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Min d the
memory
Feeling forgetful?
Rebecca Speechley has
some brain-boosting tips
to help you stay sharp
We all have those
momentary
memory lapses.
How many
times have you gone into a
room and can’t remember
why, or arrived home
from the shops without
buying the very thing you
went out for? While some
forgetfulness is perfectly
natural – especially when
we’re busy – it’s by no means
inevitable. The human
brain has an astonishing
ability to adapt and change
– even into old age. Known
as neuroplasticity, with
the right stimulation,
your brain can form
new neural pathways
and adapt to increase your
cognitive ability.
Research has shown that
simple changes to diet and
lifestyle can boost brain
health and, while genetics
plays a role in more serious
neurological conditions such
as Alzheimer’s, there’s plenty
you can do to improve your
memory.
Hear say
Italian researchers recently
found that having hearing loss
could double your risk of developing
Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers
aren’t sure exactly how the two are
connected but tackling hearing loss
could help you keep your grey matter
in good shape. Specsavers offer free
hearing tests, ask in store
or call 0800 023 2949
Brain booster!
Need to remember something? Read it
or say it out loud. Hearing yourself speak it
could help your brain to store information
so that it becomes a longer-term memory,
say Canadian researchers
36
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
Clever cuppa
A good old cuppa could
help improve attention
span, stress levels and
keep your mind clear,
according to Dr Tim
Bond of the Tea Advisory
Panel, “Compounds
found in black tea, such
as L-theanine, can help to
heighten memory skills.”