Memory Improvement

The Ultimate Guide to Memory Improvement.

With Techniques, Tips and Strategies to Supercharge you I.Q. and Memory

By Bill McDowell

Introduction

I want to thank you and congratulate you for downloading the book, “Memory Improvement techniques”.

This book contains proven steps and strategies on how to practice Memory Improvement techniques.

“Memory Improvement techniques” is the guide for those who want to learn easy-to-follow tips and techniques to improve their memory. It describes how the memory system works and what makes a person remember things - and what can even make a person forget his loved ones. Many people consider it as “fate”, but if you want to know the scientific facts behind memory loss, then this book is perfect for you. Memory is no miracle, it is all in the brain - your brain.

Thanks again for downloading this book, I hope you enjoy it!

Why I Wrote This Book

I wrote this book because I want to share some of the knowledge that I have about what we know as “memory”, and to provide some memory-boosting solutions to people who want to live a happier, longer life. Apart from sharing some insights into human cognitive functions, I wanted to help readers to understand how the mind works and why certain people can experience memory gaps. For those who have a history of dementia in their family, this book provides key memory improvement techniques, which can help preserve a good memory for as long as possible.

Diagnosing the type of memory loss helps to decide when one needs to seek a doctor's help, and this is crucial for people who suffer from early stages of dementia. I wrote this book with such people in mind, as my goal is also to spread awareness about memory loss disorders in people of all ages.

Why You Should Read This Book

This book will help you understand the basics of memory loss and the differences between various kinds of memory loss, dementia and normal age-related memory loss. It might seem to be a minor issue now, but memory loss is a severe condition. It can alter quality of life to such an extent that even carrying out normal, daily activities - such as feeding and washing oneself - becomes a challenge. As people with dementia are no longer able to recognize other people and places, they are also more at risk of harming themselves and the people around them.

This book will help you to understand the reasons behind memory loss and the way the brain functions, and this knowledge should help you to protect your memory. It will take you on a journey through the brain, touring the nerves and revealing how they communicate, strengthen, and how they die, as well as the relationship between the brain and the rest of the body.

After touring the complex brain micro-universe, you will dive into some brain that can help you preserve your memory, enhance cognitive processes, and slow down the memory-depleting effect of external stress factors. There are many ways to preserve your memory, as presented by this book. From NLP techniques to aromatherapy and mathematics, and from concentration exercises to special brain-food, you will find valuable memory improvement techniques, which are easy to apply and can be integrated into your daily routine. You will be able to increase your productivity and make the most out of both your work time and free time.

Apart from the 8 chapters that will lead you into the neural world of memory, you can also enjoy reading the Bonus chapter, which provides more solutions to memory loss and teaches you what to eat to be more mentally agile; this Bonus chapter will help you to enhance your mental capacities. It suggests some exercises that are designed to enhance your brain activity, and will also take you into the mysterious world of alternative medicine, showing how you can use aromatherapy and acupuncture to reduce memory loss.

Copyright

© 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Disclaimer

The information provided in this book is designed to provide helpful information on the subjects discussed. This book is not meant to be used, nor should it be used, to diagnose or treat any medical condition. For diagnosis or treatment of any medical problem, consult your own physician. The publisher and author are not responsible for any specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision and are not liable for any damages or negative consequences from any treatment, action, application or preparation, to any person reading or following the information in this book. Any references included are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement of any websites or other sources. Readers should be aware that any websites listed in this book may change.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The story behind memory loss

Chapter 2 Memory loss causes and symptoms

Chapter 3 Memory loss diseases and types of memory loss

Chapter 4 Stress - a major role in memory loss

Chapter 5 Sleep and memory

Chapter 6 Memory Improvement Techniques, Tips and Tricks

Chapter 7 How can Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) help you on memory improvement

Chapter 8 IQ, Emotional Intelligence and NLP

Bonus Chapter

Conclusion

Bonus Chapter from the book “Stop Hurting and Start Living”

Recommended Reading

Chapter 1

The story behind memory loss

The human brain is the most complex organ known to man. As humans are the creature with the biggest brain - at least in relation to body size - there is no surprise that its processes are highly complex. The brain controls every tiny aspect of one's life, from the process of living, which includes breathing, pumping the blood, walking and feeling the world around us, to more cognitive (thinking) processes, reacting on external stimuli and regulating emotions. Indeed, strong emotions such as love and hatred come from the brain, quite contrary to the traditional stories that tell us that love comes from our hearts. On top of emotions and bodily functioning, sex drive and the urge to bear offspring also come from the brain. All these acts, processes and urges happen at an unconscious level, as our brain does not need to keep us informed about our hormone balance, circadian rhythm or blood flow, and this allows us to focus on more complex, cognitive issues such as elaborating plans, learning new skills and processing information about our environment.

The brain is the largest data store facility to ever exist, even exceeding the storage capacity of a man's testicles (yes, if you are a man you can be proud of your pair, as they store more data than any computer). The brain receives and stores information each second. In fact, half of a second is a long time for the brain, as the speed it works at is overwhelmingly fast. Billions of images, sounds, texts and ideas are stored at a single unit of time by the brain. The brain's speed cannot be measured, as by the time you finish to read this word, the next task will have happened already. This means that living in the present is literally impossible.

Because its processes continue during sleep, the brain is a perpetual mobile, the organ which needs the largest amount of energy: 20% of our total daily intake. The brain weighs about 2% of a human's total weight, which is quite impressive since about 80-85% of all this weight consists of water. The brain requires a large amount of energy because it sends messages between neurons. With a huge number of neurons exchanging electrical signals, 10 billion to be precise, the brain requires lots of energy to function properly.

Being so busy, the brain requires a special living routine in order to maintain its functions over long periods of time. Also, because it is a complex machine, very little is needed to damage it. Such damage may cause memory loss, mood disorders, physical disabilities or other illnesses.

Age-related memory loss or dementia symptoms

The aging process brings along with it a “normal” amount of memory loss, which is unavoidable. Small gaps in the memory, such as forgetting where we have placed the car keys or when we are supposed to go to the dentist, are very natural. Stress, in small amounts, can also cause memory loss moments, especially in elderly people. Again, this is quite normal. Memory gaps are frustrating, but they’re really nothing to be concerned about compared to more severe memory loss conditions such as dementia.

As the brain tissue gets older, the cognitive processes slow down, and this can cause these little memory gaps. However, these gaps are temporary. After a few minutes, one can remember why he was standing clueless in the middle of the kitchen. The amount of age-related memory loss can be controlled by exercising the brain. Like muscles, the brain tissues are prone to enter an idle stage and to gradually deteriorate and lose their function when they are not used. In other words, after retirement, one can try to prevent memory loss by exercising his brain. This can preserve brain agility for longer, as the nerves continue to transmit electrical messages - being active means living longer in terms of synapses and neurons.

It is important to determine if you are being affected by early dementia signs as soon as possible. The symptoms of normal aging include temporary loss of focus, forgetting names of acquaintances that you have not seen in a while, forgetting where you placed your glasses and forgetting a certain word while talking. Signs of dementia are far more profound, and can include getting lost in familiar places, including your own home, having difficulties performing basic tasks like getting dressed, and also, not even being able to remember that you have experienced memory loss. Dementia thus hugely affects your ability to function properly, as it alters the ability to speak coherently, to socialize and to do basic tasks. A person with dementia may not be able to perceive these symptoms or even be aware of them, which means that people around you will see that you are changed, but you will not. When seeing a doctor for suspected dementia, it is crucial to bring along a close relative, neighbor or friend. In normal age-related memory loss, you are aware of the actual memory loss issue, while in cases of dementia, somebody who knows you well may be needed since you yourself may not be aware of the memory loss.

There are some health conditions that can prepare the grounds for dementia. One of these conditions in adults is Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) which causes abnormal memory issues and makes patients prone to premature dementia. However, the MCI itself does not disable the patient from getting on with his daily life.

Lifestyle enhancement can reduce memory loss

When you are concerned about memory loss, you should evaluate your lifestyle, because there are a few causes of memory loss which can be found in bad habits. Luckily, these are reversible, which means that when you stop doing the thing that caused memory loss, your memory will be back to normal in a few weeks or months, depending on the factor that caused it in the first place.

Among the most common reversible memory loss causes is taking medication. Certain pills can induce memory loss. Depression treatment, sleeping pills and hormone therapies interfere with memory. However, none of these treatments can be stopped suddenly, so you must contact your doctor and come up with a solution together.

Many over-the-counter pills can induce memory loss. Seniors experience these changes more often than young adults because their body responds more quickly to medicines, due to slow functioning of the liver. This causes these substances to accumulate in the body more rapidly, thus leading to memory impairment and other side effects. Among the pills which can cause memory impairment are common pain killers and arthritis medicines. Depression is also tied into procrastination, laziness, overeating or under eating, and also to memory loss. Diagnosing depression can be hard, as it mimics the symptoms of other physical conditions. Lack of socialization or big life changes can lead to depression and subsequently enhance the memory loss process. Depression also brings appetite changes, which lead to vitamin deficiencies. Vitamins B6 and B12, which are very important for the brain, can become scarce in the body and their absence can contribute to cognitive malfunction.

Dehydration leads to memory loss, simply because the brain is mostly made out of water and a lack of it can induce a series of symptoms related to dementia. Dizziness and confusion are the most common symptoms of memory loss due to dehydration.

When and why you should see a doctor for memory loss

Apparently memory loss is not a severe issue for which one should see a doctor, but it can be mistaken for dementia onset and can interfere with your life quality. Forgetfulness in early ages, like childhood and adolescence, can be a sign of severe behavioral disorders or mental disorders that can occur later in life, debilitating the person either partially or completely. So if you notice unusual memory loss in your child, you should ask the help of a specialist. Adults who experience memory loss that seems to be more severe than usual should consider seeking help from a neurologist, psychiatrist or psychologist. Seniors can also see a geriatrician.

To diagnose dementia and memory loss, doctors conduct a series of tests on the affected person and then review their family history in terms of mental disorders. The next step is to talk to a family member, who can give an outside opinion on the person affected by memory loss. It is important to diagnose memory loss issues as early as possible in order to treat them effectively. Nowadays, the modern lifestyle makes people prone to dementia and there are more and more people who experience premature onset of the diseases, so one must react promptly to any sign of memory loss in order to ensure his chances of preserving a good mental health.

Chapter 2

Memory loss causes and symptoms

Memory loss is caused by a disease or an external factor which alters the brain and the proper functioning of the nerves or of the blood vessels. Hollywood movies have induced the myth that memory loss, either permanent or temporary, is due to a head blow. The truth is more complicated than that and all human beings do suffer from memory loss during their lives, at one degree, at certain point in time.

Memory loss causes

Among the causes of memory loss are medications, depression or sleep deprivation.

Medication can lead to memory loss. Antidepressants are the most common drugs which cause memory loss, closely followed by anti-anxiety medication, antihistamines, analgesics, sleep inducing pills, muscle relaxation treatment and general tranquilizers.

Smoking and excessive tobacco consumption may also increase memory loss - tobacco acts in much the same way as antidepressant medicines, changing the chemical balance in the brain. When abused or used on extended periods of time, tobacco may damage the brain tissue and induce memory loss. For instance, research has found that smokers are less able to match names with portrait compared to non-smokers. On the other hand, smokers have a much higher average IQ (general intelligence) than non-smokers: there are always two sides to every coin. Other types of drugs, most notably marijuana, can also damage the brain and induce memory loss, even if only taken occasionally.

Alcohol abuse is amongst the top 3 memory loss causes. Alcohol damages the brain, altering both long-term memory and short-term memory. Alcohol abuse may induce sleep, but not the kind of sleep that is considered to be good, deep sleep, which is needed to refresh the brain. This means that the process of transferring the memories from one part of the brain to another during the rapid eye movement sleep is never achieved, as one does not enter this sound sleep phase when in an alcoholic stupor. Long term alcohol intake destroys the brain tissue, leading to memory loss.

