Can’t Find Your car keys?
Or maybe you forgot the how to fix the dispenser even though they’ve showed to you over 50 times and
the most recent time was this afternoon? Could it be a sign of memory loss?
Well, Memory loss is no longer something new in society. It’s to say that over time, it has become a
serious issue that’s affecting millions of Americans. It’s a problem that can affect your ability to think
and perform basic functions, such as driving or taking care of yourself.
Statistics show that women have more than twice the risk of developing memory loss compared with men; people over 80 are also at greater risk for developing dementia. Sometimes, It may not be dementia or something of that nature
but it genuinely affects the quality of life and represents a deep cause for concern. Memory loss can
affect individuals between the ages of 20-80.
A lot of people fall victim to it because of sheer ignorance. In a lot of cases, it is avoidable and quite treatable but since people aren’t informed, it’s left to go on snd
cause more damage to the health of that individual as well as the quality of his or her life.
Memory Loss can be caused by many things. Let’s have a look at a few of them:
Aging
Aging is a natural process. As you get older, your brain cells die and are replaced by new ones. This
natural decline in brain function is normal and can be expected with age. It can be characterized by a
decreased ability to remember things or a Lack of focus or attention span (difficulty staying focused on
one thing). Often times, this becomes closely associated with Dementia and other forms of cognitive
impairment. The key here is to detect it on time and manage the decline. Learn more about it and how
to handle it in our other post
Nutritional deficiencies
Nutritional deficiencies can be the cause of memory loss. When you don’t get enough vitamins
and minerals in your diet, it can affect how well your brain functions. For example:
Vitamin B12 helps with the production of red blood cells that deliver oxygen to the brain cells;
this important nutrient can be found in fish and meat.
Folic acid is used by cells in our bodies to create new DNA strands so they can replicate
themselves; fruits like oranges are good sources because they’re high in folate (also known as
vitamin B9).
Zinc plays an important role in preventing inflammation within the body—a factor that may
contribute to Alzheimer’s disease—and zinc-rich foods include eggs, nuts and seeds like
pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds (although these should not replace regular sources).
Medications
Medications can have a number of side effects that can cause memory loss. Some medications, like
antidepressants, may cause memory problems in people who take them over long periods of time.
Other medications, such as some antiepileptic drugs and statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs), may also
be associated with cognitive decline or dementia.
Also keep in mind that many prescription drugs are not approved for use in people with Alzheimer’s
disease or other forms of dementia—so it’s important to talk with your doctor about any new
medications you’re considering taking before you start taking them!
Long-term alcohol use
Alcohol is one of the most commonly used drugs today. It’s an intoxicant that can be found in many
home brews, wine and spirits like whiskey or beer. The main ingredient in alcohol is ethanol (also known
as ethyl alcohol). Alcohol consumption has been linked to many health problems including liver damage,
heart disease and even cancer. But what about memory loss?
The answer may surprise you: long-term alcohol use can cause memory loss—yes! The longer you
consume this mind-altering substance over time, the worse your memory will get until it’s almost
nonexistent at some point down the road if continued use continues unchecked indefinitely without
moderation or cessation altogether.
Substance abuse
Substance abuse can actually cause memory loss. While drug and alcohol use may not seem like a
serious health problem, it is one that can have serious effects on your overall well-being. When you
abuse drugs or alcohol, you risk developing brain damage and other serious mental health problems.
This can lead to permanent damage to your brain, which causes dementia or Alzheimer’s disease—both
of which are common causes of memory loss in older adults who have abused substances for years on
end.
Brain injuries and stroke
Brain injuries and stroke can also cause memory loss. Brain injuries are caused by falls, accidents, or
even a blow to the head. A brain injury may cause you to lose consciousness and have confusion or
headache.
A culmination of these causes (which is usually the case)
Memory loss can be caused by a number of different things, but most of them have solutions. The
problem is that it’s often hard to determine which causes are contributing to the problem and which
ones aren’t.
If you have a lot of different causes for your memory loss, you may need to take a number of actions in
order to solve it. For example: if you’re experiencing short-term memory loss due to low blood sugar
levels, then eating breakfast before bedtime would help improve your ability to remember things later
on in the evening after having had some food inside yourself earlier on during the day (and possibly
even earlier).
There are many causes of memory loss and while some do have their remedies, other cases may not
have a cure eg. Dementia. In all the circumstances, one thing is certain. “A Good and a Healthy Lifestyle”
throughout life can help keep the doctor away, even if it’s just for a time. Most of the types of memory
Loss discussed in thus post are things that a conscious and healthy lifestyle can keep in check or deal
with.
Memory loss isn’t the end of the World. One can still lead a healthy, productive and a happy life
regardless of it.