Who says that only mind freaks can have photographic memory? You definitely can hear the amazement of the crowd when the Mind Freak himself was able to draw for you a detailed drawing of the entire city just after a 5 min helicopter ride. The way these people are able to take a mental snapshot of things is really amazing. Now, imagine if you have the exact same power and ability. Wouldn’t that be incredible? Just glimpse through your textbooks the hour before you sit for your exam and you will definitely score a miracle ‘A’. Check out these 3 effective photographic memory techniques for you that you can use and benefit from.
The one thing you should know is that photographic memory requires some kind of practice and technique too. So if you cannot do it after the first try, don't stop trying. Give yourself some time to get used to it too.
First, there is the link system, which aids you with all sorts of memory work. This is highly useful especially when you need to memorize texts in the form of lists or chores. So, lets say if you have a long shopping list to remember, try to get all the words and try to link them all in a mental visualization. Example, if you are given a list of things - pink, shirt, cat, slippers, ironing and flowers, make a picture out of this by thinking of CAT wearing a SHIRT printed with FLOWERS and so on. When you reach the last item, try to link it to the first. This short mental film will help you to remember effectively and quickly.
The second method commonly used is the peg system. The peg system is essentially a system where you need to remember images in a sequence. This number-shape system will help you to remember the sequences of images accurately in a jiffy. For example, you are given pictures of a elephant, giraffe, mouse, antelope, dog, and cat arranged in this sequence. To use the peg system, simply attach a number to each picture Example 1 elephant, 2 giraffes, 3 mice, 4 antelopes et cetera. At the same time, use your visualization techniques to make the peg system work. Remember to link the animals to each other, by using the same technique as mentioned in the link system.
Surely you've heard of mind-mapping. This is the last best effective technique that you can use. Back in the school days, the mind mapping technique is a very popular and highly encouraged technique. However, because of the seemingly complex concepts behind mind-mapping, it has since been disregarded as a technique over time. Well, this of course depends on the kind of area you are planning to use the mind mapping technique for. To use the mind mapping technique effectively, simply take the key central image of the concept and branch out information that is related. It might get messier as you go by, but it is an excellent tool for organizing a busy timetable or storing large quantities of information.
Developing photographic memory is not at all that tough. If you are not born with this gift, then get sneaky and try out these tricks and apply them. Your friends will be shocked by your tremendous improvement in your memory work.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
3 Effective Photographic Memory Techniques For You
Sudden Memory Loss - 4 Great Tips To Manage Or Even Prevent It
Memory loss is a condition that is often associated with old age. As such, it is definitely not a surprise when your grandmother is suffering from memory lapses due to Alzheimer’s disease. However, what happens if YOU are the one who is suffering from memory loss. Imagine the shock and horror of your friends when they find out that their spritely young friend is suffering from a disease that is usually suffered by their grandmothers. So, if you're looking to prevent that scenario from ever happening, learn these 4 easy ways to manage sudden memory loss.
The fact is, memory loss is a condition that can affect anyone, regardless of his or her age. The only difference is that memory loss that occurred to the older generation are caused by the wear and tear over the decades.
#1 Learn some easy memorizing techniques
If you are having a hard time remembering the list of things in your grocery list, which you left at home, then learn to use easy memorizing techniques. Do not get too worried when you cannot remember the things from the list. This does not necessarily mean that you are suffering from sudden memory loss. Perhaps you've used the wrong techniques to memorize your grocery list. The easiest method to memorize long lists is to associate the items with a visual or imagery cue that you can better relate to than you can with words. For example if you are given a list of items - banana, flowers, and cat, try to imagine a cat dressed in flowers, eating a banana. See, it makes memorizing far easier, and lots more fun.
#2 Healthy diet
Who might have guessed that the key to eliminating sudden memory loss is to eat a healthy and balanced diet? The main thing about this is that you have got to be constant with your dieting efforts. This might sound nothing more like a diet guidebook to you, but in reality, these healthy dieting tips can really help you recover from severe memory loss. Food like blueberries, spinach and broccoli are extremely good for your memory.