In 1889 a Russian scientist discovered a link between heavy drinking and memory loss. This condition today is known as the Korsakoff’s syndrome, which occurs in patients who indulge in heavy drinking and subsequently develop a short term memory impairment. In order words, people who drink too much on daily basis lose the ability to store new memories. After extended years of continuous drinking, the patient experiences a thiamine shortage, which is B1 vitamin, as most alcoholics don't eat too much and don't benefit from other thiamine sources. This deficiency leads to memory loss.  Prior to the onset of Korsakoff's syndrome, patients experience an acute phase characterized by movement impairment. Amnesia is the chronic state that follows and can be both retrograde or anterograde.

Sleep deprivation is another proven cause of memory loss. This has been studied by researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, in a study that revealed that poor sleep in adults can cause brain damage, thus memory loss. During deep sleep, the brain transfers memories from the short-memory center, the hippocampus, to the long term memory center, which is contained within the frontal lobe, particularly in the prefrontal cortex. A lack of sleep in adults prevents this memory transfer, along with all the experiences of the current day, which thus remain in the hippocampus and are subsequently lost once the person wakes up. This is how sleep deprivation induces memory loss in adults and seniors. The conclusion of this study explains why children manage to learn faster than adults, and why the learning process becomes increasingly harder and slower as time goes by. Children and young adults have longer sleeping hours, which allows their brain to enter the deep sleep phase, when the memories are transmitted towards the prefrontal cortex, while adults don't enjoy same amount of sleep and so they begin to transmit fewer memories during their sleep, causing the memory impairment and memory loss.

The process of entering rapid eye movement sleep phase is reduced in seniors due to electrical waves produced by the brain. This prevents the person from deep sleeping and causes memory loss. A study conducted several years ago revealed that patients who suffered from memory loss can be helped by the electrical impulse therapy, which promotes the transfer of the memories from one part of the brain to the other. This opens an intriguing therapy to those who are interested in preserving their memory as long as possible, because the study implies that a simple electrical impulse can prevent memory loss and thus, improve quality of life. The quality of sleep in people in their 20s is 75% better than the sleep quality of people over 70. Memory is also less efficient in older people, by 55%.

Depression and stress lead to memory loss, as the brain is not able to focus on a certain thing. High anxiety levels - when the brain over-focusses on a particular matter - also cause memory loss. While in depressive states, most people also experience insomnia, which can itself lead to memory loss as the brain is not able to store the information acquired during the day. The treatment of depression causes memory loss, and so it is hard if not impossible to reverse the process, as depression takes time to treat.

Continuous stress can lead to memory loss, as well as traumas. After a rape, for example, the memory is affected because the brain blocks the bad memories in order to defend the body from further stress.

Poor diet is linked to vitamin deficiencies and memory loss. Vitamins B1 and B12 are the two main culprits in memory loss, but the lack of proteins can also force the body to make efforts in order to live, leaving the other functions wanting.

Weight loss can also lead to memory loss, as the body concentrates on adjusting to a new weight. Speedy diets are usually based on dehydration, so antioxidants minerals and vitamins are lost by excessive defecation. This can lead to vitamin deficiencies, causing memory loss.

Head injury can also induce temporary or permanent memory loss, when brain tissue is affected. After a violent hit, the brain bleeds, as would any part of the body, but if the cranium is not opened to release the pressure the tissues become damaged. Depending on the part of the brain that is affected, one could lose his long term memory or short term memory. Sometimes people recover completely after a head injury, regaining their memory. But some people may become partially impaired, being unable to remember the accident or to form new long-term memories. Strokes occur when the blood vessels that nourish the brain are blocked for a few seconds or one of them just explodes due to high blood pressure. This causes the brain to stop functioning for a certain amount of time, so memory loss can occur. If the blood circulation towards the brain stops for a long period of time, some parts of the brain can literally die and the person affected never recovers his lost memory.

A recent study showed that a specific protein in the brain is the culprit for memory loss, and also that Alzheimer’s disease and age-related memory loss are two different conditions. In people affected by age-related memory loss, the hippocampus, the area responsible for memories, lacks a protein called RbAp48. This study also revealed that this process is reversible, compared to Alzheimer's disease, where the memory loss is caused by the irreversible death of neurons.

Memory loss symptoms

Depending on what causes it, memory loss can be gradual or instant. Degenerative diseases and aging cause a gradual memory loss, as does long term medication. An accident that leads to memory loss may allow the person to recover completely.

Confusion is one of the symptoms of all types of memory loss. A confused person is unable to recall easy things like where he is or what his name is. When confused, a person can neither remember the date nor the reason that led him to that state of mind.

Poor judgment is another symptom of memory loss and it involves misplaced words or phrases, resulting in a socially inappropriate behavior. Not remembering the proper words to describe what you need and repeating the same information while talking are also signs of dementia. Severe memory loss can come with the inability to function properly; one cannot dress properly and can't remember easy things that he might have performed millions of times before, like washing the dishes or taking bath. People affected by dementia are not able to remember that they have lost their memory. In fact, they strongly believe that they are just fine and there is nothing wrong with their memory.

Chapter 3

Memory loss diseases and types of memory loss

There are numerous types of memory loss, each having its own cure and being caused by a certain health state and certain age of the patient. As seen in the previous chapter of this book, memory loss can be reversible or irreversible, depending on what has caused it. Memory loss through medication, sleep deprivation or a poor diet can be reversed as soon as action has been taken to remove this factor. However, this is true only in mild cases of memory loss that result from external factors. People who were heavy drinkers for a few decades and experience memory loss cannot be helped to retrieve their memory completely after they have quit drinking, but they can expect to have a better short term memory after a few months of being sober.

Transient global amnesia is a short episode of complete memory loss. It occurs suddenly, out of nowhere, and it is not related to any particular disease. The patient will not be able to remember anything from his immediate past, like where he is or how he got there, but he does remember his close relatives and friends. This transient global amnesia occurs rarely and the episodes are followed by a complete memory regain, as if nothing had ever happened.

Anterograde amnesia is the permanent form of amnesia that occurs after a traumatic brain injury, or even after injury elsewhere in the body, for example following surgery or a head injury. The patient affected can remember events prior to the traumatic event, but can't store new information, and as such is left permanently disabled.

Retrograde amnesia is the memory loss of the events prior to the onset of the amnesia. Retrograde amnesia destroys the most recent memories, going back further as the condition enters more severe stages. This is called the Ribot's law. The law explains that connection made by the brain when it stores older memories are harder to destroy, this is why newer memories are easier to lose. Also, older memories are stored in different parts of the brain, so if one part of the brain is affected by amnesia, only the memories stored inside will be altered. For example, if retrograde amnesia damages Broca's area, where language memories are stored, the person will have problems remembering words and phrases.

Contrary to the popular myth of Hollywood movies, neither retrograde or anterograde amnesia leads to identity loss. Memory loss alters the episodic memories, so basic knowledge like riding a bike or walking is never lost. This fact is also due to the way memories are stored in different parts of the brain, after being processed.

Memory loss is a natural process of aging, but one must be able to make the difference between the normal memory loss and severe memory impairment, which is sign of early dementia. Among the normal sign of age-related memory loss, occurring after 60 years of age, there are object misplacing, occasional forgetting of a particular word or the name of an acquaintance, and forgetting an event from the distant past. Dementia signs include forgetting a close person's name (the name of a relative, for example), frequent forgetfulness of the purpose of an object, losing the ability to place himself in time, and being completely disoriented in a familiar place, like their own home.

Dementia

Dementia usually occurs due to the aging process, as the brain cells die and are not replaced anymore. The process of memory loss is gradual and it cannot be cured or reversed. A person affected by dementia cannot function, nor deal with everyday activities, as most people do, even in old age. Dementia is caused by other health conditions or a damaging lifestyle. Cardiovascular diseases which affect the blood circulation in the tiny vessels located in the brain can induce dementia. Alcohol and tobacco abuse also damage the brain in long term and are a common cause of dementia. Genetics play their important part in the development of this disease, as children whose parents have dementia are more likely to develop the illness at old age. Dementia is not a disease itself, but a generic group of illnesses which have similar symptoms. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, but there are many other diseases under the broad name of dementia.

There are many conditions which can lead to dementia, several of them being mental illnesses. Creutzfeldt-Jakob syndrome, Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome, and Down syndrome are among the diseases that cause dementia. Hydrocephaly also leads to dementia. The presence of lewy bodies which are linked to brain damage causes dementia and they are present in the patients with Parkinson’s disease. The loose movements are due to the death of the cells, which affects the lobes responsible for coordinating movement, but one can also experience memory loss. Huntington's disease is similar to Parkinson’s, but it is caused by a particular gene which enhances the degenerative process of the brain. It can occur in children and young adults. Pick's disease is another type of dementia.

Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease which promotes memory loss, and, in severe stages of the illness, this memory loss occurs to such an extent that the patient cannot function in daily life. It is a type of dementia and is not reversible, as the neurons - the brain cells responsible for thinking and memory - die progressively. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive illness; people affected by early stages can go on with their life, while those who experience a higher degree of the illness can hardly remember anything, and this applies to both short-term and long-term memory. This may often lead to hospitalization within a mental facility where 24/7 care can be provided.

Alzheimer's disease is quite common, as 10% of all Americans aged over 65 are affected by it, and over 33% of those over 85. This illness is the most common type of dementia, the second one being vascular dementia, which is caused by a stroke. The signs of Alzheimer's disease in the brain cannot be tested before death, so the condition is diagnosed by other types of tests, which are more subjective.

The risk of developing Alzheimer's disease increases due to a range of avoidable and non-avoidable factors. Those found on the first list are old age (people over 65 are prone to this disease), being a woman (men are less likely to develop Alzheimer's at old age) and being generically prone (if your relatives had Alzheimer's disease, you are more likely to develop it as well). Other factors that increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease include cardiovascular diseases, sleep disorders (apnea included), estrogen hormone replacement therapy and brain injuries.

Genetic factors may trigger premature Alzheimer's onset, at as early as 30 years of age, making it difficult for the doctors to secure a diagnosis - few of them will consider the possibility of this disease when faced with a young patient as it is so rarely seen so early.

Diabetes and high blood sugar level are a lesser known cause of memory loss. Medical studies revealed that people who develop Type 2 Diabetes” -the most common type of diabetes - are prone to develop dementia and other types of cognitive memory impairment, because the blood vessels in the brain are damaged. This leads to insufficient nutrition of the brain, which doesn't receive the required amounts of oxygen and organic substances to function properly. Apart from this, a new study has suggested that even people who have not yet developed diabetes, but who do have high blood sugar levels, are prone to memory loss. In this study, German researchers scanned the hippocampus of several subjects and found that hippocampus size was significantly smaller in those who suffered from memory loss. The study was conducted on seniors in their 60s who were not heavy drinkers, obese or already suffering from memory loss. They were asked to remember a list of words 30 minutes after it was presented to them, and those with high blood sugar levels scored extremely badly in the tests. This suggests that glucose management can prevent memory loss in elders. A healthy lifestyle, which keeps the glucose levels within the normal range, may well be a long term method to prevent cognitive impairment.

Indeed, people over 55 are advised to enroll regular health check-ups and to take up a healthy lifestyle, which includes physical activity, a diet rich in fibers, proteins and whole grains, and enough sleep. A healthy lifestyle goes a long way, so young people are also advised to avoid obesity and high blood sugar levels by taking up a healthy lifestyle, which may in turn prevent memory loss.

High blood sugar levels have also been linked to dementia. A longitudinal study conducted over 7 years collected data from more than 2000 diabetic participants who were aged over 65. The factors analyzed on the study were time dependent. The results showed that blood sugar levels of over 190 mg/dl were 40% more likely to develop memory loss and dementia compared to patients whose glucose levels were at an average of 160 mg/dl. The same study revealed that people who have an average glucose level of 115 mg/dl and were not suffering from diabetes have an increased (18%) risk of developing dementia compared to people with an average level of 100 mg/dl of sugar in their blood. Researchers who conducted the study highlight that metabolism is the key factor in how the body processes glucose, which comes from the food we eat. This means that reducing the sugar levels in your diet may help to reduce the risk of memory loss and dementia. However, exercise may also be an important factor. Clinical trials looking at the effects of a drug used to treat diabetes Alzheimer disease patients are currently underway.

