What is Amnesia?
Amnesia is also known as Amnesic Syndrome (Scientific Binomial Name), Forgetfulness / Loss of Memory (Common English), (Unani), Bhulane ki Bimari / smriti bhransh (Hindi / Urdu), Napaka marati noy (Tamil), Smriti Jane (Marathi), (Sanskrit), Asmara / Smrtibhransa / Smrtibilopa (Bengali), Vismriti / Matimarapu rogamu (Telugu), Marevu / Smruti Nash (Kannada), orm-masaktiyillayma (Malayalam), Jianwang zheng / Jiyi queshi (Chinese), Amnesia (Spanish), Amnesia (Portuguese), Amneziya / Poterya Pamyati (Russian). A total or partial loss of memory is known as amnesia. Misplaced documents. Forgotten names. Missed appointments. More than two-thirds of people over sixty-five say that they have trouble recalling old details and absorbing new ones. To some people, memory problems are just part of what used to be called “senility,” an unfortunate but natural part of old age. For others, periodic forgetfulness sets off alarm bells: Is this Alzheimer’s? Stroke? Dementia? Amnesia?
What Cause Amnesia?
It occurs as a result of either physical or mental disease such as senile dementia, or physical trauma such as a blow to the head or a fractured skull. The latter may induce a state of retrograde amnesia where the sufferer has no memory of the events immediately before the injury as well as those after. The period of amnesia in such cases is usually in proportion to the severity of the injury. Amnesia is caused by damage to, or disease of, brain regions concerned with memory function, and can also occur in some forms of psychiatric illness in which there is no apparent physical damage to the brain. Amnesia can very often be a complication of alcoholism, and can result from depression, anxiety, stress, poor nutrition, inadequate sleep, or lack of stimulation.
Amnesia (Forgetfulness) Home Remedies
Many people with memory problems are actually suffering from a malnourished brain. The brain, like the rest of the body, needs to receive its supply of oxygen and nutrients from the blood if it is to function at its best. Chemicals called neurotransmitters, which enable the brain cells to communicate and create memory links, are especially dependent on good nutrition. The brain also needs high doses of nutrients to fight damage from free radicals. Of particular importance are essential fatty acids, which are required for the cell walls of brain cells. These essential fatty acids, particularly DHA, impact memory and concentration in a positive fashion. When the circulation is sluggish and blood is low in “brain food,” memory disturbances may well be the result.
- Gotu Kola Improves Mental Retardation: Very few herbs in the plant kingdom have memory stimulating properties attributed to them, and even fewer still that can be clinically documented. Gotu Kola is probably the only herb thus far that has been scientifically tested and proven to definitely increase mental activity. It strengthens the heart, memory and brain. A gotu kola product may be found at your local health food store. An average of 4 capsules per day is recommended for this or follow the instructions mentioned on product.
- Spinal Bath for Memory Loss: The spinal bath is another important form of hydrotherapic treatment. This bath provides a soothing effect to the spinal column and thereby influences the central nervous system. It is given in a specially designed tub with its back raised so as to provide proper support to the head. The bath can be administered at cold, neutral and hot temperatures. The water level in the tub should be an inch and a half to two inches and the patient should lie in it for three to 10 minutes. The cold spinal bath relieves irritation, fatigue, hypertension and excitement. It is beneficial in almost all nervous disorders such as hysteria, fits, mental disorders, loss of memory and tension. The duration of this bath is 20 to 30 minutes. The hot spinal bath, on the other hand, helps to stimulate the nervous, especially when they are in a depressed state.
- Sage – Memory Stimulant: Combine 2 cups of fresh sage leaves in an electric blender on high speed for 5 minutes with 4 cups of fine burgundy until they are thoroughly suspended in the alcohol. Store in a bottle with a cork and take 1 tsp. of this tonic in 2/3 cup of Perrier water every day.
- Scents to Help You Remember: At a health food store, purchase a small bottle of either rosemary or basil essential oil. Tests of brain waves show that inhaling either of these scents increases the brain’s production of beta waves, which indicate heightened awareness. All you need to do is put a trace of the oil in your hair, wrists, or clothing anywhere you can get a whiff. Or put some of the oil in a diffuser, and let it fill the air. The nasal cavities are in close proximity to the brain. Perhaps this is why ancient Greek scholars wore laurels of rosemary when taking examinations. When receiving important information, inhale up to ten breaths of pure essential oils like basil, lemon, lemon grass, lime, peppermint, or rosemary to help imprint the information into the psyche. When you need to recall something, smell the same scent.
- Brahmi – Indian Ayurveda Formula: Drink brahmi milk. 1/2 teaspoon brahmi boiled for a couple of minutes in a cup of milk at bedtime is good practice. It will improve your memory remarkably. Add a pinch of saffron. You can drink brahmi milk every day for a month, or continue indefinitely. OR A teaspoon of brahmi ghee, taken 5 to 10 minutes before breakfast and before dinner, also helps. Brahmi oil rubbed on the soles of the feet and on the scalp stimulates cerebral neural receptors under the skin, which send messages to the brain cells and can activate memory.
