Improve Your Memory and Reduce The Risk Of Developing Alzheimer’s Disease

Increasingly, scientists and researchers are confirming a link between keeping your brain active and reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease. While there is no guarantee, of course, more and more evidence shows that at the very least, actively working to improve your memory and keep your brain active also helps to improve your overall health and well being.

Exercise Your Brain

Your brain functions through millions of connections called synapses; the more you have, the better your brain performs. Synapses can be disconnected in a number of ways, but the good news is you can also create new synapses and strengthen existing ones in a number of ways, too. You can accomplish this by “exercising” your brain, just as you exercise the rest of your body.

But how, exactly, can you exercise your brain? By using it, of course! Seniors who make a conscious effort to stimulate their brains and keep them active are much less likely to develop Alzheimer’s, depression, or general dementia. So it is important to continually find ways to make your brain work a little bit harder and keep those synapses strong.

Brain Exercises

In general, anything you do that causes you to think or use your brain in new ways can provide the vital exercise your brain needs. But this doesn’t have to be boring, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some examples of great exercises for your brain:

• Change your routine

The more often you repeat a routine the less your brain has to work, so consciously look for ways to do things in a different way. If you normally brush your teeth with your right hand, for example, try using your left hand instead. Or, when you go to the grocery store go through the aisles in the opposite way you normally would.

• Expand your knowledge

Taking in new information is a good way to keep your brain active, so find ways to expand your knowledge. Read more books, take a class, study an interesting subject, or anything else you can think of along these lines.

• Use your senses

Your brain is also strengthened when you use multiple senses to take in information, perform tasks, and the like. Find ways to use more than one sense when you’re doing normal activities. For instance, you could read a magazine aloud or take notes as you carry on a conversation or watch a movie. By using more than one sense to process information your brain is better able to stay healthy.

• Seek new mental challenges

This is a particularly fun way to strengthen your brain because it is all about playing games and challenging yourself. Do word searches, try your hand at Sudoku, do mind puzzles, complete a crossword puzzle, or any other activity that causes you to think and solve problems.

• Electronic tools

There are more and more electronic tools available to help seniors keep their brains active and healthy. Try a computer software game designed for this purpose, or get a handheld device (like a NintendoDS) plus some of the special software that exists for this platform. Keep it in your purse or pocket, and use it when you’re waiting for an appointment, riding the bus, or any other free moment that occurs.

Keep The Rest of Your Body Healthy

There is a very strong relationship between the health of your brain and the health of the rest of your body, so don’t skimp in this area either. Keep your body healthy with regular exercise, good nutrition, and a good night’s sleep. If you smoke, stop; if you drink, do it in moderation. Anything you can do to improve your physical condition and health will also improve the functioning of your brain.

Another way to keep your body and your brain healthy is to cut down on stress in your life. Stress can cause you to feel fatigued, be more susceptible to illnesses, and be less active. Additionally, the chemicals and enzymes produced in your brain due to stress can damage those synapses you’re working so hard to build up.

So take time to relax and don’t schedule your days with too many responsibilities or requirements. Practice relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, or simply closing your eyes and letting yourself take a break. Keeping your body healthy will also keep your brain healthy, resulting in a better overall quality of life.

A Healthy Body Is A Healthy Mind and Memory

The reliability of memory is still a question as in most cases it is distorted by suggestions. The certainty of memory depends on the encryption it had on the mind of the individual and the duration. Diminishing memory is the result of neurons malfunction – there are three ways that can help us identify factors that can stimulate our memory. We should figure out ways to stop neurons from dying and stimulate growth of new neurons and by getting the existing neurons to function efficiently. Memory i.e is chemical compound known as Ampakines enhances neurons functioning. Other ways to improve memory is to start taking memory training and practicing games such as cross words, brainteasers and other memory exercises.

Apart from memory training, consuming a healthy diet rich in Omega 3 fats and antioxidants also helps. Five small meal patterns should be followed as it prevents blood sugar from lowering i.e the primary source of energy to the brain. Jogging and brisk walks helps in blood circulation and have been proved to reduce the risk of Alzheimer disease. Getting proper sleep and stress reduction helps curtailing the production of cortisol in our body that harms memory and is known to shrink the memory center in brain.

Regular practice helps us give a jog to our memory that is as fruitful as the physical jogging. We should let our brain run thru as many facts it retains and associate each with some picture, color or number to make it easier for recall. But accuracy of recall depends on proper functioning of three aspects of the brain the part that form, stores and receives memory. At times dreams are made of distorted memories we usually club our experiences with a particular memory creating a new situation altogether.

People who have suffered head injuries or suffer any kind of pain otherwise tend to be more forgetful according to one of the studies. The study goes on to suggest that chronic pain leads to brain shrinkage and degradation of neurons. People with emotional distress and chronic pain are more susceptible to brain atrophy. Varying pains have varying effects on the brain and affects different regions in our brain. Such conditions can be improved and memory can be improvised by realistic psychotherapy and medication.

It is often observed that we remember traumatic events better than happier moments. It is associated with a certain type of protein produced in our brain while we go thru that experience and makes it embedded in the long-term memory zone of our brain. These proteins help in strengthening the connection in neurons acting as a catalyst in memory storage. This study is being used now to improve memory conditions by treating our brain with the same kind of protein to make our memory everlasting. Another study goes on to prove that zinc helps to improve memory especially in children. This study has been used at the grass root level by more health drink and medical supplement manufacturers who target their zinc fortified drink, cereal and nutritional supplements to adolescents.

There are ayurvedic cures in the market that claim to guarantee similar results like “Memocare” the product is a mix of herbs that promises to reduce stress and anxiety. It also promises to accelerate brain function and improve memory. There are hosts of other companies too offering similar promises like Brain quicken that claims to be effective in one hour but it mainly targets to improve short-term memory. Its constituents are a complex mix of nutrients and other propriety constituents.

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