Everyone forgets things from time to time. But for some people, poor memory can be a perennial problem. The brain never actually loses a memory. It records each one like a computer.
However, problems with recall begin when we don't practise retrieving this information and so the memories we had become lost. The brain, like other parts of the body, needs physical and mental exercise, together with particular nutrients, to increase the power of memory. Here are 10 things to remember to do in order never to forget anything ...
1 – Eat Soya
According to Professor Sandra File, head of the psychopharmacology research unit at Guy's Hospital in London, isoflavones, the natural plant oestrogens in soya foods, might act on oestrogen receptors in the human brain, particularly those in the hippocampus, a crucial area for memory.
As a result, new nerve connections form more readily. Medical trials revealed that those fed a high soya diet showed improvements in verbal and non-verbal memory and in mental flexibility, all of which are controlled by the brain's frontal lobes. Soya can be added to the diet through natural products such as soya milk or through a recommended daily 50mg soy isoflavone supplement.
2 - Take memory Minerals
Studies at Kings College, London, and the University of Rochester in New York showed that a reduced iron intake can have a detrimental effect on IQ levels and cognitive function.
This is because of lack of iron causes low haemoglobin levels, which affect the supply of oxygen to the brain. Iron also plays an important role in the transmission of signals in the brain. A deficiency of zinc, found in oysters, red meat and peanuts, can also interfere with memory. Take a supplement of 7 to 9mg daily.
3 – Drink Coffee
Caffeine can improve mental and memory performance because it stimulates many regions of the brain that regulate wakefulness, arousal, mood and concentration.
Researchers at the University of Arizona found that older adults who drank half a pint of coffee just before a memory test saw a large improvement in performance compared to those who drank decaffeinated coffee. However, the benefits might be confined to regular coffee drinkers. Others could suffer side effects such as shakiness, anxiety or impaired concentration.
It's still best to drink no more than six cups of coffee a day – those with heart problems should drink less. Too much brewed or percolated coffee can raise blood cholesterol – instant or filter coffee are better choices.
4 – Mental Exercise
Research has shown that mental stimulation keeps the brain healthy and increases the strength of memory.
As we age, it is normal to have changes in memory, but keeping the mind active does diminish weaknesses. Clinical psychologist Ron Bracey suggests using techniques such as puzzles, crosswords and widening cultural and social interests, all of which create different pathways in the brain.
5 – Physical Exercise
Half-an-hour of activity three times a week is enough to bring about significant increase in brain power; says a study at the Duke University Medical Centre in North Carolina.
Exercise improves the heart’s ability to pump blood more effectively. Memory benefits from improved blood flow to specific regions at the front of the brain whose functions include planning, organization and the ability to juggle different intellectual tasks.
6 – Chew Gum
Japanese researchers found that activity in the hippocampus, an area of the brain important for memory, increases while people chew. Recent research suggests that insulin receptors in the brain may be involved too, as chewing releases insulin because the body is expecting food.
But, says Dr Andre Scholey of the University of Northumbria, the simplest reason could be that chewing increases the heart rate, thus improving the delivery of oxygen to the brain and enhancing its cognitive powers.
7 – Take Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo is the world’s oldest living tree. It has been used for memory enhancement in Eastern cultures for thousands of years.
Dr George Lewith, complementary health consultant to Boots, says Ginkgo improves blood circulation to the brain by dilating blood vessels and increasing its oxygen supply.
Ginkgo also mops up harmful compounds known as free radicals, which are thought to damage brain cells. Advised supplement dose is 120mg a day.
9 – Eat oily fish
Omega 3 fatty acids, found in oily fish, are essential components of brain cell membranes, and their role in cell structure is thought to improve the powers of memory. High concentrations of Omega 3 in the brain and nervous system not only boost learning powers and age-related memory, but also greatly enhance mood.
Omega 3 is a particularly important during foetal development, so pregnant women should have a regular supply. Good sources include fish such as sardines, salmon, herring and mackerel. Sardines are also a rich source of the nutrient choline, which is a key brain chemical associated with memory. Try to eat three portions of oily fish a week or take a supplement of 330mg three times a week.
9 – Rosemary and sage
Essential oil made from rosemary and sage can stimulate the memory, strengthen clarity and awareness and help to relieve mental fatigue. Psychologists at the University of Northumbria tested essential oils from rosemary on memory attention and mood and discovered it made volunteers feel more alter and enhanced their long-term memory by around 15%. Some studies have found that volunteers’ ability to remember lists of words improved by more than 10% if they had taken a capsule of sage oil.
10 – Take vitamin B
B vitamins deliver oxygen to the brain and provide protection against free radicals. They help to sharpen senses and boost memory. Niacin or B3 is particularly good for brain enhancement, while B6 is essential for the manufacture of neurotransmitters, especially mood-enhancing serotonin.
B12 is important for overall health of brain cells. B vitamins are also needed to help the body form acetylcholine, a key brain chemical needed for memory – Daily Mail.
its no wonder so many Asians are smart mashallah....but u wud never catch me tryin any of these things..
