Valecia Weeks is licensed through the state of Texas as a therapeutic massage therapist who specializes in providing on-site chair massage for corporations and events. She currently provides massage for such organizations as the Houston Ballet and Houston Methodist Hospital. Valecia is also a certified personal trainer with NESTA, as well as a licensed ZUMBA instructor
“Where’s the beef?” asked the lady in the commercial. Do you think she was having memory loss? Have you ever forgotten something that was obviously there?! You are not alone. Baby boomers, we are the ones who are more apt to memory lapse…at least every now and then. Whether you forgot where you put your keys or your favorite electric slide moves, even small slips can leave you wondering whether your memory elevator still goes to the top.
There is nothing scarier for ladies over 55 than to experience dementia. Studies show that one in five will experience brain fatigue or fuzzy thinking or even worse…Alzheimer’s disease. It is true that some memory loss is genetic but in other cases it can be prevented. Start with these healthy lifestyle upgrades:
- Embrace healthy eating: Include fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat, 100% whole grains, and fat-free dairy. You should try, as best as you can, to minimize added sugars and trans and saturated fats. If you have never been one to read your food labels, now is a good time to start.
- Exercise, Exercise, Exercise: Aim for at least 30 minutes 3 times a week. Most of the time, we despise any part of our body that is large; but in the case of the brain, “enlarged” is a good thing. Reports have shown that in just 3 months of consistent exercise, the brain region responsible for memory and emotional intelligence, enlarges.
- Learn new things daily: Get out of the comfort zone and learn a new skill or hobby. Even something as simple as finding new directions to a place that you visit on a regular basis will create more connections and help to enlarge the memory part of your brain.
- Stop stressing: Stress is one of the greatest causes of memory loss. Stress actually shrinks the part of the brain that controls good memory. When you are in a stressful situation, try to RELAX, RELATE, RELEASE…close your eyes, breathe slowly into your nose and out of your mouth.
- Take vitamin D3: One purpose of this vitamin is that it can protect DNA. It helps protect your brain cells from being vulnerable to damage from free radicals. Aim for 1,000IU daily from a D3 supplement.
- Good night sleep nightly: a good night sleep = clean up time. When you are snoozing, your brain is emptying out the trash. Look at the sleeping brain as a garbage disposal. During sleep, the brain turns on the “self-cleaning” function.
So, ladies, the next time you are running around like a chicken without a head, trying to locate that “I know I put it here” item, ask yourself if you are eating healthy, exercising, stimulating your brain by learning, consistently taking your D3 and getting proper rest. Your solution to your lack of memory just may be at your finger tips.