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Please read our Golden Rules of self help before considering the information on this page.
Memory
ALZHEIMERS
The members of my family hate me sometimes. One of the things that
annoy them is my memory. Whenever there is a dispute I will be able to
say off the cuff: “You did so and so on the 3 rd of August 1974.”
Whenever anyone questions my memory, my husband just shrugs his
shoulders, he knows I can prove it too!
My memory is a blessing: remembering so many things helps me in my work. Not only do I remember herbs, vitamins, remedies off the cuff; but I also remember most details about my patients, which helps me to help them. My memory is also a curse because I remember lots of things I would rather forget! But mostly I consider it a blessing and I am very grateful for it. So, am I a freak or can anybody develop and keep a good brain filing system?
One of the facts that have come out of recent research on Alzheimer's is that Folic Acid is a very important nutrient that is lacking in people suffering from the problem. As it happens, every time I have a blood test, doctors are always amazed at how high my levels of folic acid are. So I AM a freak, right? No! I just eat lots and lots of veges and, here is the trick, I am particularly fond of those green bitter veges that a lot of people turn their noses up at and which just happen to be very rich in folic acid, like chicory, endive, witlof and dandelion. Besides these keep you regular and there is a definite correlation between a well functioning gut and a clear brain.
Why is folic acid so good? Because it helps build up a healthy nervous system. Our nerve cells (called neurons) don't connect with each other. In order to pass information down the line they continuously play ‘pass the parcel'. The ‘parcels' in question are more accurately described as neuro-transmitters but they do come in little parcels of chemicals that jump from one nerve cell to the next, to the next and so on. So keeping these connections working and those parcels intact is the whole trick.
However, folic acid is not the only thing that keeps the nerves cells passing the parcels. Our brain is full of connections just wanting to be made. However if we keep on using the same connections they lose the ability to talk to each other and wither up and die. It's a bit like you always take the same trodden garden path, you don't visit other parts that become overgrown with weeds and become feral and useless. What a waste!
So how do you keep the brain keen? Use it! Magazines are good for that: puzzles, crosswords and brainteasers make those neurons fire. But it is important to not always do the same thing at the same time. Of course it is both nice and important to have order in one's life but it is also important to give the brain little challenges that make different neurons fire up. So, live dangerously and dare change the time you having dinner, the route you take to go to work and the undies you wear on different days.
Learn different things. The more you learn, the more you keep your
brain awake. It does not matter if you don't intend to breed giraffes,
go to the library and learn all about the mating habits of giraffes,
don't get more romance novels! (Besides, what you will learn is
probably more exciting!)
What If The Horse Has Already Bolted?
If someone you know and love has already developed memory problems, there is still a lot you can do. First of all you can apply all the above, and then you can give them Ginko biloba. Yes, it is true, this herb will help repair fading memory (follow direction on the bottle or consult a herbalist). It works better for people who have a problem; it does not help to create a good memory. So there is no point in giving it to little Jessica to help with her schoolwork.
If that does not help you can always console yourself that sex is better with Alzheimer's: because every time is like the first time!
MORE ON FOLIC ACID
I am a fan of folic acid, always have been and the more time passes the more research shows how fabulous a nutrient it is. We already knew that folic acid is important in preventing neural tube defects such as spina bifida; lately it has become clear that high levels of folic acid are also good for the memory and that Alzheimer sufferers seem to have very low level of this nutrient.
A recent study (conducted in Australia: - Perth's Princess Margaret Hospital) came out about another positive effect of folic acid. It seems that folic acid supplements taken during pregnancy may protect babies from developing the most common childhood leukaemia: acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
So keep on eating those green bitter veges and that calves liver and if you are pregnant make sure you take a supplement that contains 500 mcg (microgram) of Folate and 500mcg of B12 (they work together).
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