How can we improve our memory, especially as we age? I think improving the way our brain functions is especially good and important for us with Moebius Syndrome; after all, our brains don't quite send out those signals we'd like them to send to our face, so we need to strengthen our minds and its functioning in other areas as best we can, to be as strong as we can in every area possible. That's why I like these brain updates out there to be found. Now hmmm...what was I talking about again???
Oh, yes, memory and how to improve it :+) :
"1. Gum
Believe it or not, chewing gum can actually improve alertness and memory -- well, maybe. At least that’s the conclusion that two medical studies reported in the journal Appetite back in 2002 and 2004, respectively. In these studies, individuals who chewed gum during the learning phases of a specific test recalled test items better than those who did not. Although the exact reasoning behind why gum would enhance memory isn’t yet clear, one simple explanation said that chewing gum increases heart rate, which subsequently increases blood flow to the brain.
Believe it or not, chewing gum can actually improve alertness and memory -- well, maybe. At least that’s the conclusion that two medical studies reported in the journal Appetite back in 2002 and 2004, respectively. In these studies, individuals who chewed gum during the learning phases of a specific test recalled test items better than those who did not. Although the exact reasoning behind why gum would enhance memory isn’t yet clear, one simple explanation said that chewing gum increases heart rate, which subsequently increases blood flow to the brain.
What this means for you and your memory: Before you go out and spend your life's savings on boxes of supposed life-saving secret memory enhancers in the form of spearmint gum, you should know that the jury is still out on this one. Despite those past promising results, more recent studies have failed to find a similar link between chewing gum and memory enhancement, although these newer studies still maintain that chewing increases alertness (no wonder ball players love the stuff so much).
2. Exercise
Men may be more active than their female counterparts, but that still doesn’t mean they get enough exercise. Granted, most men are probably sick and tired of hearing about just how great and beneficial daily exercise can be, but it’s time to chalk up another benefit of regular exercise. A slew of research over the past decade has shown that exercise can be a secret memory enhancer.
Men may be more active than their female counterparts, but that still doesn’t mean they get enough exercise. Granted, most men are probably sick and tired of hearing about just how great and beneficial daily exercise can be, but it’s time to chalk up another benefit of regular exercise. A slew of research over the past decade has shown that exercise can be a secret memory enhancer.
In fact, just cutting calories may help you remember where you left your keys. According to a 2008 study in the journal PNAS, eating a calorie-restricted diet had beneficial effects on memory performance in healthy elderly subjects.
What this means for you and your memory: Toss out the cheeseburger and fries, and get outside and get moving. Bike to work, take the stairs or walk to the store. Even simple exercise is a better secret memory enhancer than none at all. Better yet, it’s free.
What this means for you and your memory: Toss out the cheeseburger and fries, and get outside and get moving. Bike to work, take the stairs or walk to the store. Even simple exercise is a better secret memory enhancer than none at all. Better yet, it’s free.
3. Caffeine
As one of the most hotly contested food items, caffeine has strong backers on both sides of the health debate. Some swear by its benefits while others vilify caffeine for its unhealthy effects. But almost no one can argue the effect of caffeine on alertness (and, consequently, memory). According to various studies conducted in the last five years, caffeine boosts short-term memory, protects older women against memory loss and may even reverse Alzheimer’s memory loss (at least in mice).
What this means for you and your memory: Before you slam back a venti latte in hopes of treating your brain to long lost memories, keep in mind that caffeine can have a negative health impact, as well. Stay on the safe side by drinking in moderation.
As one of the most hotly contested food items, caffeine has strong backers on both sides of the health debate. Some swear by its benefits while others vilify caffeine for its unhealthy effects. But almost no one can argue the effect of caffeine on alertness (and, consequently, memory). According to various studies conducted in the last five years, caffeine boosts short-term memory, protects older women against memory loss and may even reverse Alzheimer’s memory loss (at least in mice).
What this means for you and your memory: Before you slam back a venti latte in hopes of treating your brain to long lost memories, keep in mind that caffeine can have a negative health impact, as well. Stay on the safe side by drinking in moderation.
4. Daytime naps
Our next secret memory enhancer might actually contradict the last. After all, it’ll be hard to catch a little daytime shut-eye if you’re all hopped up on java beans. If you’re into daydreaming, you’ll be happy to know that science strongly supports the idea that daytime napping improves your declarative memory. That’s the memory you use to store facts (for example, the memory used when cramming for a final exam).
Our next secret memory enhancer might actually contradict the last. After all, it’ll be hard to catch a little daytime shut-eye if you’re all hopped up on java beans. If you’re into daydreaming, you’ll be happy to know that science strongly supports the idea that daytime napping improves your declarative memory. That’s the memory you use to store facts (for example, the memory used when cramming for a final exam).
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There's more; read the whole thing...
IN OTHER HEALTH NEWS
People who take zinc supplements within one day of a cold’s onset will reduce the severity and length of illness, according to a review in The Cochrane Library. A study involving the common cold and zinc lozenges was first introduced in 1984, but conflicting reports were introduced since then. The Cochrane review updates that study and presents data from 15 new studies involving more than 1,300 patients. The patients who took zinc felt better within 7 days compared to those who took placebos. Children who consistently took zinc lozenges for at least five months caught fewer colds and did not miss as much time from school, according to data."
HOLLYWOOD WRITER OVERCOMES HIS OWN DISABILITY
"Telling the story of the stammering king, George VI, has been a lifetime ambition for David Seidler, ever since he subdued his own stutter nearly 60 years ago. Born seven months after George took the British throne in 1936, screenwriter Seidler grew up paralyzed by the same impediment he depicts the monarch struggling to overcome in "The King's Speech," the best-picture favorite at the Academy Awards.From just before his third birthday to age 16, Seidler stumbled and sputtered over his syllables so badly that he lived in terror of speaking in class, talking to girls, even answering the phone. "I had huge trouble with the 'H' sound, so when the telephone rang, I would break into a cold sweat, because I couldn't say hello," Seidler, 73, said in an interview. "I don't know if school still works this way, but in those days you had set places, and the teacher worked up and down the rows. If I could see her working toward me and she was just going to miss me that day, I would fake sick the next day so I didn't have to go to school, because it was so terrifying to be called upon. There came a period when I was actually excused from responding in class. I didn't have to speak in class. It was that bad."
But he overcame these obstacles. Remember, when it comes to your own obstacles--so can you.
"Love doesn't make the world go round, love is what makes the ride
worthwhile." -Elizabeth Browning
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