Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
Tips Tricks and Techniques To Make Your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
© Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
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7 You Are Hard-Wired For Genius Components of Your Brain Neurons stick together like Glue… Left and Right Brain Activity
7 9 12 14
16 17 18 21 21 23
What Is Memory? Types of Memory: Short Term and Long Term Memory Visual and Auditory Memory Turning Short-Term memory into Long-Term memory Consolidation
25 26 26 28 29
Association, Location, Imagination How the Brain associates Ideas Dial M for Mnemonic…… The Principle of Association Mnemonic Techniques The Link System The Substitute Word System How to remember Foreign Vocabulary using the Link Method The Peg System How to remember numbers – the Phonetic Sound and its Value system Method of Loci - The Journey Method Using Mnemonics for Exams – Mind Maps Coding Exam Subjects into Mnemonics Using Mnemonics for Exam Success
35 35 39 43 46 51 56 58 61 61
Everything You Need to Know About Speed Reading Tips and Tricks for Successful Speed Reading
62 66
The SQ3R Reading Method Reading Made Easy
72 76
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
78 Step1. Goal Setting What Goal Setting Can Do for You The Power of your Subconscious Mind
79 80 81
Step 2: Positive Thinking Harness the Power of the Positive
85 87
Step 3: Creative Visualization Five Steps to Using Creative Visualization Use Goal Setting, Positive Thinking and Creative Visualization for Mind and Matter Success!
88 88 90
92 Foods to Increase Brain Power Omega 3 Oils. Proteins Soya Antioxidants Coffee Tea Choline Vitamin B Rosemary and Sage Lemon Balm Creatine Curcumin Phosphatidylserine Vinpocetine Gingseng Gingko Biloba
93 95 99 100 100 101 102 103 103 104 104 105 105 105 105 106 107
109 Simple Exercises to Boost Your Brain Power Brain Gym in Action Sudoku Nighty Night…..
109 111 115 116
117 Modafinil Donepezil Methylphenidate (MPH)
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118 119 119
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
Ampakines Mem Compounds HT-0712
120 120 121
“Not so Smart” Drugs Ecstasy and Cannabis Tobacco Alcohol
121 121 123 124
Appendix
126
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
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t doesn't matter how brainy you are or how much education you've had - you can still discover new methods to improve and expand your mind and boost your brain power!
Boosting your mental faculties doesn't have to mean studying hard or becoming a reclusive book worm. There are lots of tips, tricks, techniques and habits, as well as changes to your lifestyle, diet and behavior that can help you flex your grey matter and get the best out of your brain cells. And if you, like any other person on this planet want to make the best use of all the mental faculties that you were born with, then this book is my gift to you. Chances are you are not making full use of your brain potential. If that is the case, you are not utilizing the full potential of your amazing brain that each one of us is born with. And, as we all know, what you don’t use soon begins to deteriorate and waste away. So in order to prevent that from happening, why not try out some of the techniques represented in “Double Your Brain Power!”? You will find several scientifically-tested techniques to help you meet academic goals and create success in your life. Also you will find strategies that can make your brain sharper, smarter, faster – it’s just a case of using what you already have! If you put some, or all of the tips, tricks, methods and techniques outlined in “Double Your Brain Power!” into practice, your journey to academic and life success can be made easier and enjoyable! So what are you waiting for? Happy reading! © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
© Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
You Are Hard-Wired For Genius
Y
our brain is truly fantastic! Weighing in at about 1300 - 1400 grams and accounting for just 2 per cent of your whole body mass, your brain is in charge of everything you think, feel and
do. This pint-sized, super bio-computer chip sets you apart from any other life form on Earth. And don’t think for one moment that small means simple. With a hundred billion or so neurons comprising your brain at any moment, (that’s half of all the nerve cells in your body) it is the most complex structure ever seen on this planet, maybe even in the Universe. Your amazing Brain keeps your body on track all the time. It monitors your heart rate, checks your blood flow and keeps your breathing just right. It does all this and more without you even having to think about it. Your fantastic brain looks like a walnut and is about the size of a giant melon and feels like tofu, but uses more that 20% of your body’s oxygen. Do you like mind - boggling numbers? Then consider this: the one hundred billion neurons in your brain, if stacked like one hundred billion pieces of paper, would be about 5000 miles, the distance from San Francisco to London!
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
You have 15 times more neurons in your head than there are people on the planet and as many neurons as there are stars in the Milky Way. You have as many connections in your fantastic brain as there have been seconds since the dinosaurs walked the earth. So, if you counted every second that has passed since the end of the last ice age, that's equivalent to the number of neurons in your brain. During your fetal development, the neurons in your brain were multiplying at a rate of about 250,000 neurons per minute....and when you were born, your brain weighed about 350-400g and you had almost all the brain cells you will ever have. In fact, your brain was closer to its full adult size than any other organ in your body! And all of these neurons are compacted around 100,000 miles of blood vessels in the brain. Within the first month of your life, the number of neural connections in your brain, (or synapses, as they are called), increased dramatically, from 50 trillion to 1 quadrillion. (That’s 1, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000).
If your body had grown at a comparable rate, your weight would have increased from 3.9 kilograms at birth to 77.3 kilograms by the time you were 4 weeks old!
When a Boeing 747 completes a Trans Atlantic crossing, it travels at a speed of about 550 miles per hour. That is about half the speed at which neurons in your brain can transmit information! Ever been stuck for ideas? You should not be, because the number of internal thought pathways that your brain is capable of producing is:
Wait for it…………………….
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
One followed by 10.5 million kilometers of standard typewritten zero's!. Now, I know this number, as large as it is, means little or nothing to you…….how can it, being such a large number this is almost unimaginable. But when you consider that the number of atoms in the Universe has been estimated to be one, followed by 79 zeros......can you now put this into context?
And is that any wonder, when you consider; a small amount of brain tissue the size of a grain of sand contains 100,000 neurons and 1 billion synapses, all "talking" to one another.
You see, your amazing brain is truly an extraordinary bio-machine that science has just begun to understand better. In fact, according to some estimates, 95 per cent of our knowledge of the brain got accumulated just about 10 years ago. Components of Your Brain The two halves or “hemispheres” of your brain have three main components. The top, wrinkled portion, which makes up nine-tenths of the brain's volume, is called the Cerebrum, Cerebral Cortex and Neocortex. This is the thinking part of the brain. Each neuron within the cerebrum has the potential to connect with up to 10,000 other neurons. Located deep inside your cerebrum is an area called the Limbic System. This is the part of your brain © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
that governs emotions and feelings and decides what's important and what is not. If an emotion is attached to a memory, for example, the memory is more powerful. Therefore the limbic system has a tremendous amount of influence on your ability to remember and recall things. A key part of the limbic system is the Hippocampus, the brain's primary memory control center. The back portion is the cerebellum, or a 'mini brain' that deals mainly with balance, posture, and motor-co-ordination. All the other areas (including the pons, thalamus, medulla, and hypothalamus) belong to the portion referred to as the brain stem. This joins the spinal cord below and the cerebrum above it.
Even while you are sleeping, your brain remains active ---- in fact, your brain never turns off or even rests through your entire life. This is because your brain works around the clock keeping your body functioning. Besides the thinking process, it operates the heart, respiratory and digestive systems, and directs the body’s resistance to disease. The smallest unit of your brain is the neuron, which means “nerve cell”. To picture the size of a neuron, think about the fact that 30,000 neurons can fit on the head of a pin! Neurons have special projections called Dendrites and Axons. Dendrites bring information to the cell body and Axons take information away from the cell body, so neurons are in constant interaction with other neurons around them, rather like neighbors communicating with each other.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
One neuron can communicate with up to 10,000 other neurons, each communication pathway having the potential to produce a new thought process. Amazing!
Although neurons can communicate with many other neurons at any moment, they do not actually touch each other. There is an infinitesimally small but finite distance between the dendrites of each neuron called the Synapse. The actual communication is done via electrochemical impulses and special chemicals in the brain called Neurotransmitters. Neurons differ from other cells because they alone can receive electrochemical impulses and currents and transmit them to other neurons.
Neurotransmitters are small molecules whose function is to transmit neuron communication or “impulses” as they are called, from one neuron to another. Neurotransmitters can be thought of as chemical messengers that neurons use to tell other neurons that they have received an impulse. Normally, they are stored at the end of the axons in the synapses. When an electrical impulse reaches the synapse, the neurotransmitter is released and crosses the gap of the synapse and this initiates a message to the neighboring neuron. Scientists have identified about fifty different neurotransmitters. Different neurotransmitters work in different ways, some triggering the receiving neuron to send an impulse and some stop it from doing so. For example, the neurotransmitter Norepinephrine is essential because it associates emotion with memory retention. Strong emotions cause Norepinephrine to be released, which fixes the memory strongly in your brain, so you are likely to remember it and be able to recall it more vividly for a longer period of time.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
Acetylcholine is another neurotransmitter useful for memory function whilst Serotonin is important as a natural antidepressant; however, it’s additionally important because the brain uses serotonin to make melatonin, which is an important chemical for sleeping. In fact, the serotonin-melatonin connection is one of the primary reasons that depressed people often have sleep disorders.
We now know for a fact that our brain continues to produce new neurons throughout our lives, and it does so in response to stimulation or mental exercise. This is referred to as Brain Plasticity or Neuro-plasticity, and it is one of the most encouraging discoveries for increasing brain power. “Use it or lose it!” is certainly very true when it comes to your brain’s capability. Neurons stick together like Glue… When people talk about brain cells, they usually think only of neurons. But did you know that without a special type of cell called a Glial cell, the neurons wouldn't work? Without Glial cells, your brain would not have working neurons, and without neurons there would be no point of Glial cells. About 90 percent of your brain cells are Glial cells (the other 10 percent are neurons) which accounts for the 1,000 billion of them. Glial means "glue", so these cells are called Glial or "glue" because they act like little ropes for neurons to hold on to when the brain is being formed. Glial cells attach themselves to neurons and feed them: also, Glial cells are able to reproduce, so your brain can make as many as it needs.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
Apparently, the Scientist and founder of Relativity Theory, Albert Einstein, had a whole lot of Glial cells in his brain, many, many more than usual. Good old Albert had the foresight to make prior arrangements to leave his brain cells for research. So, within seven hours of his death, it was removed from his skull. To prevent deterioration, his brain was injected with, and then suspended in Formalin. Later, Albert’s brain was measured, photographed and cut into about 240 blocks, each about the size of a sugar cube. The blocks were embedded in celloidin and some were cut into sections for microscopic examination. The scientists who studied his brain found a huge number of Glial cells in a specific area of his brain. Scientists think this means that this area of Einstein's brain showed more use than the same area in any other brain ever studied.
