Be honest, is your memory getting worse? Are you forgetting appointments? Do you frequently misplace your keys or phone? Do you often wonder why you came into a room? Are you struggling with brain fog?
If you’re concerned about
memory problems, you may seek professional help. Unfortunately, given how most doctors approach this issue you can’t count on traditional medicine to rescue your memory. In fact, conventional healthcare professionals often perpetuate a myth about memory loss that actually prevents you from rescuing your memory.
THE MYTH ABOUT MEMORY LOSS
Here’s a common scenario: You’re having difficulty remembering conversations, forgetting where you put your reading glasses, or briefly getting lost driving in familiar areas. So, you see your primary care physician or local neurologist, who asks you a few questions, gives you some short tests and orders an MRI. Based on your results, traditional medical professionals will often tell you the #1 myth about memory loss: “Everyone has memory problems with age. It’s normal.” In reality, losing your memory or developing brain fog in your 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, or even 80s is common, but it’s NOT normal.
The report on your MRI comes back as “mild, age-appropriate brain atrophy.” Your doctor tells you that you have “mild cognitive impairment” (MCI) or early Alzheimer’s disease. You’re reassured that it’s common, and you’ll likely retain your personality and long-term memory until later in the illness. You’re encouraged to get your affairs in order, given a prescription for Aricept (a common memory medication that has short term benefits, but
loses its effects after 18 months), and told to make a follow-up appointment in 6 months.
That’s literally the extent of the work-up in 80-90% of the people who visit Amen Clinics for memory problems
after going through the traditional medical system. Before visiting Amen Clinics, they say they received no discussion about eliminating risk factors, exercise, diet, supplementation, or memory training exercises. It’s completely ineffective, heartbreaking, and unconscionable given what we know now.
WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING IN THE BRAIN BEFORE MEMORY SYMPTOMS APPEAR?
In 2011, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) revised its staging guidelines for Alzheimer’s disease.
The old guidelines had 3 stages:
- Normal: no symptoms
- Mild cognitive impairment: people or relatives have started to notice a problem
- Alzheimer’s disease: a significant problem is present and getting worse.
Based on new brain imaging data, the NIA added a new, 4th stage.
- Normal
- Preclinical: no obvious symptoms, but negative changes can be seen on a brain scan
- Mild cognitive impairment
- Alzheimer’s disease
Can you see the problem here? You have no symptoms at all, but your brain is already starting to deteriorate. Brain imaging research, including a 2014 study in
Neuro-degenerative Diseases, show that negative changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease begin years or even decades before there are any signs of trouble!
A person who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at age 59 likely started to show disconcerting brain changes by 30. And someone who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in their early 70s likely had evidence of brain deterioration in their 40s.
Your brain’s history is NOT its destiny. Even if you have brain fog or trouble remembering now, it doesn’t mean you always will. You can
start having a better memory today.
THE MEMORY RESCUE PROGRAM
The best way to sharpen your memory, reverse brain aging, and prevent Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is to eliminate, prevent, or treat the 11 major risk factors that steal your mind, represented by the mnemonic (a memory device) BRIGHT MINDS.
See how many of the following BRIGHT MINDS risk factors you have.
B – Blood flow problems: hypertension or pre-hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular disease, cholesterol problems, erectile dysfunction, exercising less than twice a week
R – Retirement/Aging: risk increases with age (over 50); a lack of
new learning is another important risk factor—when you stop learning, your brain starts dying
I – Inflammation: gum disease, high homocysteine or C-reactive protein blood levels, low omega-3 fatty acids
G – Genetics: a family member with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia or Parkinson’s disease, or having the Apo E4 gene
H – Head trauma: a history of
head injuries with or without loss of consciousness; playing contact sports (even without a concussion)
T – Toxins: alcohol or drug abuse,
exposure to toxins in the environment (toxic mold, pollution) or personal products, cancer chemotherapy, etc.
M – Mental health issues: chronic stress,
depression,
ADD/ADHD,
PTSD,
bipolar disorder,
schizophrenia
I – Immunity/Infection Issues – chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune issues, such as rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis; or untreated infections, such as
Lyme disease
N – Neurohormone imbalances: low thyroid, testosterone (males and females), estrogen and progesterone (females), low DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), high cortisol
D – Diabesity: diabetes, pre-diabetes, and obesity
S – Sleep problems: chronic insomnia and sleep apnea
The good news is that almost all of these risk factors are either preventable or treatable. Even the ones that aren’t, such as having a family history of dementia, can be ameliorated with the right
memory rescue program.
Memory issues can’t wait. Amen Clinics has created a proven Memory Rescue Program that can help you address your risk factors, train your brain, and improve your memory.
We are available for in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.
