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DISORDERS
(Their description, characteristics or symptoms,
causes, and complementary or alternative treatments)
Disorder: MEMORY LOSS
Description: Inside the brain is a root and branch system of huge proportions. Hundreds of billions of brain cells called neurons stretch toward each other with rootlike growths called axons and dendrites. Close as they might get, the tiny nerve endings of one axon never touch those of the dendrites branching toward it. Instead, memories and other thoughts have to hurdle what are called synaptic gaps. Without chemicals called neurotransmitters bridging them, information can’t get from one neuron to the other. That means that memories, although stored throughout your brain, are just out of reach. If the brain doesn’t have an adequate supply to neurotransmitters, or the nutrients from which to make them, it begins to develop the biochemical equivalent of a power failure or a short circuit. If you mind goes blank when you are trying to recall a specific fact or piece of information, it is likely that such a "short circuit" occurred.
Symptoms: Deterioration of memory. Although memory lapses are an annoyance in themselves, the anxiety that often comes along with them are worse. We begin to fear they are a symptom of some other problem, such as arteriosclerosis or Alzheimer’s disease.
Incidence: Occasional memory lapses are normal at any age. Although many people expect that as they age, their ability to remember will deteriorate, this is not necessarily true. The aging process itself has little, if any bearing on the ability to recall information.
Causes: There are numerous factors involved in the deterioration of memory. One reason many people suffer from memory loss is an insufficient supply of necessary nutrients to the brain. Another is exposure to free radicals. Alcoholics and drug addicts often suffer a great deal from memory loss. Allergies, candidiasis, stress, thyroid disorders, and poor circulation to the brain may be contributing factors. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can play a role in memory loss as well, because to function properly, the brain requires the level of glucose in the blood to fall within a very specific narrow range. Wide swings in blood sugar levels affect brain function and memory.
Treatments: With proper diet and nutrition, the memory should remain sharp and active at any age.
Nutrients:
Supplement Dosage Comments
|
Choline |
100 mg. 3 times daily |
Increases levels of acetylcholine, most important of the neurotransmitters. |
|
Lecithin granules or Capsules |
1 tbsp. 3 times daily, before meals. 1200 mg. 3 times daily, before meals. |
Improves brain function. Lecithin is high in choline and inositol, important B vitamins. |
|
B-complex containing: Riboflavin 1.7 mg. Thiamin 1.5 mg. B6 (pyridoxine) – 2 mg. B12 – 6 mcg. |
As directed on label. |
Even mild deficiencies of B vitamins can have an impact on thinking and memory. |
|
Vitamin C |
3000-10,000 mg. daily |
A powerful antioxidant that also improves circulation. |
|
Vitamin E |
400 IU daily. |
Causes dilation of blood vessels, improving blood flow to the brain. |
|
Zinc |
50-80 mg. daily. |
Important in binding toxic substances and removing them from the brain. |
Herbs:
 | Ginkgo biloba increases blood flow to the brain.
| Other herbs that are helpful for memory include anise, blue cohosh, ginseng
and rosemary. Caution: Do not take ginseng if you have high blood
pressure. | |
Recommendations:
| Eat a diet high in raw foods and low in fat. Researchers believe that higher
blood pressure may cause changes in blood flow the brain. Eating a diet that
gets no more than 25% of its calories from fat can help bring down high blood
pressure.
| Include in your diet brewer’s yeast, brown rice, eggs, fish, legumes,
nuts, soybeans, tofu, wheat germ, and whole grains.
| Avoid alcohol. Excessive drinking depletes the body’s store of B vitamins
and zinc.
| Avoid refined sugars – these "turn off" the brain.
| Consider having a hair analysis done to rule out intoxication by heavy
metals such as aluminum and lead. Either of these conditions can lead to
impaired mental functioning.
| Make sure to focus on things that you may wish to remember. Often we blame
our inability to recall something on a failure memory when the problem is that
we did not really pay attention in the first place. | |
Considerations:
| Supplementation with the hormone DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) may help to improve memory. Human growth hormone (HGH) has also been shown to improve brain function. |
Vitamin For Life Recommended Regimen and cost:
|
Product No. 59618- |
Description |
Comments |
Cost |
|
901-15 |
Choline 648 mg. tablets. |
As directed on label. |
$4.95/100 |
|
122-00 |
Lecithin Granules |
1 tbsp. 3 times daily, before meals, or mix with foods such as yogurt, applesauce and cereals. |
$7.25/14 oz. |
|
890-15 |
B Complex 100 mg. tabs. |
1 tablet daily |
$8.95/100 |
|
955-12 |
Vitamin C 500 mg. with rose hips tablets |
As directed on label. |
$4.95/100 |
|
234-15 |
Vitamin E 400 IU (d-alpha tocopheryl) softgels |
1 softgel daily. |
$8.95/100 |
|
923-15 |
Zinc gluconate (chelated) 50 mg. tabs. |
1 tablet daily. |
$4.95/100 |
Sources:
Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 2nd Edition
By James F. Balch, M.D. & Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C.
Prevention’s Healing with Vitamins, by the Editors of
Prevention Magazine Health Books