So, what made Einstein different from us? Did Einstein have a huge brain? No, his brain was smaller than average, as he was smaller than average. His huge intelligence came from the number of connections he had between his brain cells. The part of his brain that was involved in mathematical reasoning was 15 per cent wider than normal and was not divided by a fold that is found in the rest of us. And because of Albert’s wish to leave his brainy parts for medical investigation, we now know that every time you learn something new, you are making a new connection between two brain cells.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
Left or Right? In the 1950s and the 1960s, Professor Roger Sperry did some incredible experiments with the cerebral cortex, the portion of the human brain that is related to organization, memory, cognition, communication, creative, decision-making, speech, music and other such fields. The cerebral cortex (known also as the cerebrum) is divided into two hemispheres (right and left) connected by an intricate network of nerve fibers that shuttle information back and forth between the two hemispheres. In Professor Roger Sperry’s experiments, done in collaboration with Professor Robert Ornstein, they asked a group of student respondents to perform differing mental tasks such as daydreaming, math calculation, reading, drawing, speaking, writing, coloring shapes and listening to music, while they measured their brain waves. Their studies revealed that while the right hemisphere seemed to control rhythm, spatial awareness, imagination, daydreaming and dimension, the left hemisphere controlled tasks related to word association and logical thinking, for example, number sequencing, linearity, analysis.
Left and Right Brain Activity Scientists have discovered that the primary functions of the left and right hemispheres are opposite, yet complimentary.
In a nutshell, the left side of your brain is concerned with 'doing', whereas the right of your brain is concerned with 'being'. The primary attributes of your left brain include function, speech, literacy, abstract concept and number activities, while the right side is concerned mainly with the arts and music appreciation.
Research has shown that when people have been trained to use
either “side” of their brain to the exclusion of the other, they tend to form dominant habits favoring the appropriate activities. Also, they tend to describe themselves almost exclusively in those terms. Hence the use of the words such as ‘analytical” and “logical” for left-side thinking individuals, but “intuitive” and “creative” for the right- sided thinkers.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
A quick check of your brain quotient
Amass all of the above evidence
Here is a quick quiz that will reveal how much you know about your brain beautiful!
together and it leads to only one
1. Your higher level thought processes are controlled by the lower parts of your brain? True/False 2. The brain stem controls the brain’s upper-level thinking systems. True/False 3. In evolutionary terms, the front of the brain developed first. True/False 4. The “cerebellum” is another term for the “cerebral cortex.” True/False 5. The lower brain is also referred to as the “reptilian brain.” True/False 6. The limbic system maintains and adjusts posture and coordinates the muscular movement of the limbs. True/False 7. The cerebral cortex is the part of the brain normally referred to as the “left/right” brain. True/False 8. The right cerebral cortex is the creative side of the brain. True/False 9. The left cerebral cortex is the academic/intellectual side of the brain. True/False 10. Your brain is hard-wired – there is not much you can do to change its abilities. True/False 11. The world’s best computers are now better than the human brain in their basic potential. True/False
conclusion – that you are a fantastic individual and you and your brain can accomplish tremendous things together!
So why not delve further and discover how to get the best out of your brain – after all, think how much you can achieve after you double your brain power!
Answers: 1. False. 2. False, 3. False, 4. False, 5. True, 6. True, 7. True, 8. True and False!, 9. True and False!, 10. False, 10. False. (Source: Head Strong by Tony Buzan)
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
In a memorable interview with the BBC's Martin Bashir in February 2003, Michael Jackson was asked whether he suffered from memory problems. His reply? "Not that I can recall."
I
t’s hard to imagine a life without memory. From the moment you were born, your brain started to file away huge amounts of information, ….facts, names, faces, sounds, smells and
events and the emotions that are tied to them. Every second of your waking life, you rely upon your memory to remember your past, dictate the present and shape your future. From knowing how to swim, remembering a significant day in your life, or even your first kiss; your memory has extraordinary capability to remember and recall.
Research from Rutgers University in North America suggested that babies can form memories, even before being born.
Pre – birth babies taking part in the research were introduced to a reading passage. For 5 – 6 weeks before delivery, the passage was read to the babies by their Mother for 20 minutes a day, every day.
The Researchers were able to demonstrate that once born, the babies which took part in the study fed preferentially when the reading passage was re-introduced to them, even as early as 2 days old. So, for the babies to demonstrate familiarity, the babies must have remembered hearing the read material before being born.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
You too can recall early memories as far back as when you were an infant. As human beings, we have the ability to retain, process and recall our memories, whether it be for information, personal experiences or some skills or habits.
One of my earliest memories involved lying on my parents’ bed, twiddling strands of hair between thumb and forefinger and crying for a drink of hot chocolate. I could not have been very old at the time, maybe age three or four. I can close my eyes and picture the scene almost immediately because I remember that having a hot chocolate drink was very important to me. The weather out side must have been very cold, because I can remember the smells of a paraffin heater coupled with dank dark wallpaper……..
What Is Memory? When an event happens, when you learn something, or when you meet someone, your brain determines whether that information needs to be saved. If your brain judges the information important, it places it in your memory "files." In chapter one, you discovered that neurons are able to connect with many other neurons through electrochemical impulses. Memory seems to involve the strengthening of, or making of new neural connections within the Neocortex of the brain. Also, memories are thought to be processed and stored away in different areas of the cerebral cortex of the brain. A memory in your brain begins with a stimulus-something you perceive through touch, taste, sight, sound or smell. Your sense organs pick up a message and send it along a pathway of nerves to your brain. Once it has
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
been received by a neuron's dendrite, the message enters the cell body. An electrical charge pushes the message through the cell body and the cell's axon. Then the message is transmitted by the axon to the dendrite of a neighboring neuron. This process gets repeated from neuron to neuron until the message reaches its destination, each neuron sending the message to another neuron via axon, neurotransmitter and dendrite.
The re-activation of the experience in your brain (when you think or talk about the event) strengthens the neural connections which form the experience – the continued re-activation produces a memory trace. And the stronger the neural connections, the stronger will be the memory trace. So, when we “re-live” an experience in our mind by thinking about that experience over and over, we produce a strong memory trace of the experience. In other words, we “learn” the experience. Types of Memory: Short Term and Long Term Memory Have you ever noticed how certain memories penetrate deep into your mind and stay there, but other experiences and information just seem to “go in one ear and out the other”? Most of us can remember the names of friends and relatives, our pet dog and family budgie. We can remember our place of work, School or College, where we live and the route to the local Supermarkets. So why can’t we
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
always remember what we had for lunch last Tuesday, or the exact date of our last haircut, for example? The reason is because your brain can store and record different types of memories. Your brain can, for example, make a distinction between recalling the name of someone you have just been introduced to, remembering the various tasks of a project at work, and knowing how to drive an automobile. The two basic types of memory are short-term memory (also known as working memory) and long-term memory. Short-term memory lasts from a few seconds to a minute; the exact amount of time may vary. So, when you are trying to recall a telephone number that you heard a few seconds earlier, the name of a person who has just been introduced to you, or directions to a new Hairdresser, you are calling on your working memory. Recent research seems to demonstrate that the brain faculty we refer to as “Intelligence” may be the brain function of working memory. Research carried out at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, found evidence that neural systems underlying working memory grow in response to training. Training consisted of tasks like memorizing the position of dots on a grid. After five weeks of such training, brain activity increased in the areas of the brain associated with working memory. The conclusion from the research was that if you improve your working memory, then, you will presumably increase your intelligence. So, training of your working memory may be the key to increasing your brainpower.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
Long-term memory is defined as a type of memory that can stay with us throughout life. Your long-term memory holds information that you have decided is important enough to keep - information that you will need to recall and use often in the foreseeable future. This is the type of memory you draw upon to remember where you live and how to drive. The name of someone you meet at a party or other social event may become a long-term memory if you decide to make that person an ongoing part of your life. Long-term memory lasts from a minute or so to weeks or even years. By using long-term memory, you can recall general information about the world that you learnt on previous occasions, memory for specific past experiences, specific rules previously learnt, and similar types of information. Although called “long-term,” this type of memory is not permanent. And although it tends to stay intact in most people, much of what we learn can grow dim and vague unless we actively use it. We don't need to remember most
Did You Know… The medical condition experienced by character Leonard in the film “Memento” is a real condition called Anterograde Amnesia - the inability to form new memories after damage to the hippocampus. During the 1950s, doctors treated some forms of epilepsy by removing parts of the temporal lobe, resulting in the same memory problems.
things we experience past about five minutes, so we store them in our working memory. But after an hour, two thirds of our short-term memory is gone and 90 percent of it is gone in 24 hours. So, if you want to improve your brain power, the trick is to move information from your short-term memory into your long-term memory.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
Visual and Auditory Memory Visual memory is a person’s ability to remember what has been seen. Auditory memory is a person’s ability to remember what has been heard. Some people have developed these types of memory as part of their learning style and might use them for learning without even realizing they do so. For example, you or someone else you know, when a piece of information has been explained, might say, “Oh yeah, I see what you mean!” Or you might exclaim, after grasping some new concept, “Oh yeah, I hear you!” Your brain is attuned to these different types of learning styles – find out what works best for you. Turning Short-Term memory into Long-Term memory I want you to do something here. I want you to recall one of your most vivid and exciting memories. It can be anything, so long as the memory is vivid in your mind. Is the memory enthralling, passionate, or thrilling? Is the memory creating sparks in your mind? Can you feel your spine tingling and the butterflies in your stomach, as you play the memory in your mind over and over? Imagine being there again, feeling that excitement and warmth as the memory becomes stronger and stronger…….
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
One way to etch a short-term memory more permanently in your brain involves attaching strong emotions to the memory. If an emotion is attached to a memory, the memory is more powerful. When emotions are involved, the limbic system comes into force. Your emotions cause the neurotransmitter norepinephrine to be released, which fixes the memory strongly in your brain. When norepinephrine is released, you are more likely to remember your memories and be able to recall them more vividly for a longer period of time. So, any memory technique which incorporates emotion has got to be good for learning. Another method for making memories more permanent is to use strong visual imagery. The key here is to think of concrete visual symbols to represent abstract numbers and letters. For example, a sticky bun might be associated with the number “one”. Then, you “place” all your symbols on a physical route, or a journey you know well. When you need to recall the numbers or words, just take a mental stroll through the location where you placed your symbols and see each of the images. This method of recall is known as the Journey Method and is the basis for most of the mnemonic methods used by the grandmasters of memory we love to admire. We’ll discuss mnemonics in the next chapter.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
Consolidation Consolidation is the term Scientists use to describe the movement of information from the short term, to long term memory. Researchers at Harvard Medical School in the United States have worked on memory consolidation. It is believed to occur through changes in the connection strength between brain cells, and on a larger scale, between different brain regions.