Thyroid gland dysfunctions, especially hypothyroidism, which is the condition when the gland releases fewer hormones than usual, may cause memory loss. The connection between thyroid hormones and memory loss lies in the level of hormones produced by the thyroid gland. People affected by hypothyroidism sleep well, but they wake up tired and subsequently experience memory loss, apathy and low mood during the day. This happens because, during their sleep, they do not enter the rapid eye movement phase, the sleep phase during which memories are permanently stored, the brain slows down, and the body can rest. If left untreated, hypothyroidism can lead to depression, as well as to symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Because Alzheimer's disease cannot be tested on live patients, doctors must first rule out any other treatable disease, and hypothyroidism is one such possibility. In severe cases, hypothyroidism leads to paranoid depression, confusion, memory loss, overall slowness and even hallucinations. As with many gland problems, the risk of hypothyroidism increases with age - the aging process causes the glands to work more slowly, resulting in an insufficient hormone release and thus a hormone imbalance.

HIV patients experience early memory impairment issues and researchers have linked their state with the low levels of the protein amyloid beta in the spinal fluid, which is also the case in Alzheimer's disease patients. However, memory loss patterns in these two conditions differ, so a treatment that is effective in patients with Alzheimer's disease is not likely to be as effective for patients with HIV related memory loss.

Tuberculosis, an infectious disease caused by fungus, can lead to memory loss. There are two kinds of tuberculosis patients: those who experience the active disease, who require immediate treatment, and those who carry the infection in their bodies but do not yet experience the actual disease. The latter type of tuberculosis requires treatment to prevent its onset. Memory loss is experienced by patients who have the active tuberculosis, and medicine that is taken to treat the disease can also cause memory loss.

Syphilis, often referred by doctors as “the great imitator”, mimics the symptoms of other diseases. Among them there is memory loss. There are 4 stages of syphilis, each one with its own series of symptoms, but these stages can overlap and provide an unusual clinical picture. HIV patients who suffer from syphilis, however, don't experience the otherwise consistent signs of syphilis. Memory loss occurs in the latest stage of syphilis, and is accompanied by other mental conditions, such as blindness or deafness.

Brain tumors can also lead to memory loss, depending on where the tumor is located. All brain tumors can lead to memory impairment, because they compress the brain and alter its normal functions. Tumors located in the temporal lobe more certainly cause short-term memory loss, which includes forgetting names, words and the inability to speak proper.

Chapter 4

Stress - a major role in memory loss

Stress is the normal response of the human body when faced with a dangerous situation. Nowadays, stress comes in the form of unrealistic deadlines, huge mortgage bills, day to day frustrations, and demands put upon us by the people around us. Small bursts of stress can affect our performance positively, such as in the event of a near accident, or a robbery, when an adrenaline boost helps you to act with a precision or strength that are beyond your usual limits. But when things go too far and stressful situations become a daily hassle, the body is overwhelmed and, with time, it gets worn out. One sign of too much stress is memory loss.

In the modern world, most of our life is full of stress and, rather than trying to perceive this stress for what it really is, people are rather obliged to get used to it. This can be a real danger to your health and quality of life. Gradually, one becomes used to a high level of anxiety, which is a permanent state of agitation in which all the senses are turned on. This means that your brain is constantly alert and working at its full capacity all the time, which could be detrimental to the brain in the long run. For instance, long term and constant stress could lead to premature dementia.

Stress alters one’s entire life, in all its aspects. Each person reacts differently to stress; some eat too much, others don't eat enough, and some people may experience aches and pains. There are both physical and mental signs that you may be suffering from excessive stress. Among the physical signs, there are chest pains, body pains, loss of sexual appetite, and diarrhea or constipation. Emotional signs include frequent mood changes and an inability to react, while behavioral signs include the development of anxious habits or new addictions, such as smoking, sleeping too much or not enough, and procrastinating. Cognitive signs and symptoms of stress are memory loss, loss of proper concentration and poor judgment. All these are common signs of regular diseases or just small, apparently insignificant body reactions to the external medium, meaning that stress can be hard to detect.

Each person reacts in a different manner to stress and can handle it differently, so one may find a certain situation to be stressful while another person may enjoy it. Anything can be stressful, from the smallest change in the landscape to a big change in your life, like marriage or having a baby. Stress can be experienced by people of all ages and it can turn into a severe chronic state in the blink of an eye. Being exposed to long stressful periods can alter quality of life and can also impact on memory performance later in life. The length and the intensity of the stressful situation can make a big difference when assessing the impact it may have upon memory loss.

One can experience stress before, after or during a cognitive challenge, which will determine the alteration on the processes of acquiring the information, consolidating it and storing it. A high level of brain usage can reduce the risk of memory loss: an exercised brain is a healthy brain, and whatever we don’t use in terms of mental flexibility, we lose. Some therefore believe that a better education may impact on memory loss in later life. However, higher education levels come with high responsibility jobs and high stress levels, which can be damaging. A few days of simple vacation will not help a CEO to refresh his mind and relieve the stress burden, as the brain needs a few weeks to recover from chronic stress. Most people cannot afford to take long vacations, so they are stuck in a single situation and are thus obliged to cope up with the stress. Stress stimuli can sometimes be controlled, such as in the case of a wedding, or it can sometimes become uncontrollable, such as experiencing a storm or economic crash. When we are able to control stressful situations, we don't perceive them as stressful, even if they still are and they do damage the brain and increase memory loss.

Saying this, people with a low education level also experience stressful situations that can lead to memory loss, due to financial issues for example. This means that all human beings can potentially live a stressful life, which can leave their memory impaired. Moreover, we can experience stress without even knowing it, as the body deals with a series of consequences from sleepless nights and a poor diet, and may suffer the burden of stress in silence.

The chemistry behind stress is linked to cortisol, the stress hormone. High levels of cortisol are normal when faced with stressful situations, but when stress becomes chronic, cortisol levels in the body raise to abnormal levels and cause the accumulation of belly fat. In turn, belly fat leads to cardiovascular disease and poor blood circulation, thus poor oxygenation of the brain. As the fat accumulates on the abdominal area, diabetes may also occur, and so the brain might suffer from poor nutrition. At this point, a stroke can occur at any moment, as the blood vessels in the brain are clogged with fat. Gradually, the brain cells may die and dementia may occur.

There is another link between stress and memory loss: a protein found in both the liver and the hippocampus. Researchers from Rush University conducted a study which showed how memory loss is linked to belly fat, by a protein called Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, which is responsible for the metabolism rate and is found in the liver. However, the same protein can be found in the part of the brain which is responsible for learning, the hippocampus. More belly fat means a slow metabolism, thus, low level of the protein in both the liver and the brain. This way, the abdominal fat makes us prone to dementia.

There are two types of belly fat: external belly fat and internal or visceral fat. When our waistline grows in diameter, the organs inside are also embraced in a thick fat blanket, which thus function less efficiently. The liver is among the first organs to be affected by visceral fat deposits. Apart from dealing with low levels of Peroxisome protein, the liver will not be able to process glucose as needed. This leads to diabetes and memory impairment. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, is responsible for the glucose absorption in the cells. When we eat food rich in glucose, the insulin level is not able to cope up with it and the liver is not able to remove them from the body, causing them to roam freely in the blood. This causes damage instead of acting as a fuel for the brain. This is one example of internal stress caused by an external stressing factor. A student who relies on sweets to pass the exams period can suffer from excessive belly fat storage later in life, due to his early bad eating habits.

A study conducted by Zhen Yan, PhD from the University State of New York and Buffalo, showed that chronic stress can lead to memory loss in young people, too. Her team of researchers exposed young male rats to extensive stress and noticed an important shortage of glutamate in the prefrontal cortex, a brain zone which is involved in cognitive functions. Young people and adolescents who are still undergoing development and growing processes may fall victim to memory impairment when get exposed to stress for long periods of time, because their brain is still in the developing stage and it is highly sensitive to external stressors. While cortisol leads to depression, glutamate is linked to a series of adaptive disorders, which include memory loss and poor adjustment of behavior to the changes in the natural environment. The actual process behind this issue is still unknown because synaptic connections don’t disappear when the body is exposed to stress. Instead, they function differently, causing the prefrontal cortex to malfunction. The recognition memory process is hence impaired.

The conclusion of this study is that chronic stress in the early years of life, when the person is an adolescent or a young adult, can lead to mental illnesses like dementia or depression, later in life.

Another body of research from Edinburgh University has revealed that patients with type 2 diabetes are prone to develop memory loss when exposed to stress for long periods of time. Again, the underlying cause is still unknown, but the there is a clear connection between diabetes, cortisol and dementia. The same team of researchers found out that stress can trigger dementia in seniors, making them prone to early onset Alzheimer's disease. As we age, the brain slows down its cognitive functioning and becomes sensitive to stress, just as can happen in childhood and early adulthood.

High stress levels enhance the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia for people who are already prone to these, such as people who have cases of dementia in their family history.

Chapter 5

Sleep and memory

There is no doubt that sleep deprivation makes people prone to weight gain, cardiovascular diseases and mental issues such as depression, but new studies have shown that lack of sleep can also lead to memory loss and dementia.

A good night's sleep improves the overall wellbeing and recharges the batteries for a new day. During sleep, as the body rests, the brain is still busy keeping us alive and processing the information accumulated during the day. Every student is familiar with the hopeless feeling of a blank memory after he or she spends the whole night studying for the exam. This happens due to lack of sleep as the mind becomes slower - one cannot focus anymore, so the productivity drops to very low levels. Also, judgment is affected in a negative way. This means that working overtime is not a way to be more productive, but will rather decrease productivity and damage your health.

Sleep alters memory in two main ways. First, it helps consolidating information. Second, it promotes a clear mind and the ability to focus.

Memories are episodic, procedural and based on facts. All of these memory types require the three stages of processing in order to become available in the human memory, all of which are enhanced by sleep. In order to develop a new memory, one must experience something new and to learn a new information, consolidate it during rapid eye movement deep sleep phase and recall it in the future, when needed. The middle stage takes place only during sleep, while the other two take place when wide wake, but they can also be altered by sleep: Sleep promotes a good focus, a strong judgment and mental agility. After a good night's sleep or a short nap, the brain and physical power are enhanced, so a sleep deprived person finds it hard to experience anything new and to learn it. Moreover, recollection can be altered by poor judgment, which makes learning a new behavior or information pointless if you are not able to understand that you need to use it in a certain situation. For example, a sleep deprived person is more prone to thinking that he is right when he is in fact wrong (as shown in a study) about something. Let us say a person is sure that changing the air conditioner will solve the problem of bad smell in the house, but the real problem is the filter which needs to be changed. So the person in discussion will have the benefit of knowing how to change the air conditioner filter if he doesn't realize he has to change it. Of course, this is only a small example given to better understand the concept, but in reality, people can make really dangerous mistakes when sleep deprived.

During sleep the hippocampus replays the events of the day, which are transferred to the neo-cortex, where they are stored and consolidated. As we age the quality of sleep decreases, leaving room for a number of sleep disorders which alter the memory storage process. There are two main types of sleep deprivation: acute and chronic. The way one can treat them is different, which may suggest that the processes behind these are different and that they affect the brain in different ways, but overall, sleep deprivation (either acute or chronic) achieve the same result, namely memory loss.

Each person has his own needs when it comes to sleep, but each adult should get about 8 hours of sleep to function at his best. However, being online 24/7 and working supplementary hours in today’s modern world may make this unattainable. In order to achieve a good night's sleep, there are many things one can try: Aromatherapy, a healthy diet and exercising, for example. Because we are unique and each and every person has his own sleep needs, some of these tricks may work, while some of them might simply leave you staring at the walls all the night. But because sleep is one of the physiological functions that keep us alive, it is best to try anything when on the quest for receiving quality sleep.

Dementia and sleep disorders

As seniors begin to sleep less, they are affected by memory loss because they lack the REM phase in their sleep. In many seniors who show a certain signs of dementia, the sleep routine is severely disturbed, as they may wake up during the night or wander around. In fact, many people turn to mental illnesses facilities exactly because they cannot cope with their wandering relative, as they too need to rest. This is how patients often find themselves institutionalized.

