How’s your memory?

Have you ever walked into the room and forgotten why you went in there, or forgot where you left your keys? Most likely this has happened to you from time to time as there are times when we all forget things especially when times are busy or we are in a rush. This can be completely normal but at the same time very frustrating.

Research has shown that genetics play a role in memory loss, particularly when it involves conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, but your diet and lifestyle can also have a big impact on your memory. The good news is there are some natural ways to give your memory a boost.

(pic thanks to Samantha Hurley - Burst)

How did this happen?

There are some changes you can make to your daily diet to help improve your memory. Firstly, you should eat less sugar as too much sugar has been linked to memory loss. A diet high in sugar has been shown to reduce brain volume in the area that stores short-term memory leading to cognitive loss. Cutting back on your sugar will help to make your memory a bit sharper.  

Do you crave carbohydrates? Pasta? Pizza? Potato? Cakes? Cookies and white bread? It has been shown that eating large amounts of refined carbohydrates like these also impact on your memory. This is because these foods have a high glycaemic index, namely convert straight into sugar in your body and are digested quickly causing a spike in blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that refined carbohydrates are linked to dementia and cognitive decline. On the other hand foods that have anti-inflammatory effects are rich in antioxidants and may help to improve your memory.

Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to a reduction in cognitive function. So, make sure your vitamin D levels are high enough. Alcohol in large quantities can be bad for your health in many ways and can also negatively impact your memory. Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking that raises your blood alcohol levels to 0.08 grams per ml or above. Studies have shown it alters the brain and results in bad memory.

Obesity is also linked as a high-risk factor for cognitive decline. Being obese can actually cause changes to memory-associated genes in the brain, negatively affecting your memory.

What to use

Curcumin is good for helping to improve your memory. Curcumin has been known to reduce oxidative damage and inflammation in the brain and also lower the quantity of amyloid plaques. These gather on neurons and cause cell and tissue death. This may also cause memory loss.

Cocoa is not only delicious but also nutritious. It may help stimulate the growth of blood vessels and neurons and increase blood flow in parts of the brain involved with memory.

Fish oil is a great supplement to take if you are looking to improve your memory. Fish oil is rich in the omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. These fats are important for overall health and have been shown to slow mental decline.

There are also many other herbs and supplements that can help your memory improve – like Brahmi tea. Brahmi tea has a full rich flavour and is a nice warming cuppa on any day.

Aside from that there are games you can play which will keep your mind mentally active. Also make sure you get enough sleep and try some meditation and mindfulness practice. Learning to meditate and focus your mind will improve your concentration and in turn your memory.

All this of course will lower your stress and frustration levels but it is not an easy task to do on your own. Seek out a trusted natural holistic therapist that can help you put your mind and body in tune with each other, bring about more harmony, assist you in gaining more peace of mind and you will soon find your memory begins to improve. Even if you can’t repair all the cells any repair is better than none.

Give us a call if we can assist you with your stress levels, memory improvement, lessening your fatigue and if you need more balance and peacefulness in your life.

Improving your brain function

Being healthy is not just about physical health. It’s not just about doing exercise, eating healthy and drinking enough water. You also need to look after your brain function if you want to be an active elderly adult.

Monitoring brain function pretty much can only be done by checking out how good we feel. Unfortunately this is not a good way to monitor things as there are a lot of factors that contribute to you feeling good or bad. Sometimes when you feel a bit off colour and foggy in the head your brain may just need a bit of a boost.

Improving your brain function is not as hard as you may think, all we need is a little help and this can be as simple as taking adaptogens. These are herbs or fungi that not only help boost brain function but can help your body adapt to stress, both physical and mental. They help to support your body, regulate your hormones as well as giving your immune system a boost.

Adding these herbs to your morning smoothie is a great way to add adaptogens to your diet. These herbs can help with focusing, productivity, and memory.

Herbs to ask your naturopath about

Turmeric is also known as Curcumin. It’s a great herb that has many health benefits some of which are anti-inflammatory. Research shows that it can be beneficial to Alzheimer’s sufferers or people who have suffered from a stroke. Turmeric can also help if you are suffering from mild depression as it has shown to have anti-depressant properties. 

A powdered root called Ashwagandha can help increase brain function also as it helps improve memory and reduces brain fog. It has been shown to help with message transmitting from the body to the brain and vice versa.

Maca can help balance hormones, stimulate neural activity and help balance mood swings when taken regularly. Maca also helps with depression and anxiety. This wonderful herb contains antioxidants and AcHE inhibitory properties which help stop neurotransmitters from breaking down. That means it could be beneficial to people suffering with neurodegenerative diseases.

Rhodiola rosea is another herb great for reducing stress while increasing mental energy, focus, and fortitude by making neurons more sensitive to dopamine and serotonin. It also has antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties and can be a great natural way to treat those with neurodegenerative diseases.

Siberian Ginseng is another herb which helps to improve memory and speed up the processes in the brain making it easier to learn faster and absorb information so this is a good herb to take while studying.

All these herbs are great for improving brain function but when taking adaptogens it is important to consult a professional as these herbs can be powerful and may affect some conditions and medications such as birth control pills, diabetes medication and antidepressant medication. So never go and just buy herbs or supplements off the shelf without checking with your naturopath as they are the trained expert in this field. Bottom of Form