Sikh Doctor Gives Tips On Improving Memory

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One day you run into an old friend on the street -- and blank out completely on his name.

Another time, you stride with purpose from one end of your house to the other to do something -- but when you get there, you don't have a clue as to what it was.

You forgot.

It happens to all of us at one time or another. The memory fails. Facts flutter away. And generally, the older we get, the more we forget.

But here's one piece of information you might want to remember: Researchers and doctors say there are some ways to fix a faulty memory, or at least boost our powers of recollection.

The memory-aiding strategies -- which range from putting information in a memorable context to reducing stress and improving nutrition -- can't be expected to cure advanced Alzheimer's disease, brain damage or other serious afflictions. But they offer promise for people suffering from the normal, but troubling, lapses of memory related to aging.

"It's the nagging little memory lapses that start to bother us," says Elizabeth Glisky, a University of Arizona psychology professor who conducts research on memory. "Our research suggests that there are some things you can do about it."

Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa, president of the Tucson, Ariz.-based Alzheimer's Prevention Foundation, shares that optimism. "The brain is flesh and blood just like the rest of the body," he says. "It's not a computer. It's not a piece of wood. It's an organ, so it needs exercise, oxygen, glucose and general good nutrition" to function well.

That, Khalsa says, means there's hope for preserving brain functions s

uch as memory -- and even improving them.

If it appears you're dealing with normal forgetfulness, Glisky offers these suggestions:

• Pay attention. That might sound obvious, but in reality our minds sometimes wander instead of focusing on the matter at hand.

"It may be that some older people will have to consciously make an effort to pay attention," Glisky says. "It's not as automatic as it is for younger people."

• Repeat information you want to retain. For example, if you're introduced to several people at a party, try to repeat their names. One way to do this inconspicuously is to introduce your new acquaintances to others at the party. After several repetitions, you'll probably remember the names.

• Make associations. Using the same example of meeting people at a party, try to associate a person's name with something about him or her. Harry might sport a thick mane of hair, and that could be the association that would help you remember his name. Theresa might strike you as a bit saintly -- like Mother Teresa.

• Write things down. There's nothing wrong with making a list and relying on it.

• Use it or lose it. "It's still somewhat controversial," Glisky says, "but there's some evidence to suggest that people who are mentally active will retain their cognitive abilities."

Khalsa has sought to prevent and reverse memory loss with "an integrative or holistic approach" in his work with the Alzheimer's Prevention Foundation. These steps, he says, are "similar to a regular, healthful lifestyle, but they're very important to mental function and memory."

Khalsa's key factors include:

• Nutrition. A nutritious diet, low in saturated fats and bolstered with vitamins and minerals, can benefit the brain just as it nourishes the rest of the body, Khalsa says.

• Stress management. "Stress raises a chemical in the blood called cortisol. It&

#39;s neurotoxic," he says. "It kills brain cells in the memory center of the brain. Ways to reduce it would be meditation, yoga, massage or guided imagery."

• Exercise. Both physical and mental exercise can help limit memory loss, Khalsa says. "Studies have shown that women who get regular exercise between the ages of 40 and 60 have a lower incidence of Alzheimer's," he says. "... People who exercise increase blood flow to the brain and decrease memory loss."

The brain itself also needs regular workouts, Khalsa says. What's required is "thinking, but not intellectual thinking, like your job," he says. "This is the idea of doing something different -- taking up a hobby or music, using flashcards or working crossword puzzles. You have to exercise your brain just as you exercise your body."

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Puzzles and games

Here are two Internet sites where you'll find an assortment of puzzles and games, which might help in keeping your mind and memory sharp.

• www.aarp.org/games

• www.thinks.com

Try mnemonics

Mnemonics is a technique for improving the memory by using formulas or associations.

One common form of the technique -- useful in remembering lists of things -- sounds cumbersome. But try it: You might be surprised.

First, memorize this poem-like list:

One is a bun. Two is a shoe. Three is a tree. Four is a door. Five is a hive. Six is sticks. Seven is heaven. Eight is a gate. Nine is a vine. Ten is a hen.

Now, whenever you have a list of up to 10 things to recall without notes, the poem -- and a sense of humor -- will come to your aid.

Say you need to remember four items to pick up at the grocery -- steak, milk, toilet paper and peanut butter.

Use your own imagination and humor to connect each item with a number.

First, remember steak. Begin with number one. One is a bun. Imagine a steak tucked into a hamburger bun.

Milk? Two is a shoe.

Perhaps you could create a comic picture of a man's shoe filled with milk.

For toilet paper, go to three, a tree. Envision a tree that's been "toilet-papered" by a prankster.

Peanut butter? Four is a door. Maybe somebody used peanut butter to stick a door shut, or a joker coated the handle with peanut butter.

Now, remember that one is a bun -- and see what pops to mind: the steak.

[Guest balwinderkaur]

these are cool ideas.....i oughta try them out...given that i have such a lousy memory. thanks for sharing .

[jarnail singh]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

hmmmmm

interesting

:T:

worth a try i guess