You’ve met them.  You probably even have a few in your family that you see at barbecues every summer.  It’s the 65 year old uncle that has the memory of an elephant and can recall small details from events in the 1950’s.  Perhaps you have a relative that can quote specific dates from their childhood, or even experiences they had overseas in another “life.”  If you are like me, you wish that you had a magic formula to improve your memory power to have the same abilities as these impressive individuals.  Well, I’m here to tell you that with the tips I’m going to give you in this article, you’ll have the information to improve your memory, and you can get started right away!

Tip #1:  Reduce Stress

Stress is one of the greatest enemies of the mind, and increasingly more common, the health of the entire body.  Stress can cause heart attacks, strokes, and the long-term degradation of one’s health.  Specifically, it kills your brain’s cells, and has a negative effect on the hippocampus, the part of the brain that is responsible for recording and storing long and short-term memories.  Some of the best improve your memory information I ever received was to get ahold of stress, and eliminate as much of it as you can.  There are many ways to do this, but one of the techniques I’ve found to be most effective is meditation.  Meditation is effective in calming your nerves, finding your inner quiet and peace, and producing a deep state of relaxation.  It’s easy to learn some basic techniques, and these will go a long way in helping reduce your overall stress levels, thereby improving the power of your mind.

Tip #2: Exercise Your Brain

If you were planning on running a marathon next summer, would you train your body to increase its performance and improve your chances for success?  Of course you would!  You’d specifically train your body to target the muscles and organs necessary for successfully completing a 26 mile run.  Well, your brain is no different than the rest of your body.  If you require increased performance and reliability from your brain, you have to continually use it and train it in ways that you don’t normally use it.  Try things like brushing your teeth or writing with your non-dominant hand.  Learn a foreign language or a musical instrument.  Read about or study a new area of interest that you have little knowledge of.  All of these things will require your brain to create new neural pathways, which will improve memory power and overall brain performance.

Tip #3: Listen and Actively Engage

How many times have you met someone at a party, a business setting, or any other situation, and five minutes later you can’t remember the person’s name that you just met?  It happens to all of us, and can be embarrassing, but it is an easy faux pas to avoid if you know how to do it.  Any time you are performing a task, speaking to someone, meeting someone for the first time, etc., make it a point to block out all other distractions and pay attention.  We humans make so many errors, and fail to remember a lot of important information because of the failure of this basic skill.  Try to pay close attention to detail in all aspects of your life and you will see that it becomes second nature, and pretty soon you won’t even have to try.  When you are meeting that new person, engage him and repeat his name back while you are being introduced.  This will help reinforce the name into your brain for future recall.  Be more engaged in all of your conversations and make an effort to listen more attentively and you’ll be amazed at how much you’ll be able to remember later.

By putting this information to improve your memory into use, you will soon see that your brain is sharper, and you will be recalling important information more quickly and accurately than before.  This improvement in memory power might not put you in the league of your 65 year old uncle, but the rest of your family, friends, and colleagues will think that you are one of the sharpest people they know!

Timothy Romano is the author of Secrets to Improve Memory, a complete memory improvement course from basic, to advanced techniques.  For further reading, and the opportunity to sign up for his free e-mail mini-course, full of helpful information to improve your memory Secrets To Improve Memory.

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You’ve probably heard that certain foods can help your memory improve, and will allow you to think with better clarity.

“But what foods are actually considered brain foods?” you may ask.

Believe it or not, there are a copious amount of foods that protect your brain, improving how good it’ll work, and can even generate new brain cells.

Yes, you read it right… new brain cells! You can still generate new brain cells–even when you’re an adult. A common myth recently espoused that brain cells quit occurring once you’ve reached adulthood, but reputable and prolific new research has debunked this myth. Regardless of how old you are, you can make new brain cells.

Keep in mind that all cells need nutrients to continue their growth. This means your brain needs foods that will give it the building blocks it needs to work right. When you have more neurons and connections within your brain, it means you have a stronger memory and your mind can work better.