#3 Mind games
Contrary to popular belief, mind games can be good for adults as they are for kids. Even mature adults like you and me are entitled to play mind games. If you're looking to give your memory a boost, try playing some fun mind games. Puzzles and such are also ideal as it provides immense amount of thinking and some strategizing too. Anything that can help stimulate the brain and trigger the thinking process is in fact beneficial as it trains the mind and keeps it active.
#4 Organize
Keeping your things neat and tidy will definitely help you tons. Our minds are influenced by the environment around us, but if you're disorganized and live life amidst a mess and clutter, you feel that your mind is not working good enough to retrieve information just as difficult as it is for you to find things amidst the clutter around you. Too much clutter also confuses the brain and hence your memory would not work as well when you see things strewn over the place at all times.
Do try on these tips and see drastic improvement with your memory. Good luck!
Monday, December 29, 2008
4 Common Causes Of Memory Loss
The scary thing about memory loss is that it can happen to anyone, regardless of his or her age. For example you might be at the prime of your life physically, but mentally your memory is like a sieve. Does the thought of losing all your precious memories scare the crap out of you? Then learn these 4 common causes of memory loss and how you can prevent yourself from doing the same mistakes and save yourself from the horror of losing your memory.
1. Diet
Some people just ignore the importance of their diet and base their diet on chips, chips and more chips! An unhealthy and unbalanced diet will just make your mind and body suffer. A good diet will allow good circulation in the body hence, allowing the memory to register past and present information quickly. Additionally, remember to include a good dosage of exercises to complement the dieting. Exercising will help to keep the memory fresh and at the same time rejuvenating the body. Also, do note of some of the healthy foods like blueberries, spinach and broccoli, that can help to save you and your memory.
2. Lack of activity
If you haven't lived life as an active person, then chances are you are going to be mentally weak too. This hence pose as a challenge for you as now you will find it harder to process information fast. As the matter of fact, if this unhealthy lifestyle of little or even no activity continues, then chances are you are going to suffer from memory loss at a very young age. Keeping the mind active is really simple; practice some mind exercises that involves some kind of brainstorming and thinking along the way. Stimulate your brain and put your mind to work by trying out new things for example, learning a new instrument or learning a new language.
3. Lack of thinking
Thinking is not a very hard process. Everyone can think, but perhaps what puts most people off from it is the fact that they lack the ability to do it effectively. Just like when you carry weights consistently, you will find that your body gets toned up over time. The similar analogy applies to the brain. When the brain is able to do some work, it gets worked up and healthy. This is why a lot of schools encourage amongst their students brainstorming sessions so as to make their brain work and hence strengthening their minds and memory capabilities.
4. Old age
Memory loss is a phenomenon associated with old age. The theory behind age related memory loss is inconclusive but some have speculated that the brain cells decrease over time and thus adversely affects the mind's ability to retain memory as we age. Others said that our brain cells are not communicating very well and hence memory and other information cannot be stored effectively. Be it short term memory loss or Alzheimer’s disease, memory loss can be a heartbreaking phenomenon to most.
It is time for you to use this as a guide and don’t let the memory loss stop you; instead it is YOU who should stop the memory loss.
Do You Understand A Child With Down Syndrome?
Cathy Morgan, a mother of a child with Down syndrome, recalls when she received the initial diagnosis of Down syndrome from the doctor: "Her message was 'Legally, you have 24 weeks to terminate the pregnancy and you should do it sooner rather than later because it will be more difficult on you if you wait,' and you're sort of taken aback." She said that she was scared, nervous and disappointed at first but abortion was never an option for her. Now that she has three-year-old Eddie, she couldn't imagine life without him. Raising any child is not any easy job, whether they have 46 chromosomes or 47.
