For some of us aging brings along wisdom and freedom to pursue life with renewed passion. However, for others it can bring destabilizing symptoms like: Trying to recall the name of a favorite movie or finding the right word to describe a situation, forgetting where you placed the car keys or even where you parked the car, or racking your brain to remember if you took your pills or not? The first thought that comes to mind: “Are these the beginning signs of Alzheimer’s?” However, all of these experiences do not necessarily signal the mild cognitive impairment which precedes Alzheimer’s. These incidents of forgetfulness might simply mean:

• Your brain is overloaded with information like a computer whose memory files are full.
• You are stressed and too busy.
• You have not eaten enough today. Never consume fewer than 1,200 calories per day. Eat balanced meals – protein, carbohydrates and fat. For optimum brain function eat several small balanced meals, about six of them, throughout the day.
• You are not sleeping enough. Sleep deprivation will affect thinking and memory.
• You have high blood pressure which has been associated with memory problems as you age.
• You are depressed. Depression causes temporary cognitive impairment.
• Your hormones out of balance. Don’t forget to check thyroid function.
• You might be anemic. As you get older some of the B vitamins are harder to absorb.

However, Alzheimer’s disease is associated with:

• Forgetting recently learned information while remembering the past vividly.
• Misplacing items in strange places, as though you were hiding them.
• Inappropriate moods swings like laughing during a serious situation, or becoming enraged with no specific trigger.
• Having trouble performing simple daily tasks like driving, dialing the phone or getting dressed.
• Finding it difficult to express yourself using simple, ordinary words.

To boost your brain make exercise part of your daily regimen, eat a Mediterranean diet and reduce your stress levels. Don’t let yourself become distant and distressed, make sure you get out there and socialize.

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For more information on caregiving please read my book, Changing Habits - The Caregivers' Total Workout. To listen to archived radio shows with guest experts visit Turn On Your Inner Light Radio Show