There is no escaping it. There will be times when your memory will fail you. And when it happens you find yourself asking the inevitable question: Is it a sign of aging?
Oftentimes, you can attribute lapses of memory, which happens to everyone, to one basic fault of yours — not paying enough attention.
Yes, everyone goes through moments of memory loss. It is normal. But in order to prevent this from deteriorating, there are natural ways to improve memory. Here are a few helpful tips:
• Eat healthy. Wholefoods are the answer. Eating from scratch, as the best chefs in the world say, is the perfect way to eat healthy. In short, go to the market. The more natural the source and the natural state of the food you eat, the better. Fresh produce, like vegetables, fruits, fish, chicken, meats, eggs, are best bought fresh from the farm. Compared to processed foods, natural food is by far, the healthiest. This is because their nutrient content has not been compromised by any kind of processing which otherwise would have been cooked, packed and canned. More often than not, these processed foods contain preservatives, flavoring, coloring, etc. In short, the more natural the state of food, the better for you.
drink green tea to ease inflammation in the body.
• Less sugar. Cut back on the sugar. By restricting your sugar intake, the lower the risk of cognitive decline. There has been research that shows the effect of a sugar-rich diet on the brain which affects the prefrontal cortex that stores short-term memory. Cutting back on sugary beverages or limiting generous portions of dessert is a good way to start. Sugar in general can compromise the immune system. So, for overall better health, this is a good enough reason to go easy on the sweets.
• Anti-inflammatory foods. Load up on foods that can ease the inflammation in the body. Consider the following: Berries (rich in anthocyanins, especially acai, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries; avocados; turmeric (contains the potent curcumin used in ancient Ayurveda medicine); cherries; grapes (rich in resveratrol found in the skin of grapes, best in supplement form); omega-3 fatty acids (fish oils that are high in DHA and EPA, deep-sea fish, mackerel, sardines, tuna); cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts); peppers; green tea; dark chocolate (contains flavanols that counter inflammation); tomatoes (contains lycopene, especially when cooked in olive oil); and extra virgin olive oil (highly-rated as an anti-inflammatory; this is considered one of the healthiest sources of fat).
Anti-inflammatory foods include blueberries.
• Manage stress. The goal is to achieve a calm mind. Learn how to meditate. Do this daily. A harmonious mind combats stress easily.
• Exercise. The key is good circulation. Regular, moderate exercise will keep your blood flowing freely throughout the body, especially the brain.
• Quality sleep. Put in a good, restful seven to eight hours of sleep nightly. This is one of the best anti-aging practices.
• Minimize alcohol intake. Bingeing on alcohol impacts on the brain in negative ways by directly affecting memory. Drink in moderation.
• Do not smoke. Smoking causes many life-threatening illnesses including stroke, cancer and heart disease. There are more than 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke of which 250 are known to be harmful like nicotine, cyanide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, benzene, and formaldehyde.
• Train your brain. Do mind exercises to improve your memory. Suggestions: Compute mentally without the use of a calculator, get playing cards and match the cards in pairs, make a list and memorize it, learn a new language, change your stimulus as often as you can by choosing new environments, make new friends, do crossword puzzles, sudoku, learn a new skill like painting dancing or cooking.
Affirmation: “My mind is sharp and my heart is strong.”
Love and light.