chatwithketch

When you hear the word amnesia, what comes to mind?

Someone who wakes up and can’t remember their own name?

That’s what movies have taught us 😃

But real-life amnesia is often very different.

Many people with amnesia **know exactly who they are**.

The real problem is that they may struggle to make new memories, or they may lose memories of things that happened before an illness or injury.

Some of the conditions that can affect memory?
Stroke.
Severe head injury.
Alcohol-related vitamin deficiency.
Brain tumours.
Even emotional trauma.

And one question I’m often asked is:

Is there a drug that cures amnesia?

In today’s post, we’ll explain what amnesia really is, what causes it, why it happens, and what treatment can and cannot do.

Q: Happy new month, Drug prescription for amnesia?

A: Amnesia refers to the loss of memories. People with amnesia know who they are but have challenges learning new information or forming new memories.

What are the causes? They are many and diverse because brain function is controlled by many parts of the brain, such than any problem with one area affects memory. There are 3 types of amnesia:

Neurological amnesia– this is due to damage to the brain and can be caused by conditions such as those listed below:
Stroke
Inadequate oxygen supply to the brain in conditions like a heart attack
Thiamine deficiency from long-term alcohol use
Tumors in the areas of the brain associated with memory
Seizures

Permanent amnesia from severe head injuries resulting from incidents like road traffic accidents

Dissociative amnesia is from emotional shock or trauma. Person involved, may lose personal memories but usually only briefly.

People at risk of amnesia are those who are suffering from or had suffered any of the conditions listed for neurological amnesia

Two main features of amnesia are:

Retrograde amnesia, in which the patient cannot remember previously familiar information

Anterograde amnesia which the patient cannot absorb new information

Additional symptoms may include creation of false memories and confusion

To prevent amnesia:
Avoid excessive alcohol use.
Wear protective head gear when bicycling and a seat belt when driving.
Treat infections quickly to prevent spread to the brain.
Get treated immediately in the event of a stroke

You asked about drugs for treating amnesia. Unfortunately, there are none for now. However, if amnesia is caused by lack of thiamin, then replacement therapy is sufficient treatment.

Generally, treatment focuses on the memory problem and underlying diseases.

Technology can play a huge role here, sending out messages to remind patients of certain key activities
Occupational therapy, is also useful and could involve memory training.

I hope this helps! 😀

Before today, what did you think amnesia meant?

How Can I Whiten My Brown Teeth?

Q: Hello Dr Ketch. I appreciate your efforts to see that people stay healthy. My question: is there anything that one can do to make ones brown teeth to be white again?

A: Thanks for writing in. Brown teeth can be embarrassing. Smoking, drinking coffee, wine, tea etc can cause this. Generally brightly coloured foods like some candies, berries and sauces also have the potential to stain teeth if they are left on the surface long enough.

To prevent these stains, try the following tips:

Avoid or significantly reduce the amount of these fluids or foods in your typical diet.

If you can’t avoid them, then reduce the amount of time the foods or fluids have contact with your teeth by chewing and swallowing promptly. Yes, I know I’ve said you should chew intentionally so that your tummy has the chance to receive signals from the brain which tell it that it’s full But, in this instance, we’re trying to choose the lesser of two evils

Use straws. These will ensure that the fluids get little contact time with your teeth.

Learn to swish your teeth with water after you’ve taken any of these foods to ‘wash’ away the residue of the stain-causing foods.

As for what to do if you already have stained teeth, I reproduce one of my posts on that subject:

There are easily obtainable teeth whitening tooth pastes. They help remove surface stains that may be caused by coffee or nicotine.

When whitening paste is used at least twice a day for a period of time between 2 to 6 weeks, significant results are seen. However, care has to be taken to ensure that these pastes are used according to the manufactures’ instructions otherwise, they can cause erosion of the enamel of the teeth.

Please note that the whitening tooth pastes do not alter the natural colour of your teeth and by extension are not also useful, if the stain is deeper than the surface of your teeth!

Whitening strips and gels are also available. Apart from all these, there are a couple more sophisticated treatments available from the dentists’. So check with yours.

Beyond all these, please don’t forget the place of regular brushing of teeth in the maintenance of a bright and gorgeous set of teeth.

Fruits like apples and strawberries actually contain substances that help whiten the teeth. So, just like the doctor ordered…an apple a day, keeps the doctor (and the dentist ) away.

A DIY (Do It Yourself) solution is to mix the juice of one lemon with one or two pinches of baking soda. Then dip a cotton ball into this and leave this on your teeth for 1 minute ONLY! Yes, I had to scream that for emphasis If you leave it longer than that, the lemon juice can lead to the erosion of the enamel. So, if you can’t manage this, please just see your doctor who will suggest other solutions too or get it done for you professionally.

If I gave you a pill that could help protect your memory, improve focus, and support brain health as you age, would you take it?

Most people would say yes.

But what if I told you that some of the most powerful brain-supporting choices are probably already sitting in your kitchen?

According to Harvard Health, there is no single “magic brain food.” However, research suggests that certain foods may help keep your memory sharp, improve concentration, and support overall long term brain health:

1) Green leafy vegetables – Efo, Green, Ugu, Spinach etc

2) Fatty fish – Sardines, Catfish, Mackerel (Titus), Herring (Shawa), Bonga fish etc.

3)Tea and coffee – in moderation!

4) Walnuts, including African walnuts (Ukpa)

5) Berries – Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries etc. But if you don’t have access to these or they are too expensive for you, these fruits have antioxidants that support overall brain health – Watermelon, Oranges, Tangerines, Guava and Pineapple.

The fascinating part? These are the same foods that help protect your heart and blood vessels. And what’s good for your heart is often good for your brain too.

So before you spend money looking for a miracle supplement, take a look at what’s on your plate.😃

For more details, check out https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/foods-linked-to-better-brainpower