My Blog

May 27, Eat Black Beans for Brain Power

Tue, 27 May 2008 17:38:56 GMT

A health article in today's Yahoo! News points out that black beans are an especially powerful brain food: "All beans are good for your heart, but none can boost your brain power like black beans. Thats because theyre full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function. A daily half-cup serving provides 8 grams of protein and 7.5 grams of fiber, and is low in calories and free of saturated fat. SUBSTITUTES: Peas, lentils, and pinto, kidney, fava, and lima beans. FIT IT IN: Wrap black beans in a breakfast burrito; use both black beans and kidney beans in your chili; puree 1 cup black beans with 2 Tbsp olive oil and roasted garlic for a healthy dip; add favas, limas, or peas to pasta dishes." So try and work black beans into at least one meal a day to help keep your brain working at its best.

May 21, Hexxagon brain game

Wed, 21 May 2008 22:59:54 GMT

Hexxagon is a challenging puzzle game that builds concentration and strategy ability. Play free now!

May 21, Alphabet Jungle brain game

Wed, 21 May 2008 21:33:42 GMT

The Alphabet Jungle game helps improve mental processing speed and verbal fluency. Play free now!

May 20, Glitter Memory game

Tue, 20 May 2008 22:20:56 GMT

The Glitter Memory game helps improve your short-term memory. Plus it has cool sound effects. Play free now!

May 16, Polygon Puzzle

Fri, 16 May 2008 12:40:08 GMT

Polygon Puzzle is a challenging brain game that helps build attention and spatial memory. Play now free!

May 15, Lightning Librarian memory game

Thu, 15 May 2008 18:19:05 GMT

Lightning Librarian is a fun and fast-paced game that trains your short-term memory. Play free now!

May 14, Scooby Doo - The Creepy Castle game

Wed, 14 May 2008 22:48:34 GMT

Guide Scooby through a series of interactive action and logic-based puzzles. Play now for free!

May 2, Memory Training Increases Intelligence (!)

Fri, 02 May 2008 22:54:06 GMT

A new study shows that a certain type of memory training actually makes you smarter! The study, published March 18, 2008 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, concludes that regularly training "working memory" - the kind of memory used to remember telephone numbers - can actually increase fluid intelligence beyond what you are born with genetically. Fluid intelligence is the kind you use to solve problems when presented with insufficient information or new situations. This type of intelligence is highly correlated with economic and professional success. To learn more, check out the article Memory Training Shown to Turn Up Brainpower in today's New York Times. To read an abstract of the actual research study, check out Improving fluid intelligence with training on working memory. The Best Part: You can start training your working memory right now, scientifically, for free! Just sign up for the Lumosity brain training service. Lumosity is the brain training system that I personally use every day. The cost is $6.60 per month, but you can try it free for two weeks to see whether it fits your lifestyle. Honestly, I think you're crazy not to at least try Lumosity. Who doesn't want to be more intelligent and have a better memory?! My prediction: One day (in a generation or two, maybe), daily training sessions with services like Lumosity will be required in the schools of countries that want to give their citizens a competitive intellectual advantage.

Apr 9, Mass Attack

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:47:22 GMT

Mass Attack is a challenging brain game where you try and balance the two masses on different sides of a scale. It's harder than it looks! Play free now.

Apr 8, Cribbage

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:59:24 GMT

Cribbage is a great card game for building your strategy ability and other brain skills. Play now free!

Apr 7, Teen Binge Drinking Destroys Memory

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 01:16:32 GMT

If you are a teenager or the parent of one, beware! A new study shows that teen binge drinking can permanently destroy memory cells. It was already known that binge drinking of alcohol can wipe out memories of past events (which is bad enough!). But now it appears that binge drinking also destroys "prospective memory". This is the kind of memory you use to remember future tasks, such as the items on your to-do list. Keep this in mind the next time you decide to go out and "party". The effects can stay with you for a lifetime. Click here for the full article.

Mar 9, Santos Wins Best Memory in U.S.

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:22:15 GMT

Yesterday, Chester Santos of San Francisco won the title of "Best Memory in the U.S." He clinched the trophy by correctly recally the exact order of a deck of 52 shuffled cards after looking at them for only five minutes. Here's the full article: Software engineer is top U.S. mental athlete. So what's his secret? Santos uses mental images to remember each card. Plus, he practices his technique a few hours each night. To see this technique in action, check out this excellent YouTube video: World memory champion Andi Bell's card technique. In this video, memory expert Andi Bell memorizes the order of 10 shuffled decks in 20 minutes. That's 520 cards. Wow! The important thing to realize is that anyone - including YOU - can use techniques like this to build a better memory. As Tony Dottino, founder of the U.S. Memory Championships, says, "People are deathly afraid of losing their memories, but if you practice and use the right techniques, you can develop your memory at any age." So if you feel your memory is not as strong as it should be, do something about it!

