According to a recent survey, the major health fear of older Americans is not heart disease or cancer but Alzheimer's disease. This is not early Alzheimer's and doesn't lead to Alzheimer's disease. Age-associated memory impairment affects us all to a greater or lesser extent, depending largely on how we have taken care of ourselves throughout our lives. The brain is a ravenous consumer of glucose and oxygen, both of which are supplied by the blood. So if your heart is weakened by years of inactivity, if your lungs have been damaged by cigarette smoke, if your arteries are clogged with cholesterol, your memory and mental functioning will be impaired.
Prescription drugs can also dull memory.
Beta blockers, pain relievers, tranquilizers, antihistamines and diet pills, to name a few, can interfere with memory and alertness. Work with your doctor to see if you can stop taking some of the drugs you're on and instead try the safe and effective natural therapies described in my Memory Program. Probably a lot - after all, at least 15 percent of Americans over 65 have some degree of dementia. But a new study has demonstrated that simply taking supplemental vitamins E and C lowers the risk of vascular dementia by an astounding 88 percent. More about vitamins for mental function .