Reclaim Your Brain to Make Senior Moments a Distant Memory

Who doesn’t want to turn forgetful “senior moments” into meaningful moments and actually heal the brain?

Failing memory and cognitive decline don’t have to be inevitable or “normal” signs of aging, and you shouldn’t have to just tolerate them at all. In fact, memory loss at any age should be taken seriously and investigated to find the root cause.

We associate loss of memory with aging, but it’s actually a matter of brain health versus chronological age. Rapid brain aging reveals itself through many telltale signs. You may have trouble finding the words you need when trying to communicate your thoughts. Or maybe new fears and anxieties keep you from enjoying restorative, deep sleep. You may struggle to recall special memories clearly or find yourself feeling confused and worry that you’re not as sharp as you used to be.

There are many reasons that memory loss can occur. It can be enormously helpful to take a step back and look at the many reasons why your memory is deteriorating in the first place.

Get Radical to Reclaim Your Brain

In Chapter 11 of my new book, Radical Longevity, I take a deep dive into the many possible reasons for memory loss and teach you how to turn back the clock with the basics of building a better brain. You’ll discover what kind of testing to look for and practical, targeted solutions to restore your brain to optimal health, such as which medications affect memory, how to stop AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) that are causing rapid aging and what dietary and lifestyle changes can help reverse memory loss. But, today I’d like to introduce you to a simple solution that can help to prevent and even reverse the debilitating effects of cognitive decline and dementia – low dose lithium.

Look to Lithium

Low-dose lithium is an essential nutrient (think magnesium, calcium, zinc) that can help protect the brain by blocking cognitive decline and actually boosting brain function. You may associate lithium with the treatment of severe mental illness, and you wouldn’t be wrong. Ever since the 1960s, lithium has been prescribed at potentially toxic, very high doses (500 to 2000 mg per day) to treat symptoms of extreme bipolar and other mental disorders, which may cause serious side effects. But at a low, or micro-dose, lithium can be your brain’s new best friend.

One study that followed over 21,000 depressed patients receiving high-dose lithium therapy, found decreased levels of both Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Researchers wondered if low doses of lithium would work as well to treat Alzheimer’s in patients without depression. Their findings proved that without a doubt, low dose lithium therapy prevented ebbing cognitive function while those who didn’t supplement with lithium continued to decline.

Lithium is a naturally occurring nutrient found in water, vegetables, grains and some animal products such as milk and eggs. But to get the amount needed to heal your brain, reverse cognitive decline, and stave off dementia you need to supplement. I recommend a micro-dose of food grade Lithium Orotate at 20 to 80 mg per day – taken all at once, or in divided doses. You can buy this natural supplement at your health food store or online. A dose of 40 mg is a good starting point and low doses should not cause any side effects or adverse reactions. In fact, even the World Health Organization has included lithium in its list of nutritionally essential trace elements, and I wholeheartedly agree!