Preface

This book is written with the intent of improving the general brain activity in order to avoid
memory loss or for those who want to regain their memory. I got inspired to write this book when a
witnessed some people losing their memory after consuming illegal drugs for some time. They all
had a total memory loss which made them go into rehabilitation for proper care. Although most of
them are doing ok as I am writing his book, none of them fully recovered after losing their
memories.
You should purchase this book if you want to acquire some very educative techniques that are
guaranteed to keep your brain active, energetic and healthy which will in turn avoid any memory
loss or any kind of diseases. We have explained in detail what to avoid and what to do so as to make
sure you are generally healthy.
I know you are asking yourself why you should read this book. This book will not only give you
quality information, but will also show you some of the things that you should incorporate in your
life. For example, we will give you a detailed list of some of the healthy diets that you should be
consuming.









How to Improve Your Memory
INTRODUCTION
I. Importance of a Healthy Mind
Being mentally unstable is a recipe for malfunctioning in a way of thinking and reasoning. Well,
mental wellbeing is a vital component of optimal body functions. Perhaps you could have been in a
situation where you can hardly provide even the simplest answer to a question. In other
circumstances, one would experience a complete mental slumber and perhaps said to be in a
comma. In fact, in dire situations of mental sleepiness, the issue of being in a comma is never far
from thought. Most people who are experiencing mental instability are taken as mentally ill or
retarded and given their inability to reason or think straight, they are always alienated from
situations that require active thinking and logical reasoning. It is on this premise that people who
are taken as mentally ill are always seen wandering about in market places and avoided. No one in
his or her right mind would want to be a social misfit.
Before we look into the importance of a healthy mind, let's mention some causes of mental illness.
This will give insights into what mental illness really means and perhaps provide avenues for
tackling different cases of mental instability.
Causes of Mental illness
Just like any other disease, being mentally unhealthy is attributed to some causes or factors. Here
are a few of them.
Sickness. Some types of illness like those which attack the spinal cord or the brain can
result to a complete breakdown of a previously stable mind. Some of the neurological
disorders are dementia, Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis, back pain and epilepsy.
Accidents. A larger percentage of mental illness is caused by accidents. There are many
cases where people have been rendered mentally fragile or mentally ill due to tragic road,
rail or plane accidents. Accidents cause different types of damages to the body and
especially among survivors. In some cases, internal injuries are inflicted on fragile body
organs like the brain, spinal cord and the heart. In such cases, one may become fully or
partially impaired. If not coma or death, people who encountered accidents endure a
significant brain changes.
Genetics or inheritance. Many people have been rendered mentally unwell due to
inheritance. Being born with some diseases like brain syndromes and complications of the
spinal cord can cause mental illness. There are also other cases where people who are taken
mentally ill are said to inherit the same from their parents or a member of the family lineage.
A case in point is the Alzheimer's syndrome.
Sickness. Diseases like brain and spinal cord tumors are other known causes of mental
illness. Some diseases like cerebral malaria have also resulted from cases of mental
instability. Reproductive health disorders such as syphilis and brain disorders such as Lyme
disease could affect normal brain processes, thus causing mental illness. In other cases,
damage to brain tissues during surgical procedure could also impinge on the persons mood,
behavior and thinking.
Physical violence and brutality. In a world that is increasingly becoming insecure, rape
cases, brutal murders and assault have become rampant to an extent that we continually live
in fear. This is especially true in countries marred by terrorism. Rape and brutality are not
simple ordeals to experience in first person or as a witness. In some cases of extremism,
physical violence and brutality become too much to contain. The result is always a relapse
into mental illness. We have countless number of people who have lost touch with their
minds due to such crimes.
Stress and fatigue. Depending on the level and cause of stress or fatigue, extreme cases can
result in mental instability. Example of this is when one loses a loved one through natural
death or accident. The intense thought of living without a dear person like a wife or a
husband can only pose the danger of becoming mentally ill.
Drug abuse. Excessive abuse and prolonged use of some drugs like heroine, bang and
cocaine have resulted in mental sickness among many people globally. Mental illness is
mundane among drug addicts. In the United States, 1 person dies every 15 minutes due to
suicide.
Poor nutrition. Certain types of foods are believed to boost brain power like those which
are rich in zinc, folate and other essential minerals needed for proper brain functioning.
Lack of such essential food elements would consequently lower reasoning and even cause
mental retardation.
Inhalation of harmful chemicals. Lead is one mineral that has caused mental retardation
among many people, especially among underage children. During pregnancy, inhalation of
neurotoxicants such as cadmium and flame retardants can damage fetal brain.

