What is toxic exposure? How do you know if you have it? Toxic exposure can cover a variety of things, including self-inflicted toxins (such as drugs, and alcohol), medical treatments such as chemotherapy, and environmental exposures to carbon monoxide or mold. It can be very difficult to know that you are suffering from one of…
A good night’s sleep has a hard time getting the respect it deserves in our 24/7 world. But lack of quality sleep can make anyone’s health and memory take a nose dive. “Nearly every disease killing us in later life has a causal link to lack of sleep,” says Matthew Walker, professor of neuroscience and…
Diabetes is a disease that no one wants to have. When insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels, becomes deficient or ineffective, the body suffers from chronically high blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes results when inadequate amounts of insulin are produced; type 2 develops when the body doesn’t use insulin properly. In both cases,…
Caring for a person with memory loss can be difficult, stressful, and even overwhelming. But it also can be one of the most gratifying, humbling and rewarding experiences in life. Whether assisting a spouse, relative or friend, caregivers are the backbone of long-term care. Over time, as a loved one’s memory continues to decline, caregiving…
Wouldn’t it be great if someone made Miracle-Gro for your brain? “Drink this twice a day and you’ll feel great and have a terrific memory!” Nice promise, right? That’s a lot like what hormones do. When the various glands and organs that produce these chemical messengers—the pancreas, thyroid, adrenals and more—are in sync, you have…
No one wants to lose their memory. It’s heartbreaking when a loved one starts to forget things and unsettling to think you could end up just like them someday. Although there are many ways to boost recall, a proven and enjoyable way to improve your memory is with music. Brain Healthy Music Research has suggested…
Mental fog can have a lot of causes, but one of the more surprising and distressing culprits is Lyme disease. Yes, the bite of an infected tick can lead not just to flu-like symptoms and fatigue, but also to grasping for words, forgetting directions moments after hearing them and a general sense of mental slowness….
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…
In September 2015, big wave surfer Shawn Dollar met the challenge of his life. Not a giant wave like those he’s in the record books for conquering, but a boulder he struck when he dove under a wave. The impact broke his neck in four places and gave him a concussion. Fortunately, he made it…
Can there be anything more heart-wrenching than watching a parent struggle with Alzheimer’s disease (AD)? Or more anxiety-provoking than wondering if Alzheimer’s is in your future—especially if you notice your memory slipping? The risk is real: If you have a family member who has (or had) AD—especially if it’s a first-degree relative like a mom,…