Natural Memory Boosting Remedies

We would all love to be able to remember things better. Whether you’re a student studying for a test or an adult who’s becoming more forgetful, you’re probably looking for something to boost your memory.

The best way to optimize your memory is to eat right and exercise (your brain and your body),
but it you find this isn’t helping enough, there are safe, natural foods and supplements that will help give your memory the boost you’re looking for.

Here are some important nutrients and supplements that will help boost your memory along with other great side effects.

* Choline. This is the main nutrient required in the production of acetocholine, the most essential chemical in retaining memories. Choline can be found in fish(particularly anchovies), eggs, liver, soy, and various nuts.

* DMAE. This is easily absorbed into the brain and also aids in the production of acetylcholine. It can be found in sardines and anchovies, but most people prefer taking a supplement. Be sure to take it in the morning, as it can cause insomnia.

* Vitamins. Getting enough of the B vitamins and vitamin C are essential for the production proper brain function. B vitamins have even been shown to raise scores on IQ tests.

* Pyroglutamate. This is an essential amino acid that can be used to improve memory, concentration, coordination, and reaction time.
It improves reception of neurotransmitters and aids in the production of acetylcholine. It is found in dairy products, fish, fruit, and vegetables.

* Phosphatidylserine. This chemical has not only been shown to improve memory, but also has beneficial effectson concentration, mood, and resistance to stress.
While you can get this nutrient from your diet, you’d probably be more comfortable taking a supplement.

* Omega 3 Fatty Acids. These “good fats” can be found in fish, including: tuna, salmon, and mackerel. They can also be found in certain nuts and oils. Those supplements increase the amount of acetylcholine and serotonin in the body thereby improving memory and mood.

* Ginko Biloba. This is used to improve circulation, increasing blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Ginko is said to improve memory and give you an energy boost. It has been shown to help memory loss from normal aging. Be careful how much you take, it can have side effects due to its blood thinning properties.

* Vinpocetine. This supplement is derived from the periwinkle plant and increases circulation. It has been proven to improve decision making and problem solving skills.

* Carnitine. This is an essential amino acid that improves memory and brain function and mood; it also has antioxidant properties. Acetyl-L-carnitine is essential in the production of acetylcholine.

* Glutamine. Another important amino acid for brain function. Along with the improved brain function, glutamine is an energy booster that can help you break your addictions to stimulants. It also helps balance neurotransmitters and blood sugar levels.

Getting one or two of these nutrients can help you feel better and improve your memory, but if you want to have optimal functioning of your brain, it’s best to get as many appropriate amounts of each of these nutrients from diet and supplements if you can.

Note: The claims made in this article are based on the known characteristics of the products that are described. Results can vary with each individual.

More about boosting your mental abilities!

Fran

A Surprising Secret to a Long Life: Stay in School

Excerpts from an article in The New York Times Jan.3 2007 written by Gina Kolata
James Smith, a health economist at the RAND Corporation, has heard a variety of hypotheses about what it takes to live a long life - money, lack of stress, a loving family, lots of friends. But he has been a skeptic.

He is venturing into one of the prevailing mysteries of aging, the persistent differences seen in the life spans of large groups. In every country, there is an average life span for the nation as a whole and there are average life spans for
different subsets, based on race, geography, education and even churchgoing.

The answers, he and others say, have been a surprise. The one social factor that researchers agree is consistently linked to longer lives in every country where it has been studied is education. It is more important than race and
obliterates any effects of income.

Year after year, in study after study, says Richard Hodes, director of the National Institute on Aging, education "keeps coming up."

And, health economists say, those factors that are popurlarly believed to be crucial - money and health insurance, for example, pale in comparison.

The New York Times nytimes.com The New Age

Technorati tags: health insurance, education, aging, life, live, country income