Is your memory letting you down?  As we age, it’s natural to forget little things here and there, but it can be very frustrating when your memory fails you, especially at inopportune moments.  Rest assured, new research shows that there are steps you can take to ward off normal memory loss and prevent against it in the future.  In conjunction with traditional medicine and a healthy lifestyle, I feel that nutraceutical supplements can do a lot for our overall health, especially when it comes to cognitive decline.  Read on for my tips on getting the most out of your mind.
Many people are unknowingly deficient in vitamin B12 as it’s not a component of a standard blood workup and even people who test in the low range of “normal” may experience memory loss symptoms.  But recent studies have shown that for those of us who are, it may likely lead to cognitive impairment.  I personally supplement with monthly B12 injections received at my doctor’s office and with Super Sublingual B12 by TriVita.  For me, the product delivers on its claims of increasing vitality, mood, focus and mental energy, as well as decreasing the effects of daily stress.
Dr. David Brownstein believes that the current testing methods for B12 levels are wildly inaccurate, resulting in many people believing they’re fine, even when they’re not.  He recommends B12 supplementation for multiple reasons, including reducing your cancer and heart disease risk, increasing your energy level and improving memory function.  Follow his blog and newsletters to learn more about his B12 patient experiences; most notably an elderly woman with a history dementia.  After beginning B12 supplementation, her memory loss symptoms disappeared.  Talk with your doctor soon about how B12 supplements might benefit you or your loved ones.
In a 2010 report from the Alzheimer’s Association, 5.3

million Americans were said to be living with the disease.  With studies showing that healthy choices like physical activity and low fat diets lower Alzheimer’s risk, make sure you also incorporate those into your health plan to ensure optimum brain health.  Dr. Joseph Mercola, one of my favorite leaders on the complimentary medicine front, firmly believes that we can make life choices that reduce our risk of memory function decline or Alzheimer’s, most successfully through diet, exercise and normalizing our blood pressure. Read his Expert Guide for Reducing Dementia Risk for more information.
Finally, there is much buzz about the positive effect that coconut oil supplements can have on patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s, and I believe it.  Causing the body to create higher ketone levels, coconut oil helps give the brain an alternative to glucose as energy, and it’s a known fact that, for anyone with dementia, the brain has a very hard time metabolizing glucose.  By adding coconut oil to your diet, the brain uses the newly produced ketones.  Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) produce ketones and coconut oil is about 63 percent MCTs.  Reach out to your doctor to learn more about whether a coconut oil supplement might benefit you or your loved ones.  I’m so convinced of its preventative benefits that I cook with it all the time!
Before making any changes in your healthcare regime, talk to your doctor about the advice given here and to find out what you can do to reduce your risk for memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s.
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The information included on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship.