Many of us are concerned about losing our memories as we age. And for some, the prospect of taking medications is disconcerting. There are some things you can do to improve your memory, though, in a natural way. Here are some tips.
1. Get regular exercise. This oft-repeated advice is repeated for a reason. It’s vital to your health and there’s simply no substitute for it! Exercise improves memory by increasing circulation. Getting more blood to the brain is key to its proper functioning.
2. Drink a small glass of wine several times a week. Studies have linked moderate wine consumption with improved memory in the elderly. Don’t attempt this, however, if you have risk factors such as a tendency toward alcoholism or depression. And remember, it’s wine that is the beneficial alcoholic beverage. Beer and liquor have not been shown to enhance memory at all.
3. Herbal supplements can help. Ginkgo biloba is perhaps the best known, and for good reason. It helps improve circulation overall, but specifically it aids in getting blood to the brain. Other herbs that are good for your memory are rosemary, St. John’s Wort, and basil. Just sniffing fresh basil is said to improve memory.
4. Engage in visualization and find associations. For example, if you have to pick up your daughter from soccer at 3pm, think of your daughter playing with 3 soccer balls with watches strapped around them. It’s a weird image, but its unique quality will help it stand out and remain at the forefront of your consciousness.
5. Read. Read books, magazines, articles, and so forth. Read something new. Always have something that you’re working on reading.
6. Eat brain foods. Healthy fats, such as those found in nuts, fish, and avocados are very healthy for the brain.
7. Do not smoke. If you do, quit; if you don’t smoke, don’t start. Smoking constricts blood vessels and limits blood flow to the whole body, including the brain. In fact, patients suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can bring on an “attack” of symptoms if they have a cigarette.
8. Get a healthy amount of sleep each night.
9. Set aside the calculator and engage in mental arithmetic. Balance your checkbook using only your mind, then check your work with a calculator. Do math problems in your head when you have a few moments, such as sitting at a red light.
10. Work puzzles, such as jigsaw and crossword puzzles. Rebus and Sudoku puzzles are also good for keeping your memory sharp.
Posted 1 year, 1 month ago at 1:32 pm. Add a comment
Whitney Houston sang that learning to love yourself is the “greatest love of all.”
It can also be the hardest.
Sometimes, it’s tough being in your own skin. But you can learn to love who you are, just as you are.
Here are some tips and reminders to help you love the skin you are in.
1. Meditation and prayer are wonderful ways to get inside your own mind and learn to love it. When you meditate, you are spending time alone while being quiet. Meditation helps you learn about your inner self.
2. Spend some time alone. Even if you are not meditating, take some time just to be by yourself. Plan a day with yourself as you would a good friend.
3. Write in a journal. Recording your innermost thoughts and feelings is a good way to take a more objective view of the things that are happening in your life. Get in the habit, daily – if possible, of putting your own thoughts and feelings onto paper. Read them each day. You may find yourself pleased with your insights. You will certainly get to know yourself this way.
4. Describe who you are. When you are writing in your journal, go beyond the daily events. Ask yourself questions and answer them in writing. How would you describe your personality? Maybe start with a simple list of things you like and dislike and then gradually move into descriptions of more complex character traits.
5. Accept that there are some things you can’t control. You can’t control your body type; you can’t control what talents you have or don’t have. Let it go and realize that everyone of every level has value.
6. Cut back on your media time. Looking at “perfect” people in magazines, movies and television will only make you more insecure. Such images are a false reality. Limit your exposure to such things and you will find your self-esteem improving.
7. If you don’t have a pet, get one! The way pets offer unconditional love really helps a pet owner to love him or herself. Taking care of an animal will give you a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.
8. Get in touch with your values and beliefs. Write them down, then question their origin, reason, logic, and so forth.
9. Take care of your body. Exercise, keep fit, eat well, and do little things to make you feel good about our appearance. It’s not good to obsess over how you look; just do something regularly that makes your feel attractive, whether it’s a new hairdo or just painting your nails.
10. Practice positive self-talk. Learn to recognize negative, self-abasing thought patterns and re-wire them into positive thoughts. This may take some therapy or counseling, but it’s worth it to learn how to confront those inaccuracies and replace them with the truth about yourself.
Posted 1 year, 1 month ago at 1:14 pm. Add a comment
We all have our ups and downs.
But if we can cultivate a deep and abiding sense of inner peace, which holds even amid life’s ebbs and flows, we have come close to mastering the art of living.
Inner peace starts with cultivating a healthy perspective and acceptance of yourself.
Here are 13 tips to help you in be more at peace with yourself.
1. Don’t try to be somebody else. Recognize that you are uniquely designed for a specific purpose. You will only frustrate yourself trying to be like someone else. Besides, even that person you envy has his or her private struggles. It has been said that the only perfect people are the ones you don’t know.
2. Separate societal accolades from what really matters. Some of the people you may envy are idolized by society, but social standards are not the only ones. Character is what counts, and you may well have much more character than someone who is popular.
