Brains, Beliefs and Memory
Our brain can only do what we think it can do, and our memory is only as good as we confess it to be! So if we believe and confess a positive statement about how our brain works right, then we will 'work' right as well. Otherwise we are caught in the trap of a negative self-fulfilling prophecy. Our thoughts affect our brain and change the software. If they are negative thoughts about memory, then that is what we will experience. We must never think about what we don't want because every thought changes chemistry, energy, immunity and health.
How often we hear ourselves confessing we have a “senior moment”, or that it's “old age”, or my brain doesn't work right, because we have forgotten a well-known name, place or event. Or what is even worse, we repeatedly confess we have a poor memory. This is more a function of our cultural values and belief system than an actual reality. How sharp we are depends more on how active, mentally and physically we are, than on our chronological age. Studies show 95% of the memory loss we associate with aging can be attributed to physical, mental and social inactivity.
How many of us know it is possible for our brains to increase their function at any age or stage of life? It has only been within the last 25 years that discoveries show the brain has the ability to generate new cells. Barring severe brain trauma or damage, there is really very little that cannot be prevented, reversed, or at least improved through fitness, lifestyle and an enriched environment. First we must learn to deal with the stress, fatigue, poor nutrition, bad habits, medication and depression are all contributing factors that impact our memory.
According to Dr. Howard, author of The Owner's Manual for the Brain- factors contributing to deterioration of the brain are:
- Attitude – preconceived ideas about aging. Negative self-statements can, and do cause memory loss
- Inflexibility – getting stuck in a comfort zone
- Absence of curiosity and desire to learn and grow
- Disuse and Inactivity - numerous studies indicate dramatic improvements in focus, decision-making, and memory just by brisk walking 2 or 3 times a week. The brain needs oxygen! A sedentary lifestyle is definitely an enemy to our brain
- Stress and Fatigue – disrupted sleep (major factor), fear, stress, and anxiety have a huge impact on cognitive function and our ability to create and retrieve memories. The more we rehearse stressful situations, the bigger they get. Only 20% is actually the stressful event, and 80% is our perception of it. STRESS reduction is critical if we are going to relax and shut off our brain! The better we manage stress, the lower our level of cortisone, and the better our cognitive function. A mere two weeks of intense stress increases cortisol levels to the extent they destroy dendrites, the connecting elements between brain cells. All we have to do is look around us and see how many people “live” in intense stress. Because of social media, we are always “on”, and so is our brain; hence the new syndrome known as Information Fatigue Syndrome. Being rushed or feeling flustered by having to process more quickly than is comfortable can create problems where there are none. When we feel overwhelmed it is often just mismanaged emotions.
Strife and arguing cause one of the biggest stressors on our brain.
- Hormone Fluctuation - pregnancy and menopause are just 2 examples of this
- Illness-chronic conditions that lead to changes in routine or living environment
- Medication/Alcohol/Drugs – side effects of use
- Isolation - lack of social stimulation
- Depression - remember depression is a symptom, not a disease, which can cause our thinking to slow down and affect our ability to concentrate
- Grief - ongoing loss or losses
- Poor Nutrition - get in those good fats if you want good brain health and decrease your risk of the ever increasing rise of Alzheimer's and Dementia. Your brain needs cholesterol! Include some B vitamins, especially B12, antioxidants, zinc, magnesium, ginkgo biloba, Siberian ginseng, gotu kola. Also a good balanced diet of lots of fresh whole foods, lean protein, nuts, seeds and at least 8 glasses of water per day.
Remember: A balanced lifestyle can do more for your brain health than any other leading factor. Negative thoughts reduce good gut flora. And most of our “feel good, sleep good hormones” are produced in the gut, so when all else fails, we need to go back to the gut!
Call 403-343-8547 with any questions you may have!
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