How to Keep Your Memory Sharp

In today's world, it's easy to get distracted. There's so much going on around us, and life seems to have accelerated to a frantic rate of speed. How big is your to-do list every day and how fast do you have to go to get it all done?

It's no wonder that we have trouble remembering things from one minute to the next. There's also evidence that we can lose brain cells as early as age 30. There are several things that can cause our mental short circuits.

Aging, poor circulation, diet, and stress can all attribute to our memory lapses. When our mind goes into chronic overload, a hormone called cortisol is produced. High levels of this hormone have been shown to impair our long-term memory significantly.

There are things you can do to reduce stress and improve your memory. The first thing you can do is turn on some music and dance. This requires your mind and body to be active. Any exercise is good, but dancing encourages alertness.

Take time to stop and smell the roses. Keep floral scents or lovely bouquets around to sniff. These aromas induce a positive mood which lowers stress. Any time we do this, we are quicker on our mental tasks.

A study in the journal, Appetite, reported that chewing gum can measurably improve our performance on memory tests. Apparently, chewing on gum slightly increases blood flow to the brain regions that control memory.

Eat fish. Those fabulous omega-3 fatty acids might help reduce inflammation that can damage brain cells and lead to memory lapses. Have at least one serving a week. The best catches are tuna, herring, and salmon.

High blood pressure can lead to memory problems. If you eat a diet full of calcium and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and salt, you are more likely to have a healthy blood pressure less than 120/80. Also important are exercise and not drinking more than one alcoholic beverage a day.

Cook with sage. It tastes great on lean pork and chicken. Sage is thought to increase levels of acetylcholine, a chemical that helps the brain transmit messages.