10 Tips to Improve Your Memory

10 Tips to Improve Your Memory

Having trouble remembering appointments, items you need at the grocery store, or where you put your keys? Everyone has moments when something slips their mind. If this has been happening to you with increasing frequency, try doing a few easy brain exercises each day to help improve memory.

Luckily, mental workouts can be just as effective for your brain as physical workouts are for your body.

Memory Tip: 10 Ways to Improve Memory

Start with the first tip and then add one more idea each day to help improve your memory:

1. Focus on what you're trying to remember. Take time to think about what you need to remember, whether it's a list of names, chores, or items to buy. Spending a few moments actively processing your thoughts can make it easier to recall what you need to remember in the future.

2. Link your list. Try to remember several things or ideas at once by linking them together in your mind. If you want to memorize your grocery list, for instance, connect the items you need together with a specific image or action in your head. Imagine you're in your laundry room holding a container of detergent, then walk into your kitchen to get some bread and milk, then move to the bathroom to replenish the toilet paper.

3. Personalize your list. Organize lists into short, manageable sections, and try to connect items to something that's easier for you to remember. Improve memory by linking lists of numbers, for example, to personally relevant dates like your birthday or interesting historical dates.

4. Create a visual image. If you're trying to remember someone's name, visualize an object that will help remind you in the future. Think of summer for a woman named June or a cat for someone named Catherine.

5. Create an acronym. Train your brain to remember items in a specific sequence by creating a word to represent the objects. Try using the first letter of each item on your shopping list to form a word. For instance, MOST can stand for milk, oranges, soap, toilet paper.

6. Use all of your senses to help improve memory. Afraid you're going to forget your next hair appointment or dinner with a friend? Verbally list your appointments out loud and then think about the softness of your hair after a salon visit and the aroma of the food at your favorite restaurant to help solidify the dates in your mind.

Boost your memory by eating right.

7. Write it down. Even if you don't actually use your list or a note to remind you of an appointment, simply writing the information down will help your brain retain it.

8. Create a rhyme. How did you learn the alphabet or the number of days in each month when you were little? You probably learned them with the help of a song or rhyme. Try doing the same thing with names, appointments, and lists.

9. Make it manageable. Organize a long list into shorter lists that are easier to remember. Instead of trying to remember a dozen different items, create four mini-lists with only three things you need to remember from each.

10. Be positive. Don't doubt yourself — our brains can often do more than we realize. Regularly practice these tips to help improve memory, and you'll be amazed by how much more you can remember.

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11 Totally Natural And Completely Unexpected Ways To Ease Pain

11 Totally Natural And Completely Unexpected Ways To Ease Pain.

What's the thing you do best? Our biggest strengths can contribute significantly to our happiness, success and well-being -- and to those of the people around us.

According to newly-released Gallup data, using one's best talents can also play a role in one's comfort. In more than 120,000 interviews conducted during the latter half of 2012, Gallup found that the more people use their strengths throughout the day, the less likely they are to say they feel physical pain.

At least 116 million Americans live with chronic pain, uncomfortable at best, debilitating and isolating at worst.

Despite existing health problems, 50 percent of people who do what they do best for at least 10 hours a day said they experience pain, while 69 percent of people who use their top strengths for three hours a day or less said they experience pain, according to the new report. The relationship also exists among people without any ongoing health issues, albeit more weakly: 13 percent of people who use their strengths for 10 or more hours a day reported physical pain, while 17 percent of people who use their strengths for three hours or fewer did.

Whether the people using their strengths all day long are simply more positive people or just more distracted is still to be determined, according to Gallup. But it's certainly something to consider when reaching into the toolbox of pain management techniques. In addition to playing to your strengths, here are 10 more all-natural, little-known ways to make yourself more comfortable, fast.

Laugh

It's not exactly medicine, but laughter really does have health-promoting properties. Beside offering some stress relief, burning a few calories and potentially leading to a longer life, a hearty belly laugh from time to time may offer some natural pain relief. It's likely due to laughter's triggering a surge of feel-good chemicals in the body called endorphin, which have been shown to act as painkillers.

Quit Smoking 

As if you really needed any more reasons to kick the habit for good, in a study of people with back pain, those who had never smoked reported the least discomfort. According to the study, smoking is an identified risk factor for back pain and disc problems, and current smokers reported the greatest pain.