Keep your life’s memories alive longer, and sharper than ever, with these six foods that will help keep your brain whole and healthy:

1 – Build Your Brain: Healthy Fats

The majority of the cell structure in the brain consists of healthy fats, including the most important healthy fats, called Omega-3 fatty acids. As the brain continues to fix itself and grow additional neurons, it needs a good amount of Omega-3s to be consumed.

The best food sources to get your Omega-3 from, in order of importance, are:

• Salmon
• Albacore tuna
• Flaxseed oil
• Canola oil
• Walnuts
• Wheatgerm
• Eggs

2 – Protect Your Brain: Antioxidants

As people get older, substances called free radicals, which are floating through the bloodstream, will break down the brain cells. If you don’t put up a fight, you’ll experience loss of memory as you age. However, there are a good deal of antioxidant food sources to choose from. Antioxidants will merge with these free radicals, turning them harmless. Make sure you eat foods that have this healthy food source. Several good sources of antioxidants include:

• Blueberries (other berries too)
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Garlic
• Red grapes
• Spinach
• Soy
• Tea
• Tomatoes
• Whole grains

3 – Spark Your Brain: High Tyrosine Proteins

Your brain doesn’t just have neurons, but also neurotransmitters, which are messengers that bring brain signals from one neuron to the next one. Your brain structure might be good, but if your neurotransmitters are insufficient, your brain won’t work right. Some parts of the neurotransmitters, like the tryptophan, are not able to be made by your body. Thus, you must consume food to get them. However, the body can make tyrosine, but you still need to get the proper foods into your diet.

The greatest sources of food to boost your alertness, concentration, and energy are:

• Dairy products
• Eggs
• Seafood
• Soy

Don’t sabotage yourself, though. Rather, choose the varieties that are low in salt and unhealthy fats.

4 – Hydrate Your Brain: Water

You already know that your body is made mostly of water. And you also know how easy it is to not consume much water and become dehydrated. Even a mild case of dehydration can reduce your mental energy and capacity, causing your memory to become impaired. You should drink at least four liters of water each day, or six to eight 8-ounce glasses.

5 – Brain Building Blocks: Vitamins & Minerals

There are certain kinds of vitamins and minerals that are necessary building blocks for your brain. Of course, you don’t want to become vitamin deficient. So the vitamins and minerals very important to brain functions include:

• Vit. B6
• Vit. B12
• Vit. C
• Iron
• Calcium

Deficiencies of the above have been shown to cause learning impairment.

But remember, there are many other nutrients you need, especially micronutrients, that are best found in food. The easiest way to get all your vitamins and minerals every day is to take a multivitamin. Yet it’s hard to find any one multi-vitamin that contains all your micronutrients, so don’t rely on multi-vitamins alone. And never take your vitamins on an empty stomach. No only does doing so often cause you to have an upset stomach, but taking them with food helps the digestive system better assimilate the, so your body (and brain) can better use them.

6 – Regulate Your Fuel Supply: Fiber

Most people don’t realize that fiber is important to the brain, but it’s extremely important. It can help with your brain functions because it can slow down sugar absorption. Your brain works on 100 percent sugar; however, it needs to be delivered steadily and in the proper amounts so as not to overload your brain.

True, fiber in itself might not be considered ‘food,’ but you often get it through foods. Consuming a fiber-rich diet will slow down digestion and gradually release the sugar into your bloodstream.

Foods that contain a good dose of fiber include:

• Dried fruits – apricots, dates, prunes, raisins
• Vegetables – broccoli, green peas, spinach
• Peas and beans – black-eyed peas, kidney beans, lima beans
• Nuts and seeds – almonds and flaxseed
• Whole fruit – avocadoes, kiwi, oranges, pears and skin-on apples
• Whole wheat grains – barley, brown rice, etc.