Having looked at some known cause of mental sickness, it would be prudent to take a close shave at
the importance of a healthy mind. Simply put or defined, a healthy mind is that which functions
optimally by ensuring that one's logic and cognitive abilities are at their optimum levels. While
logic refers to the ability to reason uprightly, cognitive ability or cognition denotes the mental
process of gathering, processing, interpreting and applying information. These are pivotal
components that a healthy mind should have.
II. Remembering and Forgetting
A healthy mind is a mind that remembers over 75% of everything ranging from visual, audio and
touch. A mind that recalls everything (100%) is termed ingenuous and is often referred as a
photographic memory. But photographic memory does not exist and is considered a hyperbole.
Well, in reality, proper functioning of the brain equals a healthy mind, and the ability to recall past
events is also a characteristic of it. To get better at remembering entails execution of healthy life
practices such as taking sufficient hours of sleep, eating a well-balanced diet and maintaining an
active and vice-free lifestyle.
Today, most employers are testing their prospective employees on mental stability. The objective of
the test is to determine how their minds are ready for work and how they can handle stress, since
there is no room for forgetfulness at the modern workplace. In what is seemingly a battle of the
smartest brains, employers go for top brains or top thinkers. Cognition is very important in order to
outwit competitors. This way, during interviews, some questions are purposely centered on
Intellectual Quotient (IQ) to realize one's ability to solve problems, remember situations as well as
design strategies for doing things. It is all about innovation and invention. One's speed of forgetting
depends on how mentally stable a person is. Being forgetful can therefore be equated to memory
lapse.
But forgetting is not solely contingent upon age, gender and illness. Every person is unique, so as
how every person thinks and holds their memory. Besides the aforementioned factors, forgetting can
also be due to interference, or impairment of the mind to focus. For example, when a person chats
with her friend and suddenly, her cell phone rings. The person loses her focus and attention to what
her friend is saying, thus the lines in the brain that forms the memory break. People who are
exposed to frequent interference are less likely to recall information. To avoid forgetting, limit
interference. This can be done by focusing ones attention on the task at hand; so, when you are
going to write on the grocery list and your cell phone rings, do not answer the phone. Meanwhile,
recalling information is also an effective way to foster remembering and avoid forgetting.
III. Memory Gap and Memory Loss
A healthy brain equals a stable mind. We need mental stability to reason, think and act in the right
way. Imagine a situation where your computer has lost all the data and information stored in it. This
can be termed as a computer memory loss. What of a case where you computer is only able to
retrieve scanty data or information previously stored in its memory? This is a case scenario for a
memory gap or memory lapse. In this information age, computers function the same way as human
brains and it is on this premise that we validly make dependable comparisons between the brain and
the central processing system (CPU) of a computer. This brings to the fore simple definitions of
both memory loss and memory gap. Basically, memory loss refers to something being completely
unavailable while memory gap denotes missing parts or components. It is easy to experience either
with an unhealthy mind. The ability to retrieve information and use it is attributed to a healthy
brain. This is the opposite of memory loss. In a scenario where one scantily recalls past experiences
and events, it can be said the person is undergoing memory gap or memory lapse.
The causes of memory loss and memory gap are many and varied. The following are factors that
can cause memory loss and memory gap.
Causes of Memory Loss Causes of Memory Gap
Head injury Stress
Dementia Distraction or interference
Stroke Depression
Medications such as
antidepressants, muscle
relaxants, sleeping pills,
tranquilizers and pain
medications
Hypothyroidism
Alcohol, tobacco and drug
use
Fibromyalgia (brain fog)
Lack of sleep Cancer treatment
Stress and depression -
Poor nutrition -
Certain medical conditions
such as hyperthyroidism,
tuberculosis, syphilis and
-
HIV
IV. The Human Brain
The human brain functions like the engine of an automobile. All mental processes ranging from
information acquisition, processing, storage to retrieval points towards memory are all and how
healthy a mind is. In fact, without the brain, there would be no humans and with a low brain
capacity, humans would perhaps suffer from deficiency of innovation and creativity. Furthermore,
low brain capacity would denote awkward behavior and lack of self awareness. All these would
only equate humans to apes or other animals.
IV.A. Characteristics of the Human Brain
The human brain is probably the most complex
living structure in the universe. It is soft,
similar to a gelatin and is pinkish in color. The
brain of the human consists of grey matter and
white matter (see right image). The grey matter
is responsible for thinking and actual
computation functions while the white matter
focuses on sensory and motor communications.
Weighing 3 lbs on average ( or about the size of a small cauliflower), the human brain accounts for
2% of the total body weight and uses up to 25% of the oxygen supply. Human brain is 80% water,
12% fats and 8% protein. Indeed a complex organ, high-order thinking of humans is made possible
by 1, 000 trillion synaptic connections and 100 billion neurons of the brain.
IV.B. Main Parts of the Human Brain
The human brain has 3 major components: (1) the
cerebrum, (2) the cerebellum and (3) the brain
stem. The cerebrum is the largest part which
makes up 75% of the total volume of the brain.
The cerebrum is divided into 2 hemispheres. The
right and left hemispheres seem to look alike but
they actually have distinct looks and they perform
different functions. The right hemisphere controls
the left side of the body while the left hemisphere to the right side of the body. On the other hand,
located at the bottom of the brain is the cerebellum, which plays a role in motor control and balance.
It is also responsible for a number of cognitive functions such as regulating emotions, attention and
concentration, language and memory making (particularly procedural memories). The brain stem,
which will be further discussed in the subsequent chapters, is further divided into midbrain, Pons
and medulla. The primary functions of the brainstem are digestion, regulation and breathing control.
IV.C. Lobes of the Human Brain
Certain brain functions are localized in one area of the brain. The human brain has 4 lobes, each of
which play a significant role in integrating and organizing sensory input. The table summarizes the
four different lobes of the brain, their locations and functions.
Lobes Location Main Functions

