ASK DR. SHIROKO

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.
In light of that, everything we do can affect our ability to
remember in both positive and negative ways. If you only eat once a
day and you have only highly processed foods, it will cause you to
forget everything. But if you eat a healthy balanced diet with
protein at each meal and keep your blood sugar balanced throughout
the day, your brain will be happy to help you find the name of your
neighbor. Remember that the brain is fueled by glucose – sugar.
That means it needs a steady supply all day to keep it functioning
well. It does not mean that you should eat candy bars all day
however.
American diets are deficient in Vitamin D and omega fatty acids,
both of which are key elements to help our brains function at their
best. You can have your vitamin D levels checked at your doctor’s
office. Omega fatty acids are available in capsules in the form of
fish oil, flax oil or combinations. You can also get them in your
diet by eating enough of high quality oils such as olive oil, other
nut oils, nuts. Walnuts are especially good for your brain; they
are shaped like the brain after all.
We have ways of measuring hormones and brain chemicals, which
can help us understand what is the cause of a particular memory
problem. Maximizing your hormones and brain chemistry will
definitely help support your brain function. There are also several
interesting supplements to help with memory loss. Low dose lithium
has been shown to help support memory and brain function in people
who take it.
And lastly, if you exercise your brain, it’s just like
exercising your body, it tends to work better when you do. Puzzles
and games like Scrabble, crosswords, sudoko, and reading books that
aren’t too easy to understand keeps your mind active and engaged.
Gary, who developed Alzheimers at a fairly young age, would always
do better when he traveled to new places; it stimulated his
brain.
Dr. Shiroko Sokitch’s column appears monthly. She can be
reached at: dr*****@li***.net.
Dr. Shiroko Sokitch’s column appears monthly. She can be
reached at: dr*****@li***.net. (oops!)