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| English: PET scan of a human brain with Alzheimer's disease (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Memory
loss?: give your brain a boost with these natural remedies
Minor memory loss can be
normal at any age, and is usually not an indication of serious
disease. While most memory loss does not indicate disease, sometimes
it does suggest an underlying cause, such as Alzheimer's disease and
cognitive disorders. People with Fibromyalgia can also have a problem
with memory loss...especially short term memory loss, word search
problems and also problems remembering misplacing things. You should
see your doctor before taking any supplement or medication for your
memory loss.
Memory loss can cause
withdrawal from friends and family and also depression. Trying to
keep up with a conversation when you have memory loss can be very
frustrating. "Word searching" is a condition associated with
memory loss. This condition causes a person who can not remember a
specific word to "search" in their mind to come up with
that word. Generally the lost word can not be retrieved and the
conversation ends.This condition can be as or more frustrating that
just having memory loss.
If you have memory loss,
there are many remedies available to help improve your memory so that
you can participate again in conversation with friends and family.
Here are just a few things you can do to help improve your memory and
get back in the conversation:
Exercise:
Exercise boosts blood flow
to the brain and throughout the body. Better blood flow to your brain
has been shown to improve memory and ward off memory loss. Ask your
doctor about your ability to exercise before you start an exercise
program. If you have not exercised in a while, you should start
slowly and work your way up. You should be exercising 3-5 days a
week, 30-60 minutes a day. (American Heart Association).
Ginkgo Biloba:
Ginkgo Biloba also boosts
blood flow to your brain to improve memory loss and cognitive
function. Ginkgo Biloba has also been shown to help with depression,
memory loss and confusion in the elderly. Do not start taking Ginkgo Biloba without first talking to your doctor, as it has potential
severe side effects.
Social:
Maintaining friendships
and social connections is important in improving memory. You brain
needs to "work" to stay healthy. Connections to other
people will help keep current with events and improve memory. People
with memory loss tend to withdraw and become depressed because of
inability to participate in conversations with other people due to
memory loss.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a
healthy fat that have been shown to slow cognitive decline and reduce
the risk of dementia. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in flax seed, fish
and nuts.
Reading:
Reading books, newspapers,
magazines or anything available, will help improve memory. Reading
keeps your brain "up to date" on old words and also
introduces your brain to new ones. The saying "if you don't use
it, you lose it' is very true when it comes to your brain. Another
method of using words to help your memory is to say things that you
need or want to remember three times, out loud. Saying and hearing
the words you want to remember gives the information to you two ways,
which makes it easier to remember things.
There are many other
natural remedies and things you can do to help improve your memory,
but these are some of the most popular ones. Not everyone has a
decline in mental function as they age, but for those of us with Fibromyalgia,
following the above recommendations can help improve memory loss.
You should always see your
doctor before you take anything or start any kind of exercise to make
sure it is safe for you.
How do you deal with the memory loss caused by Fibromyalgia?
I tend to feel really stupid when I am having a conversation and all of a sudden I not only lose a word or two, but I lose the entire conversation. I can't even remember what we were just talking about. My physician says that I have a progressive type of Fibromyalgia...it has gotten very much worse since the first symptoms started about 20+ years ago.
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I will do my best to keep up with your comments. Please remember that I am in a lot of pain, most of the time and that does make it hard to keep up sometimes. I hope you understand as I value your comments and thank you for leaving them!