Makes 1 serving (about 1 cups)

1.

medium carrot, peeled and grated

2.

medium kiwis, skin removed

1.

cup spinach leaves .

cup watercress .

cup plain, fat-free yogurt .

cup avocado, mashed (3 tablespoons)

2.

tablespoons wheat germ

2.

tablespoons water

1.

tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1.

teaspoon Worcestershire sauce .

teaspoon prepared horseradish Pinch of salt

In a blender or food processor, combine the carrot, kiwis, spinach, watercress, yogurt, avocado, wheat germ, water, lemon juice, Worcestershire, horseradish, and salt. Blend until smooth.

PER SERVING.

323 calories, 16 g protein, 50 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 254 mg sodium, 14 g fiber; plus 172 mg vitamin C (287% DV), 8 IU vitamin E (26% DV), 4,118 mcg beta carotene, 1,520 mcg lutein + zeaxanthin, 4 mg zinc (29% DV) CITRUS SMOOTH-SEE.

As with the recipe at left, you'll need to factor the caloric value of this smoothie into your plan's total calories. That said, the math is a breeze. If weight is an issue, split into two servings and enjoy as a snack....or, count one entire serving as your breakfast. If weight is not an issue, enjoy a daily serving whenever you wish.

Makes 1 serving (about 1 cups)

1.

orange, zested, then peeled and cut into sections .

medium pink grapefruit, peeled and cut into sections

1.

carrot, peeled and grated .

cup plain, fat-free yogurt .

cup raspberries .

cup cubed papaya

2.

tablespoons wheat germ

1.

tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1.

tablespoon granulated sugar

In a blender or food processor, combine the orange zest and sections, grapefruit, carrot, yogurt, raspberries, papaya, wheat germ, lemon juice, and sugar. Blend until smooth.

PER SERVING.

340 calories, 15 g protein, 71 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 138 mg sodium, 12 g fiber; plus 150 mg vitamin C (251% DV), 6 IU vitamin E (18% DV), 4,568 mcg beta carotene, 482 mcg lutein + zeaxanthin, 4 mg zinc (27% DV)

CHAPTER 12.

MEMORY.

No one has ever come to me specifically looking for nutritional help for a memory problem, but the topic comes up more often than you might think. For example, a client who has trouble recalling what she ate for breakfast the day she comes to see me might mention that she's been noticing more and more memory lapses. Or sometimes, while making conversation in the course of session, a client will tell me about a "funny thing" that happened. Like the guy who couldn't remember to put gas in his car and had to call AAA roadside a.s.sistance three times in a single month. Or the woman who was forever losing her cell phone, only relocating it when the ringing led her to the pantry...or the refrigerator...or the laundry hamper...or a basket of bathroom cleaning supplies.

Of course, memory changes aren't always so obvious. They can be subtle, hardly worth mentioning...except when they interrupt the rhythm and flow of our daily lives. We waste valuable time looking for keys, the cat, or a matching pair of socks-or even questioning our skills and ability to function at work. Memory problems can infuriate and frustrate us when that elusive thought is on the tip of the tongue-or the tip of the brain, in this case-but we just can't access it. And if we've seen a friend or family member descend into dementia, our own memory problems might trigger fear for our own future.

My absentminded clients are thrilled when they learn that there are nutritional and lifestyle strategies that may keep them from sliding down the slippery slope of memory loss. Every single suggestion listed here will also help improve overall health, so it's win/win, with no downside. Better memory, and better health.

WHAT AFFECTS MEMORY?.

Memory is a tricky thing. So many factors can affect how it functions, and on top of that, how well your memory works on any given day is purely subjective. You You know when "brain freeze" happens, but with very few exceptions, there are no physical signs that doctors can look for to pinpoint the cause. Even the memory disorder people fear most-Alzheimer's disease-can't be definitely diagnosed except at autopsy after death (for more on Alzheimer's disease, see Chapter 12). For the most part, physicians make educated guesses about the cause of memory loss based on your medical history, physical examination results, and lifestyle. know when "brain freeze" happens, but with very few exceptions, there are no physical signs that doctors can look for to pinpoint the cause. Even the memory disorder people fear most-Alzheimer's disease-can't be definitely diagnosed except at autopsy after death (for more on Alzheimer's disease, see Chapter 12). For the most part, physicians make educated guesses about the cause of memory loss based on your medical history, physical examination results, and lifestyle.

Memory is carried in a network of brain cells called neurons neurons. These cells are generally shaped like the roots, trunk, and branches of an oak tree-a long central axon axon (like the trunk of a tree) with smaller branches called (like the trunk of a tree) with smaller branches called dendrites dendrites on both ends. Each of these branches connects with other neurons, which in turn connect with more neurons, and so on and so on. Memory depends on your total number of brain cells and their connections, the smooth flow of communication between neurons, and the health of all those cells. That means that it is relatively easy for something somewhere in the brain to go on the fritz. Among the biggest factors that can affect memory are: on both ends. Each of these branches connects with other neurons, which in turn connect with more neurons, and so on and so on. Memory depends on your total number of brain cells and their connections, the smooth flow of communication between neurons, and the health of all those cells. That means that it is relatively easy for something somewhere in the brain to go on the fritz. Among the biggest factors that can affect memory are: VASCULAR HEALTH.

Every cell in your body needs a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients in order to stay alive and work properly but brain cells are especially needy, like hungry infants that need to eat regularly and often. Because oxygen and nutrients are carried in the blood stream, anything that impedes blood flow will starve those all-important memory cells. The plain truth is that a healthy heart makes for a healthy brain.

When clients ask me about memory, the first thing I do is review their medical history. Specifically, I look for the following signs that they might have a blood flow problem: High blood pressure (hypertension). Physicians recommend that you maintain blood pressure at or below 120/80 mmHg. If your numbers are significantly higher than that, your health is generally at risk and your memory can suffer. High blood pressure damages the delicate lining of blood vessels and triggers the formation of plaque. Over time, plaque builds up on the inside of the vessels like leaves in a rain gutter, choking the blood supply everywhere in the body-especially the brain. Physicians recommend that you maintain blood pressure at or below 120/80 mmHg. If your numbers are significantly higher than that, your health is generally at risk and your memory can suffer. High blood pressure damages the delicate lining of blood vessels and triggers the formation of plaque. Over time, plaque builds up on the inside of the vessels like leaves in a rain gutter, choking the blood supply everywhere in the body-especially the brain.

An ingenious study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh showed how hypertension affects memory. The scientists compared people who had normal blood pressure with people who had high blood pressure on two different measures of memory. Verbal memory was tested by having the partic.i.p.ants remember words, and spatial memory was tested by having the partic.i.p.ants remember the position of items on a computer screen. While they were performing the tasks, the partic.i.p.ants had their brains scanned to see where the blood was flowing. The results were surprising: the partic.i.p.ants with hypertension had less blood flowing to the parts of the brain that controlled these types of memory even though they performed equally as well on the tests even though they performed equally as well on the tests as the partic.i.p.ants with normal blood pressure. The researchers predicted that, over time, too many neurons would be damaged and memory would be severely compromised. The lesson is that high blood pressure starts doing its damage even before you realize it, so it is hugely important to take action early. as the partic.i.p.ants with normal blood pressure. The researchers predicted that, over time, too many neurons would be damaged and memory would be severely compromised. The lesson is that high blood pressure starts doing its damage even before you realize it, so it is hugely important to take action early.