Memory Aids and Enhancements
Anyone who has reached a ripe old age, whatever that is, knows that some funny things start to happen to your memory as you grow older. Like maybe you see someone you’ve known for years and, embarrassingly, you can’t remember their first name. Or, you’ve misplaced your keys for the umpteenth time this week and, once again, you’re tearing the house apart to find them. Or, you’re talking to someone and, mid-sentence, you forget where you were even going with that thought!
It happens. It happens to you and to many others as they age. Is there anything you can do to slow the “sands of time” so that you don’t lose your mind and your memory along with it? Your brain is basically a “use it or lose it” muscle. So… short of placing a computer memory chip in your brain, here are some ways to exercise it to keep it in tip-top shape.
• Breaking your normal routine to force your brain to use different pathways, for example, try eating with the lights off or with your opposite hand.
• Take a course at a local community college or night school in a subject that you want to know more about; really apply yourself to learning the material.
• Learn a new game that involves some strategy, like chess or backgammon.
• Do a daily crossword, Sudoku or word jumble to challenge your memory.
• Learn a new skill, like cooking, knitting or photography.
• Try different, non-familiar routes to get to a place you go to often.
• Read, read, read… newspapers, books and magazines… for relaxation and to stimulate those brain cells.
• Work on a project that requires organization and planning, such as identifying photos and putting them in albums or planting a backyard garden.
• Remain involved with others – socialization brings about meaningful interaction while isolation may cause depression and further memory loss.
Ginkgo biloba is a top-selling herbal supplement that increases blood flow to the brain. Used as a dietary supplement, it is sold without a prescription in pharmacies and health food stores. Many people use Ginkgo to improve memory and to treat Alzheimer's disease. It is widely used in Europe to treat Alzheimer's disease and dementia, based upon a body of evidence that demonstrates its ability to improve thinking, learning and memory.
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