Thursday, July 16, 2009

A Really Shocking Research On Memory Loss

As the threat of memory based diseases such as Amnesia and Alzheimer is increasing, the medical fraternity is trying their best to come out with the best of solution. Several researches are being carried on globally to make difference to such conditions. Some achievement has been made so far but nothing considerable as come so far.

As Alzheimer is being a constant threat to the growing number of elderlies according to one of the statistics nearly 65% of them are exposed to the disease. Little diagnosis could be made so far as not too many are aware of the condition and refer it to the aging process.

Until they realize that it's affecting their quality of life. So much so that it has damaging effect on them in various ways such as psychological, emotional and financial. Especially in a nuclear family setup older folks find themselves ignored most of the time. Due to ignorance and little awareness the disease is barely diagnosed on time and leads to death.

Current research on memory loss reveals that Omega 3 fats are helpful in declining such conditions. Folic acid and folate are also known to help the condition; supplements if taken for 3 years can significantly help on improving cognitive functions. People who consume fish on a regular basis have lesser chances of suffering from any form of Dementia. Vegetables also are known to be rich in few minerals and vitamin that helps in neurons functions. Exercise is however the most important way to keep the brain active as it leads to better blood circulating throughout body and brain.

According to a study those who exercise three times a week are less prone to develop disease such as Alzheimer. Brain diet mostly constitutes of low saturated fats, coniferous vegetables, fruit and fish with omega-3 fatty acids. An active social life enhances our defenses and builds immunity and reduces inflammation. Green tea also may work as wonder for the brain research has proved that those who have regular intake of green tea are less likely to suffer from cognitive impairment.

Drinking 2 servings of green tea a day can help keep any cognitive dysfunction at bay. Keeping a check on weight also helps to counter Dementia. Blood pressure and cholesterol control can lower the risk of Alzheimer. Eating leafy green vegetables and coniferous veggies also helps in restoring cognitive functions. So one should carefully include all the green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach in one's diet plan.

Older people who exercise on a regular basis are known to generate more brain cells than their counterparts who do not exercise and also learn new skills more effectively. Consuming fruits and veggies rich in antioxidants helps in boosting metabolism and maintain the integrity of nerve cell components. Magnesium and Zinc intake are also known to improve and maintain brain receptors thus enhancing memory.

Research has also proven blueberries, Ginseng, Gastrodine and Gingko Biloba to help create new neurons and improve memory functions. Vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin E and other nutritional supplements intake helps restoring memory function and build new cells however justifiable amount of caffeine taken thru tea and coffee also sharpens brain proven by a recent research.

Lowering of cortisol level and stress can help regenerate its power to remember and learn. Aerobics can protect brain tissue from aging and decline. These are results of few researches that have been done to check memory loss and brain related disorder.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Improving Memory Using Mnemonic Tools

For those of you who may have never heard of the word, mnemonic means memory aid. It's an adjective related to things that help memory improvement. Teaching tools, if you will.

If you are a movie buff, you may have heard of the one called 'Johnny Mnemonic', a 1995 feature involving a data courier. Keanu Reeves is the star of the film. He carries a large data package, 320 gigabytes in size, in his mind. If he doesn't deliver it from Beijing to Newark, it will kill him.

I suppose you could call this forced memory. It wasn't his brain that developed this computer chip, this memory tool. It contains a cure for a nerve syndrome of the future and puts his life in danger.

Some mnemonics would seem to be horrible techniques for the person who would prefer not to remember. However, this may be their only solution to overcoming a tragedy, in order to heal them. So, once more, forced memory is put into effect. The person must relive the mentally or emotionally damaging event to be able to move on with their lives and put the worst of the trauma behind them.

A coach, psychiatrist, hypnotist, counselor, pastor, trusted family member, teacher, or close friend may be needed to help give you moral support for the courage to use mnemonic tools.

Hypnosis has long been used as a mnemonic tool. Memory is a process of reconstruction rather than retrieval. Often the mind must be forced through hypnosis to reconstruct events that caused the person to suffer and attempt to protect themselves by choosing subconsciously to forget. Therefore, hypnosis may at times be a dangerous, however necessary, mnemonic tool.

Hypnosis is also a lucrative field. It is often used to help people stop an unhealthy habit, such as chronic nail-biting, smoking, overeating. It can also be used as a form of pain control. No matter how it is used, it involves the subconscious memory.

Mnemonic tools can be a positive way to overcome small annoyances. Suppose your short-term memory loss is disrupting your life in such a way that you are in a constant state of frustration. Small annoyances can add up to one big problem.

You may have subconsciously used mnemonic tools to learn to avoid certain disturbing memories. Like associating an object with someone who used that object to cause you pain. You decide to avoid use of that object to force yourself to leave the memory in the past. Maybe a dreaded uncle always wore purple, so to avoid having to constantly be reminded of the uncle, you decide to never buy an object the color purple. It may become a habit that you do without really thinking about it.

People have used flash cards, music, games, and repetition as mnemonics. Remember the old saying about tying a string around your finger to recall something important? Or placing a rubber band on your wrist, to pop whenever you are faced with a temptation you are trying to overcome?

Whatever the case may be, mnemonics can be very productive in memory improvement.

Connecting Aging And Memory

It is a well-known fact that aging will affect memory for many different reasons. Family members, friends, spouses, and careers all suffer because of aging and memory loss. Loss of memory seems to be a part of life that may sneak up on a person, gradually growing worse until it is finally acknowledged as being serious to warrant attention.

One of the least-heard-of ways people are affected by loss of memory is called male menopause. It seems to be more of an issue to keep the health problems affecting men a secret than it is for women. The male pride can be extremely sensitive in the areas of failing health.

The first memory that seems to be affected by aging is short-term memory. It is easy to assume that one may be in the first stages of Alzheimer's when memory loss begins to occur. Indeed, some may laugh at the idea of male menopause. After all, everyone knows menopause is something women endure, right? Unfortunately, this is not at all true.

Most men just never seek help for this condition because of not being aware of their feelings on a conscious level. Men are taught to put their emotions aside because to openly acknowledge them is perceived as a sign of weakness.

Forgetfulness is at the beginning of the list of changes occurring later in life. The mental processes are slowing down. We begin to run low on hormones after the age of 40.

There is a steroid hormone that the body will normally produce, using cholesterol as its main raw material. It converts into other steroids the body uses. The level of this hormone declines with age. Low doses such as 10-30 mg a day has been shown to be a memory enhancer with a punch!

Possibly the most powerful memory enhancer of all, it is also an anti-inflammatory aid which helps arthritic conditions when given at high doses of 400-500 mg per day. Other benefits of this hormone are increased energy levels, balanced hormone levels, and repair to the sheath that covers neurons in the central nervous system.

Many women are able to laugh and joke with others about the effects of menopause, especially the memory loss. It may be harder to notice memory loss caused by menopause simply because women and men are both caught up in working and rearing their children. This causes preoccupation of the mind, due to the busy lifestyles.

Aging and memory loss are no joke, certainly, and even those who are able to find the humor in it may secretly be covering for the frustration it actually causes in their day-to-day lives. Forgetting can be a scary, intimidating part of the aging process. Once it becomes such a problem that the elderly are faced with their loss of independence, it is certainly no longer a joke to one of them.

It can cause life-threatening confusion, sometimes causing them to wander away from home and get lost, cause a vehicle accident by wandering into the street, or subject them to the fierce elements of nature.

 

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