- Improve Brain Function: New research has uncovered a link between mild glucose intolerance and age-related memory loss. Food converted by the digestive system to glucose (blood sugar) is the main fuel that powers the organs, including the brain. But many people, especially those past their youth, have poor glucose tolerance, meaning they have trouble processing glucose out of the bloodstream and into cells. According to the new research, even mild, nondiabetic glucose intolerance appears to reduce short term memory in middle age and beyond. What to do? Eat reasonably sized meals at regular hours, emphasizing fiber-rich whole grains and vegetables over “white” carbohydrates such as white pasta, white bread, potatoes, and white rice.
- Mental Gymnastics – Memory Booster Trick: Try fun exercises to challenge your brain and help you perfect the art of recall. Want to grow some new brain circuitry? Several times a day, use the “wrong” hand to do an everyday task. For example, if you normally brush your teeth with your right hand, use your left instead. If you always zip up your jeans with your left hand, use your right. The brain “knows” when you’re using the wrong hand, because of the sensory and motor information it receives from that hand. It’s that “confusion” that stimulates new brain circuits, as the brain struggles to master a new task. Stick to the simple tasks, though. You don’t want to try this when you’re using a power drill. If you’re trying to remember how to spell a word, think of the word as an acronym and expand it into a sentence. Many kids learned to spell “arithmetic” by remembering the line “A Rat In The House Might Eat The Ice Cream.” You can use the same trick to memorize lists.
- Vitamin B12 for Poor Memory: Vitamin B12 or cobolamin, commonly known as “red vitamin”, is the only vitamin that contains essential mineral elements. It is essential for proper functioning of the central nervous system, production and regeneration of red blood cells and proper utilization of fat, carbohydrates and protein for body building. It also improves concentration, memory and balance. Valuable sources of this vitamin are kidney, liver, meat, milk, eggs, bananas and peanuts. It is beneficial in the treatment of lack of concentration, fatigue, depression, insomnia and poor memory. Its deficiency can lead to certain types of anemia, poor appetite and loss of energy and mental disorders.
- Food That Boost Memory: Green foods are high in chlorophyll, which transports oxygen to the brain. Make at least one daily meal a salad of leafy greens, even wild ones like dandelion. Eat a handful of raw sunflower seeds daily. Drink 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of raw apple cider vinegar in water three times daily before each meal to improve memory. High cholesterol clogs arteries, decreasing blood supply to the brain. So use good fats such as extra virgin olive and cold pressed coconut oil. When you prepare food, use liberal amounts of brain enhancing antioxidant herbs like basil, cilantro, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
- Aloe – Effective Treatment for Amnesia: Aloe vera gel (1 tablespoon) with a pinch of black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon bhringaraj (Indian Ayurveda Herb) powder, taken 2 or 3 times a day, is also beneficial.
- Meditation and Yoga on Forgetfulness: There is an ancient Vedic technique to recapture a lost memory: If you forget something, just sit quietly and stay in the forgetfulness. Breathe into the forgetfulness, and try to dig out the memory. Suddenly it will come back. Yoga postures are helpful, especially the inverted poses (Shoulder Stand, Headstand, Plow pose, and Camel pose), which help to bring more blood to the brain. The Bow and Cobra poses are also helpful, as is Savasana, the yogic rest pose. Also do the Sun Salutation, 12 cycles a day.
Lifestyle Tips for Good Memory
- The color yellow is cerebrally stimulating. Use yellow to highlight important passages when reading. Try a yellow legal pad. Wear accents of yellow or use it in décor where mental work is being done.
- Make sure that you get enough of the B vitamins in your diet. These include vitamins B6, B12, niacin, and thiamin. These nutrients help make and repair brain tissue, and some of them help your body turn food into mental energy. Bananas, chickpeas, and turkey are rich in vitamin B6; whole grains and meat are good sources of all the Bs. Nuts and seeds, wheat germ, and fortified breakfast cereals are other good sources of B vitamins.
- Eat fish two or three times a week. Cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and tuna contain omega-3 fatty acids. You probably know these fats are good for your heart because they help “thin” the blood and prevent clogged arteries; they’re good for your brain for the same reasons.
- Listen to music often, and sample various types. Researchers have found that listening to music can improve your ability to concentrate and help you remember what you’ve learned. Some types of music actually cause brain neurons to fire more quickly. The faster the beat, the more the brain responds.
- Find ways to reduce stress. Tense people have high levels of stress hormones in their bodies. Over time, these hormones can affect the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls memory. You don’t have to chant or meditate, just do something that’s simple and fun, from swinging in a hammock to finger painting with your children or grandchildren.
- Read things that are challenging and give new insights. If fiction is usually your thing, try a biography, self-help, spiritual, or even science fiction book.
- Wearing an amethyst crystal, according to gem therapists, improves memory.
- There’s really no way that you, on your own, can determine the seriousness of memory problems. So schedule an appointment with your doctor if you feel that your memory has gotten significantly worse in the past six months. Make an immediate appointment if you have trouble remembering how to do things you’ve done many times before or can’t remember how to get to a familiar place. Also call if you have trouble accomplishing activities that involve step by step instructions, such as following a recipe.