Harvard Medical School :Forgetfulness isn’t inevitable—here’s what you can do

 

Discover the latest strategies for fighting age-related memory loss Dear Reader, Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten why you went in? Misplaced your keys — or struggled to recall a name that was just on the tip of your tongue? If so, you’re not alone. And more importantly, you’re not powerless. Thanks to years of groundbreaking research into how the brain works, we now know a great deal about how memory changes with age — and, even better, what we can do about it. The experts at Harvard Medical School have gathered the most powerful discoveries into one practical guide: Improving Memory — a Special Health Report designed to help you fight age-related memory decline and stay sharp for years to come. With it, you’ll learn how to: Sharpen long-term memory with an easy “rehearsal” trick Make names and faces unforgettable (Using THIS technique is like hitting the “save button” in your mind. Find lost items faster with the “Look, Snap, Connect” technique Memorize long lists with an ingenious reading method that “locks in” key information Eat for a healthier brain with dietary discoveries that really work Hidden causes of dementia Six reversible causes your doctor may not have mentioned Improve cognitive performance with simple lifestyle tweaks Discover which medications may affect memory — and possible substitutes And more! LEARN MORE

When is memory loss normal — and when is it not?

By age 50, many of us notice changes in our powers of recall. If you’ve wondered whether memory lapses are part of aging or a possible sign of something more serious, this guide offers expert insight to help you find the answers you need. You’ll discover: How to distinguish age-related memory changes from more concerning symptoms What doctors look for when evaluating memory problems The types of tests used and how to prepare for them Key differences between Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia The latest treatments for memory loss—what they can and can’t do Don’t accept memory decline as inevitable Your brain is constantly changing. With the right support, you can give it every chance to stay strong, sharp, and resilient. Let the doctors at Harvard Medical School be your guide. Improving Memory is filled with useful, easy-to-follow advice you can start using right away. Order your copy now, and you’ll save 30% off the cover price! Sincerely, Howard E. LeWine, M.D. Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing LEARN MORE & GET STARTED TODAY!

SUBSCRIBE | SHOP THE BOOKSTORE Protein 101: Essential Guide to Daily Requirements and Top Healthy Sources It seems like every day there is a new protein-boosted food or drink on supermarket shelves every day. Many Americans are focused on increasing their protein intake. In fact, a recent consumer survey found that “high protein” was the most popular eating pattern among respondents, with 71% reporting they “try to consume” the nutrient.  Getting enough protein is important, since it’s essential to so many of our bodies’ functions, from building bone strength and muscles to supporting a healthy immune system. But you can meet your daily protein needs without having to grab a protein bar or shake.  Get your copy of Food Is Medicine Decades of research confirm that our eating habits can play a major role in how cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer develop…and in how we prevent, treat, and heal these diseases and many others like them. Just as important are the foods you should avoid when you live with conditions such as heart disease, GI issues, osteoporosis, kidney and liver disease, dementia, and many others. Food is Medicine is your Harvard Medical School, evidence-based nutrition plan for living your healthiest life…for managing symptoms of chronic conditions…and for helping prevent the onset and progression of disease. And this is just the beginning of what you’ll find in this special report. Inside Food is Medicine, what you discover can change your life and your health. If you’re like so many Americans, you’re eating the wrong foods. Maybe you know it or maybe you just think you’re eating for good health, but you’re not. And you may want to eat healthily, but feel overwhelmed just thinking about it.    SHOW ME MORE → Protein-rich foods include poultry, fish, meat, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, and legumes (especially soybeans and tofu). While omnivores enjoy protein from animal sources, plant foods can easily provide all the protein you need, and without the saturated fat found in animal proteins. Most of the whole, unprocessed foods we eat contain at least a little protein, so eating a variety of foods will help you meet your protein needs, too.  Animal proteins like meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and dairy are considered complete proteins because they contain significant amounts of all nine essential amino acids (amino acids that we must get from food.) Most plant foods (other than soybeans, buckwheat, and quinoa) are low in or missing one or more of these essential amino acids, so they’re sometimes described as incomplete proteins. But these foods still supply amino acids in different amounts and combinations. So, if you eat a variety of them daily, you’ll have a full complement of amino acids to supply all the protein you need.  Another incentive to get more of your daily protein from plants: it can be good for your heart. When researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health reviewed 30 years of dietary records from some 203,000 men and women in the ongoing Nurses’ Health Studies and Health Professionals’ Follow-up Studies, they found that those who ate the highest ratio of plant to animal protein had a 19% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease during the study period, along with a 27% lower risk of coronary heart disease.  Try spacing out the protein you eat throughout the day, getting some at every meal rather than having most of it at dinner, as many of us do.  For more information on how to eat protein more efficiently and feel more satisfied between meals—check out Food is Medicine, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School. Image: © EMS-FORSTER-PRODUCTIONS/Getty Images Share this story: FEATURED CONTENT Food Is Medicine • Why food is medicine • A healthy bounty of foods • Nutrition prescriptions for common conditions • SPECIAL SECTION: Applying the food-is-medicine approach to your life • Resources Click here to learn more »

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