That’s it! If you’re looking to improve your memory, consuming the foods above will help you. And remember, steer clear of a high-sugar, high fat diet to help keep your brain as healthy possible as you age.

Sera Filson is a health enthusiast and professional student (currently pursing a B.A. in Business Management) who enjoys reading about body contouring and being a fan of Sono Bello on LinkedIn and Sono Bello on Indeed.com.

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Ever find yourself struggling to focus? Yep, me too. In a constantly-connected world, we always seem to have distractions at our fingertips. Sitting down and concentrating, whether it’s on a report for work or an essay for school, can be really tough.

And, all too often, we make it harder on ourselves.

Here are four simple ways to boost your chances of concentrating.

1.  Write Down What You’re Working On

This might sound like a silly tip, but it can be incredibly effective. When you start working on something, write down what you’re doing. For instance: “Finish report on widgets” or “Respond to all new emails”.

Whenever you get tempted to do something else, or when something “urgent” comes up, look down at your bit of paper and remind yourself of what you’re doing. If you do switch tasks, make a note of what you’ve changed to.

It’s surprising how often we end up working in a stimulus-response way, jumping to whatever grabs our attention or whatever happens to be on our mind.

(Quick bonus tip: You can also use your sheet of paper to jot down anything which you’re worried you’ll forget. If you suddenly think “I must send that check” then don’t stop and actually do it, just write yourself a reminder.)

2.  Find a Quiet Environment

It’s very hard to stay focused if you’re in a busy, loud room. Conversations, phone calls, other people’s music, even traffic noise can be very intrusive. Of course, most of us don’t have the luxury of working in monastic silence – but do what you can to improve your environment.
That might mean taking your books to the library, instead of studying in your home. It could mean putting headphones on and playing your own music to drown out background distractions.

A “quiet” environment is also one which doesn’t have too many distractions. If your desk is piled high with clutter, or if you’ve got the television with your line of sight, it’s very easy to let your focus slip away from your work.

3.  Make Yourself Physically Comfortable

If you’re tired, it’s hard to focus. I’m sometimes tempted to skip sleep in order to have an extra hour or two to get things done – but I know it’s a false economy. If I “save” an hour by not sleeping, I’ll end up losing more time than that because I’m slower and less productive during the day.

As a short-term fix, caffeine can perk you up and help you focus – but don’t get reliant on it.

As well as getting enough sleep, you’ll want to make sure you’re drinking enough water. Getting dehydrated will sap your concentration and your energy levels. I keep a bottle of water on my desk, so that I don’t need to keep getting up to refill a glass … and so that if I knock it over, I won’t get water in my keyboard.

Hunger cuts into your focus – but so does too heavy a lunch. Make sure you’re eating enough to keep energized, but avoid huge meals which will just make you sleepy. Having a small snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon, and a smaller lunch, may do wonders for your concentration.

4.  Build Your Concentration Muscle

Okay, your ability to concentrate isn’t literally a muscle – but it can feel that way! Just like a muscle, your concentration gets stronger the more you use it. If you manage to maintain your focus despite feeling a bit distracted, you’ll find it that little bit easier to concentrate the next day. Conversely, if you always succumb to the temptation to check Facebook and Twitter and read web comics, you’ll find that it becomes a more and more ingrained habit.

How can you build up your ability to concentrate?

• Set a timer while you’re working, and try to make as much progress as you can before the timer goes off
• Turn off your internet connection, or install software to block certain websites (this can help break the habit of constantly multitasking)
• Keep a time log of exactly what you do during the day – writing down your actions makes you more self-aware
• Learn to watch your own thoughts – notice when you feel an impulse (like “I’ll check Twitter now”) and resist!

How good are you at concentrating? Do you have any tips to share – or any stories of times when an inability to concentrate gave you problems?