At home, your attitude is critical to your child's development. Here are some Down syndrome facts. While acceptance and social normalcy are a reality now more than ever, your child will still face hurdles with cruel children at school. A Down child is also susceptible to depression, so your love and acceptance is very important. Many parents attend support group meetings through the National Down Syndrome Society to learn how to better care for their Down syndrome child and to address any negative emotions.
Patience is more than just a virtue here; it is an absolute necessity. While your child may learn to breast feed, roll over, walk and talk later than his or her peers, you will still find these achievements just as significant. Set aside time each day to practice daily skills like getting dressed, using silverware or helping with chores. Being organized with a routine, as well as a system of lists, behavior contracts and rewards is the best way to encourage your child against the effects of Down syndrome.
As your child with Down syndrome grows, work on fostering independent skills like bathing, grooming, eating and dressing. This will prepare Down syndrome children for a possible future that includes independent living. Many adults with Down syndrome have their own apartments or live with others in a group home where they can achieve a level of freedom and maturity. The more you engage your child in social activities and the more interests you expose him or her to, the more active and self-sufficient your child will become. Special Olympics, art classes or music classes are hobbies that many disabled children excel at, which improves self esteem and confidence.
Know the health risks of your child with Down syndrome. Find a good medical practitioner who specializes in Down syndrome obstacles. Heart defects, visual impairments, hearing problems and difficulty breathing are all common ailments children with Down syndrome may face. Diet is also very important for the disabled. Be aware that obesity can be a problem, and that high-sugar/additives/preservatives may be upsetting. Try a natural diet with alpha-ketoglutaric acid supplements. You may also need to limit dairy if your child is prone to ear infections. Additionally, a Down syndrome child may sleep poorly, with frequent awakenings and interrupted REM sleep. This could lead to more difficulty focusing and learning, research suggests. Discuss treatment options with your health care practitioner if you suspect this condition may be prevalent.
Various Memory Loss Diseases
Memory loss is not an entirely new phenomenon but not many people are aware of the alarming rate at which the number of people suffering from memory loss related diseases is increasing! Such diseases include, Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or also known as senile dementia and amnesia. Although the number of diseases seem insignficantly small, these three main diseases themselves can branch out into numerous other classifications, for example dementia can be categorized into, senile dementia, vascular dementia, chronic or reversible dementia. In this article, we would seek to identify some more common kinds of memory loss diseases.
Dementia
Dementia can cause our brain to degrade and loss its memory causing a person to find a simple task almost impossible to accomplish. Personality changes and behavior are also common as people with dementia are more prone to being irritated and easily get aggressive. Vascular dementia which represents the malformation of the blood vessels, when it becomes severe, can result in stroke or sudden memory loss. While the latter does not occur all the time, however, as the disease develops over time, the sad but inevitable fact is that memory loss would be a sure thing. Tobacco is also a culprit contributing to vascular dementia. Tobacco impedes blood flow to the brain and thus increasing overall blood pressure and the chances of getting a stroke, which inevitably leads to vascular dementia.
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease, or also known as senile dementia, is a common condition amongst the elderly. It is also one of the most common causes of memory loss and can be categorized into various degrees of memory loss, which depends on the stage the disease is in. During the early stages, memory loss would already be evident as a patient begins to lose names and at later stages, associations and even identities would have been forgotten! Alzheimer’s is related to age as it often occur to the people above 60 years of age.
Amnesia
Amnesia though not really termed as a disease by itself, is often associated with other memory loss diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Recognizing the symptoms and signs of amnesia can no doubt help us determine if we are vulnerable to other mentally degenerative diseases. Amnesia can come in the form of forgetfulness or memory lapses, where you cannot remember the conversation you just had or you forgot what you wanted to do when you enter your room. Chronic amnesia on the other hand may cause a person’s mind to totally erase their personality or their identity, causing them to forget who they are. This results in personality changes for the worse and in most cases, such people drop into low-self esteem and long term depression due to their degenerative condition.