Keep Stress At Bay 

The body's physical response to stress -- the heart starts pumping, breathing quickens, muscles tense -- is similar to the body's physical response to pain. Thinking about a stressful event has been shown to significantly increase muscle tension in patients with chronic back pain, WebMD reported. The more stress, the higher the level of cortisol, often called the stress hormone, in the blood. This in turn may "lead toincreased vulnerability to pain", according to a 2013 study. Relaxation can come in many forms -- maybe it's meditation, reading a good book, going for a jog, taking a nap. What's more important is just to de-stress, somehow.

Go To Sleep

Is there anything a little extra shut-eye can't fix?! A small 2012 study found that, in addition to sleep's protective benefits to memory, mood and the waistline, spending more time in the Land of Nod can decrease pain sensitivity. In the study, 18 healthy young adults were divided into two groups. One group slept nearly two hours more a night. The people who slept longer were able to hold their fingers on a heat source to test pain tolerance for 25 percent longer than the sleep-deprived participants.

Fall In Love 

Coupling up improves lifespan, lowers stress levels and rates of disease and boosts sex life, but it also may help lower pain. A small 2011 study subjected 17 women in long-term relationships to a short pain shock. Some were allowed to look at photos of their partner during the pain, others were not. The women who were allowed to see their loved one's face described their pain as less intense. According to the study, the areas of the brain activated by the photos are linked to feelings of safety. And to top it off, the longer the women had been in their relationships, the greater the activity was in this part of the brain.

Curse Like A Sailor 

Put your potty mouth to good use next time you stub your toe: Swearing seems to have some powerful painkilling properties. In a 2009 study, 67 students who had been asked to hold their hands in a tub of cold water for as long as they could stayed submerged 40 seconds longer when they were allowed to swear while doing so, Scientific American reported. However, swearing selectively may be more beneficial than simply swearing more: The pain-reducing powers of curse words seem to drop if you've been using them regularly when you don't really need to, Huff Post reported in 2011.

Be A Picky Eater

Inflammation -- the redness, warmth, swelling and pain that, despite its associated discomfort, helps you to heal -- is an important part of our body's response to injury and infection. However, chronic inflammation, which occurs when the body's response signal is essentially always "on", has been associated with serious health concerns, including cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's, among others. There's some evidence that certain diet choices can help or hurt inflammation. A Mediterranean-style diet rich in omega 3s, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats seems to fend off some inflammation-related pain. Refined grains, too much sugar, saturated and trans fats and alcohol, to name a few, could contribute to inflammation and pain.

Get Moving 

If you're in pain, you might think that exercise would only make the discomfort worse. However, there's substantial research showing movement -- done safely and carefully, of course -- can actually improve the situation. That's because exercise is a known endorphin trigger, so getting moving sends those feel-good chemicals throughout the body and lowers pain. Exercise also seems to reduce certain substances in the body called cytokines that promote inflammation, according to a 2012 study that examined the effects of physical activity on nerve pain. It can also boost mood and lead to greater quality of life in people in chronic pain, Health.com reported.

Listen To Music 

Don't underestimate the powers of distraction. It's a simple mind trick in theory, but it can work wonders when it comes to chronic pain, lowering pain intensity more significantly than simply learning to accept the pain, according to a 2013 study.

Plus, a number of ways in which you might attempt to distract yourself have their very own pain-fighting powers, like video games, memory challenges and listening to music. In a 2006 study from Case Western University and the Cleveland Clinic, chronic pain patients who listened to music for an hour a day and kept a pain diary reported a 12 to 21 percent drop in pain compared to people keeping the same diary who didn't listen to any tunes.

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4 Health Benefits of Probiotics

4 Health Benefits of Probiotics

Most people typically think of bacteria as something harmful, but that’s not always the case. In fact, there is healthy, beneficial bacteria present in every human body. Probiotics are microorganisms known as “good” or “friendly” bacteria; the words pro and biota literally mean “for life.”

Found in dietary supplements and certain dairy products with live enzymes, such as yogurt, probiotics are known for having a range of positive effects on the body, including supporting digestive, heart, immune and women’s health. If you’re thinking of adding a probiotic to your dietary regimen, here are four health benefits of this beneficial bacteria.

