Here is a definition of “MEMORY”: the faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information.
Personally, it frustrates me when I am watching a movie, see an actor that I have seen many times in pictures and cannot remember his/her name. As we all progress through the years, we notice that perhaps we cannot remember things as acutely as we did decades ago. If these are very small things, such as forgetting an actor’s name, we will chalk this off to minor memory changes with age. We will make a joke about a “brain fart” and move on.
However, if the forgetfulness starts becoming more and more apparent to others around us, especially when involving more important things that we should remember, then the dreaded potential of Alzheimer’s Disease or other types of dementia comes into focus. We all have had friends, families or work colleagues that have developed dementia and seen what devastation this produces to the affected person and their families.
Does poor weight control impact memory? Multiple studies have shown that a high BMI increases the risk for dementia due to bioactive hormonal compounds that are secreted by adipose (fat) tissue. Studies have also shown that losing weight can help with concentration and cognitive abilities.
There are many, many reasons why controlling your weight is so important. Enjoying a “healthy” memory and cognition that we can bring into our late 80’s and 90’s will allow us to enjoy a much happier life for us and our loved ones.
And, my favorite Elvis song is NOT “Burning Love” or “Viva Las Vegas”…the song “Memories” tops my list!
