Brain & Memory-Boosting Tips

The foods you eat – and don't eat – play a crucial role in your memory. Fresh vegetables are essential, as are healthy fats and avoiding sugar and grain carbohydrates. You can find detailed information about nine foods for brainpower here.

For instance, curry, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and walnuts contain antioxidants and other compounds that protect your brain health and may even stimulate the production of new brain cells.

Increasing your animal-based omega-3 fat intake and reducing consumption of damaged omega-6 fats (think processed vegetable oils) in order to balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, is also important. I prefer krill oil to fish oil, as krill oil also contains astaxanthin, which not only protects the omega-3 fats from oxidation but also appears to be particularly beneficial for brain health.

Coconut oil is another healthful fat for brain function. According to research by Dr. Mary Newport, just over two tablespoons of coconut oil (about 35 ml or 7 level teaspoons) would supply you with the equivalent of 20 grams of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which is indicated as either a preventative measure against degenerative neurological diseases, or as a treatment for an already established case.

2. Physical exercise

A healthy body really does mean a healthy mind. In the last decade it became clear that regular exercise beneficially affects brain function. Exercise boosts brain power by stimulating formation of new brain cells (neurons), the process known as neurogenesis2. Also, exercise strengthens connections between brain cells. Exercise stimulates the area of the brain associated with memory and learning1.

Regular physical activity may even help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Several studies7 have confirmed that regular physical activity reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in old age.

Brain-boosting exercise tips

• Aerobic exercise is particularly good for the brain, so choose activities that keep your blood pumping. In general, anything that is good for your heart is great for your brain.
• Does it take you long time to clear out the sleep fog when you wake up? If so, you may find that exercising in the morning before you start your day makes a big difference. In addition to clearing out the cobwebs, it also primes you for learning throughout the day.
• Physical activities that require hand-eye coordination or complex motor skills are particularly beneficial for brain building.
• Exercise breaks can help you get past mental fatigue and afternoon slumps. Even a short walk or a few jumping jacks can be enough to reboot your brain.

Tips to Sharpen Your Memory by Ron White –A US Memory Champion

Want to improve your memory? Learn from Ron White, a two-time U.S. Memory Champion who has trained business professionals on how to improve their mental capacity, leading them to higher income.

Spend just 10 minutes a day for 30 days training your mind to access and retrieve information just like your computer. Here are five tips to get you started:

1. Sleep is critical for your memory. When I competed in the World Memory Championships in 2009, I was incredibly sleep-deprived. The event was in London and I was fighting jet lag in a serious way. I can memorize a deck of cards in about one minute and 30 seconds fairly routinely. However, at the event that measured how many cards you can recall in an hour, I didn’t get a single pack. I was so tired. I got very little sleep and made a series of mistakes that cost me any decent score at all. Sleep, sleep and sleep!

2. Good nutrition and exercise are keys to a top-performing memory. There are specific foods that will help your memory, such as spinach and blueberries because of their antioxidants. Omega-3 fish oil pills are also helpful.

3. Trust your memory. One of the best tips I received from World Memory Champion Ben Pridmore was to trust my memory. I would tell him that I could memorize a deck of cards in about two minutes and I wanted to get faster. His advice to me was to trust my memory more. He said, “Go faster and just trust that your memory will remember it.”

4. Stop negative self-talk. I hear so many people say, “I am terrible with names,” “I am a bad test taker,” “My memory is terrible.” Stop that! What you tell yourself about your memory will make a difference. Instead say, “I find it easy to remember names and faces,” “I have a good memory,” “I am a good test taker.” Yes, I know, it sounds as corny as all get out—but it works. Are you more concerned about sounding corny or getting results?

5. Learn the memory method of loci, also known as the journey method. My memory system Memory in a Month, available at the SUCCESS Store, explains this in a very straightforward way. [You can also try memory expert Jim Kwik’s method to add some muscle to your mind.]

My goal, with these memory training tips, is for you to see dramatic improvement in your memory power and, in turn, I know it will impact your self-confidence and every area of your life.

By: Uzma Umer Abbasi