Memory Rescue! How to Reverse Memory Loss!
Book reviewed by Dr. Panchajanya Paul, MD

Author: Daniel Amen
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Tyndale Momentum (November 14, 2017)
Language: English

For long it was assumed that memory loss was a part of getting old. Lost memories are gone forever. Once the Alzheimer's and other dementias set it, nothing can halt the progression. This is all is about to change. Old dogs can learn new tricks. Earlier it was thought that nerve cells stop growing after adulthood. In the biggest neuroscience discovery of the century, scientists have found that human brain can grow new cells all throughout the life, even at a very old age. However, multiple disease processes can impair the regrowth and regeneration of brain cells. Over time, these leads to degeneration of the nerve cells causing dementia. The new research suggests that Alzheimer's is not a single disease, but multiple pathologies, and the final pathway is the degeneration and death of brain cells. Memory loss is the earliest sign of dementia which slowly progress to impair all brain functions finally leading to death. If we can prevent the factors for brain degeneration, and promote the factors for brain regeneration, then we can treat and reverse Alzheimer's.
The book Memory Rescue, written by Dr. Daniel Amen, teaches exactly how to do it. Daniel is award winning psychiatrist, researcher, and the founder of the Amen Clinics. Dr. Amen has authored over 30 books, including multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers like The Daniel Plan and Change Your Brain, Change Your Life. Memory Rescue is based on a simple idea: Your brain's history is not its destiny. You can sharpen your memory, reverse brain aging, and decrease risk of Alzheimer's by treating all things that can steal your mind. Memory Rescue classifies all risk factors for Alzheimer's and other dementia into 11 categories under the mnemonic BRIGHT MINDS. Each letter stands for a category. You can find your own risk factors for dementia based on the categories relevant to you. The book provides a personalized plan for addressing each factors. Here are the 11 BRIGHT MINDS Risk Factors:
B - Blood Flow
R - Retirement and Aging
I - Inflammation
G - Genetics
H - Head Trauma
T - Toxins
M - Mental Health
I - Immunity/Infections Issues
N - Neurohormone Deficiencies
D - Diabesity
S - Sleep Issues

 

Daniel Amen explaining Memory Rescue at the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS )

Alzheimer's disease was first described by German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer in 1906. It is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that first begin with memory loss but progressively becomes worse over time and people loose orientation, language, motivation, and finally the ability to self-care. As one after the other, the person loses control over bodily functions, death ensues. The age of onset is around 60. Around 30 million people suffer from Alzheimer's, and every year 2 million dies from it. Brain imaging studies can show the onset of Alzheimer's many years before the symptoms of actual disease like memory loss manifests. The book espouses early screening of the dementia process by SPECT scans; followed by a personalized memory rescue plan using including dietary changes, physical activity, mental exercises, nutritional supplements, spiritual practices, meditation, hormones, medications, and all the latest brain boosting aids.

Memory Rescue is a great book and stands out from other books on Memory and Dementia for several reasons. Memory Rescue is a mammoth undertaking. It covers all the known factors which cause memory loss. It is backed by 700 scientific references from the last hundred years of dementia research. Daniel is master storyteller and writes the way he speaks. This makes the book simple to read and easy to follow. Memory Rescue is both a book and a manual. You can start at any chapter relevant to you and move accordingly. It is full of health tips that common people can apply to their daily life without having to go to a specialist. Then it also details the advanced cases and how to address them. This portion is written for people with medical background, and will assist clinicians in their diagnosis and treatment. Finally, the plan laid out in the book is also followed by clinicians trained by Dr.Amen to treat patients with memory problems and dementia across the 7 Amen clinics in the US. The ideas in the book go beyond memory recuse and will boost all aspects of brain and body function.

Daniel Amen & Panchajanya Paul

The book however is not the answer to all questions. The book is a stepping stool to increase awareness on brain health and ways to treat and prevent memory loss. The book will help people who have memory loss, or those who are caring for people with Alzheimer's. This will also help those who are at high risk of Alzheimer's because of family history. This is also a must read for the psychiatrists, neurologists, psychologists and other clinicians who deals with brain health. Those who do not like to read, can get the audio book. Others can view the PBS program on memory recuse based on the book which will be aired all through the 2018. Finally, this program works best in the early stages of memory loss and dementia. So don't wait, and act now. As Daniel says "Your brain's history is not its destiny. Even if you have brain fog or trouble remembering now, it doesn't mean you always will. You can start having a better memory today by engaging in the Memory Rescue plan which will also improve your energy, mood, sleep, weight, and overall success in life."