The Problem . . . the Promise . . . the Program
The Problem
Memory problems are common at every stage of life, and they can impair learning, working, relationships, and even self-reliance. Memory problems clearly get worse as we age, with 75 percent of older adults complaining about them. No problem is more closely associated with memory loss than Alzheimer’s disease (AD), one of the most feared and devastating illnesses of all. With the aging population, experts expect the incidence of AD to triple in the next 30 years, and there is no cure on the horizon. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that the US death rate from AD rose by 55 percent between 1999 and 2014.[1] If you live until age 85, you have a nearly 50 percent chance of being diagnosed with AD or another form of dementia; and these illnesses start in the brain decades before any symptoms appear.
THE PROMISE
Your brain’s history is not its destiny. Even if you have brain fog or trouble remembering now, it doesn’t mean you always will. You can start having a better memory today by engaging in the Amen Clinics’ simple Memory Rescue: BRIGHT MINDS program. What’s more, the same plan will help your energy, mood, anxiety, sleep, weight, and overall success in life. The plan will also help you decrease your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Scientists have estimated that delaying the onset of AD by as little as one year could reduce the number of cases worldwide by as many as 9,200,000 by 2050![2] Of course, we must do much better than that —and you can and will.
THE PROGRAM
Memory Rescue is based on an insanely simple idea: The best way to sharpen your memory, reverse brain aging, and prevent AD is to eliminate, prevent, or treat all of the risk factors that steal your mind, represented by the mnemonic (a memory device) BRIGHT MINDS.
B – Blood flow: hypertension or prehypertension, stroke, cardiovascular disease, cholesterol problems, erectile dysfunction, infrequent exercise (less than twice a week)
R – Retirement/Aging: risk increases with age (over 50); lack of new learning —when you stop learning, your brain starts dying
I – Inflammation: gum disease, high homocysteine or C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in your blood, low omega-3 fatty acids
G – Genetics: a family member with Alzheimer’s disease, any other form of dementia, or Parkinson’s disease; having the e4 version of the APOE gene
H – Head Trauma: a history of head injuries with or without loss of consciousness; playing contact sports, even without a concussion
T – Toxins: alcohol or drug abuse, exposure to toxins in the environment (mold, pollution) or personal products, cancer chemotherapy, etc.
M – Mental Health: chronic stress, depression, attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia
I – Immunity/Infection Issues: chronic fatigue syndrome; autoimmune issues, such as rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis; untreated infections, such as Lyme disease, syphilis, or herpes
N – Neurohormone Deficiencies: low levels of thyroid, testosterone (males and females), estrogen and progesterone (females), DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone); high cortisol levels
D – Diabesity: diabetes, prediabetes, and obesity
S – Sleep Issues: chronic insomnia and sleep apnea
The good news is that almost all of these risk factors are either preventable or treatable. Even those that aren’t, such as a family history of dementia, can be ameliorated with the right strategies.
YOU NEED THIS BOOK IF:
- Your memory has never been good and now it’s getting worse.
- Your memory is not as sharp as it was 10 years ago.
- You’re having trouble remembering to take medications or supplements consistently.
- You frequently misplace your keys or phone.
- You often wonder why you came into a room.
- You’re embarrassed by forgetting appointments.
- You read a book or an article but don’t remember much of it.
- You struggle with brain fog.
- You notice that a loved one’s failing memory is interfering with everyday tasks.
- You are concerned about a family member who has been diagnosed with dementia.
- You wonder what you can do to avoid Alzheimer’s, which has been diagnosed in one or more of your close relatives.
As you read Memory Rescue, keep an eye out for the icon on the following page. It will accompany many BRIGHT MINDS tips that will help keep your memory strong and reverse problems that may be present. Rest assured, you don’t have to do everything at once! Most people are successful when they make one simple change at a time. Once they see how easy it is and how much better they feel, they often make scores of other healthy changes.
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