#1 Digestive health

A normal, healthy bowel contains an estimated 100 trillion microorganisms representing more than 500 different species. Along with providing other benefits, good bacteria may help reduce the symptoms of diarrhea (particularly when caused by antibiotics), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, lactose intolerance and ulcerative colitis. Probiotics also aid digestion, which supports nutrient absorption; the more nutrients your body is able to absorb, the healthier you will be.

#2 Heart disease prevention

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of both men and women, claiming about 600,000 lives annually in the US alone. One study found that probiotics may lower LDL “bad” and total cholesterol. Probiotics also reduced cholesterol-bearing molecules in the blood, which can lead to dangerous plaque buildup in the arteries. Healthy cholesterol levels are an important part of preventing heart disease, making probiotics a good choice for anyone looking to improve cardiovascular wellness.

#3 Immunity and disease prevention

While humans are constantly bombarded with disease-causing pathogens, healthy adults will only get sick on occasion. That’s because the friendly bacteria in the gut respond to those pathogens and fight infection. Healthy immune function depends on maintaining a delicate balance of bacteria within the body, with enough good bacteria present to ward off disease.

Dietary probiotics may help maintain this balance. Consuming the friendly bacteria may be especially effective in people taking antibiotics, since the medication can offset the balance of bacteria. One research analysis also found that supplementing with probiotics during pregnancy and infancy reduces the risk of atopic sensitization, a condition that predisposes children to allergies later in life.

#4 Vaginal health

Nearly 75 percent of women have had at least one yeast infection in their lifetimes, and there is more than a 50 percent chance that a woman will develop a urinary tract infection (UTI) at some point in her life. Probiotics support women’s vaginal health by helping maintain a healthy pH and an optimal balance of good bacteria to help suppress or fight off harmful bacteria, viruses or other microorganisms; probiotics also support urinary tract health. And if your doctor ever instructed you to eat yogurt while taking antibiotics, that’s because dietary probiotics may also be helpful in reducing the likelihood of a vaginal yeast infection while on the medication.

Remember, your body is full of bacteria, and part of staying healthy is making sure there are plenty of friendly bacteria to ward off illness and disease. In combination with a healthy lifestyle, probiotics can be an important measure taken to support total wellness.

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5 Reasons You May Not Be Getting Enough Vitamin D

Approximately three-quarters of U.S. teens and adults are deficient in vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin.” Vitamin D is necessary for maintaining overall health, and it has a direct effect on the bones, brain, heart, muscles and lungs. There are two main sources of the nutrient: sunlight and supplements.

Most of us get plenty of exposure to direct sunlight—maybe even too much—and yet the majority of Americans are deficient. How can this be?

There are a number of factors that can impact vitamin D levels. Here are five reasons you may not be getting enough of this critical nutrient, according to the Vitamin D Council:

#1 Where you live

The closer you live to the equator, the more UVB you’re exposed to. The body uses UVB to make vitamin D, so if you live close to the equator, you’re more likely to have healthy vitamin D levels. Where you live is especially important in the winter, when places like New York, Boston and Edmonton, Canada, get less UVB—and people living there don’t produce much vitamin D at all. Even people in countries like Chile and Argentina can’t produce much vitamin D from April through October.

#2 Time of day

Your skin produces more vitamin D when exposed to sunlight during the middle of the day, when the sun is most intense. However, since the sun is at its strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends seeking shade during this time—making it difficult to catch needed rays.

#3 Time of year

In many areas of the world, the angle of the sun’s rays during the winter months causes beneficial UVB rays to diminish. During these months, it’s difficult to get enough UVB rays for your body to convert into vitamin D. Some areas of the world, such as Florida, get good amounts of UVB year-round.

#4 Sun protection

Covering up is an important strategy in preventing skin cancer, but the more skin you expose, the more vitamin D you’ll make. Sunscreen can limit vitamin D production, too.

#5 Skin type

The darker your skin, the more melanin you have, a substance that protects against skin damage from UVB rays. Since the body uses UVB to make vitamin D, that means that people with darker skin make less vitamin D per minute than people with lighter skin. A person with very pale to fair “cream white” skin may need only 15 minutes of sun exposure to make vitamin D while someone with brown to very dark brown skin may need up to two hours in the sun. (These numbers will vary widely based on location and time of year and day.)