Written by Vincent Kovar

The art of memory, or Ars Memorativa in the Latin, has fascinated us since…well, I can’t quite remember. From the ancient Greeks to early Christian monks, scholars have employed a number of mental techniques in training their minds to keep track of the burgeoning field of human knowledge. Nowadays however, there seem to be so many more things to keep track of. Not only is the overall amount of human knowledge growing at an exponential rate but each of us is expected to memorize a dizzying array of minutiae. From what floor our dentist office is on, to an average of seven passwords and PIN numbers per person, we use our memories more than ever before. It should come as no surprise however, that those clever ancients were willing to put their memory where their mouth was.

Here is a fistful of five foods for the memory which are both respected by science and revered by the ancients.

One: HERBS

One of the most famous memory-enhancing herbs is rosemary. The motto of the plant has long been “rosemary for remembrance” and now modern science knows why. Rosemary is rich in the anti-oxidant, carnosic acid which dilates the cerebral vascular tissues. Studies have shown that even the smell of rosemary can improve memory performance in office workers. Other herbs that may help memory include “the three Gs”: ginko, ginseng, and gotu kola. No one is sure how they work quite yet but we do know they stimulate the brain’s neurotransmitters.

Two: TEA

Another food with a long pedigree and which seems to have many benefits on the brain is usually served as a beverage, tea. About 5000 years ago the inventor and Chinese emperor Shen Nung discovered that the combination of a certain wild leaf in hot water produced an invigorating beverage. He called it “cha” from the Chinese word meaning “to investigate” a word which we now know as chai or tea. Tea’s benefits may spring from its healthy combination of anti-oxidants and caffeine. According to a study by the University of Limburg in the Netherlands, “the most important consequence of [caffeine’s] adenosine antagonism … might lead to improvement of higher cognitive functions, particularly memory.” The antioxidants in tea are called polyphenols which have repeatedly been shown to improve cognitive function and memory. Tea also contains a calming amino acid called theanine which helps reduce “the jitters” and keeps the mind relaxed and focused. Perhaps the best news is that tea has up to 10X the polyphenols found in foods like fruits and vegetables.

Three: FRUITS & VEGETABLES

Let’s not knock our friends, fruits and vegetables, however. Man cannot live (or learn) on herbs and tea alone, we need food.  The thing to remember about memory boosting foods is color. You want dark reds, blues and greens. Apples contain quercetin which protects against memory loss. Blueberries (and red beets) have another great anti-oxidant called anthocyanin which performs the same function. Red onions and grapes contain both. Combine red and blue and you get the purple of eggplant, a food rich in nasunin which protects the lipids in our brain tissue. Dark green vegetables like broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts and romaine lettuce are high in folic acid which several studies have show to prevent and even reverse memory loss.

Four: FISH & NUTS

Sushi, anyone? The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish (and nuts) are great for the brain. Sea swimmers like mackerel, herring, eel and tuna are also chock full of phosphatidylserine. You don’t have to remember these fancy chemical names, just remember that these oils contain nutrients that are not made in the body, so it’s important to eat plenty.

Five: DESSERT

Honey is a delightful sweet that every culture in history has enjoyed. The sweet product made by bees from flower nectar has been used for thousands of years in food, medicine and even religion. Now, based on a study by the University of Waikato in New Zealand, honey might start being marketed as the next liquid gold for the brain. This research suggests that a diet sweetened with honey could both lower anxiety and improve memory. What an excellent excuse to not skip dessert.

It may not be entirely scientific to suggest, but a nice cup of tea and a slice of honey-soaked baklava (containing omega-3 rich nuts of course) might be the perfect pre-study snack after a healthy dinner.

Overall, it appears that a good memory might not just be the result of what you put in your eyes and ears but what you put in your mouth as well.

Vincent Kovar is a writer, instructor, editor, and entrepreneur based in Seattle, Washington. An Adjunct Faculty member at both Antioch University and the University of Phoenix, Vincent writes about online colleges for EarnMyDegree.com

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