Memory Loss

Have you walked into a room clear that you had a purpose and then suddenly can’t remember why? Did you put that ring down somewhere and can’t find it now? Are you worried that you’re not going to remember your name next week?

 Not all memory issues mean that you’re heading down the road to dementia.  Some things that look like severe memory loss can be treated with simple solutions. Your brain is capable of making new cells at any age.

 Everyone has a little bit of forgetfulness that is considered normal. Forgetting where you left things, forgetting the name of someone you don’t know well, forgetting the details of a book or movie you just saw, or getting easily distracted are all normal.

 If you begin to forget your son’s name, or miss your weekly card game, your memory loss is more significant and may indicate a condition called “mild cognitive impairment” or MCI. The hallmarks of MCI are having trouble remembering something you just did or pulling up information you’ve known for a long time. Some people who develop MCI go on to have Alzheimers but it isn’t necessarily a precursor to it.

 When memory loss becomes so severe that it interrupts your work, hobbies, social activities, and family relationships, you may be experiencing the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. But you may also have a physiologic imbalance that is causing your symptoms.

 Environmental toxins, heavy metals, medications, alcohol and drug abuse, depression, vitamin deficiencies, and hormone problems can all contribute to severe memory loss.

The list of medications that affect memory includes, pain killers, anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants, seizure medications, and even some antibiotics like Cipro, Flagyl, and Keflex. Thyroid hormone, acid blockers, antipsychotics, and allergy medications also affect memory. With this long list of things that can have an affect on your memory, you can see that retaining your memory is a delicate process. As we age, we have less leeway with everything. We have less reserves of energy, and less room to muddle with our physiology. 

Next blog will be about how to use nutrition to help heal memory problems