Once they reach this stage, their symptoms continue. About two thirds of all mentally institutionalized patients suffer from a form of insomnia. While they do receive treatment for their insomnia, some of these drugs can increase the confusion and the risk of accidents, which can be fatal, as seniors are fragile. The good news is that patients in mental facilities receive an extensive evaluation of their state and many times they are found suffering from depression, drug interactions or alcohol abuse - not dementia. Many seniors turn to over-the-counter sleeping pills which may interact in negative ways with their current medication, causing a wide range of disturbing symptoms, confusion and dizziness being among the most common. When this happens, the caregiver can mistake the health state with dementia.

Another thing which is often confused with dementia is alcohol abuse, which can interact with the treatment for chronic diseases, leading to many negative symptoms. More than a glass a day of alcohol may lead to insomnia and other disorders in seniors, as the liver functions are slowed down and cannot remove the toxins from the body as easily as before.

Alzheimer's disease and sleep disruptions

Lack of sleep can increase the risk of dementia and promote memory loss, but dementia also leads to a number of sleep disorders, Alzheimer's disease in particular. Patients with the disease experience increasing levels of sleep disruption that become worse as the disease advances.

Patients with Alzheimer's disease experience severe changes in their natural circadian rhythm of wake/sleep, and find themselves feeling sleepy all the time, day and night, and having problems sleeping during the night. Their natural circadian cycle is altered, as is their natural biorhythm. Under normal circumstances, these natural rhythms are modulated by light exposure and the seasons. The biorhythm is the mechanism that controls the sleep and the wake sequences over 24 hours. However, patients with Alzheimer's disease have a severely disrupted biorhythm and never manage to be awake or to sleep continuously for more than an hour. This comes with even more memory loss and induces anxiety. Another specific sleep disturbance in Alzheimer's disease patients is the frequent clueless wandering and sleepwalking during the night, during which the patient can harm himself by falling down the stairs or crossing a busy street. As night falls, patients experience agitation, which can cause them to yell and become violent. This behavior is called “sun downing” and can be very disturbing for the caregivers, along with the fragmented sleep pattern and incontinence, which, altogether, drive relatives to consider institutionalization.

Sleep apnea and dementia

Dementia is also related to a breathing sleep disorder named apnea. During sleep, the body relaxes, causing the language box to slide down, as well as the tongue, which can partially block the airways. In some people, the airways are completely blocked for a few seconds, blocking air from entering the lungs, which induces sleep apnea. Studies have shown that up to 80% of demented patients suffer from sleep apnea and that it is the main cause of sleep disruption.

Apnea is a characterized by frequent pauses in the breathing during sleep. Some people wake up completely, feeling exhausted and scared, while others are not aware of the wake-ups but they do experience sleep interruption as the pause in their breathing disrupts the deep sleep. This makes them feel drowsy and sleepy all the time, as they do not get enough deep sleep due to apnea. High anxiety levels are also related to apnea, as the brain is stuck into a permanently alert state.

How to ease the sleep disorders symptoms in an Alzheimer's patients

There are pills which can ease these symptoms, but they can also make symptoms worse, since each patient reacts different to the treatment. However, there are a few ways to help your loved one get a good night's sleep when affected by Alzheimer's disease.

First, you need to retrain his circadian rhythm by putting him to sleep and waking him up at regular hours. During the day make sure the patient is exposed to natural light, as this stimulated the production of certain hormones that control sleep patterns, one of them being melatonin. This stimulates activity and reduces sleepiness. The best time to expose the patient to light is the morning, when the sun is strong enough to be bright, but is not too strong and cannot induce sunburns or overheating. At bedtime, turn off all the lights and ensure that there is a noise-free environment. Keep the person active during the day by assigning safe tasks that can stimulate the memory and tire the brain in a constructive manner. Also, make sure he doesn't get more than an hour of after-noon nap.

Moderate exercising can help to build a good sleep routine and is the perfect kind of activity for Alzheimer's disease patients. A walk in the park is enough for a patient, but if he can do more, such as playing with a ball or running, then this is even better. However, make sure you don't over-tire the patient, as Alzheimer's disease already puts the body to a great stress and pressure.

Diet changes are also important when fighting sleep disruption due to dementia. Remove alcohol and caffeine intake completely, and supplement the diet with sleep inducing food. If you suspect that the patient may experience sleep disruption during the night due to hunger, offer him a light snack before bedtime. A warm tea with honey can also help him get a good night's sleep.

Top 10 tricks to keep away insomnia and improve your memory

1.       Say “no” to caffeine, especially after noon. Caffeine, which can be found in coffee, fizzy drinks, energy drinks, tea and chocolate induce insomnia by over-stimulating the bodily functions. It is therefore best to reduce caffeine intake as much as possible when you experience sleep disorders.

2.      Rely on a Swiss clock and keep to a strict sleep routine. The body will remember this regular time of sleep and wake up and you will be able to sleep better, as you will be connected to your own circadian rhythm.

3.      Make yourself comfortable and make sure your bed is comfortable. If you try to sleep wearing a tight dress or another garment that fastens the limbs uncomfortably, you will find it more difficult to fall asleep. Leave the fancy nightwear and opt for comfortable pajamas. If you are comfortable doing so, you could also sleep naked. Make sure the mattress suits your needs and it is comfortable – any bump will disturb your sleep. The linings must also be comfortable and induce a relaxing feeling when touched.

4.      Prepare your bedroom for sleep by removing all light and noise sources before bedtime. The bedroom should be a peaceful sanctuary, dedicated to sleep. Keep the temperature at a middle level, not too cold, not too hot, and always allow a couple of hours of ventilation before you go to bed by opening the windows.

5.      Moderate intensity exercises and Yoga can help you gain a good night's sleep. A walk in the park, a few Yoga poses or some breathing exercises will relax the body and the mind, preparing you for sleep. Leave a couple of hours between exercises and bedtime, as physical effort just before bedtime can actually induce insomnia.

6.      Wine and dine with measure and leave a few hours between eating and bedtime. Choose a light meal for your dinner and do not go beyond one glass of alcohol, as heavy drinking can disturb your sleep, as can a meal that is rich in fat.

7.      Smoking before bedtime is also forbidden, not to mention smoking in bed.

8.     Write down your worries, check the to-do note of the day and make a new one, which will help you clear your mind before bedtime.

9.      Build a relaxation routine before bedtime. It can consist of almost anything, from a warm bath to reading a good book. The important thing is to follow it each and every day, no exceptions, as this will allow the body to prepare for the sleep and you will be more relaxed when you go to bed.

10.  When in bed, sleep! Do not worry, do not work, do not play games, do not watch TV, do not talk with a friend. If you are not sleeping after an hour of lying in bed, get up and do something.

Chapter 6

Memory Improvement Techniques, Tips and Tricks

Depending on what causes the initial memory loss process, there are a variety of treatments and therapies one can take up to improve memory and to slow down the process of memory loss. When memory loss is a symptom of another disease, like cardiovascular diseases or a faulty diet, memory loss can be reversed. Another situation in which memory loss can be reversed is a stroke or an accident that has caused temporary memory loss.

What works and what does not work – pros and cons of memory improvement techniques

Wines get better as they age and so do people, at least in terms of experience and wisdom. Unfortunately, our brain power decreases as we age, and cognitive processes such as storing and retrieving memories, being able to focus and having a good attention decrease as the time goes by. In order to ease these symptoms, people have invented many memory improvement techniques and promote a wide array of tips and tricks that may help us prevent brain cells from a speedy aging process. But what is really effective in the fight against memory loss, and why? Here are a few notes on each memory improvement technique to help you establish whether or not it might suit you.

Exercising

Physical exercise is among the most common tips brought into discussion when anyone talks about memory improvement. There have been lots of studies conducted on these exercise techniques, which have shown that exercising is good for improving cognitive functions, including memory. Compared to other memory improvement techniques, exercising has no side-effect and can promote a general healthy lifestyle. Physical activity can increase the blood circulation and the level of oxygen in the blood, while also promoting weight loss. All of these effects can extend and improve the life span and enhance cognitive functioning. Moreover, new studies have shown that exercising can develop new brain cells, contrary to the previous belief that brain cells die and are not replaced by the body. This new discovery thus implies that exercising can stimulate the production of new brain cells.

Meditation

Nowadays, more and more people take up meditation as the perfect free cure for all remedy, but its effects upon memory improvement has not yet been proved. There have been a few studies conducted on this matter, but they didn't showed significant results. However, meditation has no side-effects and takes a couple of minutes, so it is easy to try - you have nothing to lose! Even if it does not help you to remember things, it will help you to maintain a regular blood pressure. Breathing is also developed by meditation, which gets translated into better oxygenation of the brain, which again, cannot be harmful. Meditation also makes you more self-aware and you will be able to identify any changes in your health state more quickly than before, which leads to a quicker diagnose of any dementia signs.

Nutritional Supplements

Nutritional supplements can help you regain your natural, perfect vitamin balance, thus also may enhance your memory. Though they may be quite expensive, they have almost no side effects when taken in the required dosage. However, vitamins and minerals are assimilated quicker by the human body when taken from natural sources. So if you experience a deficit in vitamin B6 it is more effective to change your diet and include foods rich in this vitamin rather than take nutritional supplements.

Chemical enhancers (drugs)

This is not about drugs as LSD, but about drugs like caffeine, which overstimulate the body and provides just some temporary extra energy. There are drugs that do the exact same thing, but can also have more severe long term effects. Insomnia, low mood and anxiety are among the side-effects of memory enhancement pills. These can increase cognitive processes and focus, thus being very popular in students, by over-stimulating the brain. In other words, such pills fool the brain into working more, but not necessarily more effectively.

Brain exercising

Brain fitness is one of the current rages, since video games that claim to enhance memory were first released on the market. There are always classic games like Sudoku and chess, which people use to enhance their brain power. However, studies conducted on these people have not shown any link between playing one of these games and relieving dementia. On the other hand, these studies did show that chess and related problem-solving games that make the brain look for solutions to unknown problems, can slow down brain damage and promote an agile mind for an extended period of time. Puzzle, crosswords, Sudoku and chess are equally effective in the brain problem solving patterns development in people of all ages, from children to seniors.

General tips for reducing memory loss and enhancing brain productivity

There are many techniques you can use to enhance your memory and preserve your mental agility, even during your senior years. Exercising can reduce the risk of developing memory loss and other related disorders by simply promoting a better circulation and a normal weight. As seen in previous chapters of this book, memory loss risk is increased when you deal with weight issues, diabetes and heart diseases. A healthy “dose” of physical exercise is about 5 hours a week or 30 minutes a day, depending on your schedule and the type of exercises you practice.

Keep your cholesterol levels as low as possible by eating healthy food. Pick vegetables and fruits over meat and carbs. Switch to local, fresh products, which contain less or no preservatives, if you are looking at healthier options. The fresher a product is, the larger the amount of vitamins and minerals it contains. Green tea and other food rich in antioxidants prevent brain tissue damage, and hence can prevent memory loss. Healthy fats rich in Omega 3 and 6 are best picks, so pork meat intake should be reduced as much as possible, while the amounts of fish meat can be raised up to 5 times/week.

Reduce your alcohol intake and avoid heavy drinking, binge drinking and anything that exceeds a glass of wine in a day. Alcoholics are known to lose their memory as the brain tissues die and the entire brain gets damaged sooner than the brain of a social-drinker or an abstinent. Also, alcohol promotes fat storage on the belly and clogs the blood vessels.

Smoking is another way of damaging your brain, as the tobacco in the modern cigarettes is processed to such an extent that it contains many toxins. A couple of cigarettes a day will only harm your white smile, turning it yellow, but a couple of packs a day will damage your brain and induce early dementia.

Sleep as long as you need. Sleep deprivation is one thing and laziness is another, so when you feel tired you should get as much as sleep as possible. Lack of sleep leads to chronic tiredness and depression, and both of these factors are the main culprits for memory loss and dementia. During sleep, the brain stores the experiences we have had over the day, so lack of sleep can lead to poor memory. Also, because the nerves don't get enough time-out, they become overused and may die prematurely.

Socialize as much as possible to preserve your memory. Isolation can lead to depression, which also leads to memory loss and severe disorders like dementia. Keep in touch with your friends and make new ones, if necessarily, but find a way to be always connected to the world around you. When you talk and share experiences, cognitive processes are active, and the synapses maintain the paths active. When you live alone, isolated from the world, you may begin to lose your mental agility and you to develop your own world, where the brain is in a sort of idle state.