Eat Soya
Soya?? what in the world is that?
Drink Coffee
doesnt coffee stunt ur growth and aint caffiene like bad for ppl....u cud be short and smart lol
coffee smells soo gud...but no matter how much sugar u add to that stuff, through my taste buds its always gonna be bitter. bleh
Mental Exercise
is that like erm..games and stuff?
Rosemary and sage
Take vitamin B
now that i can do...
Eat oily fish
now that i cannot do..
somethin bout the word "oily" makes me feel like im gonna break out.
much gud info sis
oh i heard that blueberries help you avoid memory loss or somethin like that..
Jazak Allah khair
i might have to take a lot of those into consideration since my mind isn't as gud these days...sometimes i think i got alzheimers or somethin lol..
inshallah stuff like that can help me prepare for tests and quran memorization
I do everything mentioned there except these theree
Take Ginkgo biloba- I will try that
Rosemary and sage- Whats sage?
Chew gum- well rarely I don't always chew gum
“If you punish, then punish with the like of that wherewith you were afflicted. But if you endure patiently, indeed it is better for the patient. Endure you patiently. Your patience is not except through the help of Allah." (al-Nahl 16:126-127)
I do everything mentioned there except these theree
lol
well maybe u can explain to me what the heck soya is then??
oh and erm.. do u have a gud memory? i mean since u tried out most of these things i wud assume u did.
The brain never actually loses a memory. It records each one like a computer.
sorry but i got to pick one that.. i had to study psychology this year at school and well... that claim isnt actually proven or anything, so its not really known whether we do forget stuff completly, and btw its only some psychologist who think that the brain is like a computer! many many find this appraoch limited
Alhumdulillah i can remember most things widout eating any of these wierd stuff...*smile*..
what r rosemary, n sage..n soda..n also the bilobba thing..?
and i can't eat chewing gum!!..sumone told me when i was small that it sticks to the stomach..and since then i'm a bit afraid of it...*grin*
وإذا لم يكن منَ الموتِ بُدُّ فمِنَ العَجزِ أنْ تَكُونَ جَبَانا
If death is something inescapable, then it is from weakness to be a coward-!
Lahoo main bhegay dareeda Anchal
Qasam hai tum ko bhula na daina...
I think it was Imam an-Nawawi? no no no no, it was Imam Az-Zuhri who recommended eating raisins to help keep memory strong I would think we can take that from him right? lol..since he was a well known muhaddith masha'allah.
I drink lots of soya since I'm Asian hehehe....and...the oily fish too, and I'm addicted to gum, but I dont really do the others
Charisma soya is the soya bean, many people use it as a substitute for milk. Vegetarians especially. It looks like your regular white bean and you can blend it with water and add sugar to make some yummy milk...tofu and tempe is also a product of soya
Charisma soya is the soya bean, many people use it as a substitute for milk. Vegetarians especially. It looks like your regular white bean and you can blend it with water and add sugar to make some yummy milk...tofu and tempe is also a product of soya
ah, i see..i knew it was some kind of bean lol
barak Allah feeki
oh and erm..how does fish oil taste like?? i dont like fish i dun know bout the oil though...
It doesn't necessarily have to be fish oil itself, there are certain types of fish which contain a lot of oil. However if you want to take the oil itself you can too......but its disgusting..lol...for example the Cod liver oil. It has a strong taste of fish and is just....horrible ..but good for health!! they have them in pill form too though so it's not a problem
It doesn't necessarily have to be fish oil itself, there are certain types of fish which contain a lot of oil. However if you want to take the oil itself you can too......but its disgusting..lol...for example the Cod liver oil. It has a strong taste of fish and is just....horrible ..but good for health!! they have them in pill form too though so it's not a problem
i can imagine...
i havent eaten a fish, ever since i almost died choking on a piece of bone
so yea fish dont taste all that gud to me and they can possible kill you if u dont eat them with proper caution. lol.
i might try somethin like those pills, i hope they are flavor free and efficient
oh yeah cod liver oil....my mum wanted to buy that and she was asking me and my sis if we would drink it...she said it tasted horrible.....now that you say im not sure if i want it......
oh yeah cod liver oil....my mum wanted to buy that and she was asking me and my sis if we would drink it...she said it tasted horrible.....now that you say im not sure if i want it......
Ha, I was told by a Sheikh there's nothing we can really do. Allah will only place such memory in such peolpe. Come on, admit to it.. we like being stupid.
Read some verses in Surah Ta'Ha which if somebody can find and post here, I shall give them a good rep and some dua. (Message me if I forget.)
There's also (what my mum tells us) eat 7 raisins in the morning with honey before anything. And almonds. Boil the almonds first though, to remove the 'buffering' effect that they can cause to the mind after you've had one too many.
Oh by the way, men should be careful about Ginkgo biloba. It's umm for the mind to be a little confused. Makes it think a few other things too.
Got a question, or got something in general to say or ask me, drop me a line. Peace out!
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