Frontal

Behind the forehead

Reasoning
Decision making
Long-term memory
Most sensitive lobe for dopamine, a
neurotransmitter that plays a role in attention
and concentration.


Parietal

Top back of the head

Processed sensory information from the
body parts
Involve in spatial sense and relationships


Temporal

Underneath the
parietal lobe

Speech processing
Plays an important role in memory
Spatial memory


Occipital
(smallest
lobe)

Rearmost of the
brain

Vision
Visual processing
V. Behavior and Memory
Inability to remember anything, poor perception of the environment and powerless to learn and
store information definitely -- these are descriptions that equate the situation of mad people in the
street. Their behavior is that which denotes a lack of self awareness as well as positive perception.
In the majority of cases, over usage of drugs have caused these situations where memory gets
directly linked to behavior. An example is a hallucinated drunkard who perceives no stimuli and
acts in ways deemed unnatural, decides to undress and walk naked.
As earlier mentioned, the human brain relates to the processing unit of a computer. It is at this
simplistic level that we make or draw on comparisons between the two in order to understand how a
healthy mind regulates behavior. Neuroscience tries to explain how the human brain functions with
regard to perception, earning, behavior and cognition. In this case, we shall look at memory and
behavior, and how these two link to each other. During the earlier discussion, it is learned that
different parts of the brain are assigned to varied functions. When it comes to cognition and
memory, the brain gets divided into three parts. There is the outer part which deals with perception,
the middle part which is engaged with processing of stimuli and the last part which helps with the
analysis and interpretation of information.
This brings forward the issue of short-term and long term memory. While the outer part temporarily
stores information, ability to recall most of the information or stimuli gathered depends on the
efficiency of the part that deals with storage and retrieval. Being mentally impaired would not only
mean wrong perception of stimuli, but consequently, memory gap. Psychologically speaking, the
question of memory gap is behavioral and will always result in inability to adequately learn and
apply knowledge or interpret information.
Behavior is a derivative of mental wellness. This means, those who are mentally unwell are victims
of brain incapacitation due to damage to some parts as attributed to factors causing mental illness as
we previously discussed. Memory loss or memory gap, would therefore be definitive of a failed
brain or low brain capacity. It is on this premise that we can postulate that memory is directly
proportional to behavior. Newly acquired information gets temporarily stored as short-term after
which it is transferred to the inner brain for long-term storage. While the part of the brain concerned
with short-term storage can hold voluminous information, only a limited amount of information is
actually stored in the part that deals with long term storage.

