Dementia

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I got an email about dementia and was surprised at the things I wasn't aware of so I thought I would post about it here. Dementia can start as early as 45 years of age. Such actors as Peter Falk, Perry Como, Charles Bronson, Rita Hayworth, and even Norman Rockwell suffered from early-onset dementia and Alzheimer's. Do you repeat yourself often? Do you suddenly forget where you are? Turn totally dumb when trying to remember someone's name? Take a few moments to add a simple addition problem. Ugh! Scary, huh? I've forgotten what I went into a room for. I think that is an ongoing joke on here and many others have this happen. However, memory loss that disrupts your life may be a sign of dementia. One in three people will die of dementia in the U.S. It is a horrible illness full of suffering and where you literally lose your mind. Right now, in the U.S. 46 million people suffer from dementia and brain-related illnesses. Our brains are described as thousands of storage areas that each house a specific memory. Neurotransmitters which are powerful chemicals in the brain transport information from one part of the brain to another. Our lives are impacted by these and they impact our memory, wakefulness, learning, attention and everything we do. When these fail repeatedly we have a major problem--dementia. The brain needs the right food and plenty of oxygen. Just like the rest of our aging bodies. As long as the brain gets the right nutrition and oxygen it remains healthy. But, without it, the brain creates "plaque" just like the sludge in a clogged engine. Those intricate parts of the brain start to tangle and become permanently broken. The brain cells start to die and there is disorientation, speech problems, and weird behavior the next step is a nursing home. Food changes and light life style changes can reverse dementia. Add some coconut oil to a beverage. Fry yourself an egg. Here is a list of foods that are good for the brain: Coconut oil, fatty fish, dark chocolate, eggs, broccoli and kale, berries, soy products and nuts, and seeds. Herbs: Saffron, spearmint, ginkgo biloba, lemon balm, bacopa, sage, turmeric, ashwagandha, ginseng, gotu kola, Vitamins: B Vitamins, l-theanine, omega-3 fatty acids, and Coenzyme Q10. About Coenzyme Q10-- It is also called ubiquinone. It is a naturally occurring biochemical(or coenzyme) produced by the human body. It might help with migraines, as well as heart and brain health. *Be sure to check with your doctor before starting new vitamins or herbs. Some may not work well with certain medications you may be taking. On a personal note: I take turmeric, ginger, Co Q10 and, I am thinking of starting to take Ashwagandha at some point.