So, how does consolidation occur? Two major brain chemicals involved are Kinases and Phosphatases. These chemicals belong to a special group of biological compounds called Enzymes. The action of enzymes is to make chemicals react with other chemicals, producing new substances, but the enzymes themselves are unaffected by the reaction. So, Kinases and Phosphateses in your brain cause other brain chemicals to react, but are left untouched by the reactions which they make happen.
According to the above Research, when Kinase enzymes in your brain are involved in chemical reactions, the consolidation process is boosted. But when Phosphatase enzymes in your brain become involved, consolidation is inhibited.
So, how does this relate to boosting brain power?
Again, Research has shown that if we try to learn new information in one mass study session, the Phosphatase enzymes dominate and inhibit consolidation – but if you spread your learning in big gaps, the Phosphatase Enzymes do not build up very much and the Kinase enzymes become dominant. So the consolidation process is much more efficient. © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
That’s the chemistry bit out of the way!
So, the secret is this……..
If you want to memorize something, review it before falling asleep because most memory consolidation happens during sleep.
Current research supports the idea that new information learnt last thing at night before sleeping, is retained much better than new information learnt first thing in the morning. Learning new information on top of new information encourages the build up of Phosphatase enzyme activity and therefore hinders consolidation.
And consolidation requires effort, because you need to reinforce your memory traces over and over again to move your memories from short-term to long-term. But, you’re already aware that to become a successful learner and boost your brain power, emotional input and strong images are important. Also, your brain can use the stimuli of color, structure, sound, smell, touch and taste, for learning.
So, you must know the techniques you can practice to:
* Speed up the process of consolidation
* Make your learning easier and so
* Enable you to double your brain power!
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
"Probably the least effective way to memorize anything is to just stare at it on the printed page." The Princeton Review
H
ave you ever watched those TV Programs where individuals memorize up to 100 or more random objects, seemingly without any practice?
Their memory always amazes me. It’s as if these individuals have a superhuman power to store masses of information in their heads effortlessly.
But, behind most great feats is a simple technique. Memory ability is a skill, which can be learnt. An efficient memory can be of enormous benefit to you in your everyday life. And if you learn the techniques associated with memory and retention, you too can dramatically improve your memory.
Learning to Learn is not tough --- all it requires is a clever application of certain scientific, time tested study strategies.
Did You Know… It's no accident that telephone numbers in the United States are seven digits long. Our working memory, a very short-term form of memory which stores ideas just long enough for us to understand them, can hold on average a maximum of seven digits. This allows you to look up a phone number and remember it just long enough to dial.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
Association, Location, Imagination Your brain makes use of 3 fundamental concepts so that you can memorize and recall information. These are: * Association * Imagination * Location
How the Brain associates Ideas Your brain remembers information by association. Every piece of information in your memory gets linked to other pieces of information in some way or the other. So, For example, if you are given the word "Apple", you might think of the words to associate with “Apple”: Red, round, sweet, tree, or fruit. Since there is so much information that your brain has to process, it simplifies the task by storing information in an
Association works! YOU remember approximately 10 percent of what you read. YOU remember approximately 20 percent of what you hear. YOU remember approximately 30 percent of what you see. YOU remember approximately 50 percent of what you hear and see together. YOU remember approximately 70 percent of what you say (if you think as you are saying it). YOU remember approximately 90 percent of what you do.
orderly fashion into various “compartments”. So when your brain opens one compartment, say that marked with the tag “Apple”, everything else related to it also tumbles out. The theory behind this idea is that choosing the right tag can actually get you into the right compartment of your brain box.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
So, when you learn how to consciously associate anything you want to remember to something you already know, you will then have a trained memory. It really is as simple as that. Your brain’s quickest and probably longest-lasting response to information is to create a visualization of the information. By making a mental picture, or a mental image, of the information to be learnt, you use an entirely different part of the brain than you did by just reading or listening. Imagination is the way in which you use your mind to create the links that have the most meaning for you. Images that I create will have less power and impact for you, because images are personal and reflect the way in which individuals personally think. The more strongly you imagine and visualise a situation, the more effectively it will stick in your mind for it to be recalled later. The association of information in your brain can be put into different pictorial locations; that mean, different scenes or settings. Separating out stored information in your brain is easier if the information is stored in different locations. Believe it or not, these 3 principles are the bases of the memory systems which the masters of memory use to perform their extraordinary feats of recall.
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Dial M for Mnemonic…… A mnemonic (pronounced without the first m – this is silent) is any type of memory aid. The Ancient Greeks developed basic memory systems called “Mnemonics”, a name derived from their Goddess of Memory, Mnemosene. According to Harvard memory researcher Daniel Schacter, mnemonic devices were first employed by a Greek poet named Simonides in 477 BC. Simonides was the sole survivor of a roof collapse that killed all the guests at a large banquet he was attending. He was able to reconstruct the guest list by visualizing who was sitting at each seat around the table. What Simonides had discovered was that people have an astoundingly good recollection of location. In the ancient world, a trained memory was an immense asset, particularly in public life. There were no convenient devices for taking notes, and early Greek orators delivered long speeches with great accuracy because they learned the speeches using Mnemonic systems. Mnemonic techniques became very fashionable among Roman lawyers to remember the points they wanted to make in a lawsuit. As the Greek civilization developed, they enhanced mnemonic techniques; In fact, many of the mnemonic devices that are in use today were cultivated by Greek Sophists and Philosophers – apparently Plato and Aristotle often referred to mnemonics in their works. The mnemonic devices employed by the early Greek civilization realized that human memory thrives on association.
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The Principle of Association The Principle of Association forms the basis of all mnemonic systems and is one of the most important memory helpers, whereas the principles of Imagination and Location enhance the system. The Principle of Association is this: You can remember any new information if you associate it to something you already know or remember. And it’s even easier to remember new information if you associate it to something you already know in some ludicrous way. Any thought, action, word, statement, or whatever, can trigger another, associated memory. When you recall what you had for lunch yesterday, that may remind you of something someone said during lunch, which may recall the memory of some background music which was playing, which may evoke something which occurred ten years ago, and this can go on and on. These associations do not have to be logical - they can be completely random or absurd. Like the earlier example for the word “Apple”. The instant your brain registers the word 'Apple' it recalls the shape, color, taste, texture and smell of that fruit. All these things are associated in your memory with the word 'Apple'.
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Do you remember the 3 principles your brain uses to memorize and recall? Association, Imagination, Location. Your brain has the capability to work together on these principles to generate powerful mnemonic systems. And hopefully, once you have absorbed the basic techniques you will understand how to design and apply mnemonic systems to create your own powerful, workable recall systems. Association of Ideas You’ve probably used the principle of association all your life without even realizing that you do. Can you recall the seven colors of the rainbow in the correct order? It is as follows: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet. If you were ever taught to think of the phrase “Richard of York gave battle in vain, then you can easily remember the correct order. The technique your brain used is to remember some new (and abstract) information,( the colors of the rainbow) by associating them to something you already knew, or at least understood (the phrase “Richard of York gave battle in Vain”).
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Can you remember the shape of Austria, Canada, Belgium, or Germany? Probably not. But what about Italy? If you remember the shape of Italy, it is because you've been told at some time that Italy is shaped like a boot. You made an association with something already known, the shape of a boot, and Italy's shape couldn't be forgotten once you had made the association. There are many other common uses of the Principle of Association. Students are told to think of HOMES on Great Lake to help remember the five great lakes - Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior. Music students think of the word STAB to remind themselves of the four voices in a quartet - Soprano, Tenor, Alto, Bass. Try this exercise for starters………please, do not read any further until you have tried this exercise because you need to understand the basic ideas which underpin mnemonic systems. Let's assume you want to memorize these ten everyday, unrelated items, in sequence: Strawberry, car, book, donut, pencil, fish, tree, football, saucepan and shoe. First, picture a strawberry in your mind. You can't apply the principle of association just yet because you have only one item. But now we come to the next item - car. If we assume that you already know strawberry, you can now apply the rule. So, use your imagination to create a picture, or image, in your mind's eye – some association between strawberry and car.
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In order to do this, you need a ludicrous, far-fetched, crazy, illogical, absurd picture or image to associate the two items. What you don't want is a logical or sensible picture because your brain is far less likely to remember the image. An impossible, crazy, picture might be – an enormous strawberry is driving a car along the motorway, or you open a car door and billions of strawberries tumble out and knock you over. These are ludicrous, illogical pictures. What you need to do is select one of these pictures, or a crazy image you thought of yourself, and see it your mind for just a fraction of a second. You need to be aware of the image in your mind’s eye. Be careful however, not to picture the words strawberry and car. You need to see the action you've selected - the huge strawberry driving the car, or a mountain of strawberries tumbling out of a car, or whichever image you've decided on. See that picture in your mind's eye for just an instant, right now. The next item on your list is book. Assuming that you already remember car, you now need to form a ridiculous association in your mind between car and book. For example, you open a book and a car leaps out of the pages and knocks you over. Or you are driving a huge book instead of a car. Or you are driving a car when suddenly a massive book appears in front of you, which the car rips as you drive through it. Choose one of these images, or one you conjure up for your self and picture it clearly for a split second. Donut is the next item to remember, so you now need to form a ludicrous association between book and donut. You could picture yourself reading a gigantic book which has lots of little donuts sticking out of the pages, or © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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sliding down a set of stairs on an enormous book, stuffing your mouth full of donuts! See one of those crazy images. Next on the list is pencil. Associate it to donut. See yourself trying to
swirl a huge donut on the end of a pencil, or you’ve made a giant Catharine Wheel with a donut as the axle and the
spokes are the pencils. Again, picture one of these scenarios clearly in your mind. The next item is fish. Imagine the tail of a big fish slapping millions of pencils around in the air, or millions of pencils floating around in a pond and a fish comes along and gobbles them all up. Be sure to see the image clearly. Tree is the next item on the list. Picture millions of fish hanging from your tree instead of leaves, or you could imagine fish swimming up from the roots of a tree. Select one of
these images, or one of your own, and see it for an instant in
your mind's eye. Football comes next. See yourself looking up at a giant tree and millions of footballs come cascading out of it, or as you kick a football, it bursts open and a tree starts to grow out of the football. The next item to be remembered is saucepan. Imagine a pan full of boiling water and you are cooking footballs. Or, you might imagine a giant saucepan being pulled along with 4 footballs as wheels. Select a crazy association between football and saucepan, and see the picture in your mind. The
final item on the list is shoe. See yourself walking along with a saucepan on one foot and a shoe on the other. Or, you are watching a cookery program on television when millions of
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
shoes suddenly drop from the television stage into the saucepans! Picture one of those images. If you have really tried to see all those pictures, you will now remember the list of ten items in sequence, both forwards and backwards. Now that you've been introduced to the principle of association, spend some time practicing those mental pictures. Make up a list of items. Now, form associations between those items in your mind. Remember that your mental images should always be as illogical, crazy, and far-fetched as possible. The items you associate can be any everyday, ordinary things that you think of. They don't have to be logically connected in any way. Starts with a list of ten items, then increase the list to twenty, or as many as you feel you can handle at this stage. If you can associate a list of twenty items and then recall the list both backwards and forwards, you are doing very well! You can practice your association skills anywhere - on a train or bus, or while out walking, or during commercial breaks on television, or during your lunch break at work or College... any time and any where you have a few spare moments. Remember, the Principle of Association forms the basic building block around which all the mnemonic systems are built. The more time you spend practicing the creation of those ludicrous mental pictures now, the easier you’ll find it to develop mnemonic techniques.
