Family Doctor 2007 - (Page 240) mind & body MEMORY LOSS Gentle exercise like yoga can help you relax and relieve stress. lenged. Learning new skills, trying new things and making yourself focus can get you out of the rut and build your mental muscle. There are many ways you can do this, including the following: ● Read books you enjoy. ● Learn a different language. ● Learn to play a musical instrument. ● Do crossword puzzles or play other word games. ● Try a new hobby. ● Read the newspaper and watch the news. ● Find ways to meet new people. ● Take classes in subjects that interest you. ● Spend time talking with friends and family. Regular physical activity is good for your brain. Recent studies have shown that people who do simple exercises (for example, walking briskly) on a regular basis are better able to make decisions than people who aren’t physically active. Exercise can also help you sleep better, which can also help your memory. Talk with ‘My memory is not what it was…’ It’s an inevitable part of growing older that your memory lets you down, which can be frustrating. Here’s how you can stay sharp. By Barbara L. Bittner your doctor about your plans before you get started. Eat healthy and drink in moderation Healthy food not only feeds your body, it can also feed your mind. Eat fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants. These foods include oranges, berries, broccoli, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Supplements can help, but your body absorbs more vitamins and minerals from food. Drinking too much alcohol can cause brain damage, so drinking in moderation, if at all, is another way to stay sharp in your later years. For all women and both men and women 65 or older, that means no more than 1 drink a day. I f these questions sound familiar, you’re not alone: “Where are my keys?” “Why did I come into this room?” As people age, they often experience memory loss and the frustration that How about less stress? When you are stressed, your body releases hormones that can damage your brain. Stress can also make you depressed or anxious, which can keep your brain from working at its full potential. Try to take a break, breathe deeply and relax. If you are able to exercise, that is a good way to relax. comes along with it. The good news is that you can do something to reduce memory loss by making a few changes to your lifestyle. Age and memory Beginning when you’re in your 20s, you begin to lose brain cells a few at a time. Your body also starts to make less of the chemicals your brain cells need to work. The older you are, the more these changes can affect your memory. Aging may affect memory by changing the way your brain stores information and by making it harder to remember stored information. Your short-term and remote memories aren’t usually affected by aging. But your recent memory may be affected. You may forget names of people you’ve met recently. These are normal changes. Stop smoking Memory loss is one of the many health problems that can be caused by smoking. Smokers have a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease — almost twice as high as those who have never smoked. Barbara L. Bittner is an editor living in Albuquerque, NM. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION American Academy of Family Physicians http://familydoctor.org/seniors.xml AARP http://www.aarp.org/health/brain/ National Institute on Aging http://www.nia.nih.gov/ Keep exercising your mind and body The best way to keep your mind sharp is to exercise it on a daily basis. If you do the same thing every day, your mind isn’t being chal240 familydoctor 2007 http://familydoctor.org/seniors.xml http://www.aarp.org/health/brain/ http://www.nia.nih.gov/
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