Brain Power How to Improve Your Memory and Speed Reading Techniques Faster and More E icient!

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Sandra "avid

Copyright 2012 by Sandra David $!! rights reserved% &o part o this 'oo( may 'e reproduced) copied) stored) or transmitted in any orm or 'y any means) e!ectronic) photographic) or mechanica!) inc!uding photocopying) recording) or in any in ormation storage and retrieva! systems) without prior written permission o the author or pu'!isher) e*cept where permitted 'y !aw%

Contents
Introduction............................................................5 From the Inside Out Diet and Exercise..............9 Check Your Stress at the Door.............................13 Mnemonic De ices................................................19 !ames" #$aces and !um%ers................................&' More Sim($e Memor) *ricks................................33 +rain +oostin, Exercises.....................................3' Introduction to S(eed -eadin,..............................1 S(eed -eadin, +asics............................................5 +reakin, +ad -eadin, /a%its.............................51 Conc$usion............................................................5'

Introduction
Ever wa!(ed into a room and then cou!d not remem'er why. Ever gone to the store with a short !ist and rea!i/e when you get home that you have orgotten one or two things. "o you strugg!e to remem'er names o the peop!e that you 0ust met. That is aw(ward) especia!!y in a wor( setting) is it not. Is the on!y way you can remem'er phone num'ers is to write them down. Memory is a tric(y thing% 1e might not remem'er what we ate or 'rea( ast) 'ut we can reca!! down to the !ast detai! something that may have happened a wee( ago% Some peop!e seem to have a !aw!ess memory) pu!!ing up acts with ease a'out events rom the past% 2ranted) some peop!e are wired to remem'er things easier) and so they can easier reca!! their memories whi!e others have to thin( a'out it or a !ot !onger%

From remem'ering the groceries) to remem'ering meetings at wor() our minds are a!ways u!! o things that we must remem'er% Some peop!e have to write everything down) something that the digita! age has he!ped with great!y) 'ut sti!!) it is time consuming to have to write everything down% Than( u!!y) our 'rain is a mini supercomputer) and we can !earn to improve our memory% 1e wi!! he!p you !earn some easy ways to !earn how to improve your memory) so that you re!y !ess and !ess on scri''!ed notes% Better memory wi!! he!p you in 'oth your wor( and your home !i e% 4ur 'rains are ama/ing) than(s to neurop!asticity) our 'rain is a'!e to adapt to changes inc!uding) orming new neura! pathways) a!ter e*isting connections and react and adapt to many situations) especia!!y stimu!i% That is what we are going to 'e going over) to use the 'rain5s natura! a'i!ity to improve your memory s(i!!s% $nother aspect that we wi!! go into or improvement is your reading speed% 1e a!! (now some'ody who is done reading 'e ore the rest o us are even ha! 6way through% 7

How can they do that. $re they pretending or do they rea!!y read that ast and do they retain what they have read. The answer is that yes) they do read that ast and yes) they retain what they have read% 1e wi!! go over techniques to he!p improve your reading speed and retention as we!!% "o not 0ust wish you had the a'i!ity) un!oc( it%

From the Inside Out Diet and E ercise

Be ore we go into the tips) tric(s and e*ercises to improve your memory) you irst need to ma(e sure that your 'ody is proper!y prepped or !earning% There is a very strong mind:'ody connection in humans and so what e ects one) wi!! a ect the other% There ore) you want to improve one) you must a!so improve the other% "o not worry) we are not ta!(ing a'out anything e*tensive or intensive) 0ust some overa!! changes that wi!! ma(e it easier or you to !earn new things) improve your memory and your overa!! hea!th% 1e wi!! start with s!eep% It is essentia!) we a!! need it) 'ut we rare!y seem to get enough) especia!!y i you have a 'usy home !i e and wor( !i e that you are trying to 0ugg!e% 1hen we s!eep) our 'rains are not over!oaded with in ormation rom a!! ive senses; our 'rains use that time to sort through) review) and store the in ormation in the appropriate areas o our 'rain% Furthermore) during our deepest stages o s!eep is when the most memory6enhancing activity occurs%

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1hen we are running !ow on s!eep) we are not operating at our 'est; our a'i!ities are diminished; especia!!y in the areas o critica! thin(ing) pro'!em so!ving) creativity and our attention span% 1hen we get enough s!eep) our 'rains wi!! have sma!! changes) those pathways necessary to remem'er things% The more s!eep we get) the stronger those pathways are) the 'etter our memory% Fee!ing groggy in the midd!e o the day. I possi'!e) opt or a short nap) around #= minutes or so) instead o that a ternoon ca eine% Physica! e*ercise is another part o (eeping menta!!y it% 1hen you e*ercise) it increases the '!ood !ow to a!! areas o the 'ody) inc!uding the 'rain% 1ith increased '!ood !ow) is increased o*ygen !ow) and that wi!! improve your hea!th) and your a'i!ity to !earn% Try to get 'etween #36,= minutes o e*ercise a day% You can ta(e wa!(s at !unchtime) ta(e the stairs instead o the e!evator) or even 0ust do some 'asic stretches and movements% The idea is to get moving) increase the '!ood !ow) and increase your hea!th and your a'i!ity to !earn%

