The brain is just about three pounds out of the total body weight, and surprisingly, this is the most important three pounds any kind of body will ever have – without it, life ceases. It is the brain that is responsible for whether or not you get a good day, a good life, and the overall way you feel about life. It is the place where vital decisions about life are made, and it is also the source of our courage and fear.
And for most people, being forgetful or unable to use the brain effectively is heavily dreaded. As far as memory loss is concerned, most people don’t want to be the victims. But the good news is that not all memory losses are permanent, and if you identify the root cause and have it solved, you can regain the full use of all your brain faculties and you will never have to worry about memory loss. With that said, here is a brief look at some of the top myths surrounding the subject of memory loss.
Memory loss comes with age
It has been believed for ages that as one gets older, their memory has to decline, and there is nothing they can do about. Back in the days, people could buy into this myth simply because age brought about a decline in the functioning of almost every organ of the body. However, with science and research, it is not true that memory loss comes with age and there is nothing anyone can do about it.
Studies into the subject show that brain health can be improved just as physical health can be improved through proper diet and exercise. The brain can also be exercised and given the right diets to work better. It is only that people tend to become a little sloppy as they grow old, and they think it is their brains declining. The brain is like wine, if you take good care of it, it will become better with age.
Crossword puzzles can help you prevent memory loss
Board games such as playing crossword puzzle, or using scrabble cheat for online scrabble may help to sharpen your mental faculties, but there are no guarantees that they will stop you from experiencing memory loss. Such games are very effective in stimulating the mind and strengthening one’s ability to store and retain information. However, it should be noted that such games usually target a very specific part or section of the brain – mainly the section that deals with the ability to store and retain words. This has very little connection to memory, since the section of the brain that deals with memory are not necessarily the same section that deals with becoming good at such games. Just as you can’t expect a bodybuilder to have a well-toned body by working the muscles on the lower limbs alone. Additionally, there are very many causes to memory loss, and one may be a pro in playing crossword puzzles, but will always forget about faces or where they placed their car keys.
Memory loss is attributed to the use of aluminum
Back in the mid-sixties and early seventies, researchers postulated that there could be a connection between the use of aluminum and Alzheimer’s. It was believed that eating or drinking from aluminum cans or using contents in such cans such as water or cooking oil predisposed one to Alzheimer’s. As such, a myth spread quickly that aluminum may be responsible for the poor memories that some people had. But with time, detailed studies and scientific research has refuted such claims, since there is no iota of evidence to suggest that there is a link between Alzheimer’s and aluminum. In other words, aluminum cannot be responsible for the condition nor for causing memory loss.
Memory loss will lead to poor quality of life
This is a very common and a very unfortunate myth about memory loss. People think that it is nearly automatic that when suffering from memory loss, then you will have a compromised quality of life. This is why being diagnosed with dementia sounds like a death sentence to some people. It should be noted that there are solutions to memory loss, and not all memory loss cases are permanent.
In fact, for conditions such as dementia, there are treatments that can be used to improve memory in a very short time. For conditions such as Alzheimer’s – which still has no known cure, they shouldn’t be taken that they will now lead to degraded lifestyles. Yes, it will be painful to the patient and their families, but with a proper team to offer care and encouragement, life will still be brighter. Memory loss should therefore never be seen as a loss of independence or a barrier to enjoying life to the fullest.
Myths on memory loss and Alzheimer’s
It is also important to address some myths surrounding memory loss and Alzheimer’s, since so many people seem to have fallen for the myths, and have completely been misinformed. Here is a look at some of the top myths as far as Alzheimer’s is concerned-:
- Only older people can get Alzheimer’s – it is not true that only old people suffer from memory loss or Alzheimer’s. The condition can strike even people in their late twenties. This is usually known as the younger-onset Alzheimer’s and it is estimated that up to 200,000 Americans of Alzheimer’s patients in the United States belong to this demographic.
- Aspartame can lead to memory loss and Alzheimer’s – aspartame is one of many artificial sweeteners used in a variety of processed foods and drinks in the United States. It has been in use since 1996 when it was approved by the FDA, and since then, nutritionists and other health experts have warned against it, with some tying it to memory loss and Alzheimer’s. However, there is no scientific evidence to back such claims.
Though memory loss is dreaded, it is also important for everyone to work hard and improve their mental faculties to enhance their memories. There are several ways to do this, including incorporating games such as scrabble cheats in your board games to help improve your memory, concentration, and overall mental acuity.