa is already known for its ability to improve blood flow to the heart. A presentation called “The Neurobiology of Chocolate: A Mind-Altering Experience?” given at the recent American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting showed that drinking cocoa increased blood flow in the brain for 2–3 hours. The beverage used in the study was a particular variety high in flavonols, but I have no doubt that you’d see benefits from just about any quality chocolate that isn’t loaded with sugar.

Exercise your brain muscle. Your brain is a prime example of “use it or lose it.” It’s easy to see the physical results of sitting in an easy chair all day, and your brain is no different. Let it sit idle for too long, and all the former mental muscle turns to flab.

Brain exercises don’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. You can keep your brain nimble with activities such as dancing, taking up a new hobby, or playing brain-intensive games like bridge or chess. Challenge yourself to learn new things that require focus and attention, and take yourself out of routines so you have to pay heightened attention. You’ll build brain bridges and boost brain power.

Quality fuel is essential. There’s strong evidence that Alzheimer’s is related to an imbalance in blood sugar, and the phrase “diabetes of the brain” is apt. The brain is especially sensitive to junk food. A healthful diet with a balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates is a must. Avoid trans fats, excess sugar, too much alcohol, and added chemicals. They contribute to free-radical damage and inflammation, which slow down blood flow and neural nourishment.

Nourish your neurotransmitters. These are your brain’s chemical communicators, which contribute to your well-being, keep your thoughts clear, and allow for dependable memory storage and retrieval.

Neurotransmitters can be affected negatively by lifestyle factors such as chronic stress and anxiety, lack of sleep, and dwindling hormone reserves.

Add antioxidants to protect neurons and mito¬chondria. These compounds are best served up regularly to dampen inflammation, quench free radicals, and preserve the integrity of cell membranes. The brain is highly electric and is largely made of fats. Antioxidants can keep your brain from being literally fried and your memory from going up in smoke.

The usual regimen of antioxidants is important, of course, so keep taking your multivitamin.

To sum up, my basic brain program is: Get regular exercise, both physical and mental; clean up your diet; and preserve your neurotransmitters.

Here’s to always having happy memories!

Reference

Int J Med Sci. 2006;4:53–58.