VI. Memory Into Intelligence
Intelligence and memory correlate on many fronts. It is not only about the level of creativity and
innovation that define intelligence, but also the ability to retrieve and use information. People
perceive stimuli differently and the level of remembrance as well as reasoning differs from every
person. By definition, memory is the faculty of the brain to store and remember previous
experiences and relationships. The human brain has millions of neurons and they contribute towards
intelligence depending on how efficient they work.
The Brain capacity of human beings is said to be higher than that of other mammals. This is
arguably the reason why humans have control over the creatures. When it comes to human
intelligence, we talk of the Intellectual quotient (IQ) which is basically the cognitive ability of the
brain. The higher, the IQ, the clever one is said to be. Well, let's take a look at how memory
transitions into intelligence. While some people are only able to acquire, store, retrieve and use only
a portion of the information gathered over time in situations that demand creativity and problem
solving, those who are able to apply the same amount or even more of the same information in
similar situations more creatively and productively are said to be wiser. This means, intelligence
heavily relies on the ability to remember what one has learnt, perceived or touched. Therefore, those
who are mentally healthy tend to convert more memorized information to intelligence than those
who remember little or nothing. This forms the basis and judgment upon which intelligence is
determined. Application of use of information is a question of how well one can recall what was
learnt and this further depends on the mental state of the mind.








CHAPTER 1: STAGES OF MEMORY
I. Implicit Memory
Implicit memory is a type of memory wherein the individuals previous experiences help in the
performance of a task without having conscious awareness of the past experiences. In other words,
it is a memory that is not part of the persons waking consciousness. Implicit memory is made
possible by previous experiences regardless how long ago, they have taken place.
I.A. Subsets of Implicit Memories
Implicit memory can be procedural memory and priming.
Procedural memory is the most common subset of implicit memory. This type of memory enables
the person to perform physical activities without conscious thought. The cerebrum and the basal
ganglia of the brain are mainly responsible for the formation of this type of memory. An example of
procedural memory is when a child still knows how to ride a bike even he hasnt done it for years.
Tasks that are independent of the conscious thoughts include driving a car, cooking, talking, etc. As
what the name implies, procedural memory is a type of memory that allows the person to do things
automatically.
On the other hand, a smaller subset of implicit memory is called priming. Priming is the use of
pictures to aid a person in recognizing an object. For instance, the color green is attributed to trees
while red is associated with heart and love. Recalling a song after someone sings the first few lines
is also priming. Another illustration is when a child is asked to memorize 5 items on a list that
includes the word coffee. Later, when the teacher asked the child to enumerate the 5 items, the
child forgets the last item on the list. The teacher mouth cof and the child now remembers the
item. Priming works when the mind is making an association on the past memory when a stimulus
(hint) is presented.
II. Explicit Memory
Explicit memory is the deliberate recollection of past memories or experiences. Explicit memory is
also referred to as declarative memory. A person uses explicit memory when he remembers a
birthday or recollecting a special event in history (For example World War I).

There are two types of declarative memory - semantic memory and episodic memory. Semantic
memory is the memory of the general knowledge and concepts about the world not necessarily
dependent on the persons experiences. The following are some examples of semantic memory:
- The person is asked to define what is nursing.
- The knowledge that Washington, DC is the capital of the United States.
- The familiarity that (nearly) all birds have swings.
On the other hand, episodic memory is the collection of the individuals experiences and events that
take place at a specific time and a specific place. The following are some examples of episodic
memory:
- When and where have you celebrated your birthday?
- What year did you graduate high school?
- When did you encounter the accident?
The main difference between implicit memory and explicit memory is that implicit memory is the
unconscious recollection of past experiences while explicit memory deals with conscious thoughts.
An implicit memory can turn into explicit memory. One instance is when a person remembers a
specific swimming lesson (explicit memory), and by constant practice, the person has improved or
mastered swimming skill (implicit memory).
a. Short-term memory. Short term memory is the ability of the person to hold a small of
amount of information for a short period of time. This information is stored at the persons
conscious mind where it is readily available. The duration of short-term memory is between
20 and 30 seconds only, thus explains why this type of memory is easily forgotten. Short-
term memory is sometimes called memory span because information can only be retained
for a small amount of time. A good example of short-term memory is when a person is given
directions and forced it to remember without writing it down. Influenced by many factors,
the person can either retain the information or forget it.

It should be noted that the term working memory is not synonymous to short-term memory
but they are somewhat related. Theoretically speaking, working memory is used to process
short-term memory. A person who utilizes directions in going to a mall is an application of
short-term memory, but as the person gets back to the place of origin, he is employing
working memory.

b. Long-term memory. As what the name implies, long-term memory is a memory that lasts
for years. Not like short-term memory, long-term memory has no limit in storing
information. Knowing that the capital city of the United States of America is Washington
D.C is an example of long-term memory. A person who still remembers his first seatmate 5
years ago is another manifestation of a long-term memory. Although long-term memory is
subject to forgetting process, stronger memories are not easily blown over.

c. Conversion of Short-Term Memory to Long-Term Memory
It should be noted that the conversion of short-term memory to long-term memory is
possible, but requires the passage of time. Short-term memories should undergo a process so
called consolidation which is the reorganization of brain networks necessary to prolong
memories. Memory consolidation is influenced by many factors, but is mainly strengthened
by sleeping. People who have poor hours of sleep can compromise the ability of the brain to
consolidate new memories. On the other hand, consolidation process can also be speeded up
-- for example, when learning new information -- by constant rehearsal and memorization
strategies. This explains why scanning notes once in a while for weeks have greater memory
retention than cramming the night before a test.