3. Nobody’s perfect. Internalize this truth and adjust your expectations of yourself accordingly.
4. Don’t focus on what you lack; be grateful for what you have received.
5. Appreciate nature. Look at the trees, plants, animals, starry skies, sunrises and sunsets as gifts to you.
6. Don’t feel like you have to be productive every moment of every day (and night!). Recognize the importance of “down time,” and don’t feel guilty about taking some.
7. Reduce mess and clutter in your home. You will feel more at peace in general if you do this.
8. Manage your time effectively. While you needn’t feel like you have to work every minute, a good schedule where you feel productive and that allows for leisure time can give you a great sense of peace.
9. Make lists so you don’t have to hold everything in your head at once. Nothing undermines peace like a bunch of jumbled thoughts! Your lists should include long-term projects and immediate to-dos.
10. Let things go that you can’t control. When it comes down to it, we really can’t control nearly as much as we would like to.
11. Keep a journal or scrapbook. For some, just the act of organizing their thoughts and keeping a record of their lives brings peace. For others, getting their thoughts out on paper is therapeutic in itself.
12. Let the past go; it can not be changed. Learn to embrace past experiences as learning opportunities. Share with others what you have learned from your mistakes. Your sense of peace will increase if you use your negative past to have a positive impact on your (or someone else’s) future.
13. Spend time with yourself. You can’t be at peace with someone you don’t know.
Posted 1 year, 5 months ago at 12:03 pm. Add a comment
There are all sorts of aphorisms about turning 40. If you’re around that age, you’ve probably heard them all. “Life begins at 40,” “40 is the new 20,” and so on. Still, few of us look forward to our fortieth birthdays.
But these days, turning 40 doesn’t mean you’re “over the hill.” It can actually be the beginning of some of the greatest years of your life. Looking and feeling our best might require a little more effort than it did twenty years ago, but it’s certainly attainable. Here are ten tips to help you look great at 40 and beyond.
1. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Sleep is important no matter how old you are, but once you’ve passed up your thirties, a lack of sleep becomes more apparent. The right amount of sleep for one person isn’t necessarily the right amount for someone else, but most adults need somewhere between six and ten hours. Find the amount that leaves you feeling well rested and stick with it.
2. Stay hydrated. As we age, our skin and hair tend to dry out. You can moisturize them until the cows come home, but if you’re not hydrating them from the inside, it won’t do much good. For best results, drink eight glasses of water a day.
3. Eat a healthy, balanced diet. It becomes easier to gain weight as you age, so it’s especially important to avoid junk food, soda and other calorie-packed foods and drinks. Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, and stick with lean meats.
4. Be careful what you put on your skin. There are tons of anti-aging treatments out there, but some work better than others. When trying something new, watch for signs of dryness or irritation. Your skin won’t bounce back as easily as it did ten years ago, so it’s important to catch warning signs early.
5. Stop smoking. Smoking accelerates aging in numerous ways, both inside and out. It’s best to never start in the first place, but quitting now will prove to be very beneficial.
6. Keep a good attitude. If you have a poor outlook on life, it will show, and it will make you appear older. Staying positive and wearing a smile will make you feel and look better.
7. Do cardio exercise regularly. Frequent physical activity keeps us looking and feeling young. It helps keep us toned, keeps our hearts healthier and helps our bodies fight off disease. There’s no time like the present to join a gym or start your own exercise routine.
8. Lift some weights. Weight-training provides special benefits for women over 40. It firms the muscles and keeps them from looking flabby. Getting toned also helps to prevent the development of osteoporosis in later years.
9. When drinking alcohol, practice moderation. Heavy drinking is yet another thing that can accelerate aging of the mind and body. Most experts agree that women of any age should have no more than one drink per day.
10. Protect yourself from the sun. A little sun each day is good for us, because it helps the body produce vitamin D. But too much sun causes wrinkles and increases the risk of skin cancer. So if you’re going to be outdoors for very long, slather on some sunscreen.
Posted 1 year, 5 months ago at 5:09 pm. Add a comment
Do you ever find yourself needing a retreat, but you don’t have any time to get away?
Me too!
The amazing and talented author Jennifer Louden is having a virtual retreat.
Here are the details:
Love yourself INTO action and OUT OF depletion with Jen
Louden and 13 other world famous teachers… without even
getting out of your pj’s!
Jennifer’s book, Woman’s Retreat Book: A Guide to Restoring, Rediscovering
and Reawakening Your True Self –In a Moment, An Hour, Or a Weekend
, was featured on
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VIRTUAL RETREAT designed to give your creative heart a boost
and your mind a rest!
The retreat package includes:
• A copy of “How To Retreat,” an eBook that helps you let
go of the fear and shows you how to create the time.
• Gentle “Get Ready” emails to help you prepare for your
self-caring-est weekend ever.
• Exclusive access to a members-only blog, where you will
get untold amounts of support and encouragement, PLUS…
• 13 heart-expanding mini-retreats with world-renowned
authors and healers.
• Easy-to-download recordings and transcripts of each
mini-retreat so you can come and go as you please.
If you sign up before February 5th, you get a $50 discount!
So click here to learn more and don’t forget to tell your friends so
they can “virtually retreat,” too!
Posted 2 years ago at 6:25 pm. Add a comment
