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Is your memory beginning to worry you?

Special to Village News

People may have seen a sign or a T-shirt with the slogan, “My ability to remember song lyrics from the 80s far exceeds my ability to remember why I walked into the kitchen.”

It’s a funny quote, but one clearly based on a real issue many people experience as they age.

Why do people seem more forgetful or have more problems with short-term memory as they grow older? In some cases it can be an early indication of a more serious problem – Alzheimer’s disease. This disease affects 5.8 million Americans and is the nation’s sixth leading cause of death.

But for most people, it’s simply that as the years are passing their brains experience various physiological changes. It’s quite common for their brains to function a bit slower, taking longer to learn or recall information. Sometimes what seems like memory loss simply requires giving their brains a little more time to pull up the memory or words.

However, beyond aging, there are also other factors that can affect memory, and, most importantly, there are things people can do to improve brain function.

Certain drugs, for example, can negatively affect memory. If someone is taking a variety of medications, they can check with their family physician or pharmacist to see if there’s any connection to memory issues. Their doctor can also evaluate other health issues that impact memory, including high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and some illnesses.

And yes, bad habits can also impact memory. Smoking, a poor diet and heavy alcohol usage can all play a role in how well people think and remember.

Changing some lifestyle habits can boost memory function. Staying physically active has been shown to actually help improve memory. People can also get a memory boost from eating better, specifically a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, low in fat and cholesterol and including omega-3 rich fish.

Brain function also appears to improve with brain exercise. Keeping mentally active through reading, doing puzzles, playing games and perhaps using online brain exercise programs all may possibly improve memory.

Not everyone has memory problems as they age, but when such issues appear it can be troubling. If someone finds they’re forgetting more frequently, repeating themselves in conversations or being confused by familiar activities, check with a doctor to ensure it’s not a more serious problem.

Counseling Corner is provided by the American Counseling Association. Send comments and questions to [email protected] or visit http://www.counseling.org.

 

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