Sensory Memory
A sensory memory is an extremely short memory. It is referred to as the first level of memory where
information can be forgotten within seconds (2 seconds) after the information is perceived by the
senses. Contrary to its name, sensory memory does not refer to memory created by the senses.
Sensory memory is made outside of conscious control. When a person sees an object, then
disappears, that is sensory memory. The perception created by sensory memory can be either
dismissed or stored to make it a short-term memory (20 to 30 seconds) or even, long-term memory
(permanent).
Sensory memory can be iconic memory and echoic memory.
a. Iconic memory (visual). This is a sensory memory created by the sense of sight. A person
sees a beautiful image on a laptop, but suddenly, somebody slams the screen down; now, the
person is trying to visualize what the image was is an example of iconic memory.

a. Echoic memory (sound). Echoic memory is a memory created by sounds. Compared to
iconic memory, echoic memory lasts for a shorter period of time because not like visual
stimulus, auditory stimulus cannot be scanned repeatedly over and over again. In other
words of saying, a person can read a book several times as he wishes but a radio new can
only be heard once.
































CHAPTER 2: FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT MEMORY
The power of an individual to memorize or remember a thing changes with age. Aging can alter the
normal functioning of the brain and therefore, influences the memory of the person. This chapter
enumerates the factors that may affect memory besides aging.
I. Aging. Memory decline can be evident as early as the person reaches 20s. Sometimes,
we still acknowledge our old friends by face but not all of their names are remembered.
If this does not happen very often, occasional memory lapses and mild memory loss are
considered normal. Most people experience age-dependent loss of memory function
which commences as early as the onset of sexual maturity.
During the earlier years of human life, the connections between nerve cells are stronger.
But as the person becomes older, brain connections begin to falter, which gradually
affects the ability of the person to remember and store information. Memory decline is a
normal physiological response to progressive aging caused by a major cellular loss in a
tiny region of the frontal cortex where a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine is
produced. Acetylcholine is vital for memory and learning, and deficiency of the
transmitter can lead to issues like trouble creating and retrieving memory. The
researchers added that another region of the brain that is made vulnerable to aging is
hippocampus. Hippocampus is part of the brain anatomy that is involved in memory
control. It is determined that 5% of the regions nerve cells are lost every decade, and a
total of 20% nerve cells died when the person reaches 80 years old. In addition to that, as
the person lives to an advanced age, the brain shrinks in size and thus, it becomes less
efficient. Besides the natural deterioration of brain cells, a person with defective genes
such as in the case of dementia is more vulnerable to memory decline.
Despite the influence of aging on the memory, memory lapse can be prevented and
treated. According to the results of a particular study, people in their 70s can have
similar cognitive function as many people in their 20s do. They added that older people
can still get better scores in verbal intelligence exams compared to younger people.
These evidences have been further supported in an animal study that reveals rats that
thrived in a playful environment are found to have larger brain cells (particularly
dendrites) than the group of rats with limited or restricted activity..