Feb 28, New Way to Memorize the 11 Planets

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:50:01 GMT

In case you haven't heard, astronomers have added a couple of "dwarf planets" to the solar system. Plus, Pluto got a demotion. So now there are 11 planets instead of 9. This means school children everywhere (along with the rest of us) need a new way to memorize the names of the planets. As a child, you may have learned a mnemonic like "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas" (the first letter of each word reminding you of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto). Sorry to say, that one and others like it don't work anymore. Fortunately, a little girl in Great Falls, Montana named Maryn Smith has come up with one we call all use now:

My Very Exciting Magic Carpet Just Sailed Under Nine Palace Elephants

This new mnemonic will help us remember that the new order of the solar system is Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres (dwarf planet), Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto (now a dwarf planet), and Eris (dwarf planet). Good to know! Click the link below for more about Maryn's gift to us.

Jan 30, Memorize Like a Monk

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:16:42 GMT

Just by coincidence, I recently came across an intriguing memory technique used by Tibetan monks. Apparently, monks in the lamaseries of Tibet are required to memorized a lot of scripture and other information as part of their training. In his book, The Third Eye, T. Lobsang Rampa describes the memory technique they were taught to use:

A method of memory training had been evolved throughout the centuries. We imagined that we were in a room lined with thousands and thousands of drawers. Each drawer was clearly labelled, and the writing on all the labels could be read with ease from where we stood. Every fact we were told had to be classified, and we were instructed to imagine that we opened the appropriate drawer and put the fact inside. We had to visualize it very clearly as we did it, visualize the 'fact' and the exact location of the 'drawer'. With a little practice it was amazingly easy to - in imagination - enter the room, open the correct drawer, and extract the fact required as well as all related facts.

I guess you could call this the "Memory Drawer" technique. Sounds like a powerful method! Anyone who needs to memorize a lot of facts (students, etc.) might want to give this a try.

Jan 7, Naps May Boost Memory

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 19:26:04 GMT

New research indicates that a 90-minute power nap during the day can enhance long-term memory. A recent study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience showed that when one group was allowed to take a 90-minute nap during the afternoon, the participant's memories were greatly improved compared to the group that did not take a nap. Ah, if I only had time for a daily siesta! Many employers have not bought in to the power nap idea. My old company in Houston laughed at a co-worker of mine who suggested the idea a few years ago. However, some companies do recognize the benefits of the daily nap, including Nike. Who knows, maybe the nap will catch on. If your schedule allows a daily nap, try it for a week or two and let me know whether your memory has improved.

Dec 30, Face Memory Game

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 03:21:31 GMT

Dec 29, Tech Depot Search box test

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 16:24:59 GMT

Dec 28, The Best Memory Trick - Visualization & Association

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:15:23 GMT

The best memory trick is Visualization & Assocation. Memory performers use it. Why aren't you?

Dec 28, Exercise and Memory - Oxygenate Your Brain

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:14:42 GMT

Exercise aerobically to build your brain power.

Dec 27, [TEST] Overstock.com - Books

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:37:14 GMT

Dec 26, Sharper Image - Items on Sale

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 23:28:46 GMT

Dec 26, Match.com - Free Search

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 23:08:10 GMT

Dec 18, Treasure Quest

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:28:28 GMT

Treasure Quest is a simple-looking but amazing text-based adventure game that builds your visualization and concentration.

Dec 12, Contact Me

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 03:16:57 GMT

This page explains how you can contact me about your experiences with memory.

Dec 2, Escapa!

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 17:32:32 GMT

Nov 29, Memory Power - What It Is and How to Improve It

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:08:31 GMT

Can you improve your memory power? This page explains what is possible.

Nov 28, Rubik Unbound

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 05:01:16 GMT

The class Rubiks game.

Nov 28, Free GPA Calculator

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 04:21:29 GMT

Quickly figure out your GPA.

Nov 27, Free Memory Improvement Tips - How to Improve Your Memory

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 03:02:23 GMT

Free memory improvement techniques, advice, and tools to help you remember things better.