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Mnemonic Techniques The next few pages will introduce you to a range of Mnemonic Techniques which you can use to aid learning, improve memory and so boost your brain power. Some of the techniques mentioned you will favour more than others, but the idea is to discover if some, or maybe all of the techniques, have some element of benefit for you. And they do work! The Link System If, by learning some new piece of information, you attempt to consciously associate items together in your mind, you can develop it into a mnemonic method called the 'Link' or 'Chain' Memory System. The links of a memory chain are formed by systematically linking one item to another. And if you make the associations strong enough in your mind, one item in the chain must lead you on to the next item. Once the Link system has been applied to a list, you can retain that list for as long as you wish. Link Systems can be used to memorize any information which has to be learnt in sequence. Speeches, presentations, stories, jokes, recipes, and formulas are all examples of things which must be learnt in sequence. And quite often, the links between each item can be made into a story, as this helps the images in the link to flow from one to another.
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There are five basic principles you can apply in forming your mental pictures which will help to make your associations strong and long lasting (1) OUT OF PROPORTION – In all your images, try to distort size and shape. (2) SUBSTITUTION – In the previous exercise, I suggested that you visualised a tree growing out of a football, or the tail of a big fish slapping millions of pencils around in the air. Substituting an out of place item in an image increases the likelihood of you recalling the image. (3) EXAGGERATION - Try to picture vast quantities in your images. For example, in the first exercise, I suggested you try visualising millions of strawberries, or millions of pencils. (4) MOVEMENT - Any movement or action is always easy to remember. For example, in the first exercise I suggested you visualized kicking a football, or sliding down the stairs on a giant book. (5) HUMOUR - The funnier, more absurd and zany you can make your images, the more memorable they will be. Applying any combination of these five principles when forming your images will help make your mental associations ones that you will remember. (Do not worry if at first you have to apply some effort to create those zany mental pictures which are important for your brain. After a bit of practice, you'll find that you can do it quickly and easily.)
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Consider the following exercise. Your task is to memorize the following list of items in sequence, using the Link System: Bread, milk, coffee, cereal, fruit juice, chicken, eggs, macaroni, tomatoes, and sugar. I’ll help you to get started. The first item is Bread. Before moving on to item two, consider for a moment how you can be sure that you will remember the first item in any Link. This is a very important step because there is nothing to associate the first item to. The trick is to associate your first item to the subject of your Link - in this case the supermarket. For example, picture yourself opening the supermarket door and being bombarded by millions of loaves of bread, knocking you over. If you can picture that ridiculous image, or any other image that you can conjure up, clearly in your mind for just an instant, then you will remember that first item on your shopping list. The second item is milk. Now, form a ridiculous association between bread and milk. You might picture a huge metal urn full of milk being poured over millions of loaves of bread. Remember, the more ludicrous the image, the more likely you are to remember the image. See that image or a similar zany association between bread and milk in your mind's eye, right now.
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(Remember that the ludicrous associations suggested here are only suggestions. If you come up with your own images then so much the better because then your brain is beginning to use the systems you are learning.) Now, continue with your Link. Use the method I’ve explained to you above to Link together each item in the shopping list. Work your way through the list until you reach the last item, sugar. Go over the links in your mind’s eye a few times so as to reinforce the links and order of your shopping list. Now, cover up your list and see if you can remember the list of items, in the correct order, by visualizing the links in your mind. If you can see all the crazy images you put together in your mind's eye, you will now know the shopping list in sequence, both forwards and backwards. (A variation on this theme is to put the items you are linking together into a story, as this can help the images flow from one image to another.) Good, isn’t it? Use the Link Method whenever you need to memorize a list of practical items in a particular order.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
The Substitute Word System The Link methods you have looked at so far are great for memorising items which can be easily pictured in your mind. But it’s not every item you will need to remember that can be pictured. Take for example, the names of object, or a thing or a place. Names can be particularly awkward to remember because they are intangible. The substitute word system can help. It works like this. When you hear a word or phrase that seems abstract to you, think of something, - anything that sounds like, or reminds you of, the abstract material and can be pictured in your mind. You can do this by either: Converting the word into a picture and the picture means something to you. You can usually do this by finding a rhythmic word to substitute. OR Converting the word into a picture which means something to you, by splitting the word, and the split words are meaningful. Remember, rhyming lyrics act as mnemonic devices – that is why you can remember the words to your favorite song so easily! Did You Know… Ad agencies have long used rhyming jingles to make sure their product names stick in consumers' heads. Remember when Columbus sailed to America? In Fourteen-hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. If only we had a rhyme like that for every historical date, piece of information or vocabulary word! © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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For example, you might need to remember the name BONITA. You might want to split the name into 2 parts, perhaps something like BUN and HEATER. You could then visualize a huge bun sitting on top of a giant heater! Or whatever works for you, but the point is that with a little practice, you’ll be able to conjure up images to fit the name or place or thing you want to remember. Consider the following exercise in which you are going to learn the following list of 10 States of America, in the given order: Washington Mississippi Tennessee Kansas New Jersey Rhode Island Florida New York Maine New Hampshire
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You are going to apply the methods you have learnt so far to memorizing the list. Firstly, form a Substitute Word or Phrase to remind you of each of the State names. Secondly, apply the Link System to link those Substitute Words and Phrases together. Let’s begin with the State of Washington. You might imagine a person standing over a large basin, washing a pile of dirty, smelly, grubby clothes, with a huge ton weight hanging over their head. The next State on the list is Mississippi. You might imagine a woman dressed up as a Hippy, and her name might be Mrs Hippy. You now form a link with the person washing the pile of grubby clothes – perhaps the ton weight is about to fall on Mrs Hippy! Next is Tennessee. You might imagine 2 persons playing a weird and wacky game of Tennis – now link that to the image of Mrs Hippy – perhaps Mrs Hippy runs between the 2 Tennis players and gets whacked across the head by the oncoming tennis ball! See that Tennis ball give Mrs Hippy a tremendous whack across the side of her head! Kansas is next. You might imagine, for example, several gigantic cans being hitched on the back of an Ass. Once the image is formed, link it in some way to the image formed for Tennessee. Perhaps the Ass with the gigantic cans on its back is being pinged back and forth between the 2 tennis players!
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Next is New Jersey. For this state, you might want to imagine a huge multi colored jumper jersey, all baggy at the shoulders and sleeves. Now link the image of New Jersey to your image of Kansas – perhaps the ass with the cans on its back is being engulfed by the huge jersey - the ass falls and topples all over the place because the animal cannot see where its going! Be sure to see that image clearly in your mind. You have now reached the half way stage. 5 states memorized in order, 5 more to go. Your next task is to: a) Form images for the next 5 States of Rhode Island, Florida, New York, Maine and New Hampshire b) Link your images so that you memorize the list of 10 states in the correct order. Remember that Linking and associating are personal and individual - what you think of is usually best for you. Also, the first Substitute Word that comes to mind is normally the best to use. Again, do not read on until you have completed the exercise.
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How to remember Foreign Vocabulary using the Link Method In the same way that you can use the substitute word system to link lists of items together, you can use this method to link a foreign word to its meaning. The Link method is best for remembering simple words from another language. For example, the French word for Garden is “Jardin”. Now, I might think the pronunciation sounds like “Jar Dan” so I might imagine an enormous brightly coloured jar at the bottom of a garden, filled with giant creepy crawly insects! The jar would remind me of the beginning of the pronunciation for “Jardin” Similarly, the French word for “Chair” is “Chaise”. To me, the pronunciation sounds like “chase”, so I might use my imagination to think of being chased around a room by a gigantic chair, having a life all of its own! You will of course foreign words and your own imagination to suit your own purpose. However, I’ll show you another method I learnt from Dominic O'Brien, a Grand Master of Memory and 8 times winner of the World Memory Championships. This method requires minimum effort but maximum results! He outlines this method in his book “How to develop a perfect memory” and as you did before, imagination and association are the tools you use. First of all, you need to really familiarise yourself with your home town or local area. Look at your library, Local Park, fire station, hospital, bookshop, café, supermarket, in fact anywhere and everywhere you would find © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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common day items. This will provide you with the basis of recalling your new foreign vocabulary. Try to use just one Town or local area for one foreign language, otherwise the visualization becomes confusing. Say, for example, you want to memorize verbs from your foreign language. Verbs are “doing” or action words like running, walking, jumping etc. I would tend to use a local, familiar park as my location for verbs. Wherever you decide, try and keep them all together. That way, when you want to know the French for, for example, “run”, you will know that “run” is a verb and will be located in your chosen action place, e.g. a park. To remember your foreign word requires two pieces of information from you. Firstly, the foreign word is what you are going to get your object from. You do this by what the foreign word sounds like and reminds you of. Secondly, consider the meaning of the foreign word and link to your location. For example, the French word for “walk” is “marcher” What does marcher remind me of? Well, personally the word reminds me of Soldiers marching along a road. I can even imagine the sound of the soldiers’ heavy footsteps as they pound the pavement of the road. What does the foreign word mean? “Marcher” means “walk” in English. Where would I want to walk? In my local park, of course! So, linking the two words goes something like this:
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When I hear the word "Marcher" it will trigger me to think of "Soldiers marching". I will immediately think of the soldiers marching along a path in my local park. I recall the sound of the soldiers’ heavy footsteps on the path. This aids in concreting the scene in my memory. My example above is the basis of how to remember foreign vocabulary using your town or local area as your association. Of course, not all the words in the foreign language are going to be straightforward to recall an association, so you might have to break up the word in order to achieve your mental picture. For example, the French word “bâtir” means “build”. This too is a verb, so again I can use my local park to form a mental picture “Bâtir” sounds to me like “Bat ear”, so I would imagine a Bat with gigantic ears flying around in the Park. The English word for “bâtir” is “build”, so to link the 2 images together, I would imagine some workers building in the park, when suddenly a bat with gigantic ears flies over them. I would imagine the swishing the bat’s ears would make as it swooped over the workers. So there you have it! This method is really an extension of the Substitute word system, and is useful in helping you to categorize foreign vocabulary words into relevant groups of verbs, nouns and adjectives. Try applying this method to help you memorize some of the basic vocabulary of any language you choose. If you are planning a foreign holiday this year, then the choice of language will be obvious. If not, perhaps there is a country you would like to visit at some time in the future. © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Obtain a simple phrase book from your local library, and set yourself a task of memorising a minimum number of words or phrases each day. By applying the Substitute Word system, you will soon build up a decent-sized vocabulary in your chosen language. The Peg System The Peg system of memory is designed to enable you to remember a number of things when the position is important. It’s brilliant because it allows you to memorize any list of items, in and out of order. Any of the Peg systems you may have heard of previously are all variations on a theme. Basically, The Peg system works by associating a “peg” word with either digits or letters of the alphabet. It’s a bit like collecting your coat from a Theatre Attendant after a performance. When you take your ticket to the Attendant after the performance, you expect to get your coat back because your ticket corresponds to the peg on which your coat has been placed. So, for a mental peg system to work, you need to be able to take whatever item you wish to remember, put it on a peg and then recall that item by going back to the peg at a later time. For example, the numbers 1 to 10 can be remembered as a list of rhyming words to use as peg words, and the items to be remembered are associated with the peg words. The items to be remembered are created as a vivid image. The image then becomes representative of that number. So when you think of the number, the peg image will appear in your mind.
