Page 126 - The Memory Program How to Prevent Memory Loss and Enhance Memory Power

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Cushing's Disease

Cushing's disease is caused by excessive production of corticosteroids from the adrenal glands,
which sit on top of the kidneys, and can cause memory loss similar to that caused by steroid
treatment. Corticosteroids are important regulators of fat, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism, and
Cushing's patients develop a “moon face” with considerable weight gain around the shoulders and
trunk. Emotional volatility, anxiety, and depression are also seen in this condition.

What You Should Do about Hormone Abnormalities

If you have symptoms that make you suspect hormone abnormalities, such as thyroid deficiency,
go visit your doctor.
If you receive any type of hormone replacement therapy and have begun to suffer from memory
loss, report it to your doctor.

Nutritional Problems

When we think of nutritional deficiencies, malnutrition and starvation come to mind. But in the
modern world of excess food production and consumption, the opposite type of nutritional
abnormality predisposes people to memory loss. A diet rich in saturated fats promotes the formation
of toxic free radicals in the brain. Equally important, cholesterol and saturated fats contribute to the
formation of plaques that line the walls of arteries and smaller blood vessels, increasing the risk of
stroke and cognitive deficits.

Niacin and Folic Acid Deficiency

In some cases, memory loss can be traced to vitamin deficiencies. The adverse effects of alcohol are
partly caused by liver damage leading to deficiency of the vitamin B1, or thiamine, which is essential
for the brain. Folic acid, or vitamin B7, deficiency is associated with anemia. Folic acid is known to
help protect against colon cancer, birth defects in pregnancy, and possibly heart disease. Folic acid
deficiency occurs in older people with poor diets, and can lead to memory loss.

Symptoms of Folic Acid Deficiency

Lethargy
Weakness