Can Healing Your Mind Boost Your Memory?

When someone you love is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, you’ll do anything to help that person. Dr. Daniel Amen recounts a story that really brought this to light in his family:

I know because a number of years before David, a 62-year-old pastor, became my father-in-law, he was told he had Alzheimer’s disease.

I convinced my wife, Tana, that we should evaluate her dad and scan his brain. We’re so glad we did: It turned out that instead of Alzheimer’s, David had pseudodementia, a form of depression that masquerades as Alzheimer’s. The medications he was on at the time only worsened his symptoms. With treatment, David’s depression and mental confusion lifted and his life was renewed.

Mental illness is still such a taboo subject in the U.S., many people don’t know that depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic stress and other problems affecting the mind can wreak havoc on the brain and memory. A well-respected study on depressive symptoms and cognitive decline, for example, found that elderly women with six or more depressive symptoms had a 230 percent risk of cognitive deterioration. In fact, failing to seek early treatment for depression is one of the key factors that, if controlled, could prevent one in three cases of dementia, according to recent research published in the Lancet.

Getting your mind right is critical if you want to get your memory back, and your whole life will benefit—your energy, self-confidence, and outlook will all improve.  

You can heal your mental health issues and strengthen your memory by following Amen Clinics new BRIGHT MINDS Program. This research-based program identifies and provides treatment for the 11 risk factors that damage your mind and memory.

The risks are summed up in the words BRIGHT MINDS, which makes it simple to remember them:

B – Blood Flow

R – Retirement/Aging

I – Inflammation

G – Genetics

H – Head Trauma

T – Toxins

M – Mental Health

I – Immunity/Infection Issues

N – Neurohormone Deficiencies

D – Diabesity

S – Sleep Issues

The most important step is to get treated for any mental illness you may have. Schedule a visit to your health-care provider to discuss your mental health and decide whether you need to be evaluated by a local therapist or psychiatrist.

Addressing your problem doesn’t necessarily mean taking psychiatric drugs. At Amen Clinics we recommend natural treatments whenever possible. However, if they aren’t working, it’s important to consider medications. We have found that neurofeedback and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can also be helpful for depression and other mental health issues.

One lab test we recommend is the Omega-3 Index, which measures the red-blood-cell levels of EPA and DHA, two fatty acids critical to the brain and emotional health.

You can do a lot to improve your mental and emotional health. Here are easy steps to take:

Start every day with the phrase, “Today is going to be a great day”; positive self-talk has a powerful influence on the brain

• Write down three things you are grateful for every day
• Learn to meditate; a loving-kindness meditation is especially effective
• Take a daily walk in nature
• Stop the ANTs (automatic negative thoughts): When you’re feeling mad, sad, nervous or out of control, note down your negative thoughts and talk back to them
• Take a good multivitamin/mineral, vitamin D, magnesium and an omega-3 EPA/DHA supplement daily

For general mental health support, use more saffron (which helps mood and memory), turmeric, peppermint and cinnamon (attention) in your cooking. And boost your diet for these specific issues:

• If you’re a worrier or moody: Consider taking 5-HTP and saffron; eat more tryptophan-containing foods (eggs, turkey, seafood, chickpeas) with healthy carbs like sweet potatoes and quinoa
• If you lack focus: Consider taking Rhodiola, Ashwagandha, and ginseng; have more dopamine-rich foods/drinks, such as turmeric, green tea, lentils, fish, lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, eggs, nuts and seeds, high protein veggies (broccoli, spinach) and protein powders
• If you are anxious: Consider taking GABA and theanine; eat more GABA-rich foods, such as broccoli, almonds, walnuts, lentils, bananas, beef liver, brown rice, halibut, gluten-free whole oats, oranges, rice bran and spinach

In the video below, Dr. Daniel Amen discusses toxins and the role they play in rescuing your memory today!

Be vigilant about your brain health and you could be rewarded with excellent recall and many dementia-free years. To learn more about Amen Clinics Memory Program based on Dr. Amen’s BRIGHT MINDS approach, check it out HERE.