Avoid stress as much as possible. Stress in the early days of childhood and in the senior years can lead to future memory loss issues. When you feel overwhelmed by the things around you, just take a deep breath and take a break from them, then try to analyze them from an objective point of view. If you are exposed to chronic stress, you may develop severe memory loss which can lead to dementia.

Organize your life in order to keep your mind organized. A messy house can alter the cognitive functions and is known to cause depression and memory loss. Clean your house and organize everything, from the rooms, to the car, and to the computer desktop. Write down your appointments and tasks in a notebook to have a complete view of your daily, weekly and monthly schedule. Once the tasks are noted down, you are less likely to forget them, as your visual memory will kick in when your other types of memory fail. Use boxes and smart storage places and make the most of them by uniquely identifying them. For example, paint a key on the box dedicated to hold the household keys, and pick a bright fuchsia color for the box where you store your sunglasses in order to remind yourself where things are kept.

Avoid procrastination, as this is the best way to forget about things. When you postpone a task, you are more likely to forget all about it. Try to address every issue on the spot so that you can be in charge of all your tasks and ensure that you won’t forget about them.

Use your predictive memory by predicting your performance before starting a task. This can help you remember what you've done and what you need to accomplish in the future. This small exercise can increase the memory performance by a stunning 50%, as the results from a study conducted in 2011 have shown.

Forget about stereotypes that claim that memory loss is related to aging. The human brain is a powerful placebo machine, which means that it can be influenced to develop a certain condition just by thinking of it. When you focus on feeling pain, for example, like a toothache, you will experience excruciating pains, in comparison to when you don't think about the pain at all. This has been shown in a study conducted on seniors who were asked to remember a few things. Half of them were not told anything, just shown the images and the words and later asked to remember them. The other half were told repeatedly that memory loss is related with the aging process, and this group had problems remembering the images and the words.

Exercise your brain by taking rest as well as playing some logical games. Computers and mobile devices are great, but they also make a background sound and have a powerful, bright light, which alters cognitive processes in the brain. To help your memory, just shut down all the devices and enjoy a few silence moments, to allow your brain to store the memories. You can also play logical games, like chess, in order to improve your memory and exercise your brain. The gray cells in the brain, responsible for learning and thinking, require exercises to maintain their activity level and develop new communication patterns.

Write for your memory. As strange as this may sound, writing about a traumatic event in your life can improve your memory. This method is known to be effective, although researchers are still not clear on exactly how this works. Creativity exercises are a great way to improve your memory, as they can stimulate thinking. As you write down the task, it becomes real. To enhance your memory, you can also read it out loud after writing it, as combined visual and acoustic memory are a stronger, multimodal way to remember things. Sniffing a certain aroma when writing about a task or reading about it can also help, because certain scents trigger powerful memories. In fact, the sense of smell is one of the most effective memory improvement tricks. For example, when you are studying for an exam, you can chew peppermint gum, and then when you are trying to remember what you have learnt - in the exam, for instance - chew another one. Both the chewing action and the peppermint scent will take you back to your revision sessions.

Go out into nature to improve your mood and your memory. Studies conducted on this matter have revealed significant improvement of memory in people who spend time in the great outdoors. Continuous hours of typing in front of a monitor can turn the brain into a real robot, promoting memory loss. In time, robot-like work can make a human prone to dementia, as the brain stops thinking and enters a pilot mode. To break this pattern, most people take a short walk in the garden or around the office building, but does it really work? Yes and no. Walking in the busy streets does break the continuous work routine, but it doesn't improve your memory. Walking in the nature, on the other hand can decrease memory loss by 20%.

Two researchers from the University of Michigan have conducted two studies to investigate this hypothesis - that a walk through natural scenery can improve memory. In the first study, the participants were asked repeat in reverse order a series of random numbers before and after a walk. Some of the participants went for a walk around the city streets, while others walked in a park. The tests conducted after the walks proved that walking in the park, surrounded by nature, can improve cognitive functioning by 20%, while a walk in the gray, concrete streets did not make any difference on task performance. In the second study, participants were asked to look at urban and natural scenery instead of walking. The performance was reduced in all the participants, but those who looked at trees and natural landscapes performed better on the subsequent tests. These results support findings of a previous study conducted by Berto, in 2005, who showed that cognitive functioning was much improved when participants were asked to look at pictures of natural landscapes.

An explanation for this should be found deeper within the brain, by evaluating the way humans focus their attention. There are two types of attention: involuntary and voluntary. Involuntary attention is the type of attention that we are not aware of, which takes place in the subconscious. This is one of the main features that helps a creature to survive, as it triggers instinctual responses, usually physical ones. One can involuntarily avoid an accident due to involuntary attention, as the brain sends the signals to the body in order to grab the wheel and turn to left or right, for instance. The time between noticing the danger, becoming aware of it, and reacting is less than a second.

Voluntary attention can be voluntarily focused, and it describes the kind of attention people experience when they are aware of the fact that they are concentrating on a certain task. Because we control this type of attention, the responses are slower than those triggered by involuntary attention.

This means that when we are walking on a busy street, our attention is directed voluntarily towards the traffic, while our involuntary attention is drawn by any lurking dangers, such as an angry dog or a careless driver. So, when we take a walk in the city, engaging in these types of attentional processes is tiresome for the brain, which cannot indulge in a break but rather gets busier with so much incoming information. In contrast, the rounded, soft shapes found in the nature are less dangerous and the sounds relax the brain, sending the message that we are safe. The voluntary attention is less focused as one watches the sunset or enjoys bird watching, allowing the brain to pause and to refresh. Also, the natural shades of the trees, the grass and the blue sky are comfortable colors to look at. In turn, the city is full of aggressive colors, patterns and shades, and this stresses the eyes and thus the brain.

These studies suggest that being surrounded by natural landscapes can be an effective way of improving not only memory, but also other mental functions. The most important finding revealed by the second study was that one can benefit from the nature's positive effects upon the memory without being forced to go miles away from the city, as images have the same refreshing potential as the real environment.

Use your body to remember things. In the same way that scents can help us to remember certain ideas, facts or thoughts, a gesture or a position can also help to retrieve a lost memory. This has been shown consistently by teachers, whose students can remember new foreign language words when they accompany them with a physical gesture. This way, teachers can express a Japanese word by a specific gesture to help their European pupils learn this complex language. In the same way, one can remember something by doing the same gesture he did before or by standing in the same position. Card games like poker work on this tiny detail, as the gamblers repeat a certain gesture when they play. After you learn what each gesture means, you can predict the gambler's actions and act accordingly.

Top 6 methods to enhance the retention of information when studying

Students and adults who need to study on regular basis often complain about how difficult it is to memorize information. But there are some methods one can take up in order to enhance the retention of information when studying.

1.       Focus on the material you need to memorize – No TV, no music, no Facebook around

2.      Practice regulating long-term study methods and avoid large amounts of information at one time

3.      Read out loud any new information, rehearse it and try to explain it to someone else

4.      Spend more time on understanding difficult theories

5.      Create a visual image of information that you are studying

6.      Use mnemonics and relate new information to things you already know

Chapter 7

How can Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) help memory improvement?

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), is the secret behind the success of many people. It is both an art and a science, which has been developed by watching and analyzing what can help a person to be successful. In simple words, NLP is a method to help a person achieve their goals and to manipulate without any negative implications, by learning how to talk effectively. NLP integrates all means of communication, including verbal language, body language and written language. Many commercials use NLP in order to convince the audience to buy their products. The advantages of NLP extend to each and every aspect of one's life, both professional and personal, as they promote self-confidence along with other useful skills.

NLP was initially a project started in the 70’s in Santa Cruz, California, by Richard Bandler and John Grinder, who wanted to elaborate a thesis based on what the behavioral patterns of successful people are. They analyzed different individuals who had different personalities and unique means to reach their goals, and identified certain patterns in communicative patterns. Each human is made of the overall genetic potential, and the experiences accumulated during childhood and later in the lifetime are important for communication abilities. A toddler learns certain concepts and also how to interact in certain situations by observing adults; he tries to adopt these behaviors to his own personality. This is why we are all unique. NLP can help you reset your behavior and get adjusted to it, so that it fits to a certain path towards a successful life. This is what “programming” stands for in NLP. The first two initials refer to the most commonly used means of communication between humans, language and its effects upon the subconscious brain.

Since it was first developed, NLP has branched too many domains and has also been used as a therapy by many practitioners. Among the domains where NLP is used there is hypnosis, surgery, spiritual enlightenment and love. By using NLP, therapists can induce a hypnotic state in their patients in order to help them to recall events from the past that are not available to them when wide awake, as the brain blocks them for a certain reason. This type of therapy is often used to cure phobias and to relieve the impact of traumas. NLP and hypnosis can also be used as an anesthesia during surgical operations. Allergies of some sorts can also be treated by this therapy. Many parents turn to life coaches to enhance their parenting skills. But the most common use for NLP is job related, as it can increase a number of useful skills which help a shy, introverted person turn into the perfect employee: one with a joyful persona, who is the best team leader ever, and who can host public speaking events at any time and with high levels of confidence.

The two rules of NLP

NLP has two main rules which make it work in the first place:

1.       The limits that we know are 100% imaginative

2.      Our mind and the whole world are based on systems

These two rules are essential for understanding NLP, and they help its practitioners to understand the complex processes that take place in our mind. The first rule can be summarized in the following, simple way: We draw our own limits and boundaries, so there are no real limits for us. Think of the ancient world map: before Columbus discovered America, there was Europe, Africa, Asia and Russia beside a big empty space. Gradually, the map began to fill with new territories. In a similar way, the human brain can go beyond the old world and discover new territories, which can be the joy of public speaking or of talking to other people.

The second rule is based on an observation of nature, which is built to function as a system. In the same way, our brain is used to function as a system and is always looking for both an internal and an external balance. This goal can be achieved by pushing our limits.

Crossing boundaries and achieving a super-memory with NLP techniques

The human memory is said to be limited, due to the fact that neurons die during adulthood and are never replaced. But is this completely true? Well, the answer is “No”. NLP is all about crossing your self-established limits, which means that one can increase his memory by taking on simple NLP techniques and sticking to them. Memory is as limited as you want it to be, and this is why people are able to recall even the most insignificant details under hypnosis. Recalling, on the other hand, is limited because the human mind is always turned on and we all experience self-talk during most of the time, no matter whether we are idle or not. This is one of the causes for memory loss, as one is not able to recall a certain discussion because at the time he was also having an intense self-discussion going on in his mind.

Learn from the past – history is a never-ending cycle; archeology helps us understand the past in order to predict and understand the future better. In one’s personal life, the same may apply, especially since humans are prone to repeat their mistakes. In order to gain control over your life and advance forward, you must sit back and analyze why you have perhaps failed in a certain task. Ask yourself how you can deal with the task and what led to the previous failure. This way, one can improve his learning abilities and integrate better into society.

In the NLP world, acquiring a memory is the most essential task one must complete in order to be able to work on it, sediment it by sleep, and recall it later on. Humans are sensorial creatures and they use all their senses in order to memorize and recall a piece of information. NLP promotes making memories by engaging all the senses. Firstly, one can use visualization. Charts, diagrams, images and even words themselves are easier to recall than abstract concepts. Use this simple NLP technique as often as possible.

For people who have trouble remembering numbers, charts are among the best solutions available. When you need to remember the password of your credit card, try to relate it to something familiar, like a birthday or the number of a regular bus route. Let us say that you need to remember the number 1409. One can split the number in 14 and 09, where 14 may be the street number where your partner lives and 09 represents September, and the ninth month of the year. Visualizing the house at no. 14 and a September landscape will help you remember the whole number.

When trying to memorize names, always associate them with some familiar face, as faces are easier to remember by the means of certain features. For example the name Andrea may suggest a social person with blonde hair to you because the first Andrea you ever knew looked like that. When you try to memorize entire chapter take a good look at the whole page and try to focus on certain words in the page. During an exam one can remember that the second chapter from a page started with the word “Leisure”, so you will be able to complete the rest of the phrase more easily due to the fact that you have a starting point.

