Keep Your Memory Strong (Part 2)

Memory loss as you age can be frightening. Feelings of being lost, unable to recall important facts… When memory falters, you may think you’re losing your mind.

But as I pointed out last week (Keep Memory Strong), memory problems are linked to inflammation in your brain. And that’s good news! Because if you reverse the inflammation you can usually reverse the memory loss.

Healing The Brain

Consider my patient, Christine, age 81. When she and her family came to see me, her children expressed alarm about her failing memory. She had already consulted a neurologist and psychologist. Their extensive neuropsychiatric and memory tests indicated she was suffering from dementia, a serious loss of cognitive function.

Those practitioners were at a loss for a sustainable solution for Christine’s condition. But I recommended what amounted to a dietary makeover. So, during the next six months her children made sure she consumed fresh, mostly raw whole foods such as fresh juices. She eliminated refined sugars, refined fats and dead, over-packaged foods that came in boxes, cans or bottles.

Christine also ate salads and lots of organic produce made tastier with zesty sauces as well as steamed veggies and soups. To ease preparation of these dishes, her children used a power blender, juicer and food processor. As a result, the percentage of cooked foods in her diet shrank down to less than 50 percent.

Healing Your Memory Naturally

Now it is true that powerful (and dangerous) anti-inflammatory drugs can suppress your immune system and partially reverse the inflammation causing dementia — at least until the drug wears off. But, obviously, you are better off detoxifying, cleansing and eating natural, mostly raw foods.

Keep in mind that supplements with brain-building nutrients are important to brain health and Christine used these too. For example, she consumed omega-3 fats from avocados and fish, but also in supplement form as krill oil. Other vitamins she needed that are typically lacking in the elderly include vitamins D, B6, folate and B12. Also, coenzyme Q10 has been shown to be quite effective at improving cognitive function.

Furthermore, phosphatidyl serine is a critical nutrient for maintaining mental abilities and works best when combined with the nutrient in omega-3 oil called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

In addition, many natural MDs and NDs test for heavy metals with microscopy and a urine test called the DMSA challenge. If these types of toxins are found, oral chelation with EDTA can be used to slowly pull them out and improve blood flow to sensitive brain issue.

After many of these lifestyle changes were made by Christine, she had her neuropsychiatric and memory tests repeated and they showed significant improvement. But more importantly, she was on a path to further progress, in contrast to the normal degenerative nature of the disease. Christine regained a lost part of herself by cooling down her underlying inflammation, improving her nutrition and detoxifying.

Mental Focus

In dealing with memory issues, you also need to focus your mental power on healing thoughts — the ones that yield positive feelings. You see, emotional energy exerts measurable, real force throughout your body. Negative thoughts have negative consequences. When you continuously worry and obsess about the insignificant nuisances of daily life, toxic emotions cause the body to secrete inflammatory stress hormones.

Destructive thoughts and emotions accelerate the aging process. This is particularly true for so-called rigid or “hard” personalities. A quick glimpse at a person’s facial stress lines offers evidence of underlying, serious health issues.

On the other hand, affirmative emotions create significant benefits for your brain. For example, consider the refreshing power of joy and peace and contrast that with degenerating, disease producing, hate and shame. Emotional balance is a big reason that the happiest and most peaceful people are also the ones that look and feel the youngest.

When you stop entertaining thoughts associated with frustration or fear and, instead, stay engaged in creative thoughts and those associated with freedom and peace of mind, you promote internal healing

Life Journey

As I discussed last week, I experienced these types of healing emotions after I was forced to close the doors on the Total Health Institute in Utah and began to work with a German naturopathic doctor. Rather than focus on the negative things that had happened to me, I began dreaming about an in-home personal health mastery program that would inspire people to take responsibility for their health. I wanted to be able to help patients learn to implement mostly raw, nutrient-rich diets.

I also knew that many emotional factors can impede these kinds of lifestyle changes. I saw that even with all the natural medications we were giving intravenously in this naturopath’s office, patients still suffered because they did not know what to eat to further the healing process. Nobody there was teaching them and I did not have time.

However, within just a few months of leaving my original practice, I was introduced to Layne Lowery, the owner of True Health™, by one of my patients. Soon afterwards, I became the medical advisor for True Health™ and was given an opportunity to develop my dream program plus write articles on natural healing.

Over the next two years I developed a weight loss program and I introduced professional coaching and whole foods classes to my patients. It was amazing to witness the miraculous health transformations resulting from these healing techniques. Even apparently intractable cases of memory loss could be helped.

Time and again I have seen that when people switch to daily helpings of nutrient-rich foods they can shrug off the chronic illnesses that have plagued them for years. I have also seen the remarkable health-boosting power of positive thoughts and emotions.

To keep a healthy brain, use friendships, pets, music, fun activities, or whatever it takes to get you to a positive place. Don’t be a victim of your thoughts. Become the creator of your better health by choosing a lifestyle path that heals. 

Sincerely,
Michael Cutler, M.D.

Dr. Michael Cutler

By Dr. Michael Cutler

Dr. Michael Cutler is a graduate of Tulane University School of Medicine and is a board-certified family physician with more than 20 years of experience. He serves as a medical liaison to alternative and traditional practicing physicians. His practice focuses on an integrative solution to health problems. Dr. Cutler is a sought-after speaker and lecturer on experiencing optimum health through natural medicines and founder of the original Easy Health Options™ newsletter — an advisory on natural healing therapies and nutrients. His current practice is San Diego Integrative Medicine, near San Diego, California.

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