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You can do something like this: One rhymes with Bun: Imagine an enormous, currant bun covered with sticky brown toffee icing. Two rhymes with Shoe: Imagine a huge multicolored shoe, covered in polka dots Three rhymes with Tree: Picture a gigantic, leafed tree, taller than any other tree Four rhymes with Door: Visualize an enormous, brightly painted handled door. Five rhymes with Hive: Imagine a giant bee-hive, drizzling with golden honey. Six rhymes with Bricks: Picture a huge red-brick wall Seven rhymes with Heaven: Visualize a set of pearly gates surrounded by white fluffy clouds Eight rhymes with Gate: Imagine a brightly colored wooden gate at the bottom of a garden path. Nine rhymes with Sign: Can you see a huge sign post, perhaps with your name on it, hanging at the top of your street? Ten rhymes with Pen: Picture a large, multicolored fountain pen with a bright, multicolored lid. (Of course, I’ve used words which come to my mind when I think of a number and its rhyming word, but if you create your own list your mental © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
image will be stronger and sharper. And remember, the more vivid and ludicrous the image, the more likely you are to visualize it.) Practice seeing the images with your mind’s eye over and over until you can see each digit with its associated image clearly. Now, think of a list of items which you might want to remember. For the purpose of example I’ve created the following list: CHAIR SAUCEPAN TABLE BOOK DRESS TEAPOT TELEPHONE MIRROR CAR CUP To remember this list, you associate each item with the digit and rhyming word image. For example, you could imagine that sticky currant bun in the middle of your chair – and a big fat bottom about to sit on the bun!
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
Make the mental image as vivid as possible – that way, you’ll remember it easily. Another example; Teapot is item 6, so you might think about a teapot full of boiling hot tea, precariously situated at the top of the brick wall. Imagine the teapot full of hot tea ready to fall onto your favorite boss! Now, I’ve done two of the items for you. Your task is to do the same for the rest of the items on the list. With practice, you can master this technique within a relatively short space of time. And the more you practice, the stronger your imagery will become. What I’ve shown you so far works for lists of items up to ten. But there is no reason why you cannot extend the peg digit system way beyond 10 – it just depends on how many items you need to remember. PEG WORDS A peg word system works just as well, this time using all the letters of the alphabet. This then gives you the potential to expand your list up to 26 items. You can use rhyming or similar sounding words as your peg words, for example. A
APPLE
B
BEE
C
SEA
D
DIVER
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
E
EAGLE
F
FISH
G
JEEP
H
HORSE
I
EYE
J
HAY
K
RAY (as in Sun Ray)
L
LETTER
M
MONEY
N
PEN
O
ORANGE
P
PEA
Q
STEW ( as in cooking)
R
STAR
S
ESCALATOR
T
TEA
U
EWE
V
FLEA
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
W
DOUBLE YOU
X
VEX
Y
SPY
Z
SHED
Once you have formed your peg word list, you then tie a mental image from your list to be remembered to the appropriate word from your peg list. Go on, you try this time! Construct a list of items, then memorize the list in and out or order using the peg word system. How to remember numbers – the Phonetic Sound and its Value system Generally, people have difficulty in remembering numbers. After all, can you recall off the top of your head, all the essential telephone numbers, credit card or Insurance numbers you would like to? If you could, you probably would not be reading this information! We are not so good at remembering numbers because they tend to be meaningless. Numbers can not be seen as a picture like any of the object lists I’ve mentioned to you so far. So, the best way to memorize numbers is to convert meaningless numbers into meaningful pictures. The Phonetic Sound system helps you remember long series of random numbers by making the numbers meaningful in one way or another.
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Phonetic Sound is based on the simple concept that there are ten digits in our numerical system, and also ten basic consonant phonetic sounds. So, every number from 0 through to 9 is assigned with some phonetic sounds. Using the phonetic sound, a word can be framed by combining the phonetic sounds of the number.
TABLE SHOWING THE PHONETIC SOUND AND ITS VALUE PHONETIC SOUND
VALUE
t,d
1
n
2
m
3
r
4
l
5
sh, ch, j, dge, soft g
6
k, ck, hard g, hard c
7
f, ph, v
8
p, b
9
z, s, soft c
0
TIPS FOR REMEMBERING THE PHONETIC SOUND AND ITS VALUE NO
SOUND
MEMORY TIPS TO REMEMBER
1
t,d
t and d both have one downstroke
2
n
n has 2 downstrokes
3
m
m has 3 downstrokes
4
r
fouR ends with the R sound
5
l
L is the roman numeral for 50
6
sh , ch, j, dge, soft g
Capital J is almost a mirror image of a 6.
7
k, ck, hard c, hard g
a capital K can be formed with a pair of 7's
8
f, ph, v
a handwritten small f and 8 looks similar
9
p,b
mirror image of 9 and looks like 9
0
z , s, soft c
the word zero begins with z sound
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Please note the following about using Phonetic Sounds: Hard c is the k sound as in “cake, cow” Soft c is the s sound as in “ice” Hard g is the k sound as in “goat, gate and game” Soft g is the j sound as in “gem, gentle.” NO VALUES TABLE S.NO
NO VALUE
LETTERS
1
All vowels
a,e, i, o, u
2
Letters in "why"
w, h, y
3
Silent letter in any word
(k)nife,
bom(b), cha(l)k
So, for example, what would be a meaningful word for the number 6? One of the phonetic sounds for 6 is “SH”. So, you can make a word having an “sh” sound and other no value letter(s). The first word which comes to my mind is “Shoe”. SH value is 6, and the letters O and E are vowels, hence they have no value. So the peg word for number 6 is SHOE. Let’s look at another example. What could be a meaningful word for the number 84? One of the phonetic sounds for 8 is “f” and for 4 is “r”. So, you can make a word having an “f” sound and an “r” sound and no other value letters.
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One word which comes to my mind is “Fur”. F value is 8 and R value is 4, and the letter “u” is a vowel, hence no value for it. So a peg word for the number 84 is FUR. Of course, you don’t have to restrict yourself to just double digit numbers. You can, by combining words, form your own peg words for a number with any amount of digits. Take, for example, the number 914. Another rule we need to observe from the following example is that, if any sound comes together, it is considered to be a single sound. One of the phonetic sounds for number 9 is “b” and for number 1 is “t”. The phonetic sound for number 4 is “r”. If I combine the sounds b, t and r using no value sounds, a word which comes to my mind is BaTTeRy. So the number 914 is transposed into the word BATTERY. What about the number 857259? An example of a phrase which could be formed from 857259 is: Phil gone loopy! (ph-i-l g-o-n-e l-oo-p-y) 8
5
7
2
5
9
Of course, when you create your own words or phrases, they will mean more to you because you created them!
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The beauty of the phonetic sound system is that you can then use the link system to make the image of the number easy to remember. For example, suppose the number 857259 formed part of a telephone number associated with your friend Phil. Phil is talking on the telephone whilst doing an insane, loopy dance around his office! Whenever you think of Phil using the telephone you would then be reminded of “Phil gone loopy”, which in turn would lead you back to his telephone number, 857259. Good, isn’t it? And of course, this system works equally as well with longer numbers. Just remember the 3 steps needed to remember a number which are: a) Divide the number up into several smaller groups of digits b) Using the Phonetic number system, transpose each group of digits into a word or phrase c) Apply the Link System to each of those words or phrases Now, you try and develop some phonetic sound values for numbers which are important to you. The numbers might be your credit card, Car Insurance, passport number – anything. But the objective is to give it a go. And of course, practice makes perfect!
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Method of Loci - The Journey Method The journey method is a very powerful, flexible and effective mnemonic. So powerful is this method that it is apparently the number one memory technique in use today. The method is based around the idea of remembering landmarks on a wellknown journey which is familiar to you. Items that you want to remember are placed on the journey and get “picked up” as you mentally walk through the room or route. So you can use your journey as a mental framework for storing information that you want to remember. To apply the technique, you have to use a journey you know very well and that you make regularly. Maybe the journey from home to work, or to College, is probably the best for many. An alternative journey could be taking a mental trip through the rooms in your home. Start at your front door and imagine walking through your home from one room (or area if it's open plan) to another. Do this in a logical order, perhaps in the order you would show somebody through your home.
