Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Close Banner
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

Do These 3 Things Today To Keep Your Memory From Failing Later

Mark Hyman, M.D.
Author:
August 09, 2018
Mark Hyman, M.D.
Functional Medicine Doctor & NY Times bestseller
By Mark Hyman, M.D.
Functional Medicine Doctor & NY Times bestseller
Dr. Mark Hyman is a practicing family physician, a 13-time New York Times best-selling author, and an internationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in his field. He is the Director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine.
Photo by Nataša Mandić
August 09, 2018
By the year 2050, the United States will have 14 million people in need of full-time care for Alzheimer’s disease, a number equal to the populations of New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago combined. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting 40 million adults, and issues like brain fog are finally being taken seriously. Taking care of our brain health is more urgent than ever, so we’re spending the next 10 days at mindbodygreen talking about our brains and what we can all do to protect our mental health. Follow along here at #mbgbrainhealth and on Instagram and Twitter. And be sure to sign up for our FREE brain health webinar with 11-time NYT best-selling author and pioneering functional medicine doctor Dr. Mark Hyman.

Memory loss is not a normal part of aging; it does not have to be our fate (despite what you may have heard from doctors or articles). There's another way to think about brain aging. The brain responds to all the same insults as the rest of the body—stress, poor diet, toxins, lack of exercise or sleep, nutritional deficiencies, and more. We can prevent and reverse cognitive decline, at any age, when the right steps are taken.

Dementia is an issue that’s growing every day. Sadly, dementia and Alzheimer’s alone are responsible for the death of one out of every three seniors, more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. But memory loss is not just limited to seniors. Up to 5 percent of all Alzheimer’s cases are early-onset1—which can happen at any age, but the general description is that it's prior to 65 years old. Just since 2000, deaths from Alzheimer’s have increased by a staggering 123 percent. Not only is this devastating for those losing their precious memories, as well as for their loved ones, but it’s also weighing on our country financially: As of last year, we spent $259 billion on treating Americans with this condition.

Naming a disease, such as Alzheimer's or dementia, is becoming increasingly useless. We have to think about individuals, not diseases. We have to look at the way the entire body is working instead of isolating one symptomatic area and treating it independently. By assessing the entire body as a whole, in addition to mental, emotional, and spiritual health, we’re able to get to the root cause of health problems and turn them around for good.

Here are my top three tips for what you can do starting today to improve your memory and nourish a healthy brain for many years to come:

1. Focus on your food.

Photo: @OksanaKiian

This seemingly simple tip has major impacts. At least 75 percent of your plate, by volume, should be filled with colorful plant foods. These colorful superfoods come loaded with brain-boosting compounds, like phytonutrients and antioxidants that can fight free radical damage. Enjoy an array of colorful options like blueberries, radishes, and tomatoes, and make sure you’re eating tons of dark leafy greens like kale, Swiss chard, spinach, and arugula. Also, eat plenty of fat. Fat makes up a huge portion of the brain—60 percent—which is why low-fat diets can cause fatigue, brain fog, mood swings, and other annoying symptoms. Focus on getting adequate healthy fats from real food sources like wild-caught fish and grass-fed meats, avocados, olive oil, coconut butter, and nuts and seeds.

It’s also important to optimize protein. We need about 30 grams of protein per meal to build muscle. When you lose muscle, you age faster and your brain takes a huge hit! Eat some protein at every meal. Avoid sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, trans fats, food additives, and preservatives, all of which poison your brain and disrupt your biochemistry. Alzheimer’s is now considered "type 3 diabetes2," as we can see this type of neurodegeneration links to insulin resistance. Another key reason to eat low-glycemic whole foods.

2. Get moving.

This does not mean you have to go to the gym; you can do whatever you find fun, relaxing, or exciting, as long as you get your whole body moving. I love getting together with my friends to play tennis. It’s something I look forward to and make time for, since I get so much joy out of it. Movement is essential for a healthy brain; it improves blood flow and metabolism, increases insulin sensitivity, challenges our engagement, and can actually improve brain structure and function3, even in the aging population. Hiking, yoga, rock climbing, swimming—whatever it is, do it regularly. Extra points for getting active with friends, since connecting with others is another powerful way to support your cognition; social isolation has been linked4 to an array of detrimental health effects including cognitive decline.