II. Sex. Sex strengthens memory connections. Researchers in South Korea and Maryland
found out that sexual activity improves neurogenesis, or the production of new neurons
in the hippocampus, the area in the brain where long-term memories are created. Not
only sex promotes production of new cells, but also improve cognitive memory function.
They added that even watching sexy videos and viewing pornographic images can have
a positive impact on memory particularly the working memory. However,
neuroscientists at the University of Texas, warned the public that excessive viewing or
addiction to pornographic materials have pathologic effect to brain function. The fact
that sex can make people more intelligent, the converse is not necessarily true. Being
more intelligent does not equate the person of being (or becoming) a sex addict.
On the other side of the coin, several groups of researchers contradict the
aforementioned idea and claim that sex can actually wipe out a persons memory. They
refer it to as sex-related amnesia or recurrent coital amnesia. It is a situation where there
is a sudden, short-lived memory loss (approximately 6 hours) following sex. Recurrent
coital amnesia is also known as TGA (transient global amnesia) wherein the person has
difficulty recalling the most recent events before sex has occurred, and inability to
sustain new information. In the United States, recurrent coital amnesia happens in every
5 per 100, 000 individuals. A person who suffers sex-related amnesia may have
difficulty recalling how he got into the place and the events that happen before the onset
of amnesia. Researchers cannot determine the real cause of TGA but they theorized that
there is decreased blood flow in the brain during sexual activity. Sex-related amnesia is
equal opportunity in terms of race and sex, but people who are 49 years and older are at
a higher risk.
III. Education. In a study conducted by the American Academy of Neurology in 2008,
people who have higher education are less susceptible to memory loss compared to
people who have lesser degree. They added that people who are into a more mentally
demanding occupation are more insulated from the effects of Alzheimer Disease. This
led to the conclusion that the more educated a person is, the more active the persons
mind is in old age.
The strong association between education and memory is due to the former serving as a
buffering system against the bad effects of dementia. However, the scientists were not
able to identify if strong cognitive function and brain reserve is brought by the subjects
education and occupational challenges or otherwise, may be due to genetic factors such
as their parents higher education. In another reference to the relationship of education
and memory, people who are highly educated tend to use the frontal lobe in performing
memory tasks. The frontal lobe is part of the cerebrum, which mainly involves in
memory input, problem solving and high level thinking. This is in contrary to less-
educated individuals who rely more on the temporal lobe in which the main function of
the region is for sensory perception.
IV. Physical activities. Lack of physical activities may make your body to be dormant, making
your brain to be dormant as well. Having physical exercises improves the blood flow throughout
the entire body. This ensures that blood reaches the brain as it should. Scientists have proved that
physical exercises also help reduce stress by burning stress chemicals in the body. Such
chemicals include adrenaline, which improves the relaxation of the mind. If you are a
workaholic, small exercises in the office are also encouraged like walking up the stairs, making
walks in the office and even playing some sort of game to make the mind relax.

V. Diseases and drugs. Its unfortunate how the todays society has turned into medication for
almost all the problems. For example, if you want to lose weight, most people are likely to
purchase supplements instead of doing it the natural way whereby you have to exercise. You are
also more likely to find teenagers ingesting drugs in order for them to be able to have a steady
hard on. The intake of drugs destroys the brain cells slowly, although this happens after some
time of using the drug. Illegal drugs are also another menace when it comes to brain damage.
When you use the drugs for recreational purposes, the brains efficiency and alertness reduces
to about 50%. This can eventually mental illness or even death in case of overdosing. A study in
America and China has shown that each and every time we consume alcohol, some brain cells
die as a result of this. It has been a very controversial debate as to how exactly this happens.
Another study has also shown that you can replace the dead cells by engaging the brain in
challenging activities such as word quizzes and puzzles.
.





CHAPTER 3: WAYS TO SHARPEN MEMORY
As the people gearing towards every century, people are getting overloaded with lots of information
leading to memory lapses. While science continues to identify factors that influence memory,
researchers are tracking new ways to sharpen memory naturally and to keep it strong as people age.
I. Healthy Diet. Generally speaking, a healthy diet is good for the brain. However, there
are certain food selections known as Superfoods that are widely known in benefitting a
healthy brain. The following are the smart foods and their specific benefits to the brain.
Smart Foods How They Can Benefit the Brain
Berries Berries particularly blueberries protect brain cells
from oxidative stress, and fights off the symptoms of
Alzheimers disease.
Recommended serving: 1 cup a day
Salmon Salmon is rich in essential fatty acids that are not only
good for the heart but also for the brain. Fatty acids
have brain-boosting properties. Other than salmon,
fish rich in omega-3 supply are sardines and herring.
Recommended serving: 2 to 3 times a week.
Nuts, seeds, beans Nuts, seeds and beans are rich in Vitamin E which
plays a role in cognition. Examples of this smart food
are peanuts, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, flax seeds.
Go for unsalted nuts for healthier option.
Recommended serving: 1 ounce a day
Avocados Avocado is actually rich in fats. But the fats found in
avocados are good fats or also known as mono-
unsaturated fats. Mono-saturated fats promote healthy
blood flow and oxygenation to the brain. Avocado is
also best choice for people suffering from
hypertension.
Recommended serving: up to of an avocado daily.

