As we age, some memories start to fade and you begin to forget the names, faces, and significant life events. In many people, this causes feelings of helplessness, self-pity, and sometimes even depression. The causes for the loss of memory can differ largely due to age, illness or it can sometimes be hereditary.
Symptoms can show up suddenly or gradually in time. There are no pre-set rules and the illness can be vastly unpredictable, but there are some things that might be able to help wild mild and short-term memory loss. Let’s break down the concrete causes, symptoms, and possible solutions for this widespread condition.
Temporary memory loss
Short-term memory loss is a condition that is usually caused by brain injury, after living through some traumatic events or by illness. This state is temporary and there is often no need for concern. The vast majority of people who experience it go back to their normal daily routine without ever having a problem with memory again, although the lost memories sometimes never come back. The doctors say that this is a normal path of recovery after stressful incidents.
However, sometimes the state of panic takes over leading us to think that these are the first signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The main difference between the short-term memory loss and dementia is that the temporary loss of recollection will not be progressive and it won’t affect your daily life. With dementia, things get worse every day with people gradually, bit by bit, lose every memory they have.
So, if you have forgotten where you put your keys or why you even entered the room in the first place, do not be alarmed. This is quite normal with age, and even in younger people. Still, some triggers can worsen your loss of memory even further or prolong the recovery time after an injury, like the lack of sleep, medicine side-effects, increased stress levels, clinical depression, and excessive consummation of alcohol.
Memory loss caused by disease
Dementia is the most common disease that affects the cognitive functions of the brain. Only your doctor can diagnose with certainty whether or not you’re suffering from dementia, but the general guidelines are constant and steady declining of two or more abilities like memory, talking, and simple logical reasoning that has a debilitating impact on a person’s daily activities.
Communications and interactions with other people become laborious and, in time, almost impossible without the constant help of others. Activities like working, driving, and doing outdoor hobbies are unimaginable anymore, with a person falling into 24/7 care of family or professional medical staff.
The causes are numerous, from concussions, meningitis, strokes, anxiety and depression, to Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Many underlying, undiagnosed conditions can trigger a permanent decrease in memory, so regular and timely check-ups are crucial for catching the disease in its early stage.
Foods that help normal brain functions
The brain is one of the organs that need a lot of energy to perform basic functions. It uses around 20% of all calories we consume every day, which is quite a lot. Some foods are better sources of energy than others and have crucial roles in properly performing all operations.
- Fatty fish is known for decades to improve memory, thinking and other cognitive abilities. People who practice the Mediterranean diet that’s full of fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna, are proved to rarely suffer from dementia and have a longer lifespan.
- Dark chocolate is not only an aphrodisiac but it has huge benefits to brain functions like learning and memory. Cocoa, which is the main ingredient of the chocolate, is loaded with antioxidants that are especially good for protecting brain cells. Just don’t overdo it, an ounce of at least 70% dark chocolate daily will do the trick.
- Berries! Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries and mulberries are all excellent for improving memory and learning skills. It can even delay or reduce age-related memory loss.
- Go nuts with nuts and seeds! Especially sesame seeds that can help seniors with the memory loss and overall better functioning of their cognitive skills.
- Coffee is a great brain stimulant that increases focus and awareness. With one cup of black coffee, we can process information more quickly and effectively, boosting our analyzing skills.
Nutrients that boost memory
Sometimes, no matter how healthy you eat, exercise, and overall take care of yourself, you can still find yourself having an occasional memory blockage. For this, the best way is to help put your brain by introducing some nutrients that you might be lacking.
You can take them separately, or, to make your life easier, visit here to see how you can take them all at one time in just one tablet.
Here are what to look for in your supplements:
- Huperzine – Used in Chinese medicine for centuries, it has proven to increase brain alertness and has positive effects on memory. It’s extracted from club moss, a plant that carries acetylcholine which is the main ingredient of keeping the healthy brain cells.
- Gingko Biloba – Everyone has heard about the magic effects of ginkgo Biloba on brain cognitive functions, including learning, memory, judgment and clear reasoning. The plant has been intensely researched for the past few decades and every time the scientists got extraordinary results. It supports blood flow while protecting blood vessels that are crucial for adequate brain work. This is one thing that your supplement should have in excess.
- Omega 3-fatty acids – Eating salmon is great but sometimes not enough. This is why additional support is needed in the form of DHA and EPA, both crucial acids that are responsible for keeping the protective layer of brain cells strong and healthy.
- Vitamin E – The jury is still out on this one, but one thing is for sure. Vitamin E deficiency can cause a world of problems for your overall well-being. It was proven, however, that super-high doses of vitamin E can slow down the advancement of Alzheimer’s disease. Whether or not it can improve memory or reverse memory loss – opinions differ widely. One thing’s for sure though, it won’t hurt.
- Vitamin D – Cholecalciferol, or vitamin D3, is crucial for the absorption of other vitamins and minerals, like magnesium and calcium, that can majorly improve brain tasks. It affects bone density and blood flow. For people 70 years and under, the daily dosage is 600 IU, while over 70 years old, the daily dose is 800 IU (international units). Since we can barely intake enough vitamin D3 through food every take, taking supplements is vital for maintaining good health.