Other factors

The list of other factors is long: Aging causes vitamin D production to decrease. Being behind glass blocks all UVB rays. Pollution absorbs some UVB rays, making it more difficult to produce vitamin D in polluted areas. A cloudy day means less UVB, which results in less vitamin D. And the list goes on.

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Why You Should Take Amino Acids for Good Health

Why You Should Take Amino Acids for Good Health

You’ve probably heard about the importance of amino acids. But what are they? And why are they good for your health?

Amino acids are a group of organic compounds that are essential for all life forms. There are hundreds of different types of amino acids, although only about 20 are used to create the thousands of different proteins that form muscles, organs and other vital body parts. Among those amino acids, some can be generated naturally by the body, but most must be provided through diet or supplementation. Amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be received through supplements or food are called essential amino acids. In some cases, nonessential amino acids such as taurine and arginine are actually semi-essential because the body does not have the ability to create them.

Certain nonessential amino acids have some of the most profound effects on general health. Arginine supplementation, for instance, is known to increase the body’s production of nitric oxide. NO dilates blood vessels, lowers blood pressure and prevents cholesterol buildup, thereby protecting the body against cardiovascular disease. And since all 20 fundamental amino acids are necessary for creating proteins in the body—known as the “building blocks of life”—it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough amino acids in your diet.

Amino acids are found in animal products like meat, poultry, fish, milk and eggs; they’re also found in plant sources like soy, legumes, beans, nut butters and certain grains. The key to getting enough amino acids daily is to eat a varied diet rich in healthy, fresh foods. But if you’re not getting enough, supplementation can be a great option.

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What You Need to Know About NO

What You Need to Know About NO

I talk about Nitric Oxide (NO) a lot on HealthIsWealth, but it’s been a while since I’ve summarized the science behind this important molecule. So, I’d like to recap NO and its role in the body.

NO is a simple, common molecule that can often be the difference between good health and illness. A gas composed of one atom of nitrogen (N) and one atom of oxygen (O), NO is produced naturally, all the time, by cells within the body. It is also a signaling molecule and is responsible for causing blood vessels to expand and relax.

The “production house” of NO is the endothelium, which is the layer of cells lining the interior surface of every blood vessel. A healthy endothelium produces lots of NO. Through relaxing and enlarging the blood vessels, NO helps the blood travel more easily throughout the body. NO is critical for the functioning of nearly every organ in the body, including the lungs, stomach, genitals and heart.

While NO is always being produced naturally inside the body, individuals can influence how much of the molecule is produced. Certain foods, supplements and activities can raise NO levels to ensure the healthy functioning of the cardiovascular system and other systems.

Benefits of Increasing NO Production:

Blood pressure: NO is a vasodilator and helps control blood flow to every part of the body by relaxing and enlarging blood vessels.

Blood clots: NO works to prevent platelet aggregation, which helps to reduce the chance of forming blood clots. Clots can trigger strokes and heart attacks.

Atherosclerosis: NO slows the accumulation of plaque inside blood vessels. Plaque hardens arteries and can build up, effectively clogging arteries. This leads to poor blood flow and increased blood pressure.

Diabetes: NO can prevent a variety of complications often associated with the poor blood flow associated with diabetes.

Antioxidant: NO is a powerful antioxidant, neutralizing oxygen free radicals in the body.

How to Increase NO Production:

Exercise: NO is produced in greater amounts during and after exercise. By simply walking or running for 30 minutes, five times a week, the body can produce elevated levels of NO. Actually, any movement encourages the endothelial cells to produce NO.

L-arginine: Arginine is an amino acid found in red meat and other sources. It is the nutritional precursor to NO and the key nutrient to increase NO production. I recommend 4 to 6 grams of L-arginine daily.

L-citrulline: Citrulline is an amino acid found in fruits like watermelon and other sources. It complements arginine and actually recycles used arginine to produce additional NO. I recommend 0.5 to 1 gram daily.

Antioxidants: Vitamins C and E, the amino acid alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), and other antioxidants can improve the effectiveness of NO by repairing oxidative damage to the cells responsible for generating NO. I recommend 1,000 mg of Vitamin C, 400 to 1,000 IU of Vitamin E and 500 mg of ALA daily.

I could go on about this incredible molecule, but now you know the NO basics. Want to know more? I discuss the endothelium and NO in my latest book, The New Heart Health.