Whole grains Whole grains are cereal grains which include brown
rice and oatmeal. Not only whole grains are rich in
fiber but also in Vitamin E and omega-3 which are
necessary to boost memory and improve brain
function.
Recommended serving: cup of whole grains daily
Tea Study shows that tea extracts, particularly green tea
boost brain power and reduces degeneration of brain
cells. The recent finding suggests promising clinical
implications to treat individuals with cognitive
impairments and psychiatric disorders such as in the
case of dementia.
Recommended serving: 3 cups daily
Meanwhile, foods that are not healthy for the brain include those that are rich in cholesterol
and saturated fats such as processed foods, French fries, butter, red meats and burgers. Fats
speed up beta-amyloid plaque formation in the brain, which are sticky protein clusters
commonly found in the brains of people with Alzheimers disease.
II. Exercise Regularly. One of the primordial evidences of the benefits of exercise to the
brain was a 1990-study at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California wherein
the subjects were adult mice. Scientists observe that the group of mice running around
the wheels produces more brain cells than the group that did not run. They also noticed
that the active mice obtain better scores on memory tests.
Another benefit of exercise in memory was recorded in a 6-month human study
spearheaded by the scientists of the University of British Columbia wherein the subjects
were women between 10 and 80 years olds with mild cognitive impairment. The subjects
were divided into groups where half of them performed weight lifting twice a week
while the second group did brisk walking. The third group skipped the exercise. During
the 6-month study period, all subjects underwent memory tests involving verbal and
spatial memory. The results were the following: the groups that performed exercise
scored better in the tests while the group that did not perform physical activity score
worse. Furthermore, the group that lifted weights scored higher in verbal memory while
the group that brisk walked gained better score in verbal memory tests. Authors of the
study concluded that exercise generally boosts brain health, and that different exercise
has varying effect to the different types of memory.
III. Get Plenty of Sleep. A good night sleep improves a persons memory. It is during sleep
that neuronal connections are strengthened and remodeled. The consequences of lack of
sleep in cognition have been depicted in numerous studies which include reduced
concentration and poor performance. But researchers have pointed out that sleep
deprivation affects people differently depending on the type of cognitive task performed.
In an experimental study, the brains of sleep-deprived and nonsleep-deprived individuals
where scanned while they performed cognitive assignments involving the working
memory. In the first task which involves arithmetic, the sleep-deprived group had worse
performance which revealed less brain activity in the prefrontal cortex during the fMRI
scan. The second task measures the verbal learning, and the sleep-deprived group scored
the lowest. However, during the fMRI scan, a part of the prefrontal areas was active, the
parietal lobe was surprisingly working except for the left temporal lobe where the
activity found to be less. The temporal lobe is the region of the brain where language is
processed.
The link between sleep and memory is clearly established. Sleeping is essential to
consolidate memories. Other researchers argue that in order for optimal consolidation to
happen, it involves not only the passage of time but the stage of sleep is necessary. The
first stage of sleep is the first 6 hours of sleep which called stabilization. During this
period, memory is susceptible to being lost. The next hours are where real consolidation
occurs, the second stage of sleep. The last phase is the recall phase where memories are
readily accessed.
IV. Healthy Lifestyle. The impact of healthy lifestyle choices in memory has been laid out
clearly in studies. According to the researchers in the University of California- Los
Angeles, positive lifestyle choices are associated with milder memory complaints and
lower risks of Alzheimers disease. A survey was conducted which was participated by
18, 500 individuals from 18 to 99 years old. The respondents were put under observation
by taking note of their health behaviors (smoking, diet, exercise) and memory abilities.
As expected, those who do not smoke, eat a healthy diet and exercise have better
memory capacity. In another finding, researchers found out that people who practice healthier
lifestyle have lesser complaints about memory. A study was conducted across all age groups
who practice one healthy activity were claimed to be 21% less expected to report memory
problems, while groups with two positive less behaviors had a lesser tendency to report problem
by 45%. Groups who performed 3 and more healthy practices were 75% and 111% less likely to
complain memory problem respectively.
It has been imputed that older groups tend to be more cautious on their bodily behaviors,
knowing the consequence of unhealthy living as they grow older. They added that while
memory problems are quite expected both in the middle-aged group and older people,
memory issues should not be evident in younger people. If memory problem is present
in the younger group, the cause is different from that of older group which is related to
formation of plaques in the brain. Rather, stress may play a big role in this case. In
addition to stress, the overexposure of the younger generation to technology (Internet,
particularly) caused them to be become multi-taskers which may impact attention span.