Memory loss may sound intimidating at first, but there are preventive measures that you can take to prevent it from happening to you. Continue doing ongoing research on how to protect yourself from being a victim of memory loss, either from your doctors or even reliable medical sources from the internet.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Treatments For Anxiety Differ For Different People
There are two main treatments for anxiety disorder.One treatment is the use of medications. The other is Psychotherapy.These two treatments can be symbiotic or individual. You may get lucky and find a treatment that works for you the first time. In almost all cases it will take some different combinations until you find something that works for you.
There are many different types of medications that can be used to treat anxiety symptoms. One of these medications are anti-anxiety medications.A 30 to 90 minute relief of anxiety can be had by the consumption of Benzodiazapines.A negative to using these family of drugs is that they can be considered very addcitive, very quickly.These medications have side effects such as drowsiness and loss of coordination. If you use this family of drugs over a long period of time your memory may also be affected.
Another medication used in the treatment of anxiety are the family of antidepressants. Some examples of antidepressants are paxil, cymbolta, lexapro and prozac. These medications effect a specific set of nuertransmitters in the brain that doctors believe play a part in anxiety disorders.
Trying individual drugs or combinations of different drugs may have to be tried to find what will work for each individual.Some of these medications, like lexapro, can take up to 3 weeks to take effect. While you are waiting for these drugs to have an effect on your anxiety, psycotherapy can be a bridge.
This therapy can help an individual in seeing unhealthy situations, thoughts and beliefs and replace them with positive thoughts and beliefs. You can learn to change a situation to a positive. If that doesn't work, you can change your thought process to perceive the situation in a positve manner thus decreasing the level of anxiety.
Treatments for anxiety need to be made specifically to an persons needs.Everyone will not respond to the same treatment.These treatments are done as an outpatient for most people. Treatments for anxiety of severe cases may require a hospital stay.
The Best Diet To Improve Memory
Did you know that green tea can help you improve your memory? Scientists have managed to prove that certain types of foods are indeed fundamental in improving our memory. Other than natural medicinal herbs such as ginseng or gingko biloba, fruits and vegetables too have memory improving purposes.
A main component in fruits and vegetables is sugar which is broken down in our body into glucose. Glucose is the main food for our brain as it is required by our brain for optimal functioning. So by increasing our consumption of fruits and vegetables, we indirectly increase our amount of glucose in our body, this means an improvement in our brain's performance. Yet, like everything else requires balance, we need not consume excessive amounts of fruits and vegetables too. Excessive glucose levels are known to be damaging to the mind causing memory impairment. Nonetheless, some of the kinds of fruits and vegetables that can improve our memory are blueberries, watermelons, red cabbage and sweet potato.
Blueberries not only contain a high amount of sugar content as fruits, but also they carry on them antioxidants which slows the aging process of our brain. Oxidation causes aging and a healthy intake of antioxidants can ‘delay’ the aging process and fight the free radicals. These radicals are very much associated with some chronic diseases and some of them have direct relation with memory loss problems as well, like stroke.
Another food that is great for improving memory is sardines, which are rich in omega-3 fats. As some of the important parts in our brain are made up of fats, fish oil is also good to help improve our memory and our mental health. Fish oil can help prevent the start of Alzheimer’s disease and has long been connected with better memory and much clearer thinking. Not only is fish oil good for the brain, it can also improve the health of your heart as well.
Another memory boosting food is soy! Tofu when eaten on a regular basis can help improve our memory and our brain functions. Considering the variety of soy products available on the market, it is almost impossible to find that you dislike them all. You can drink soy milk, eat soy beans, and season your food with soy sauce, and while doing all that, receive the benefits of having an improved memory!
You need not resort to medication to cure or prevent memory loss; you just have to know the right combinations of food, lifestyle and you can enjoy having a life with improved memory!