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8 Signs of Weakening Health You Shouldn’t Ignore

8 Signs of Weakening Health You Shouldn’t Ignore

If your latest visit to your doctor gave you shivers and proved you are not healthy because you are developing a certain form of cancer, or perhaps you had a stroke, or you were shocked to have had a heart attack. Furthermore, these life threatening events will most likely motivate you to make drastic lifestyle changes.

However, you might not know that your body can give you warning signs your health is getting poorer even before you’ll get sick. It’s just that sometimes you ignore them because you’re busy working on your promotion, or plainly enjoying your life. Yes, it’s true your body’s whispers are warning messages you must hear long before you are confronted with a debilitating disease. It will whisper to catch your attention, and if you don’t respond it will start yelling.

Here are some of the signs your health may be deteriorating.

1. Your sleep has poor quality.

During night time, the stress hormone cortisol is supposed to go down to the minimum levels. This will allow your system to slow down, rest, and recharge. Insomnia patients can’t sleep at night due to cortisol levels that are abnormally revved up after sun down. This can result from too many fight-or-flight stress responses in your body. When your body’s stress response is on, your body’s natural self-repair mechanisms are turned off. That’s why you get sick.

2. You are shrinking.

It’s absurd, you know your height is 5′ 8″, but when you went for a check up, you’re just 5′ 7″1/2. Nope, the stadiometer is not broken, you could be shrinking because your bones are starting to degenerate as a natural consequence of osteoporosis. Aging doesn’t necessarily mean bone loss. You can have healthy bones all your life as long as you make an effort to have natural calcium, vitamin D, and weight bearing exercises.

3. Your skin acts up frequently.

If you notice that you develop eczema, acne, or any other skin disorder frequently then it can mean not only that you are simply not taking care of the skin or using the correct products. You could be suffering from an allergic reaction or your body might be informing you that you’re experiencing too much stress and that you need to hit the breaks. The skin is the biggest organ in your body, so listen to what it’s communicating to you. The human body time and again uses it to express a cry for help and show signs that everything isn’t well and that you might be turning unhealthy.

4. You catch colds more than anybody else.

Everybody is exposed to viruses and bacteria on a daily basis, but healthy people should be able to combat these pathogens most of the time. If you catch that cold your friends have every time you mingle with them, or feel ill every time your kids get sick, your immune system could be in a bad condition. This can put you in a risky position and might help you acquire infectious diseases, or even life-threatening body yells like cancer. To help your system fight all kinds of common infection, you can download a free Self-Healing Kit. It includes the ebook 10 Secrets To Healing Yourself.

5. You resemble an apple.

Overweight people fall into only 2 categories: 1. “Apples”. These group of people carry their extra weight around the waist and belly, and 2. “Pears”. They carry their weight around the hips and thighs. Being overweight is one of the common whispers of your body indicating poor health. Take note, apple-shaped individuals are at a higher risk of heart problems compared to pear-shaped people.

6. When you pee, you see dark yellow.

It is crucial to your over all health condition to monitor your urine’s color as this can be a reliable indicator of your health. If you are well hydrated, your urine should look almost clear. On the contrary, if you’re drinking enough water and it still looks dark yellow, it may be a sign that you have kidney issues, and the waste is not being processed correctly. Do your best to increase your fluid intake and see if it will improve your condition. Make sure you only drink water, and if your urine is the same, visit your doc and let him check your kidneys.

7. You’re Anxiety laden.

It’s all in the mind… …you might say about anxiety. And it could very well be.

Anxiety can simply begin as just a feeling inside that ultimately affects the physiology of your body and may result to heart disease. However, anxiety can go in another direction. Feelings that can be described as anxious can be caused by sex hormone imbalances, adrenal tumors, hyperthyroidism, and more.

If you’re not sure what’s causing your anxiety, you can find out by asking your inner wisdom just what is it that’s making you feel anxious. Commonly, anxiety is the result of misaligned areas of your life. Meaning these areas are not congruent with what your true self desires. If you are anxious for no apparent reason, let your doctor check your hormones.

8. You are itch personified.

It might be caused by allergies or a common skin disorder. On the other hand, if the itchiness is more intense than normal, it could be your body’s whisper telling you you have a liver disease.

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