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You have heard the term 'rain ood) 'ut what does that rea!!y mean. It means that there are certain oods that have hea!th 'ene its) and 'rain oods are those oods that wi!! he!p 'oost your hea!th) especia!!y your 'rain% >et us start with the 'asics) a we!!6'a!anced diet) with moderate protein and a variety o vegeta'!es) grains and ruits is not on!y essentia! or your overa!! hea!th) 'ut or hea!thy 'rain activity% $!coho!) to'acco and ca eine a!! inter ere with memory) so either cut them out or !imit them% 4pt or water instead o soda; you shou!d 'e drin(ing 'etween 769 g!asses o water a day% You shou!d !imit your saturated at and ca!orie inta(e as we!!% 4mega6, atty acids are 'ene icia! to 'rain hea!th% &ot on!y wi!! they 'oost your 'rainpower) 'ut a!so they can !ower your ris( o deve!oping $!/heimer5s disease% Fish is the 'est source o 4mega6, atty acids) 'ut i you do not !i(e ish) it can a!so 'e ound in wa!nuts) !a*seed oi!) pump(in seeds) and soy'eans% >ea y green vegeta'!es are e*ce!!ent choices; they are u!! o antio*idants) which wi!! protect your 'rain ce!!s rom damage%

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$dd the o!!owing to your diet? 'o( choy) spinach) (a!e) sprouts) ca''age) co!!ard greens) cau!i !ower) 'rocco!i) arugu!a) romaine !ettuce) and swiss chard% Fruits with antio*idants inc!ude waterme!on) canta!oupe) apricots) mangoes) p!ums) oranges) red app!es) cherries) and grapes% Berries are a good source as we!!% For supp!ements that 'oost 'rainpower) you can use the o!!owing? vitamin B#+) vitamin B7) vitamin E) vitamin @) niacin) 'eta6carotene) iron) /inc) and gin(go 'i!o'a% 2reen tea is a source o po!ypheno!s) which are antio*idants that wi!! protect against ree radica!s% Free radica!s can damage our 'rain ce!!s% 2reen tea wi!! he!p c!ear them rom your system%

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Chec! "our Stress at the Door

Stress) it is impossi'!e to !ive without any stress) 'ut it is possi'!e to !imit the stress that we have% Stress wi!!) over time) damage the hippocampus) the part o our 'rain that is invo!ved with new memory ormation and the retrieva! o o!d ones% Stress wi!! a!so damage 'rain ce!!s over the !ong term% @hronic stress wi!! not on!y a ect you menta!!y) 'ut physica!!y as we!!% @hronic stress can !ead to depression) symptoms o which inc!ude) di icu!ty concentrating) trou'!ing remem'ering things) and di icu!ty ocusing or concentrating on things% I you are su ering rom depression instead o 0ust stress) p!ease) see a doctor% Treating depression resu!ts in a huge improvement in your cognitive a'i!ities) inc!uding your memory% 4ne way to 'eat stress is to 'e socia!) 'eing socia! wi!! he!p (eep 'oth stress and depression at 'ay% 1hen you are ee!ing overwhe!med) ind something un to do with a riend or ami!y mem'er% Ta(e time to en0oy your !i e% I you !et stress 'ui!d up) it wi!! ma(e s!eeping hard) starting a cyc!e o

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stress) insomnia) and !ac( o memory and cognitive unctions% Having an active socia! !i e) not on!y he!ps with your emotiona! hea!th) 'ut it he!ps with your menta! hea!th% Peop!e with active socia! !ives have a s!ower rate o memory dec!ine than those who do not% $nything that we en0oy) that gives us p!easure) stimu!ates our 'rains% There ore) when we spend time with peop!e who we en0oy) it stimu!ates our 'rains) he!ping (eep it active and warding o against memory !oss% "o not orget the our6!egged variety o riends) having a pet wi!! not on!y increase your happiness actor and give you something to interact with) 'ut it is a great stress re!iever as we!!% Part o en0oying your !i e is to oster a hea!thy and positive attitude% I you catch yourse! with negative thoughts) stri(e them out% "o not say things !i(e AI have a 'ad memoryB or AI cannot remem'er thatB% Be con ident that you wi!! remem'er) even i it ta(es you a !itt!e whi!e to reca!! the memory% You must 'e con ident that your 'rain is doing its 0o' with storing things in your memory 'an(s%

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1hen you have a positive out!oo( and attitude) it ma(es it a !ot harder to 'e worried a'out things that wi!! cause you stress% >aughter rea!!y is the 'est medicine; !aughter wi!! trigger mu!tip!e regions o the 'rain in a positive way) providing stimu!i% Try te!!ing and !istening to 0o(es) 0o(es) with their si!!y and pun6 i!!ed punch !ines stimu!ate the creative parts in our 'rains as we try to wor( them out% "o not !et stress drag you down and ma(e you '!ue) have a !augh and cheer up% Stop ta(ing !i e so serious!y) we on!y have one shot at it) ma(e it en0oya'!e% $ happy mind is a mind that is hea!thy and open to remem'ering and !earning% Ceep a reminder to 'e happy in your car) or your des( at wor() such as a !itt!e toy or gadget) something that wi!! 'ring a smi!e to your ace when you need it the most% >earn to !augh at yourse! % Surround yourse! with peop!e with a sense o humor instead o those who do not have one% Meditation is a much over!oo(ed stress re!ie too!% Peop!e consider it too Anew ageB when in act)

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