Memory loss

My excellent memory came back. That’s right. I found out that losing my short-term memory was not an age related thing for me as everyone had told me. It’s back and my mind is sharper than ever. Hey, I passed the Florida Real Estate test and that right there tells you something. Boy, that is a hard test. I actually had to study for it.

Before in my younger days, I always had an excellent memory and could remember people’s names and details about them like their birth dates and favorite color; things most normal people couldn’t do. I also never made lists. I could stop at a grocery store and remember everything I needed to pick up without a list. To Do Lists where all in my head.

I could shock people when I said things as-remember that time we hiked to the Cascades and you got stung by that bee?- and the person I was talking to would have no recollection of the event.

Of course, having a great memory is not a good thing for my husband because like a hard drive in my brain, I stored everything he did that I felt was an assault on our relationship…and you know how that goes. I’ve learned to back-off on that one.

Yes, I relied on my quick wit and brain storage capability through my life so when I hit my 50’s and to my horror, I started forgetting things. Where did I put my cell phone? Where did I park my car? Oh my gosh, I completely forgot about calling that person back.  I complained to a friend about my failing memory when he told me…it’s inevitable; a fact of old age. Nooooooo!

As the years progressed my short-term memory got worse. I was constantly searching for paperwork, sunglasses, car keys, and my handbag. There where days I couldn’t remember my own phone number or social security number. I would walk into rooms not remembering why I walked in and go to Google on my laptop forgetting what I wanted to search for. Does any of this sound familiar?

People suggested that I try supplements like Omega 3 but that never worked. I started placing Post It notes all over the house and write down in a notebook what I had done that day. Was this the beginning of dementia? I missed my great memory.

If some of you are following me on Facebook, Twitter, or one of my blogs, you know that I have become a rather health enthusiast. I have cleaned up my diet  by “eating clean” which means I try to eat raw vegetables and foods with the least ingredients, and over time I have regained my memory. That’s right, it is reversible and I now have a sharp as a tack memory.  I owe it all to giving up sugar, eating low glycemic foods (limit pasta, potatoes, crackers, bread), and reducing my alcohol intake to maybe a cocktail once every three months. Most of the time I will walk around with a glass of sparkling water at a social event. The fog that was creeping into my brain is gone. GONE!

The other day, I was at my hairdresser’s. She was putting highlights in my hair and I remembered that the last time I was there, a month ago, it was her 50th birthday. She had a friend sitting in a chair waiting for her to finish with me (I was her last appointment that day) and they were going to start celebrating by going to a couple of clubs.  She was pretty excited and they opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate.

A month later I am back in her chair and I asked her how was her birthday celebration?  She had a blank look on her face.  I said trying to jostle her memory, “Ted was here and you two were going to go out and bar hop.”  She said she couldn’t remember what they did and admitted that her short-term memory was terrible. She attributed to getting older.  I let it pass then I asked her if she had remembered to order this product I asked her to order. She said she forgot. Then later someone asked her to recommend the plumber that my hairdresser had just used and she couldn’t remember his name and couldn’t find the number in her phone. I’d say her memory was terrible and she was heading for early dementia.

I said to her let me guess, you eat a lot of sugar? She said no I am not a big sweet eater. Okay, then I guess you eat a lot of pasta, bread and potatoes. She said yes and why?  Those are high-glycemic foods that I found that when I eliminated them I improved my memory. “Oh, I wouldn’t know what else to eat. That’s all I eat. Pasta, pretzels, bread, and I don’t like vegetables,” she said.  I already knew she loved to go to the bars because every time I am there she is telling me some story about her latest funny bar episode. Do you want to be like her or like me?

Eat your veggies!

Here are some suggestions if you want to get your short-term memory back:

• Balance your blood sugar with a whole foods, low glycemic diet
• Exercise daily — even a 30-minute walk can help
• Deeply relax daily with yoga, meditation, biofeedback, or just deep breathing
• Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement
• Take extra vitamin B6, B12, and folate
• Take vitamin D3 (I do 5k per day.)
• Treat thyroid or low sex hormones (I use bio identical hormone cream I apply to my arm)
• Get rid of mercury through a medical detoxification program
• Don’t drink alcohol
• Juice daily to increase your vegetable intake
• Eat simple foods or with the least ingredients
• Play games on the computer that challenge your brain
• Read everyday for enjoyment
• Write in a journal
• Take a class at the local college
• Pick a new hobby
• Get a good night’s sleep-read my book on Amazon.com The Insomnia Cure: How I Kicked Insomnia Out of My Bed by Terry Ryan

Now there are some drawbacks to having a great memory and here it is. Everybody wants to use your brain. I am constantly finishing peoples sentences for them and finding their car keys. Oh yea, it can become tiresome.

Do not eat this

Terry Ryan is a blogger and health enthusiast.