Nov 24, Your Memory Improvement Plan

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 23:27:48 GMT

Want memory improvement results? You need a Memory Plan. Here are free Memory Plans just for you!

Nov 19, Remembering Numbers - The Phonetic Number System to Easily Memorize Numbers

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 03:52:14 GMT

Remembering numbers is difficult for most people. The Phonetic Number memory system makes remembering numbers as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Nov 19, Memory Systems - The Best Way to Remember Anything

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 03:28:30 GMT

Memory Systems are the most powerful way to memorize anything. Learn these systems!

Nov 14, Memorizing Languages Using Memory Systems

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:21:59 GMT

Memorizing languages can be difficult, but the memory systems make learning foreign vocabulary easier and more fun.

Nov 4, Fish Oil and Memory

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 20:37:19 GMT

Can fish oil improve your memory? It could be a modern-day miracle.

Oct 28, Top 10 Memory Myths

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:57:33 GMT

Do you have a bad memory? No you don't - that's one of the memory myths!

Oct 27, Brain Foods - Which Should You Eat?

Sat, 27 Oct 2007 21:49:54 GMT

Everyone has heard of brain foods. This page explains how to include the best ones in your diet.

Sep 21, Memory Plan #2: Advance Your Career (Professionals)

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 15:06:30 GMT

Trying to get that promotion? Use this memory plan to learn the new skills you will need.

Aug 21, Loading page...

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 20:59:57 GMT

Aug 8, Books and Audio for Your Memory

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 02:20:26 GMT

These are the best memory improvement books and CDs on the market.

Aug 4, Memory and Exercise: The 20-Minute Solution to Memory Problems

Sat, 04 Aug 2007 20:14:37 GMT

For some people, the true secret to improving their memory is physical exercise.

Jun 27, Supplements for Memory - Which are the Best?

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:38:58 GMT

Should you take vitamins and supplements for memory improvement? This page provides a quick primer about the facts.

Jun 27, Why We Forget

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:05:21 GMT

Why do we forget? Understand that, and you'll understand how to improve your memory.

Jun 27, Puzzles Help Concentration

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:40:05 GMT

More evidence that playing brain games is good for your concentration (and therefore your memory), especially in older adults. A June 24 article in HealthDay News describes the results of a recent study supporting this connection. Here's the article: Puzzles May Be A Real Brain-Booster
THURSDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- A daily crossword puzzle or similar highly focused task might help sharpen your all-round powers of concentration, new research suggests. "There are a growing number of activities, from crossword puzzles to Sudoku, promoted as ways to keep our minds young. Our early data suggest that attention training is indeed a way to reduce older adults' susceptibility to distracting stimuli and improve concentration," Jennifer Mozolic, a graduate student at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., said in a prepared statement. She was scheduled to present the findings Thursday at the Organization for Human Brain Mapping conference in Chicago. Older adults tend to combine information from their senses more readily than younger adults. This tendency -- called sensory integration -- can make it difficult to ignore distracting sights and sounds and concentrate on a specific task. The early results of this study of 23 people, ages 65 to 75, showed that eight weekly one-hour attention training sessions improved their ability to block out distractions and concentrate. The sessions involved either a structured one-on-one mental workout or a group brain exercise program. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to analyze the blood flow and activity in the participants' brains while they completed assigned tasks. The study is ongoing and will eventually include a total of 66 participants. "Behavioral and imaging data support our hypothesis that attention training can reduce multi-sensory integration. This suggests that attention training is a potential way to improve sensory processing by reducing older adults' susceptibility to distracting stimuli," Mozolic said. More information The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging offers cognitive vitality tips for older adults. -- Robert Preidt SOURCE: Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, news release, June 14, 2007

Jun 26, Apple Juice Protects Brain Health

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 03:59:24 GMT

In case you haven't heard, recent studies now show that apple juice can protect your memory and your brain. As we age, brain cells become slowly damaged by a process called oxidative stress. The important thing to know, however, is that drinking 2 to 3 glasses of apple juice a day may almost completely protect your brain from this aging effect. A study by the University of Massachusetts at Lowell showed that mice given daily apple juice retained their mental abilities even when given a poor diet. The mice fed a poor diet without the apple juice did much worse with solving mazes and other tasks. I'd say drink at least one or two glasses of apple juice a day if you can, or eat an apple or two. There's no point in trying to improve your memory if you don't first take steps to preserve the memory you've already got!

