Memory Loss Archives - Brainfit Resorts

Is Memory Loss A Sign Of Dementia?

Vishan S Gill — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 10:24:44 +0000

Healthy people can experience memory loss or memory distortion at any age.

Some of these memory flaws become more pronounced with age, but unless they are extreme and persistent, they are not considered indicators of Dementia or other memory-impairing illnesses.

What causes normal memory loss?

There is a natural tendency to forget facts or events over time.

You are most likely to forget information soon after you learn it, however, memory also has a use-it-or-lose-it quality; memories that are called up and used frequently are least likely to be forgotten.

Although this might seem like a sign of memory weakness, brain scientists regard it as beneficial, because it clears the brain of unused memories, which makes way for newer, more useful ones.

Also, you tend to forget when you do not pay close enough attention to things.

You forget where you just put your pen because you did not focus on where you put it in the first place.

You were thinking of something else (or, perhaps, nothing in particular), so your brain did not encode the information securely.

We discuss the differences between what is normal and abnormal memory loss in our video series.

Click HERE to watch it now.

Memory Blocks

“Memory blocks” are another type of forgetfulness: the temporary inability to retrieve a memory.

Someone asks you a question and the answer is right on the tip of your tongue — you know that you know it, but you just can’t think of it.

Scientists believe that memory blocks become more common with age and that they account for the trouble older people have remembering other people’s’ names.

Research shows that people are able to retrieve about half of the blocked memories within just a minute.

Memory vs. Reality

In fact, there is no such thing as a “true” memory, for even the sharpest memory is not a flawless snapshot of reality.

In your memory, your perceptions are filtered by your personal biases, this includes your experiences, beliefs, prior knowledge, and even your mood at the moment.

Your biases affect your perceptions and experiences in the very moment that they are being encoded in your brain.

Amazingly, when you retrieve a memory, your mood and other biases at that very moment can influence what information you actually recall!

Most people worry about forgetting things, but in some cases, people are tormented by memories they wish they could forget but cannot.

The persistence of memories linked to traumatic events, negative feelings, and ongoing fears is another type of memory problem.

Some of these memories accurately reflect horrifying events, while others may be negative distortions of reality.

Keeping Up With Information

We now live in an age where there is a tremendous rise in the amount of information that we must absorb and process.

Numerous information sources (such as the internet, television and radio, newspapers and magazines, books, lectures, and movies), provide a constant influx of information.

This barrage of data is so immediately accessible via computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, that the result can easily become an information overload that can be difficult to keep up with.

At BrainFit Resorts we teach all our participants in the ProtectMyBrain Program how to manage information overload, optimize technology so that it gives rather than takes energy from you, and also, how to forget or delete memories, and effectively make room for new memories to form.

Just scratching the surface

There’s a myriad of information around memory loss, and what are some of the steps you can take to help improve your memory and cognitive abilities day-by-day.

Below we’ve listed for you some of our information and resources that might just help you with some hints and tips you can apply to your daily life and improve your memory.

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Of course, if you have any concerns that you are experiencing “irregular” memory loss, do make it a point to consult with your physician.

If you would like us to feature a particular topic or interest in one of our upcoming articles or videos, leave a comment below with the details or alternatively, send us an email to info@brainfitresorts.com.

We’d love to hear what’s on your mind.

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Until next time… Live Strong. Live Well. Live BrainFit.

What Are The Main Causes of Dementia?

Vishan S Gill — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 10:24:17 +0000

Forgetful? Losing your train of thought? Can’t quite get the words out?

Most will boil this down to signs of age.

The unfortunate truth is, these seemingly frivolous issues can often be attributed to something much more worrisome.

Dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease?

Dementia is a syndrome that has a number of causes.

The common characteristic symptoms of Dementia are generally associated with difficulties in memory language, problem-solving and other cognitive skills that affect a person’s ability to perform everyday activities.

These difficulties occur when the nerve cells (neurons) in parts of the brain involved in cognitive function, have been damaged.

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of Dementia, is a degenerative brain disease, in which neurons in other parts of the brain are eventually damaged or destroyed, including those that enable a person to carry out basic bodily functions such as walking and swallowing.

People in the final stages of the disease are bed-bound and require around-the-clock care.

Unfortunately, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease are ultimately fatal, as today, no cure exists for any of these conditions.

What actually causes Dementia?

The two main causes of Dementia in older persons, being Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which accounts for about 70% of cases, and Vascular Dementia (with many mixed forms).

Alzheimer’s is characterized by the presence of abnormal structures within the brain which are believed to damage and kill nerve cells.

These abnormal structures are thought to play a critical role in blocking communication among nerve cells and disrupting processes that these cells normally perform.

Certain individuals with a strong family history of Dementia may be carriers of genetic mutations (in the APOE4 allele) which predispose them to the earlier onset and more rapid progression.

Vascular Dementia occurs when vessels that supply blood to the brain become blocked or narrowed, whereas a “stroke”, takes place when the supply of blood carrying oxygen to the brain is suddenly cut off.

Vascular Dementia can occur over time as “silent” mini-strokes pile up.

With the exception of Alzheimer’s caused by genetic mutations; experts believe that Alzheimer’s, like other common chronic diseases, develops as a result of multiple factors rather than a single cause.

Generally speaking, identified risk factors for dementia include depression, diabetes, physical inactivity, hypertension, obesity, smoking, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, renal dysfunction, and low unsaturated fat intake.

What can be done?

For every downside, there is an equally opportunistic upside.

If you think you may be at risk of onset Dementia, many preventative measures are also available.

These include physical activity, brain-healthy nutrition, supplements, stress and sleep management, cognitive stimulation (AKA “brain gym”), correcting hypertension and curbing unhealthy habits like smoking and alcohol.

So you see, something as simple as modifying your diet and exercise regime could not only save your life but save the person you are!

If you believe you may be at risk for Dementia or a related disease and want to know how you could PREVENT having any of these diseases, you owe it to yourself to take action now!

We discuss many different hints, tips, and strategies that you can apply to your daily life and habits here in our blogs and videos.

See below for a few examples.

If you’d prefer to invest your time into something much more tailored and personalized to suit your requirements, take a look at our ProtectMyBrain Program.

Click HERE to find out if our ProtectMyBrain Dementia Prevention Program is right for you

We’d love to hear what’s on your mind.

Until next time… Live Strong. Live Well. Live BrainFit.