Health & Well-Being

It’s a fact of life: Everyone feels forgetful at times. You might chalk it up to getting old, or growing senile, and you might even think: “There’s nothing I can do about it.” However, new research shows you can do something about protecting your memory. Just follow these tips we found in Forbes magazine:

• Don’t overload on simple carbohydrates. We’re talking white bread, pasta, cookies and chips. According to the book The Anti-Alzheimer’s Prescription, simple carbs are to the brain what cigarettes are to the lungs! First, they cause your body’s insulin levels to spike. Then enzymes, which normally protect brain cells, are called away to help break down the insulin, leaving your brain more vulnerable to the beta-proteins which attack cells, and produce Alzheimer’s disease.
• Lower your cholesterol. According to the University of Michigan School of Public Health, people who take statins for their high cholesterol are HALF as likely to develop dementia, compared to those who take nothing for their cholesterol. Why? Research shows those statins help lower your brain-draining insulin levels just as much as they lower your cholesterol.
• Stop smoking.  Adults who smoke have a higher risk of developing poor memory, and losing their vocabulary, compared to non-smokers.
• Here’s a surprising memory warning for vegetarians: Don’t overdo the tofu! A recent study found that elderly people who ate tofu at least once a day had an increased risk for dementia and memory loss. Why? Researchers believe the neural benefits of soy wear off with age, and actually become harmful after age 65.
• Stay happily married. Believe it or not, sharing your life with a spouse can drastically improve your mental muscle. A Finnish study found that people who lived with a partner through mid-life were less likely to suffer memory loss, compared to people who were single, divorced or widowed!