HOW TO GET A BETTER MEMORY..........!!!
Memory is a muscle!
Like any muscle you need to use your memory – give it a work out daily – or at least three times a week for complete memory health. Our memory is our filing system. We store an incredible amount of detail about our experiences and we need to be able to locate that information quickly and easily whenever we want to. However, like many of us in our homes we have cluttered cupboards rather than neatly labelled, easily navigated storage systems! Our memory systems can be like that too unless we take the trouble to train our brain to do a lot of heavy lifting of the vast amounts of material as it hits our memory banks. We can do a lot of things to help our memories develop that sort of muscle power.
One of the most pleasant ways to do this is to make some good choices when it comes to what we eat!
Choose lean pork loin crusted in peanuts and broccoli over fries and a burger. The pork and peanuts are high in thiamin, a nutrient that reduces inflammation that damages brain cells. The folate in broccoli is good for keeping synapses firing correctly.
Replace sweets with a pick-me-up of pears, apples, oranges, and melon. The combination prevents heightened blood sugar that could stop brain cells from firing correctly. It also provides fibre and antioxidants that help wipe away plaque from brain arteries and mop up free radicals that inhibit clear thinking.
Curry does you good. The active ingredient in Indian curry, turmeric, contains a chemical called resveratrol, the same powerful antioxidant that makes red wine good for brain health. Eat turmeric once a week, or sprinkle it on salads, to protect brain cells from those harmful free radicals.
Top rolled oats with cinnamon for a brain boost breakfast. The oats scrub plaques from your brain arteries, while a chemical in cinnamon is good for keeping your blood sugar in check. Doubly good for you and tasty.
Use walnut oil rather than olive oil as you cook. Walnut oil, which is chock-full of brain-healthy omega-3s, cuts brain inflammation, a precursor to many thinking problems. It also keeps oxygen-rich blood flowing to your brain by thinning the blood slightly.
Wild and oily fish are fab. While fish is generally good for you, the metals that accumulate in farmed fish like salmon may contribute to impairing thinking processes. So when you're shopping, check that the fish is from the wild, not domestically raised, and stick with heart- and brain-healthy fish like wild salmon and sardines.
Do something different – it shakes up your brain and wakens your memory
Turn up the tunes. TV may provide a lot of stimuli, but watching too much can dull brain transmission. Instead, spend an afternoon listening to your favourite music. Music can lower stress hormones that inhibit memory and increase feelings of well-being that improve focus.
Redecorate your environment. Plant new flowers in front of your house. Redecorate the kitchen. Rearrange your closets and drawers. Making such changes can alter neural pathways that govern movement in the brain and encourage new cell growth which is great for better memory.
Talk sport politics or business. (If you can do it without getting angry, which raises the memory-hindering hormone cortisol). We now know that having a good old debate can form new neural pathways and force you to think quickly and formulate your thoughts clearly.
Sleep Glorious Sleep. Sleep isn't a luxury. It's when your brain consolidates memories. Poor sleep, caused by medical conditions, worry, depression, or insomnia, can interfere with your rest. So treat yourself to relaxing scents like vanilla before bed. They raise the chemical dopamine and reduce cortisol, a stress hormone.