Once you've done this, run through it in your head several times until you can mentally move from one room to another quickly and easily. Now you can use the rooms in your home to store information. For example, think about things you need to do. The first thing you may need to do is go to the Book Store. So, imagine walking into your first room and finding it full of large, multicoloured books
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from floor to ceiling. In fact, there are sooooo many books that you can hardly get into the room! The next “to do” on your list may be to go to the Bank. You walk into your next imaginary room and find it packed with $100 bills, too many for you to walk on! You get the idea. Just create a mental picture that will remind you of what you need to do - and then place it into one of your rooms. Over the next few days, run through your mental journey several times so that you know it inside out, back to front and upside down. When you need to recall your “to do” list, simply take a mental walk through your home and the images you've created will pop back into your head - as if by magic - conveniently reminding you of the things you need to do. You could use this technique for remembering things you need to do each day, or for things that you need to discuss at a meeting. Or in fact any dayto-day things you don't want to forget. And as there's no limit to your imagination, you can create as many mental frameworks as you like - previous homes in which you've lived, other people's houses, or any building or location you know well. Have a go yourself and see how easy it is. It works!
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Using Mnemonics for Exams – Mind Maps So, armed with the knowledge of how to learn, how can you apply mnemonic systems to pass exams? Well, a good start and a very effective way of structuring information for revision is to draw up a full, color coded Mind Map of the subject. The term Mind Mapping (or concept mapping) is often associated with British psychologist, Tony Buzan. Tony is an author and a renowned expert on mind mapping. He promotes Mind Mapping as Learning and Thinking tool. Mind Mapping involves writing down a central idea and thinking up new and related ideas which radiate out from the centre. You start by focusing on key ideas written down in your own words, and then look for branches out and connections between the ideas, (almost like a tree with many colors, pictures and personal expression). The secret is to “map” the knowledge in a manner which will help you understand and remember new information. The following are some hints I have adapted from the work of Tony Buzan. 1) Look for relationships Use lines, colors, arrows, branches or some other way of showing connections between the ideas generated on your Mind Map. These relationships may be important for understanding new information or in constructing a structured essay plan. By personalizing the map with your own symbols and designs, you can construct visual and meaningful
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relationships between your mapped ideas. This will help your recall and understanding. 2) Draw quickly on unlined paper without pausing, judging or editing The idea of Mind Mapping is to think creatively and in a non-linear manner. There will be plenty of time for modifying the information later on but at this stage it is important to get every possibility into the Mind Map. It may just be an obscure idea that becomes the key to your knowledge of a topic. 3) Write down key ideas Some individuals find that using CAPITAL LETTERS encourages them to get down only the key points. Capitals are also easier to read in a diagram. But if you wish, you can write down explanatory notes in lower case. Some individuals do this when they revisit the mind map at a later date, while others write in such things as assessment criteria in this way. 4) Put the main idea in the centre Some individuals find it useful to turn their page on the side and do a Mind Map in "landscape" style. With the main idea or topic in the middle of the page, this gives the maximum space for other ideas to radiate out from the centre. 5) Leave lots of space Some of the most useful mind maps are those which are added to over a period of time. After the initial drawing of the Mind Map, you may wish to highlight things, add information or add questions for the duration of a subject, right up until exam time. For this reason it is a good idea to leave lots of space. © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Example of a simple Mind Map I’ve constructed below a simple mind map which might be used, for example, to focus on your knowledge of Mnemonic Systems.
Although it’s simple, my mind map should enable you to see the overall structure of the topic, and make associations between information. In fact, a good color coded Mind Map can be an effective way of remembering information in its own right.
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Of course, you can devise your own mind map for whatever subject you choose - have a go! The last step would be to take your mind map of your subject and break it down into a list of important points and facts on a large sheet of paper. Your list can be ordered into general subject areas and should be numbered. Beside all the important facts you can note down associated and supporting information. Coding Exam Subjects into Mnemonics By associating items on a list with a mnemonic method, you can check that you have retrieved all items on your list. For simple, short lists use a Substitute word or Peg method. For longer lists you can use The Journey method, remembering key facts at each stop in the journey. Supporting facts can be associated into images triggered at stops in the Journey, or can be loosely associated in general memory – these facts can then be retrieved by the cues of the main facts. Historical dates or Geographical data might be remembered using the Phonetic sound method. Using Mnemonics for Exam Success By using mnemonics, retrieving all the facts necessary to answer an exam essay question or short answer question will become an easier task. As you run through the mnemonic in your mind, you can note down the facts that are relevant to the question. This should ensure that you have all possible information available to you.
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Everything You Need to Know About Speed Reading I’m sure that you have heard about Speed Reading techniques before now and perhaps even tried to learn some of those cited in other books. You might even have attended a good Speed Reading course and found that to be beneficial, so it really isn’t my intention to instruct you as to how to Speed Read. But what I would like to do is to give you some general hints and tips to improve your speed reading skills so that you might even be able to improve on your current speed. A "good" reading speed is around 500 to 700 words Did You Know…
per minute. An average college student reads between
Every minute, a new book is published somewhere in the world Over half a million new titles are added every year Published journals exceed 1,000's per year in most fields of technology and business.
250 and 350 words per minute on fiction and nontechnical materials. However, some people can read a thousand words per minute or even faster without compromising their understanding of the subject material. Apparently, President John F. Kennedy read well over 1000 words per minute and President Theodore Roosevelt read 2 to 3 books a day while in office.
Most speed reading courses today lend their origins of method to School Teacher Evelyn Wood. Evelyn Wood conducted her research into speed reading when she was working on her Masters Degree in Education at the University of Utah in the 1950's. Evelyn submitted an 80 page term paper to her professor Dr. C. Lowell Lees and then watched in amazement as he read and graded it in less than ten minutes. His untrained reading rate was 2500 words per minute, yet
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he had no explanation as to how he did it. Evelyn began to wonder if she could do the same thing and if there were others with similar skills. A twoyear search turned up some 50 people from all walks of life, and ages who could read from 1500 to 6000 words per minute, and understand and remember what they had read. Analyzing them, Evelyn found that they: 1) Read more than one word at a time, seeing words in meaningful patterns. 2) Moved their eyes quickly, smoothly, and easily down the page and 3) Adjusted their speed to the type of material they were reading. 4) Were able to read down the page, not just from left to right. 5) Read groups of words, complete thoughts, not just one word at a time. 6) Rarely regressed, i.e. Re-read a word or paragraph because they didn't understand it. 7) Used their hand as a pacer for their eyes. Evelyn then began the challenging task of teaching her self these principles, until she was able to read several thousand words per minute and along the way had developed a system for teaching others. These skills were then first taught at the University of Utah, in 1959. Evelyn Wood’s Research demonstrated a close link between speed and understanding. We now understand that plodding word-by-word (or word reading) inhibits understanding. But, learning to read rapidly, forces the reader to have the necessary vocabulary, and comprehension skills, to understand the reading material. © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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So, why is it that a person may read slowly in the first instance? The answer lies in how both you and I were initially taught to read. Much of my School day was punctuated by reading aloud to my teacher. Back then, that was the only way a teacher could tell whether pupils were able to recognize words and pronounce them correctly. Later, when I became more practiced at reading, I was told not to read aloud anymore. "Read silently to your self" my teacher said. Also, I was encouraged to “pace” my reading by placing a finger under each word as I read. I daresay this was the case with you too. Did You Know…
This insistence Teachers had on hearing each word as read, restricted readers to a reading speed based on a hearing speed, rather than a visual speed. Scientists have proved that seeing is faster than hearing. So, as Teachers forced their pupils to only hear one word at a time, pupils could only read one word at a time.
Your eyes can take in information in one five hundredth (1/500th) of a second. That means that if you read one word at a time, you can read 500 in a second, which gives you a reading speed of 30,000 words in a minute!
Readers then perceived that the process of reading required what they thought to be the internal vocalisation of each of the words recognised, viewing one word at a time and progressing at a slow speaking rate.
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When words are internally vocalised words as they are read, 2 detrimental effects are produced: * The focus of concentration is limited to one word at a time * The field of vision is narrowed so that only individual words are encompassed. And this is why, prior to learning the techniques of Speed Reading, many persons read at a pace well below their full potential. The good news is that your mind is capable of processing information at a much faster rate. So, if you learned to read without hearing each word in your mind - only seeing or visualizing it - you would read much faster. And so almost anyone can increase their Reading Speed while also understanding the material that is being read – it just takes the willingness to learn, and of course practice!
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Tips and Tricks for Successful Speed Reading Do you know your current Reading Speed? You can find out by attempting the following online Speed Reading test at: www.readingsoft.com
You can develop the skill of Speed Reading by following these next set of steps. Each step is designed to develop your ability to read at an accelerated pace, without losing the meaning of the material.
Step 1 – The Speed Reading Hand Motion I explained earlier how finger pacing initially slows Reading Speed, but if you use your hands correctly, you can improve your Reading Speed in a relatively short period of time. The technique is this…….. Your left hand is used to pace your reading. Your right hand is used to turn the book pages. You are going to need some general reading material to practice this method, so have your favorite novel or fiction book to hand. To begin reading, place your left hand at the start of a line. Move your left hand towards the right hand margin. Make sure you focus your eyes on the text that your left hand is pointing toward but do not worry reading any of the text. © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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The objective is to practice the hand motion. When you reach the end of the current line, move your left hand to the start of the next line. Now repeat this method to the end of the page. To make paging faster, make sure that your right hand is always positioned at the top right hand corner of the book. If you are a right – handed person, the movements may seem a bit uncomfortable at first; the movements will come more naturally to a left – handed person. But just keep practicing the movements. And as your hands become used to the motion, build up your speed so that you are able to rapidly move through the pages of your book. Practice this technique for the next 3 – 4 days, 20 minutes of reading each day, with a novel or other fiction material.
Step 2 – Eye Movement Method The average reader will probably read between two hundred and three hundred words per minute. A slow reader reads between one hundred and two hundred words per minute, whereas a fast reader may read up to four hundred words per minute. When you read a line of passage, your eyes make several jumps. This is because your eyes read separate words or phrases. Now a fast reader will, on average, make three or four jumps per line, so they will be able to read three or four words at a time. In contrast, a slow © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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reader may make up to a dozen or more jumps, because they will read each word separately, whilst looking back at words already read. To train yourself to read faster, you need to practice making fewer eye movements as you read across a page of script. You can practice this as follows: Again, you are going to need some general reading material. For this exercise, it’s best to begin with simple reading material such as a short novel. As you read your script, fix your eyes on the centre of each line. Let your eyes run down the page instead of across it. Try not to say the words to yourself, and do not look back at what you have already read. Whilst reading, try to center your eyes on the middle word in each line. By doing this, you will find that instead of moving your eyes from left to right, they will travel straight down the center of the page and they will take in a line at a time. A tip which you may find helpful for practice is this. Take a postcard and cut a slit in it wide enough and high enough to expose one full line at a time. By sliding your postcard down the page as you read, you can force yourself to read at a faster pace.