3. Let yourself rest.

Photo: Michela Ravasio

Stress is extremely harmful to the body in more ways than one, including its ability to hurt your brain. Stress hormones damage the hippocampus—the memory center in the brain—causing memory loss and dementia. Studies have even found that perceived stress is an independent risk factor for preclinical stages of Alzheimer’s, creating mild cognitive impairment that can continue to worsen with chronic exposure. And sleep is just as important. This is the time we allow our brains to rest and detoxify, and we know that sleep deprivation negatively affects the connectivity between neurons in the hippocampus as well.

The good news, though, is that there is much you can do to stop these impacts on the brain. Create space for downtime, reduce all the business that's become so standard day in and day out. Go for a walk outside, meditate, or drink some tea and read a good book. Practice good sleep hygiene—take an hour before bed to dim the lights and do something calming (preferably away from screens), then give yourself seven to eight hours to get some solid shut-eye. Anything that helps you rest, relax, and unwind will help your brain stay healthy for the long haul.

Memory loss is an avoidable part of aging; there are actually many simple and natural interventions you can take right now to retain a sharp mind, no matter what your age.

Ready to learn more about how brain fog and your diet are intimately connected? Register now for our FREE Functional Nutrition Webinar with Dr. Mark Hyman, where you'll learn how to banish that brain fog for good.

Mark Hyman, M.D.
Mark Hyman, M.D.

Dr. Mark Hyman is a practicing family physician and an internationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in the field of Functional Medicine. He is the founder and director of The UltraWellness Center, the Head of Strategy and Innovation of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, a 13-time New York Times best-selling author, and Board President for Clinical Affairs for The Institute for Functional Medicine. He is the host of one of the leading health podcasts, The Doctor’s Farmacy. Dr. Hyman is a regular medical contributor on several television shows and networks, including CBS This Morning, Today, Good Morning America, The View, and CNN. He is also an advisor and guest co-host on The Dr. Oz Show.

Read More About Mark Hyman, M.D.

More from the author:

Functional Nutrition Training

Check out Functional Nutrition Coaching

A cutting-edge nutrition deep dive taught by 20+ top health & wellness experts

Learn more

More from the author:

Functional Nutrition Training

Check out Functional Nutrition Coaching

A cutting-edge nutrition deep dive taught by 20+ top health & wellness experts

Learn more
Mark Hyman, M.D.
Mark Hyman, M.D.

Dr. Mark Hyman is a practicing family physician and an internationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in the field of Functional Medicine. He is the founder and director of The UltraWellness Center, the Head of Strategy and Innovation of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, a 13-time New York Times best-selling author, and Board President for Clinical Affairs for The Institute for Functional Medicine. He is the host of one of the leading health podcasts, The Doctor’s Farmacy. Dr. Hyman is a regular medical contributor on several television shows and networks, including CBS This Morning, Today, Good Morning America, The View, and CNN. He is also an advisor and guest co-host on The Dr. Oz Show.

Read More About Mark Hyman, M.D.

Watch Next

Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes

Watch Next

Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes

What Is Meditation?

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Light Watkins

Box Breathing

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar

What Breathwork Can Address

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar

The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?

Yoga | Caley Alyssa

Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips

Yoga | Caley Alyssa

How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance

Nutrition | Rich Roll

What to Eat Before a Workout

Nutrition | Rich Roll

How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life

Nutrition | Sahara Rose

Messages About Love & Relationships

Love & Relationships | Esther Perel

Love Languages

Love & Relationships | Esther Perel

Related Videos (10)

What Is Meditation?

Box Breathing

What Breathwork Can Address

The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?

Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips

How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance

What to Eat Before a Workout

How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life

Messages About Love & Relationships

Love Languages

Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

More On This Topic

more Food
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.