Visualization can help you trigger memories, find a lost item or even spot a liar. There are four main directions a person can look in, and each one is linked to a certain cognitive action. For example, looking to your upper left corner can help you remember things. If you do it right now probably you can recall where you've last seen your car keys. By observing where a person moves his eyes and where he looks, you can also tell if he is sincere or not. When asked about a thing in the past, one must look for the memory, so he will unconsciously turn the look to his upper left corner of the eye, if he is sincere. When you hear a story or talk to a person try to visualize the information. The more number of pictures you form in your brain, the easier it will be to recall the information later. Add motion and sounds, as well as other details, such as smells. If you build an entire motion picture about the story, it will be easier for you to remember it.

Another effective method of storing information is to link it to sounds. Listening to the same sounds will trigger the recall of the certain information in your brain. Many students use this technique, though may be unaware of using it - they may study listening to background music, for instance. Before the actual exam, listening to the same music can trigger the memory in their brain.

One of the lesser known methods of storing and recalling information is emotional learning. Linking information to a feeling, a mood or a sensation can boost your motivation and can trigger the recall of the information. For example, if you were happy when you learned about how the car engine works, you will be able to recall this information when you are in a happy mood. Also, knowing that you will experience happiness or another desired feeling in the future if you do a certain thing can motivate you to achieve your goals.

NLP can help you change the way you perceive a certain memory (or even a person), and may help you overcome your fears and traumas. The technique is really very simple. All you have to do is to transform your reality into one that seems to be less scary. A great example on this is learning how to swim. If you didn't learn it during childhood - when the sense of fear is less strong - you may find it difficult to learn to swim later in life. Why? Because you know from the experience of others (not your own!) that water can be dangerous and you may be drowned. This is a perfect example of how you can draw limits. But NLP is there to help you overcome them, so all you have to do is to imagine that water is a huge mattress and once you will lie on it you will float safely, as the salt in the water will keep you at the surface.

NLP involves a number of body language lessons that can enhance your memory and make it easy for you to remember things, so always pay attention to your posture. All great leaders stand up straight with their heads tall and their eyes looking to the horizon. You can get inspiration from world leaders; analyze how they walk, sit and talk. One of the best examples of monumental self-confidence is the Russian president Vladimir Putin. His entire posture is intended to send a strong message of power and wisdom.

An important point when talking about body language in NLP terms is to always look straight into the eyes of your counterpart while talking. If the other person refuses to make an eye contact, then he may be intimidated or may have something to hide. Pay attention to your legs and your hands, as the position of the limbs may speak louder than you do. Anxiety is visible in the movement of your hands and legs, so exercise your posture both standing and when seated. In order to trigger a confidence booster you can try to keep your hands in the “expert” position: with your palms facing each other, touch the tips of your fingers. This position is specific to people who are confident about their knowledge on the topic they discuss. When you force your body into this position, you trigger a sense of confidence and relaxation, which will be visible on your entire body and even in the tone of your voice.

Chapter 8

IQ, Emotional Intelligence and NLP

We all know what is meant by IQ, “Intelligence Quotient”, or at least everyone must have heard about it. An IQ score is the score gained in intelligence tests that are used to assess academic potential. The IQ also serves to a number of other statistics, such as special needs, job performance and income. The human's potential to inherit IQ is still under debate, as many people who scored high on IQ tests come from a family with average IQ levels. The average IQ is around 100 points, with a margin error of 15 points. An IQ higher than 130 is considered to belong to highly intelligent people, above average. Albert Einstein had an IQ of 160, the famous chess player Bobby Fisher scored 187, Galileo Galilei reached 185 and philosopher Rene Descartes had an IQ of 180.

The IQ score changes only by a small degree during one’s entire life, and it is measured with respect to age. If a child scores 115, when he grows up he may score anywhere between 110 and 120, even 130, but the category in which he is included is very likely to change. For example, if one is considered above average in childhood, he will gain an above average score in adulthood, too. The IQ is an old concept, but in the last couple of years the term “emotional intelligence” (EI) had been a constant subject on the lips of many NLP practitioners and employers.

EI is another form of intelligence, one which may contribute to a person’s ability to get along with everyone around them and to always land on their feet.  A high IQ is not enough to succeed in life if is not supported by a high EI, because humans are emotionally driven creatures and respond better to a person who has great social skills rather than to a person with brilliant intelligence but a robotic character. To help you understand the concept better, think of a person you know who is not very bright, someone who didn't score good marks in school tests but who managed to reach the peaks of performance in both their career and personal life. On the other hand, we all have a friend who has never been promoted and who never got a girlfriend, someone who is still living alone and works at the local McDonalds or Walmart just to pay his bills, and who may model spacecraft models in his spare time. This person's intelligence could bring him to rule the entire world, but somehow he is stuck in a poor job and has a lousy life, while the other person is enjoying all the goodness in life. Well, the thing which makes this possible is the EI. And most geniuses lack it.

Now, here comes the interesting part: NLP can help one develop his EI and thus tailor a better life for oneself. An interesting observation on IQ and EI is that they may or may not be inherited from one’s parents, but while EI can certainly be trained, IQ cannot be improved by any means, as we are apparently born with a fixed IQ and maintain the same level throughout our whole life.

EI consists of 5 main elements: self-awareness, auto-control, social skills, motivation and empathy. All NLP courses start with self-awareness lessons, which teach you how to alter your own mood in such a way as to alter the mood of people around you. Also, understanding how your brain works and what the patterns behind your thoughts are can help you follow a certain path and to control your thoughts. In time, this becomes an automated process, but every habit needs time to be learned, or forgotten. This is where auto-control takes place, as one can learn how to control his thoughts through NPL. In order to become a positive person, one needs to think positively; negativity must be erased completely from one's mind. This can easily be done through NLP. Remember what those initials stand for? Neuro-Linguistic Programming, so when taking up NLP you will enroll in a life-changing course that will actually reset your brain, programming it to think positively and be more productive.

Because humans are emotionally driven animals, in spite the fact we like to believe that we can act on reason, emotion is a strong driving force in human behavior. One can therefore alter emotions of oneself and, therefore, of others. Here is where social skills and empathy kick in. By developing our social skills, we can influence other people by certain words or phrases, and even by mimicking body language. All people understand these actions in their subconscious, so it is taking communication to another level, the subconscious one. Empathy is the ability to feel what the other person feels, or to emulate his feelings. This can help you to enhance the communication process, as one responds better to the message you send to him if he feels that his own feelings are understood.

Motivation is the engine of doing things and being productive. When one is motivated, he can motivate others by example, by being a true leader. This is also achieved by empathy, social skills and auto-control. By turning from a simple individual into a true leader, you can become a desirable candidate for big companies, which is a great certitude of getting and maintaining a job in a highly competitive market where there is no such thing as “irreplaceable”. Having a good job will bring social success and a prosperous personal life.

Bonus Chapter

Super foods to enhance memory

The brain is made of 60% fat and 40% other substances and water. It requires a constant intake of glucose in order to function properly. But this phase translates into “eat healthy foods rich in proteins, omega fatty acids and natural sugars like honey”, not into the regular way people understand it, which is “eat lots of junk food”. Eating for the brain is eating carbs and “good” fatty acids, along with natural glucose rich foods, which are fruits and honey. Also, eat foods with a long period of energy release, as the neurons don't store nutriments like other type of brain cells. This is why one must eat a sweet when anxious of experiencing faint-like states. When the brain is short on glucose, its functioning is slowed down, leading to a quick change in its overall state.

Memory loss can be caused by a vitamin deficiency, so eating food items rich in B1 and B12 vitamins can help to regain your memory and boost your brain power. While there aren't any studies that can prove that eating healthily can keep dementia away, prevention is the best practice. Doctors worldwide strongly advise healthy eating habits; as long as your body receives all the nutriments needed, it will function properly, increasing your memory lifespan. A deeper understanding of the body and your diet may lead you to conclude that eating more leafy greens that are packed with natural antioxidants can slow down the aging process, preserving the brain for a longer period of time.

Studies conducted on the link between different diets and dementia have concluded that regular consumption of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, wine and seeds (also called the Mediterranean diet), can protect humans from dementia, slowing down the aging process due to the high intake of antioxidants and healthy fatty acids. On the other hand, a diet rich in regular fats, pre-processed and fried foods can speed up the death of brain cells and promote early onset dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease. The state of the food is also important, as processed food loses its healthy properties, compared to the all-natural food. The sooner healthy food makes it to your plate, the better, so try to find local farms to provide you with fresh food on at least a weekly basis.

The most important 4 substances which may improve your memory

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a natural antioxidant found in vegetable oils, nuts, peanut butter and whole grains. Regular consumption can enhance one's memory by protecting the brain cells and preventing them from premature death. In Alzheimer's disease, death of brain cells is the main cause of an entire memory loss process, which leads to cognitive impairment. Sunflower seeds are another source of vitamin E. An ounce of seeds makes up about 30% of the necessary daily intake of antioxidants, so make sure you add them to your salads on daily basis. It is interesting to note that the effectiveness of vitamin E increases when the sources are natural compared to the efficiency of nutritional supplements.

Omega 3 fatty acids

Omega 3 fatty acids, so called the “good fat” are found in fish, especially in ocean fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel. Fish is also a rich source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which contributes proper brain functioning at neuronal level. Also, eating more good fatty acids can preserve the health of the blood vessels in the brain, keeping you away from cardiovascular diseases and strokes, and maintaining elasticity of vessel walls. When consuming other types of meat, such as pork, the walls of blood vessels may begin to clog with remnants of fat, and this may eventually stop the blood from oxygenating the area. Peanut butter, almonds, hazelnuts and nuts are also rich in Omega 3&6, contributing to the overall health by keeping the arteries clean.

Folate

Kale, spinach and broccoli are great sources of folate acid and vitamin E. Folate protects the brain by lowering the levels of a substance called homocysteine. This substance damages brain cells, leading to their death. High levels of homocysteine have also been linked to heart disease.

Vitamin C

There are many sources of vitamin C; oranges, grapefruits and lemons being the most common ones. Avocado is a better pick when you aim to keep dementia away and enhance memory, however. The positive effects of avocado have been observed by doctors and nutritionists all over the world. Because it is also packed with vitamin E and proteins, the mix is the perfect choice as brain food. It also has a decent amount of fibers, so it will make a nice snack and help you feel full, too.

Berries can keep away dementia. There have been several studies conducted on this matter, and with an interesting result; apart from slowing down the aging process due to antioxidants and preserving the immune system due to the number of vitamins contained, berries can help clean the brain from toxins. Strawberries, acai berries and blueberries share this healing power. Blackcurrants are also full of vitamin C.

Vitamin B6

Mangoes are rich in vitamin B6, along with other vitamins essential for a good health, like vitamins K, A and E. Bananas are also filled with vitamin B6 and can prevent memory loss, also being a tasty, easy mid-day snack.

A study conducted on senior patients suffering from early and middle stages of memory impairment and Alzheimer's disease have shown the effectiveness of the vitamin B complex on brain functioning and memory. Half of the patients received vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid supplements, and the other half were given placebos. After two years, people who received the supplements experienced less brain shrinkage than those who had received placebos.

Top 10 most under-rated foods that can improve your memory – the real super food

Red wine may contribute to overall health when consumed in moderation (a glass a day) because it is rich in antioxidants, just like grapes are. However, it is important to make sure that the wine is 100% natural, as wine is quick to lose its healthier properties when preservatives and colorants are added.

Coconut oil has been linked to dementia prevention and it promotes good blood circulation. It is a great fuel for the entire body, as it can provide energy and increase the intake of good fatty acids.

Tomatoes are probably the most undervalued fruits. Apart from being considered a vegetable, the red wonders are consumed for their good taste and nice color, being a basic ingredient in every salad. But, tomatoes are also full of lycopene, a strong antidepressant which can keep dementia away. They also contain substances found in popular heart conditioner pills, so they can help to preserve the heart's health, too.

Onions have been used for hundreds of years to improve memory, being a real super food for many advanced cultures in the world. They contain fisetin, which stimulates the process of exchanging messages between the nerves in the brain when consumed raw.

Apples may seem plain, but they are packed with antioxidants that can improve cognitive thinking and can prevent dementia. Their skin is where all the goodness is stored, so make sure you buy fresh, all natural apples and eat them with their skin on after giving them a good wash.