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Another useful tool you can use to pace yourself is a metronome. A metronome is a musical tool used to help with the development of rhythm. It is very useful to the development of Speed Reading because you can set the pace of your eye movements down a page to the “beat” of the metronome. One beat of the metronome would correspond to a line of script to read, and the idea is to gradually increase your reading speed by increasing the pace of the metronome. You can use a metronome online for free at www.metronomeonline.com So, as you read, every 10 minutes or so, close your book and recap in your mind on the ideas and information you have gathered. Stop and think about what you have read, or jot down a few pointers or ideas about the information. If there are points you do not understand, go back and read the passage again. You will find that with a second reading, your brain will have picked up the query and sorted it out for you! Of course, understanding the material you are reading is just as important as speed. Many students of speed reading start to apply the principles, but then argue that faster reading lowers their comprehension of the material. Well, remember I told you earlier that your mind is far more capable of processing information than you currently train it to do? Research has demonstrated that more rapid reading actually speeds up the brain’s understanding of the material. With practice, you can retain the understanding of the reading material at a faster reading speed.
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You can argued that it is better to read rapidly what you do not understand than to read it slowly; by so doing, the sooner you can go over the reading material again so that your understanding is better. Also, you have to keep alert to read at a faster speed and this will mean paying more attention to the script – so it really is a win-win situation! Step 3 – Skimming Method Skimming is a very basic type of reading. The intention of skimming is to familiarize your self as quickly as possible with the material to be read. Skimming may be used for entire books or for shorter sections and is used to quickly identify the main ideas of a text. You can use skimming techniques for both fiction and academic material. Skimming is done at a speed three to four times faster than normal reading. People often skim when they have lots of material to read in a limited amount of time so they can quickly identify the main ideas of a text. A whole skimming exercise should entail that you go through the entire book you plan to read (or Speed Read) at a rate of about TWO to THREE SECONDS PER PAGE -MAXIMUM! There are many strategies that can be used when skimming but the following are suggestions that I find work for me when wanting to skim a chapter, so you’ll probably find they work for you too. (1) Read the entire first and last paragraph.
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(2) On the remaining pages, glance at all pictures, diagrams, and subtitles or other lines in bold. As you skim, note all the details you want to look for which include: Font and type sizes used The presence or absence of columns The presence or absence of headings/sub-headings Diagrams and pictures Any unusual or helpful features (3) Now read the first sentence of each paragraph (most authors summarize the contents of a paragraph in the first sentence. However, with some authors, you may have to read both the first and last sentences of each paragraph). Skimming is a reading method which may be able to save you hours of reading time, especially if you have a lot of academic reading to do. And you maintain your understanding of the content material. If you diligently practice the 3 methods I’ve outlined above, you will undoubtedly increase your reading speed. You will also save your self much time, effort, and give your brain power an additional boost for success.
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The SQ3R Reading Method Have You Heard About The SQ3R Reading Method? SQ3R is a study method that was developed in the 1940's by Frank Robinson, an Ohio State University Psychologist. SQ3R is simply an acronym for Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review. SQ3R describes a good method for learning new reading material. The SQ3R Method is especially useful for dense textbook reading for 3 reasons: 1) It increases your ability to concentrate on the material. 2) The SQ3R Method enhances your understanding of the material 3) The SQ3R Method improves the retention span of what you read.
Why is SQ3R so successful?
The system works because it forces you to pass over the information multiple times in one reading session. This activity helps move information from short term into long term memory. That means that if you use a “multiple pass system” now, you won’t have to cram all the material into your brain the night before an exam. So although this system seemingly takes a lot of extra work, it actually isn’t. It saves you time and frustration and gives you the confidence that you need to participate in class. (Adapted from “How to Study in College” by Walter Pauk).
As with Speed Reading, much has been previously written about the SQ3R Method. So I will summarize for you how you can use this method.
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Survey When you begin reading a textbook, look the chapter over by reading the chapter title and introduction. In the introduction, the author should tell you what the chapter is about and what you are expected to learn. Try to recall what you already know about the subject and try to anticipate what will be covered in the chapter. Now skim the chapter, look over the chapter to get the main ideas that are covered. Read all of the headings, the graphs and tables. Look at the pictures and read some of the captions under them. Look at the words that are underlined or in italics. Finally, read the summary of the chapter if the author provides one. The objective of your survey is to make you familiar with all the major points that are contained in the chapter. When you complete the survey, you will know what it is that you’re "supposed" to know when you finish reading. Question After you have surveyed the chapter, go back to the beginning to start systematic reading of the material. As you read each heading or subheading, attempt to turn it into a question. Since each heading presents the main or central idea for the following paragraphs, your question should help you focus your attention on the most important idea of the section. Ask the "newspaper" questions -Who, What, Where, Why, When, and How. Don't worry if your questions are a little awkward-many headings do not lend themselves to being turned into sparkling, intriguing questions.
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Questions should help you to concentrate on the most important aspects of your assignment. Questions will help you become an active, searching reader. Read You have raised your question(s). Now you need to read to determine the main idea of the section and, at the same time, recognize "important" details, examples or supports for that main idea. Minor details are less important during your first reading. If you feel that you need the details, you will have to read the section a second or third time. After you have finished reading the selection, mark or write down important points. You can do this by: (1) underlining key words or phrases; (2) writing key terms or phrases in the margins of their texts; or, (3) writing notes or outlines in a separate notebook or on Index cards. Underlining and/or note taking should take place after you have read and identified the main or central idea. Recite When you have finished reading a section of your text, try to summarize or condense the important ideas of the section. If you raised a question prior to your reading, try to answer that question after completing your reading. The recite stage of SQ3R can help you get feedback on how well you think you have mastered your reading material. Question, Read, Recite. This is the sequence to follow throughout your "reading". As you finish the Recite stage, make an evaluation as to whether you know the materials as well as you want. If you feel that you have mastered the material, go on to the next section using the Question - Read © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Recite sequence. If you do not feel that you have mastered the content of the selection, you have two choices: (1) go back over the material until you have mastered it to your satisfaction, or, (2) go on to the next section knowing that you have not yet mastered the material as well as you want to know it. It is very important that you do not skip the recite step. If you skip the recite step, you will forget most of what you have read by the next day and will have to do it all over again. If you do reinforce it now, brief brush-ups are all that will be needed Review Review is the last step of the study process. When you have completed your assignment, review the ideas you have just learned. Can you summarize the main ideas that were covered in your assignment? If you look back over the headings in the selection, can you remember the material that was presented? If there were points that you have forgotten, you should need only a few minutes to locate and review them. Your review is just another evaluation of how well you think you have learnt the material you have studied. Remember that if you want to retain information over a long period of time, you must review your material periodically. You’ve heard the expression "Use it or lose it." If you do not “use” information in your brain by going over it periodically, you will forget it. To keep important material in current memory, schedule reviews at regular intervals like once a month.
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Reading Made Easy The reading methods I’ve outlined to you above are designed to make your reading easier, better and faster. And it doesn’t matter what type of reading you have to do, any or all of the methods can be used to make your reading material easier, better and faster to read. So, the question is, how and when can you apply any or all of the methods you’ve learnt above? Well, it just depends on the type of reading you have to do. Below is a reference and hints guide as to how you can get the best out of your reading material. Pleasure reading Do not skim or review the materials. Simply read at a comfortable rate – that means a rate which is comfortable for you. Hobby and Special Interest Perform a short skim, then review. Spend the majority of the time reading. Studying Spend about half the time reading and half the time skimming and reviewing your study material.
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Do not over-read. Read once though a chapter at your best comprehension speed, (highlight areas of confusion by placing a light pencil mark next to them – but do not stop at this point) then skim and review the materials. Lastly, return to the areas that require a more in depth analysis and work through them. Maximum Potential Reading Spend 70% of your time reviewing materials, and 10% skimming. Only read 20% of the time. Use the reading skills that you've learnt to locate key information. Place your emphasis on taking notes and studying.
O.K This brings us to the end of chapter 3. Now you’re armed with all the best time tested techniques, tips and advice you sooooo need to ace any exam you want, or need to. In the next chapter, I’ll reveal to you confidence boosting techniques that will give you that surefire edge over the competition – as well as giving your brain power an exponential boost!
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Did You Know…..
• People have “miraculously” recovered from critical illnesses such as cancer, and have overcome severe disabilities without the use of any drugs, chemical treatment or radiation therapies?
• In 1970, an Indian yogi, Swami Rama, stunned the scientific world by causing two areas a couple of inches apart on his right hand, to change their temperature, in the opposite direction. The rate of the temperature change was about two degrees Celsius per minute and he was able to maintain that change until there was a temperature difference of about six degrees Celsius.
• Tennis player Billie Jean King was considered by her opponents to be almost unbeatable once she had mentally “programmed” her body to win, despite the fact that there was no particular physical area in which she was superior to everyone else. (Source: Head Strong by Tony Buzan, HarperCollins, 2001)
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F
or sometime now I have been in the habit of reading the biographies and autobiographies, of men and women who have made significant achievements in their lifetime. Without exception, these men and
women have always set themselves goals, as part of their road to accomplishment. I guess also that you have heard, seen or read about people who seem to have achieved the impossible – people who appear to have succeeded against the odds, people who seemed to have “made their mind over” to achieve something; people who have not allowed anything or anyone to stop them. So, what motivates some people to have extraordinary perseverance and to succeed against the odds? Well, achievement and success in life is essentially a 3-step action plan. And in this chapter, I’m going to reveal to you just how you can achieve
achievement and success in life for any good thing that you want! Step1. Goal Setting “Goals give you more than a reason to get up in the morning; they deep you going all day” Harvey Mackay
Many Scientists and Psychologists now believe in the effects and benefits of “Goal Setting” and the techniques which can be taught to help people achieve personal goals in their lives. Goal setting is life, career or success planning and is one of the most powerful keys to success. Applied correctly, Goal Setting is a very powerful process for personal planning and involves setting specific, measurable and © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
time targeted objectives. It’s a pity that more people do not use Goal Setting. Instead they just muddle aimlessly through life and miss opportunities that could otherwise bring them true happiness. Don’t let that happen to you! What Goal Setting Can Do for You The benefits of Goal Setting are many:
• The process of setting goals helps you choose where you want to go in life. • By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts. You'll also quickly spot the distractions that would otherwise lure you from your course. • Properly-set goals act as a powerful motivating force. • The habit of setting and achieving goals builds self-confidence and success. • Goal Setting gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation. • By setting clearly defined goals, you can plan forward progress as you work toward your goals. • Setting Goals allows you to see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless grind. • Goal Setting helps to focus your acquisition of knowledge and help you to organize your time and your resources so that you can make the very most of your life. Goal setting techniques are proven to work and are used by top-level athletes, successful business-people and achievers in all fields.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
So whatever type of success you want, whether academic, social, personal or emotional, goal setting is the blueprint to your success. The Power of your Subconscious Mind In 1893, Scientist Sigmund Freud proposed that our Brain has three main sections: the Id (Subconscious), the Ego (Conscious) and the Super Ego (or Higher Consciousness). These sections of the brain cannot be observed under a microscope but, according to Freud, these three sections explain how our brain or mind functions. Normally, a person is only aware of the thought processes in their conscious mind. For example, you consciously think over the problems that are right in front of you, consciously choose words as you speak, consciously try to remember where you leave items in your home. While doing all these things, your conscious mind is working hand-in-hand with your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind is the unconscious part of your mind that does your "behind the scenes" thinking. Your subconscious mind accesses the vast reservoir of information that lets your conscious mind have control. Your subconscious mind puts together plans and ideas and runs them by your conscious mind. So, when a new idea comes to you “out of the blue”, it's because you already thought through the process unconsciously. (Your subconscious mind can also process the physical information your body receives. It also takes care of all the bodily actions you perform automatically – in other words, without thinking about).