Jun 14, Free Flash Card Software - CueCard

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:51:54 GMT

CueCard is a completely free flash card program that helps you recite material you want to learn. You can download it for free from this page.

Jun 14, RocketReader

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:35:11 GMT

Jun 10, Free Memory Improvement Hypnosis Download

Sun, 10 Jun 2007 22:41:46 GMT

Today I ran across a hypnosis website that lets you download their memory improvement session for free. The site is Free Hypnosis Downloads. Just click the Downloads link at the top of their home page, scroll down to memory improvement, and click that link and follow the download instructions. They use a shopping cart format that requires you to register (which is free), then you can pretty quickly just download the mp3 to your computer or mp3 player. I downloaded the session and listened to it a little while ago. They say you need to listen once a day for 30 days to get the full effect. I don't know if my first session did anything, but the hypnosis part of it certainly worked. I can't remember anything after the part where I let all my troubles disperse into a cloud hovering over a tropical island. But they say you don't need to consciously remember it, since your subconscious will absorb everything. I was definitely not asleep. From what I've been reading on other sites from people who have used hypnosis for memory improvement, what it does is noticeably improve your mental clarity and intellectual sharpness. This naturally helps you recall information better. This makes sense to me. Many experts on memory say that we never actually forget anything. Everything we've ever experienced is filed away deep in our brains. The reason we can't remember things is that we can't access the memories - it's not that the information isn't in there. A good example of this is when you can't recall someone's name when you run into them, or perhaps you forget certain facts during a test. But then later, the information suddenly pops into your mind. It was in there all along, you just failed to access it when you needed it. I guess the clarity provided by the hypnosis opens up the memory pathways in some manner.

Jun 9, Natural Compound Plus Exercise Boosts Memory in Mice

Sat, 09 Jun 2007 13:19:43 GMT

New research suggests that including both memory foods and exercise in your lifestyle could significantly improve your memory! Here's a recent article about it from Eurekalert: WASHINGTON, DC May 29, 2007. A natural compound found in blueberries, tea, grapes, and cocoa enhances memory in mice, according to newly published research. This effect increased further when mice also exercised regularly. "This finding is an important advance because it identifies a single natural chemical with memory-enhancing effects, suggesting that it may be possible to optimize brain function by combining exercise and dietary supplementation," says Mark Mattson, PhD, at the National Institute on Aging. The compound, epicatechin, is one of a group of chemicals known as flavonols and has been shown previously to improve cardiovascular function in people and increase blood flow in the brain. Flavonols are found in some chocolate. Henriette van Praag, PhD, of the Salk Institute, and colleagues there and at Mars, Inc., showed that the combination of exercise and a diet with epicatechin also promoted structural and functional changes in the dentate gyrus, a part of the brain involved in the formation of learning and memory. The findings, published in the May 30 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience, suggest that a diet rich in flavonols may help reduce the incidence or severity of neurodegenerative disease or cognitive disorders related to aging. Van Praag and her team compared mice fed a typical diet with those fed a diet supplemented with epicatechin. Half the mice in each group were allowed to run on a wheel for two hours each day. After a month, the mice were trained to find a platform hidden in a pool of water. Those that both exercised and ate the epicatechin diet remembered the location of the platform longer than the other mice. When studying their brains, van Praag and her colleagues found that these mice had greater blood vessel growth in the dentate gyrus and had developed more mature nerve cells, suggesting an enhanced ability of the cells to communicate. Further analysis showed that the epicatechin and exercise combination had a beneficial effect on the expression of genes important for learning and memory, and decreased the activity of genes playing a role in inflammation and neurodegeneration. The researchers found that sedentary mice fed epicatechin showed enhanced memory, blood vessel growth, and gene activity, but these benefits were even more evident in mice that also exercised. "A logical next step will be to study the effects of epicatechin on memory and brain blood flow in aged animals," says van Praag, "and then humans, combined with mild exercise." For more about information about memory foods and the memory-boosting effects of exercise, see the Diet and Memory and Exercise and Memory pages.

Apr 1, Grow New Memory Cells

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 14:55:33 GMT

More evidence has been found that exercise improves memory. A new study reported in U.S. News and World Report (click the link below) shows this clearly. The study reveals that human participants who performed aerobic exercise (like running or biking) 1-2 hours a day for 3 months increased the number of neurons in their hippocampus by 30 and had "significant improvement on cognitive tests". For more about exercise and memory, see my Exercise and Memory page.