MEMORY LOSS
ONE OF THE MOST tiresome joke genres is the forgetfulness of middle-aged and elderly people. With all the press that Alzheimer’s disease has gotten in recent years, this humor has taken on an anxious edge as people begin to wonder if their forgetfulness regarding the whereabouts of their glasses and tile name of the friend they just ran into is an early warning sign of Alzheimer’s.
People really do begin to lose some of their short-term memory as they age. There are various speculations as to why this is so. Some research has indicated that women who are undergoing menopause may be more likely to experience forgetfulness as their bodies adjust to reduced supplies of estrogen. Blood pressure medicine, antihistamines, or even diet pills can compromise memory. Alcohol can affect memory too.
How can you strengthen your memory? If your memory loss isn’t due to medication or alcohol consumption, there are any number of books that suggest methods for improving a faulty memory. These books can be helpful for many people, but there are also ways of improving your memory through nutrition. I don’t mean to claim that a vitamin will improve your memory, but it is true that a less than adequate nutritional intake can compromise your memory. If you are troubled by memory loss, read the section on Alzheimer’s disease. And I’ll repeat here the nutrients that you should be taking to help memory function at maximum levels.
The natural herb Ginkgo biloba has helped many of my patients with their memory and concentration. In fact, it’s one of my favorite recommendations because it works so well.
IN ADDITION TO YOUR DAILY SUPPLEMENTS, TAKE
- Ginkgo biloba: 40 mg. three to four times daily.
- Choline: 650 mg. three times daily.
- Vitamin C: 1,000 mg. daily.
- Vitamin E: 400 I.U. daily.
- Beta-carotene: 10,000 I.U. daily.
- Selenium: 50 mcg. daily.
- Vitamin B: 1,000 mcg. daily dissolved under the tongue.
- Zinc: 50 mg. daily.
