Early Signs of Cognitive Decline Most People Miss

By Dr. Marie Starling | The Healing Center Denver Functional Medicine Doctor | Root Cause. Root Healing.  Reading time: 7 minutes  Category: Brain Health | Hormones & Metabolism | Gut-Brain What if "normal" forgetfulness isn't normal at all? There is this common discussion that once you reach a certain age it is "normal" to forget things. It's "normal" to lose your keys. It's "normal" to walk into a room and completely forget why you walked in there. And while these scenarios are common, it is most certainly not normal. I know we have all experienced watching loved ones lose their memory. They aren't who they were before. While they may not have suffered from Alzheimer's or dementia, they can't seem to recall the right words. Often people accept that they are going to experience the same symptoms and it has become such a normal piece of life. But what if it wasn't? Imagine being in your 70s and your brain is sharper than a two-edged sword. You remember your children, your grandchildren, and what you went to the grocery store for. You even remember how to get to the grocery store…and back home. It's achievable. I promise. One step is being able to recognize the signs. I am going to walk you through the most common signs of cognitive decline, why they actually happen, and what you can do about it — so that you can beat memory loss instead of just accepting it. The Signs We're Taught to Brush Off Here's the problem: most of the signs of early cognitive decline get filed under "getting older" instead of "something...

Brain Fog Isn’t “Just Getting Older.” It’s Your Brain Asking for Help.

By Dr. Marie Starling | The Healing Center Denver Functional Medicine Doctor | Root Cause. Root Healing. Reading time: 7 minutes Category: Brain Health | Hormones & Metabolism | Gut-Brain The Symptom Everyone Dismisses — Until It Doesn't Go Away You walk into a room and forget why. You're mid-sentence, and the word you need just… disappears. You reread the same paragraph three times and still don't know what it said. You've blamed stress. You've blamed being busy. You've blamed getting older. Here's what most doctors won't tell you: brain fog is not a personality trait, and it is not the toll of aging. It's a symptom. And symptoms exist for one reason — to tell you something needs your attention. Brain Fog Isn't a Diagnosis. It's a Signal. Brain fog will never show up on a chart, because it isn't one condition — it's a collection of them: Trouble concentrating Forgetfulness Slower thinking Losing words mid-sentence Mental fatigue, even after a full night's sleep Feeling "checked out" in your own life For some people it comes and goes. For others, it quietly becomes the norm. Either way, the question isn't "do I have brain fog?" The question is: why is my brain functioning differently than it used to — and what is it trying to tell me? "But I'm Just Getting Older." Here's Why That's Not the Full Story. Yes, some cognitive change is a normal part of aging. A name takes an extra second to surface. That's expected. What's not normal is feeling mentally exhausted every single day. Losing the thread of conversations. Needing a list for things...