V. Healthy Relationships. A good and healthy relationship is good to memory. Not only
friend and families provide us good memories but also they help protect memory. Study
shows that the more people form connections and make social interactions have slower
memory decline. In a 6-year old study participated by 16, 000 Americans aged 50 years
and older, researchers have tested their memory as to how accurate the respondents can
recall a list containing 10 words after seeing their friends and after some period has
passed. The researchers of the study found out that the average score the respondents get
declined by 1 point.
Researchers contend that building and preserving relationships is like a mathematical
skill that involves a great deal of brain stimulation.
VI. Stress Management. Long-term stress affects memory. People who experience repeated
emotional stress, reduce their ability to think clearly. But, how?
A person who suffers constant stress caused the release of cortisol and epinephrine,
which are potentially dangerous to the brain. These stress hormones are known to affect
the prefrontal cortex, a region in the brain that mainly functions in working memory and
decision making. The physiological effect of chronic stress is more significant in young
children and adolescents in which their brains are more sensitive to stress.
In a study spearheaded by Dr. Zhen Yan of the State University of New York at Buffalo,
they concluded that long-term stress has an adverse impact on the glutamate receptors in
rats. These glutamate receptors play a critical function in the prefrontal cortex. Rats that
encounter repeated stress have diminished glutamate receptors, causing memory deficit,
although the scientists are not sure if the receptors are blocked or diminished by stress.
VII. Avoiding Alcohol. Alcoholism can impair memory specifically associative memory, a
type of memory used for face-name association, and episodic memory, a type of memory
that stores and saves personal experiences and events. This answers the question as to
why alcoholic people have difficulty remembering a route, direction or a course, or
forgetting the name of an old friend. Moreover, it was found out during an MRI scan that
people who chronically drink alcohol have atrophied cerebellum, a region in the brain
that functions in balance and coordination.
Contrastingly, a neuroscientist ran counter to the notion that alcohol drinking is
absolutely bad for the brain. Hitoshi Morikawa recognized the effect of alcohol to the
conscious memory, but what many experts fail to recognize is a single fact that alcohol
actually increases the ability of the person to learn by enriching the subconscious mind.
He explained that ethanol exposure improves synaptic plasticity in one area of the brain;
thus, enhances memory.
By the finding of Morikawas study, it appears that alcohol drinking is both a learning
enhancement and a memory disorder.
VIII. Smoking. Smokers -- whether daily smokers, weekend smokers or occasional smokers -
- are susceptible to memory decline. According to Dr. Tom Heffernan, smoking-induced
memory problem is caused by cerebral degeneration or brain shrinkage. The risk of
memory decline is no difference among second-hand smokers. In a study published in
the Archives of Internal Medicine, smoking in midlife speeds up cognitive problems,
particularly the reasoning ability of the individual. Researchers forewarn consumers
about the effects of smoking to the physical body and mental health. People who smoke
in their 30s, 40s and 50s are more likely to suffer Alzheimers disease and exhibit any
form of cognitive impairment.
But, does it matter how long a person has been smoking? According to a study finding,
ex-smokers tend to have better cognitive ability compared to current smokers.
Particularly, they scored higher in vocabulary and verbal fluency tests and are less likely
to acquire dementia in later life. These clinical findings are also reflected to Marijuana
users.
IX. Improving Memory Using Vitamins and Minerals. Fortify memory with supplements.
Supplements are edible substances designed to complete the nutrients needed by the
body in sufficient amounts. Certain vitamin supplements serve as brain booster that help
thwart dementia in the later life, or impede or delay onset of Alzheimers Disease. Some
common memory boosters include Gingko biloba which has been known to improve
blood flow to the brain. It should be noted however that Gingko biloba does not cure
Alzheimers disease or dementia but only improve the symptoms.
The table runs down the supplements that are known as brain boosters:
Memory Supplements Health Implications
Omega-3 fatty acid Omega-3 fatty acids can be obtained
from foods such as cold-water fish,
salmon and English walnuts.
Huperzine A Huperzine A works as a natural drug
supplement for Alzheimers Disease.
Acetyl-L-carnitine Acetyl-L-Carnitine contains amino
acid that is essential for memory
problems.
Asian ginseng Asian ginseng works similar to
Gingko biloba. It also helps in
improving symptoms of fatigue.
Bacopa monniera Bacopa monniera is part of the Indian
Ayurvedic medicine which helps
enhance cognitive function. However,
it should be used cautiously since it
can interact with other medications.
Vitamin E Vitamin E is not only good for the
skin, but also slows down the
progression of Alzheimers Disease.
People who have poor immune system
should avoid taking Vitamin E in high
doses.