Milk has been added to the super food list following a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In short, this study found that milk increases brain performance and cognitive processes. Milk is also a valuable source of vitamins B6 and B12, as well as calcium, potassium and magnesium, all of which are required to improve memory storage. Again, milk is effective only when it is 100% natural, as it partially loses its qualities after being processed.

Potato is another underrated super food, being full of manganese, potassium and vitamin B6, which are all used by the brain to function at its best. To make the most out of potatoes, eat them cooked on steam, skin on and without salt, to preserve all the minerals and vitamins contained within. Besides being helpful in the memory department, this dull vegetable can enhance your mood because they contain vitamin B6, which is a natural stimulator for the production of serotonin, one of the happiness hormones. Eating potatoes at dinner can also enhance a good night's sleep, as they stimulate the production of melatonin.

Honey is a super food, well known to Antiquity. Ancient Egyptians used it to alienate diseases and to add sweetness to their foods. As time passed and the mass production took over, the bees lost round, but their honey remains a liquid gold. It would take a novel to talk about all the qualities that a spoonful of honey has, but I will keep it short: it is a natural sweetener that provides glucose, the brain fuel. It also enhances cognitive functions and has strong anti-inflammatory powers that can help the immune system to fight diseases.

Acorn squash is a great source of vitamin B12, and regular intake when pregnant can help the baby develop his brain and spinal cord, due to high amounts of folic acid contained. The vitamin B12 prevents brain cell damage and can keep away neurodegenerative diseases, improving memory and overall brain performance.

And the top super-food of all times is: water. Because the human body is mostly made out of water, people need to be hydrated in order to function properly. Sadly, most people suffer from severe dehydration, which impairs their focus power and causes brain shrinkage, as creepy as that may sound. Drinking enough water a day can enhance your memory and can speed up the cognitive processes that take place in the brain. Generically, a normal weighted person should drink about 2 liters of water daily. However, there is a method to calculate the amount of water according to your weight. Just divide your weight by 30 and you will know how much water you should drink every day. An important observation on this matter is that natural juices or alcoholic beverages do not hydrate the body, but can actually enhance dehydration. Drinking a fresh orange juice is great way to boost your energy levels and raise the daily vitamin intake, but it does not hydrate you. Moreover, the supplementary diuresis it causes can steal more water from the body, along with electrolytes. Beer has the same effect.

A healthy diet can provide the right balance in nutriments and helps the body function at its best. If you experience memory loss and suspect that it may be caused by a faulty diet, ask your doctor about the right supplementary pills you can take. Depending on your age, weight and activity level, there are certain pills you can take to regain the nutritional balance, but some over-the-counter medicines can harm you, even if they are made from natural herbs.

Exercises for concentration and memory improvement

A healthy diet promotes a general good health as it is able to keep one away from brain damage. Certain concentration exercises can improve your memory and may help you fight against dementia. Physical activity can boost cognitive processes and promote a good oxygenation of the brain. Simple deep breathing exercises, when you breathe with your belly not your chest, can enhance agility because the blood circulation is improved. When you take a deep breath, your lungs will completely inflate with air, increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood which is then transferred in the organs and the tissues. A good oxygenation of the brain and the main organs can boost your appetite for healthy foods, as the brain will need more nutrients and will be able to tell you what you need to eat. For example, your craving for junk food will be decreased after a long period of exercising, and will be replaced with a hunger for healthy, more useful foods.

Meditation can also improve cognitive processes, as it allows the brain to take a pause from the daily stressful activities and focus on just “being”. During meditation, the brain connects with the body, which promotes a better self-awareness. This allows you to understand your body's needs better and to act more quickly on meeting them, thus allowing the brain to enhance its activity when solving complex issues.

What kind of physical exercise increases your memory?

There is no strong rules on what physical exercises to do in order to enhance memory, but there are some general rules. For example, dancing is a great pick because it requires concentration, coordination, agility and strength, working your entire body and your mind at the same time. Yoga is another great pick as it promotes a deep breath, gives you time to meditate and relieves you from external pressure. Cardio exercises are great to do, too, as anything that improves blood circulation is also good for the brain.

Aromatherapy to improve your memory

Aromatherapy is the most accessible alternative therapy one can use on his own and without any help from a specialist. Its effectiveness is recognized world-wide, as even ancient cultures used different flavors to relieve pain and other health conditions. Memory loss can also be relieved by aromatherapy, specifically by peppermint and rosemary aromas.

A new study conducted by researchers from Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri, have shown the memory-enhancing value of these two herbs. The researchers carried out experiments with concentrated substances that packed all the antioxidants found in both peppermint and rosemary, and tested them on mice, revealing that memory loss due to aging can be eased by aromatherapy. Rosemary extract was the most efficient to increase the focus power and to enhance the learning process in old mice, which suggests that it may have the same effects on humans as well. Rosemary is a popular spice used to add flavor to bread and poultry meals and has been used for many generations to improve digestion. Peppermint has the same high amount of antioxidants and people who use it claim that it also has anti-fungal properties.

How to use aromatherapy to your benefit

Inhaling certain scents has a rapid effect upon the hormonal system. When combined with deep breathing, aromatherapy is even quicker to show effects upon your mind and emotions. The brain associates perfumes with emotions and experiences, so a scent can trigger a powerful emotion and can bring back ancient memories, from as far away as childhood. Besides rosemary and peppermint, there are other scents that can enhance your learning abilities and slow down memory loss.

Lemon stimulates the capacity to focus and can increase productivity, as well as the capacity to remember details. It’s refreshing scent brings a feel of well-being and stimulation, so it could be a good idea to bring a heating aromatherapy device to your office. Cypress can also enhance focus power with its wooden smells, while eucalyptus and basil work well on reducing memory loss and increasing concentration.

Apart from using one single scent, you can use mixes to achieve multiple goals, like increasing focus and staying alert. Aromatherapy can also enhance sleep and reduce stress, so experience and find your own mix of scents. A few ideas: 2 drops of peppermint and 3 drops of lemon; 2 drops of cypress, 2 drops of rosemary and 1 drop of basil. Depending on what method you use, the amount of essential oils will change, but it is better to stick to a maximum 5 drops as the essence is a concentrated version of the scent.

What method of aromatherapy to use

Essential oils can be used in multiple ways. Make sure you keep the balance in the mix when you multiply to the required amount of drops. To use them as bath oils you will need a total of 15 drops and a good carrier base, such as jojoba oil. Massage oil requires 10 drops and a carrier as well. An aromatherapy diffuser uses about 20 drops, air fresheners require about 30 drops and bath salts require 20 drops of essential oils and a scent-free base.

Acupuncture boosts your brain power and relieves memory loss

Acupuncture is an ancient alternative therapy invented and used in Asia. It works by stimulating certain points on the body with a very thin needle, which can enter a pore without causing a wound. There are special points of acupuncture on the body where energy channels gather in nodes, and stimulating

those points can make a person stronger, healthier and happier. If you are experienced in acupuncture and have an extensive knowledge upon both acupuncture points and human anatomy, it can be done on oneself. Otherwise, ask an expert to perform acupuncture, because if you stimulate the wrong point on the body you may experience nasty side effects or pain.

There is also a massage technique which can be used to stimulate certain acupuncture points on the body, by just pressing them in a certain way. Again, this is a job for a professional, not an amateur. However, there are a few acupuncture points one can massage when feeling down. Here are a few points that can be stimulated to gain better concentration and to enhance the healing process after a cold or another mild acute condition.

Point A is found on the line which goes from the back of the scalp towards the front, being perpendicular to the line that unites the years. When massaging it, one can relieve head aches and increase the focus.

Point B is found on the temples, as depicted in the diagram, and stimulating it can increase memory and relieve mental stress.

Point C, found between the eyebrows where the nasal pyramid meets the forehead, can be stimulated to enhance the mood and to increase learning capacity.

Conclusion

This is it readers! This book has provided insights into what memory improvement is, and has provided some amazing tips and tricks to improve your memory. You can choose any one of these tricks to perfect, and will see a big difference in your learning capacity and memory. As Bernard Shaw once commented, “If you teach a man anything, he will never learn”. Indeed, it is true that we learn by doing things ourselves and exploring them actively, in your own way. If someone tries to impose knowledge on you, you can never take those teachings entirely on board.

Learning is important. There are different techniques provided in this book that are designed to fool your brain - or rather, persuade it - into believing this. If you put these into practice, no one can stop you from seeing the results. It is not easy, I admit, but with just a little bit of effort you will see your memory improve drastically. So, why not give it your best shot?! After all, it is going to help you in every phase of life: You will be able to remember your friend’s birthdays, remember infrequent words, phrases and important phone numbers, too.

Improve your capability to memorize and remember everything about anything. You can see that it can change your life in so many ways, from academic success to business, from work productivity to personal lifestyle.

Bonus Chapter

From the Book “Stop Hurting and Start Living”

Tips on How to Move on and Forget the Past

http://www.amazon.com/Stop-Hurting-Start-Living-Others-ebook/dp/B00GX09FJ8

“Moving on to the future without letting go of the past is like tying your arm to a post while catching a train.”

Overflowing tears, constant pain in the chest, no appetite, headache, nauseated stomach, loneliness and sleepless nights - these are the signs and symptoms of a love-stricken fool who cannot muster the strength to move on. It’s hard, painful, and completely normal. At some point in our lives, we experience these signs and symptoms. Who wouldn’t? Everyone has and will experience heartbreak at least once in their lifetime. It’s perfectly natural; it happens.

Love is a sentimental gushy feeling, and because of love, people get hurt. In relationships, when something goes wrong, it is always important to talk it out and settle the situation with your partner before matters start to become worse. However, always remember that relationships do not always last forever. Sometimes, no matter how we fix things within the relationship and no matter how we try to change ourselves for the better, it just doesn’t work out the way we want it to.

Oftentimes, in our need to hold on to the relationship, we lose self-respect until it is too late to put the shattered pieces of ourselves back together. There may be a lot of reasons why you think that you have to hold on to such a hopeless relationship, but here’s the truth: When the pain gets unbearable, letting go is the best solution. You have to move on before you lose yourself totally. Afraid, you say? It is okay to be afraid, but the truth of the matter is that many of us find it fearsome and difficult to move on, simply because we are ignorant. We don’t know that the best way to move on is to deal with our pain effectively. The need to detach ourselves from the past and move forward is, in the real sense of the word, inescapable.

Break-ups are always painful. It affects our personal, professional and social lives in more ways than one. As unique as we are, humans handle break-ups differently. Some people succumb to the seduction of depression, shutting out people from their lives. Others will drown themselves in the endless sea of self-destruction. And then there are those who will cry their hearts out, allowing others to see their vulnerable side, and be able to move on. The latter is the hardest decision one can make, but it is also the most substantial and rewarding of all the options. Moving on is precisely the hardest aspect of human relationships. This stage is almost impassable and it hurts like hell.

Now, here is the good news: No matter how difficult coping with break-ups is, it is not impossible. Getting hurt by the ones you love and trusted the most is not the end of the world. There are countless of ways to effectively handle the pain, but it only takes one thing to be able to go through it – courage.

Here are a few of the most effective tips on how to move forward, forget the past and be happy.

1.   Accept the Reality but Don’t Dwell on It:

The first step to moving on beyond the pain is to face reality. Accept what happened to you, and admit that you are hurt. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable, because in our vulnerability, we make use of our inner strength. The relationship ended, that’s the truth of the matter. Do not deny it. Do not fool yourself into thinking that you don’t care and that it doesn’t matter if the relationship is broken. You want to cry? Then cry your heart out and shout to the world how bad you feel, and how painful it is. You will definitely feel better afterwards. Everyone is at their most vulnerable state after a failed relationship, and no one will ever contest that. Give yourself some time to grieve the loss of the relationship. There are so many losses that you have to endure all at the same time, and it will not be easy. You might feel more scared than ever while digesting the reality, so do not ever push yourself. Try to understand the pain first and what accompanies it.

The loss of a companion and shared experiences will certainly bring you emptiness inside. Accept that. The loss of hopes, dreams and plans will leave you confused and alone. Accept that, too. The loss of support, whether it is financial, emotional or social, will give you the feeling of regret and abandonment. Accept that as well. Once you have truly accepted the reality of the lost relationship, acknowledge that you are hurt. You will certainly go through the different stages of grief, and that’s normal. Grieving is important to the healing process. You may fear that your emotions might be too intense for you; you may also think that you will forever be stuck in that painful situation; but no matter how impossible it may seem, you have to remember that pain is not forever. It will not last very long.

