Our memory is essential for everyday functioning. As we age, our cognitive functions begin to decline. This includes one’s ability to make and retrieve memories. Many individuals begin looking for memory boosters, allowing them to combat age-related decline.
Before your memory begins to decline, there are ways in which you can protect your brain health. We can have a positive impact on our memory through exercise, healthy eating habits, and supplementation. Once you adapt certain lifestyle changes, you can begin to protect yourself.
How Can Memory Boosters Help You?
In terms of supplementation, it’s important to understand how they affect your brain. Once you understand how they work in terms of memory, you will be able to select supplements in terms of your personal goals. Our brains are highly complex, however, these supplements tend to target acetylcholine levels.
Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that is critical regarding overall brain health and functioning. Many nootropics have a direct affect on acetylcholine, creating many positive effects. It is not only known to improve cognitive functioning, but aids in the growth of healthy neurons and synapses.
It also helps to increase communication, which is essential for memory. When acetylcholine interacts with nicotinic and muscarinic receptors, it helps form memories within the hippocampus and cortex. Over time, acetylcholine does not function as effectively, leading to potential memory-loss. The racetams family of nootropics, such as Piracetam and Oxiracteam, are known to target acetylcholine levels.
Diet and Memory
Not all memory boosters come in capsule form. Your diet places a large role regarding brain health and memory. When you eat healthy, you not only limit your risk of heart disease and diabetes, but Alzheimer’s as well. The following foods should be incorporated into your diet on a regular basis:
Oily Fish
Fish is brain food, literally. Majority of the population are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids. These are optimal for brain health and memory. You should try and consume fish three times a week. These include salmon, tuna, sardines, and other oily fishes.
Eggs
Eggs provide you with choline, which helps to synthesize acetylcholine. Without enough choline, you cannot produce enough acetylcholine. Since acetylcholine is essential for memory, it’s important to consume enough choline sources.
Walnuts
Walnuts are rich in both omega-3 and antioxidants. Ellagic acid, is the antioxidant that helps protect one’s brain from free radical damage. Since free radicals are often linked to Alzheimer’s and other degenerative disorders, it’s important to combat their effects.
Turkey
When you consume turkey, you’re providing your body with L-tyrosine. This amino acid is essential for the production of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter responsible for both memory and alertness. You can also find L-tyrosine in fish, almonds, yogurt, chicken, and cheese.
Berries
Berries are known to yield neuro-protective properties through antioxidants. Flavonoids within berries can help fight memory loss. Another excellent source of flavonoids can be found within green tea. L-theanine is green tea also creates many benefits for one’s mental health.
Heart and Brain Health Are Directly Linked
If you take care of your heart, you’re essentially taking care of your brain. A healthy body and heart, means a healthy brain. This is mainly due to circulation. Our hearts’ pump nutrient and oxygen-rich blood to the brain. If circulation is restricted, then our brains do not receive enough oxygen and nutrients for its cells.
When your brain does get everything it needs, communication is improved. This helps form long-term memories. Not only can you improve circulation with exercise, but circulation can also be improved through supplementation. There are many natural vitamins that enhance circulation. For this reason, circulation supplements are commonly included in memory stacks such as Alpha Brain.
Boosting Our Memory as We Age
It’s common to forget a thing or two, but as we age, this becomes more and more apparent. Older individuals tend to have lower acetylcholine levels, along with damaged tissue. Brain tissue becomes more rigid as we age, losing it’s plasticity.
When brain tissue is stiff, it makes new synaptic connections and memories harder to form. When this is left unnoticed, degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s begin to form. In order to combat age-related memory loss, there are specific memory boosters in which you can take.
Noopept for instance, helps to release nerve growth factor. This helps to protect against decaying neural structures. Basically, any supplement that encourages the production or activation of acetylcholine or choline, helps to protect against this aging process. It is recommended that individuals supplement daily, protecting against memory loss.
The nootropics that are most well-known as cognitive enhancers and memory boosters are the racetams. They vary in strength, but all activate acetylcholine receptors. This helps to boost overall brain health and communication.
Best Natural Memory Supplements
There are supplements that come from all natural and herbal sources. They have been proven to aid in memory, allowing you to maintain brain health. The three best natural memory enhancers include; Bacopa Monnieri, Ginkgo Biloba, and Lion’s Mane. They also help improve focus, concentration, and one’s ability to learn.
Bacopa has been known to improve visual processing, allowing you to work at a faster pace. It’s known for improving both memory and learning ability. Ginkgo Biloba is also known to improve memory, which is why many take both of these supplements, amplifying results. Lion’s Mane helps replenish brain cells, allowing for higher functioning later in life.