Now, while you are trying to sort out your feelings, bear in mind that what you are doing is giving yourself time to grieve and accept the reality. Do not make the mistake of dwelling on the pain longer than you have to. Do not over-think and over-analyze things. Do not dwell on the “what if’s” and “what might have been” in the relationship. If you do that, you will only feel worse. Do not fight your emotions. Suppressing them will only prolong the grieving process. You have to face your emotions as they come. This way, you can let go of them faster. Dwelling on your emotions will only make you suffer.

2.  Let Go:

Time passed is time forgotten. If the relationship is broken, no matter how many times you try to put it back together, the fact still remains that it’s broken. Holding on to the shattered pieces will only hurt you. Why cling to something that you can never change? What is there to hold on to if the other person has already left you? It is useless to hold on if the other person has already let go of your hand in the first place. Respect yourself more. Holding on will only reduce you to a state where you can no longer salvage yourself. Let it go before it’s too late. Learn to love yourself a little bit more. Holding on is only applicable when there’s love remaining in the relationship. If there’s none, it is better to let go. It is useless to read the same book over and over again when you already know the ending, especially if it is a sad ending. Let things go and move forward. Do not give your ex a chance to see you living a miserable life. In this situation, letting go doesn’t mean giving up. It means accepting that there are things that are not meant to be. Although it hurts to let go, it hurts more to hold on.

3.  Surround Yourself with People Who Love You:

If you are hurt, you’d normally want to be alone and it’s okay to do that, so that you can think things through. However, it is better to surround yourself with people who really care about you. That way, it makes it easier for you to accept the situation. Having someone to listen to you and knowing that there are people who would do anything for you will make you feel that you are not alone. You don’t need to be alone, actually. You don’t need to go through all the pain on your own. Share it with your family and friends. If you do that, the pain becomes bearable and moving on becomes easier. It is good to be surrounded with people who love you, but it is better to have someone who can relate to you. Someone who has gone through the same experience you are having right now. Some friendly advice is what you need. Choose the right people you want to confide in. Those who really care about you will not judge you. The last thing on Earth you’d want is criticism and ridicule, so choose wisely. It is better to surround yourself with positive people. Allow them to comfort you. Do not shut yourself from the rest of the world. Being alone will only make the situation worse than it already is.

4.  Go Out and Have Fun:

Shutting yourself inside a room will only make you feel worse. Go out. Enjoy the outdoors. Bask in the sun, and smell the flowers. Go to your friends and eat out. Reconnect with people who may have received less attention when you were still in the relationship. Cultivate new friendships. Meet new and positive people. Expand your network. Join a new group or enroll in a special interest class. Whatever it is you want to do, do it outside. Do not stay in your room and sulk. Have fun. Being outside gives you the opportunity to forget all that has happened. Being with your friends will make you realize the things you have been missing – things that only single people can do.

5.  Forget the Past and Create New Memories:

When we are in the process of moving on, we realize that the reason we are holding on to something or someone is because of the attachment, and not so much love; because if we love the person, we will let go if holding on means ruining the person’s happiness. Given that, we need to forget the past if our aim is to move on. Life is not meant to be lived backwards. We need to replace the past with new memories. Reliving the past will only make it harder for you to forget your ex. Instead of going to the same places all over again, go somewhere you’ve never been. Instead of eating the same foods you used to eat together, try a different menu. Taste something you have never tasted before. Cook a different recipe. Eat out at a different restaurant. Create new memories, but do not do it alone. Go with your friends. Share the new memories with them. That way, whenever you need to remember, you can remember the wonderful times you had with your friends. You can also try a new and different sport. Do something new and extremely out of your usual routine. Indulge in different health and leisure activities, like mountain climbing, a triathlon, bungee jumping, sky diving, zip lining, swimming, or many others. Trying out these activities allows you to discover many different things about yourself that you may have never known about before. You learn new things while you create new memories. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone –no make it three, because you are having fun as well!

6.  Reinvent Yourself:

Breaking-up is not only about sad and painful things. It is also a blessing in disguise. Why? It allows you to focus on yourself more. Now that you are single, you can look at yourself better and re-evaluate your life. It is a golden opportunity for you to improve yourself and do something better. Your money and time are all yours for the taking. Pamper yourself. Go to a spa, have your hair done nicely and don a more sophisticated look. If you want, you can cut your hair for a completely new look. Buy clothes and shoes, and shop to your heart’s content. Eat at a fancy restaurant. Whatever you want to be, now is the time to act on it. There will be no restrictions. Splurge on the things that you desire which you may have deprived yourself in the past. Don’t feel guilty. You are you, and you owe a lot of things to yourself. You deserve something better after that painful break-up!

It is also the best time to cultivate your potentials. Discover your inner talents and unleash your creative side. Improve yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually. Do yoga to improve your mental capacities. Learn to be independent. If you have old hobbies or interests that you love doing, do it now. Paint, swim, play, sing or travel whenever you wish. Do not limit yourself to what you already know. Strive to be someone better. It is also the best time for you to focus on your future. Plan ahead. Make a time frame and achieve your goals in a timely manner. Be more productive at work. Improve your social network. Save more money, but do not deprive yourself.

Embrace your freedom. It is your birthright. Explore and experience. Get fit, reconnect to people, be more attractive, and be confident. Your self-esteem must have suffered a huge blow during the break-up. It is the best time to rebuild it. Confidence is the key to a new and better relationship. Your independence reflects your capabilities and it makes you feel more confident about your job and yourself in its entirety. Remember, confidence is sexy and attractive. Take care of yourself and love it. Do not indulge in drugs, alcohol or nicotine. If you love yourself more, you become a better and stronger person.

7.  Do not Make Yourself Available to Your Ex:

Avoid contact with your ex as much as possible. If you make yourself available to him or her, you will only give them another chance to try to win you back. It’s not about getting back with him or her. It’s about you and the state you are in. If you get back with him at once without giving yourself enough time to focus on yourself and think about the situation, you will only be putting yourself more at the losing end – again.

So, give yourself some “off” time. Think it over wisely. Do not answer his calls or texts. Change your number, if necessary. Change your email and social networking site accounts. Shut him off completely. This allows you to look into yourself more. Are you missing him so much that you cannot stand a day without hearing anything from him? Think about the situation. If it’s a third party issue, it’s time you realize if it’s worth a second chance or not. Your ex will certainly try to contact you for whatever reason. Discipline yourself if you want to forget him and move on. Get yourself preoccupied with other important things. If you make yourself busy, eventually your ex will stop bothering you and you will feel less obligated to think about him. This way, you’ll be able to move forward without any difficulty.

8. Make a Bucket List and Clean Up:

To keep yourself busy and preoccupied, you need to make a list of all the things you want and need to do. Clean your room and throw away all unimportant things your ex gave you. You may want to keep some things that are really valuable, but other things like dried flowers and old teddy bears do not deserve to stay inside your room. You can throw these away or put them inside a storage area. If you still find it hard to forget him, throw away or burn photographs and donate all the other things to the needy. That way, the things you give away will be of use to someone else. You can keep the letters and other things which you deem important and too personal to be thrown away. Later, seeing those things will make you smile without feeling the pain anymore. If your room reminds you too much of him after cleaning it up, try to include redecoration in your bucket list. Change the painting of your room and redecorate it. Change the position of furniture. Change the color of the curtains and the bedding. Fold your clothes and separate those which you are still wearing and those that are not in season.

Cut out the people who trigger negative thoughts. It is okay to tell your friends about how you feel, but retelling the story over and over again is tiring and it becomes annoying just hearing you talk to the same person again. Instead, refrain from talking about your ex. Let your friends talk instead and do something worthwhile.

9.  Help Yourself and be Happy:

Moving on is already hard as it is. In order to overcome the pain that others caused you, you have to help yourself. You need to push yourself to heal, too. No matter how others exert their effort to make you happy and move on, if you do not help yourself or if you do not motivate yourself, everything will be wasted. You have a responsibility to yourself and you have to stand for it. Do not let yourself get crushed by defeat. Realize that life throws a lot of opportunities to you. If you are too hard on yourself, you will never get past that stage.

You can look back once in a while, but only do so to reflect on the lessons you have learned while still in the relationship. If you ponder on these lessons, you certainly will have more insight on how to handle other relationships in the future.  With the help of all the things you have learned, you can face the future head-on and make yourself better. Use everything you have learned to push yourself forward. Try hard not to make the same mistakes again; only then will you be able to emerge victorious as a better and more attractive person.

Be happy! Smile despite the pain inside your heart. Smiling can do wonders to both the body and the soul. If you smile, you attract positivity. Try to make light of yourself. Make fun of yourself sometimes. Watch comedy shows and movies. Laugh with your friends. Do not restrain yourself. Smiling and laughing is good for your soul. Happy people are positive people. And you need to gather all the positive energy you can muster during this crucial time.

10. Love Again:

The ultimate way to succeed after each break-up is by opening yourself to the possibilities of a new and better relationship. Start dating and love again. The past relationship may have not worked out the way you want it to, but that should not stop you from exploring and finding a new love. Somewhere out there, there is someone who will surely be thankful that you and your ex have broken up. Give yourself some time before going back to the dating game again. Rebound relationships are the worst kind of relationships, and they usually don’t last because the foundation is weak.

Once you are ready for a more serious and better relationship, open up your heart and be careful not to be consumed with the attention and affection you are getting. Know the person fully first. Do not get too personal and intimate. Make sure that you have already made closure between you and your past; otherwise, you’ll just be repeating the same scenarios again. Do not rush things; instead, take it slowly. You will surely find the right guy for you, someone who will make you happy and will treat you a lot better than you have been treated before. Who knows - your next relationship may be the right one that will take you to the altar!

Recommended Reading

How to Heal a Broken Heart. And Stop the Pain

This is a book about dealing with a break up. At some point in one’s life they will go through the pain of a broken heart. While some people seem to move on from this quite quickly and easily, others have a more difficult time. This book was designed to help anyone that is currently struggling with a break up. Male or female, going through a break up is not easy. This book will help you through the entire process of mending your broken heart and moving on with your life.

In this e-book, you will find different steps of dealing with your broken heart. It is important to follow these steps so that you do not fall into a deeper depression. Many people fail to take the necessary steps to deal with their broken heart and end up falling into a deep depression. Depression is not something to mess around with and it is important to understand the signs of depression and when professional help is needed. There are several important signs to look for when considering grief and depression. This is also discussed in the book.

http://www.amazon.com/Heal-Broken-Heart-Stop-Pain-ebook/dp/B00GRH8TRG

How To Find Love

Here in this book, it is made clear that for the romantics, the road ahead may seem uncertain, but like the adage goes, good things come to those who wait. If they just hold on and refuse to give up, they will be granted with what they long for. On the other hand, the message is also complemented by a discussion on not leaving everything up to fate. Keep in mind that if you are after passionate love, doing something could improve your chances.

If they are on the brink of losing hope during their hunt, all women and men have to do is flip to one of the six chapters. And, after doing so, they will be reminded that dealing with frustrations will be worth it later on. Though sometimes, you may get dismayed by what can feel like constant failure when trying to find the one, not calling it quits is the wisest move you can make.

http://www.amazon.com/Find-Love-Attract-Love-Life-ebook/dp/B00G9MKR9W

One Last Thing...

If you enjoyed this book or found it useful, I’d be very grateful if you’d post a short review on Amazon. Your support really does make a difference and I read all the reviews personally so I can take your feedback on board in order to make this book even better.

If you’d like to leave a review then all you need to do is click the review link on this book’s page.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The story behind memory loss

Chapter 2 Memory loss causes and symptoms

Chapter 3 Memory loss diseases and types of memory loss

Chapter 4 Stress - a major role in memory loss

Chapter 5 Sleep and memory

Chapter 6 Memory Improvement Techniques, Tips and Tricks

Chapter 7 How can Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) help you on memory improvement

Chapter 8 IQ, Emotional Intelligence and NLP

Bonus Chapter

Conclusion

Bonus Chapter from the book “Stop Hurting and Start Living”

Recommended Reading