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The following might be a useful analogy to explain the relationship between your conscious and subconscious mind. Think of your sub-conscious mind as being the driver of a car, whereas the conscious mind acts as the brakes. The subconscious mind is the source of imagination and impulse – the driving force. But the conscious mind is in charge of putting on the brakes – so while your subconscious mind allows you to be free thinking and creative, the conscious mind employs the rationale behind the imagination. When you are awake, your conscious mind works to evaluate your thoughts, make decisions and put certain ideas into action. It also processes new information and relays it to the subconscious mind. But when you are asleep, the conscious mind gets out of the way, and your subconscious has free reign. So, letting your sub-conscious mind be in control, in the right situations, may allow you to be much freer and more creative in your thinking. You could argue that your subconscious mind is the real brains behind you; it does most of your thinking, and it decides a lot of what you do. So, the information you feed your conscious mind has a direct effect on the workings of your subconscious mind - whether that information is good or bad! The power of your sub-conscious mind is tremendous. It is fact that anything the mind can conceive, and believe, it will achieve.
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Your subconscious mind is a Genie, whose sole purpose is to do your bidding. So learn how to get the best out of your Genie! The great news is that research has demonstrated that the subconscious mind is very susceptible to the powerful commands that goal setting can propagate, and that we can change our lives by changing the thought patterns we expose our subconscious mind to. Create Your Goals. Remember this. Goal setting works. Anything you can picture in your mind and set a time frame to accomplish will start to dominate your thoughts and will cause your sub-conscious mind to focus and assist you in the achievement of the goal. The following pointers may help you to structure your goals, both for the short term and the long term. • First, you must decide upon your destination. Where do you want to have achieved three months, six months, one year, five years or ten years from now? How do you plan on getting there? What will you need to arrive there? What will it take to get you where you want to be?
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• Next, write down your goals so that you can see them on paper. Take the time to create precise goals. You can have as many goals as you want - You can never have too many. Your goals must be precise in every detail, and it must be predominant in your thoughts. • Your Goals must be specific and attainable. If, for example, you write as a Goal “I want to pass my exams”, although the Goal is there, it is vague and non-specific. A better way to phrase your Goal might be to say; “In the next 6 months, I will achieve Grade “A” passes in all my Exams. I will achieve this by setting aside as study time 2 hours each evening, in order to cover the subjects”. If you were to focus and repeat this Goal, your subconscious mind would start to direct your conscious mind. Your actions become in harmony with the commands to your subconscious and you will start to put together a revision plan to help you achieve your Goal. Now, I’ve use the time frame of 6 months and 2 hours each evening as an example. You may find that your time frame, in order to achieve your Goal, will be different. The technique is that the target you set yourself by the Goal you give to your subconscious will dictate that your study time for the 6 months allows you to achieve excellent pass Grades. And of course, that is attainable. But then again, anything is attainable if you set your mind to it, isn’t it?
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
• Then, rewrite your goals as often as you can to help keep them current and maintain them in your thoughts. Having goals, setting them and influencing the subconscious mind to achieve them, is essential to achievement and success. Step 2: Positive Thinking " Th e g re at e s t di s co ve r y o f our g en er at i o n i s t ha t hum a n b ei ng s ca n al t e r t he i r l i v e s b y a l t er i ng t he i r a t t i t ud es of m in d. As y ou t h i nk , s o s ha l l yo u b e." William James
Imagine and You Shall… In 1998, a team of researchers led by Dave Smith at Manchester Metropolitan University in England asked a group of 18 volunteers to do a muscle pushing exercise. The group was divided into three sub-groups. Six subjects were asked to repeat the exercise twice a week for a month. Six others had to image, very strongly that they were doing the exercises, but never actually did them. The rest of the six were asked to do nothing at all during this period. Finally, the results showed that the group which actually did the physical exercise managed to increase their push strength by 33 per cent. The group that did nothing showed no performance improvement, but the interesting finding from the study is the group that merely imagined that they were doing the exercise also increased their performance by 16 per cent. Imagine the results if the performance group had also tapped into the power of their imagination. They would have doubled their results, wouldn’t they?
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No doubt, all the students in the above study were encouraged to “think positive” in their quest to complete the muscle pushing exercise. And how important that is, because a positive mind anticipates a successful outcome of every situation and action. Please, please, pleeeeeeeease, get into the habit of thinking positive!!! I can not stress the above statement enough, so I’ll write it again. Please, please, pleeeeeeeease, get into the habit of thinking positive!!! The late Norman Vincent Peale was a controversial Preacher who burst into public consciousness with his best-selling book, "The Power of Positive Thinking". He believed that ordinary people could become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things, and when they believe in themselves, they have the secret of success.Positive thinking and developing a positive mindset is an essential tool for life success. So, what does it mean to “Think Positive?” Well, Positive Thinking means entering into an “empowering” dialogue with your self. That’s right, having a conversation with your self and building confidence and inspiration in your self. If you develop the skill of Positive thinking, you can turn any negative situation around into a positive one. And the good news is that it really works!
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Harness the Power of the Positive Ralph Waldo Emerson was a well known and much respected 19th century writer and public speaker. He wrote these famous words; “A man is what he thinks.” Our thoughts can be likened to quantum energy units travelling in time – in fact,
I Believe… I believe the mind is the most powerful weapon: we either use it to achieve great wonders, or allow it to destroy us. I have for many years chosen the former. Merlene Ottey, World Champion sprinter for the past 20 years.
some Scientists argue that this is what thought is. So, in a very short time, a thought that you are having now will travel to your future and get transformed into reality. It’s therefore very important that you issue only positive subliminal commands to your subconscious mind. Everyone knows the saying, “Be careful what you wish for, because it may come true.” Nothing is truer when it comes to harnessing the power of the sub-conscious.
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Step 3: Creative Visualization “Imagination is more important than knowledge”.
Albert Einstein
Creative visualization is a technique that involves the use of mental energy to transform and improve the life of the person who used the technique. You can use your mind’s mental energy to improve your life because your imagination is incredibly powerful and, when used correctly, can enhance your life by creating what you really want. And Creative Visualization has been used by many people throughout the span of time to solve problems. Creative Visualization can be used for the following: Accelerate learning, Improve memory and motivation. Create or change habits. Build self-esteem and self-confidence, Improve body image. Reduce or eliminate pain. Create or improve relationships. And of course, increase your Brain Power! Five Steps to Using Creative Visualization 1) Decide on a topic, issue or thing that you want. To do this, you must Get clear on all the details and write them down. So, for example, you might decide that your most important issue is to pass your exams for the forthcoming semester. 2) Construct a list of negative or opposing thoughts that you know you have, in relation to your topic, issue or thing that you want to achieve.
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So, for example, although you desire, and need to pass your exams, you may be fearful of failure, or having the discipline to apply yourself to study. Just make a list of anything that troubles you, or that you think will stop you from achieving your success. (You will need to keep this list and add to it over the next week or two as you discover additional destructive thinking habits.) 3) Relax your body and mind Sit or lie down in a comfortable place and give yourself an instruction to tune out any distractions. It's a good idea to stretch first, as this helps to rid your body of muscular tension. Slow, deep breathing will also help, as this will not only oxygenate your brain and body, but it will help you to relax. Being very relaxed will help you to access your sub-conscious mind: The key is to by-pass conscious thinking. 4) Imagine a place, situation or a person that brings positive emotion Choose an image that makes you feel safe, loved, joyful or special. By activating your mind with positive emotions, you will start to associate new behaviors with this feeling. And when you are feeling really good about your self, negative emotions will disappear and you will feel empowered. 5. Imagine your main goal in as much detail as you can, with positive thought and with emotion. So, imagine you’ve passed all your exams for the forthcoming Semester with flying colors! Imagine opening the results envelope on the morning of published results. © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Imagine the fantastic joy you would feel as you open your envelope and read straight “A” Grades! Imagine the tears of joy and the feeling of pride – relish in the adoration! The technique you need to use is to think and act as though the event has already happened. Your subconscious mind is then activated to believe the event to be true. Then, let it go That’s right, just let go of your thoughts. By doing this, your brain will accept that your goal has been accomplished. Just think about if for a moment. Any action that you undertake, whether planned or unplanned, must be preceded by thought. That thought in turn must be preceded by a vision in your “mind’s eye” of the action you wish to carry out. This is how the brain works, as we found out earlier. So your own personal experiences will demonstrate to you that creative visualization and positive thinking work. Use Goal Setting, Positive Thinking and Creative Visualization for Mind and Matter Success!
Remember the example of the Manchester study I mentioned earlier……how one group used the power of positive thought and visualisation to make winning a reality.
If you put into action the contents of the next sentence, you will have discovered the secret to achievement and success in life.
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The combination of visualization and positive thinking, coupled with goal setting, will influence your sub-conscious mind and determine your actions. Your actions in turn will create your reality. The secret of mind and matter success involves 3 actions: Firstly, creatively visualize the object, subject or situation you want to come true. When you do this, you will attract the object of your visualization to you. Secondly, constantly empower your sub conscious mind with positive, affirmative statements linked to your objectives. By repeatedly affirming to yourself that you are capable of achieving your objectives, you will. Thirdly, set goals towards achieving your objectives. Write down your goals and place them somewhere in view for each day. Spend a minute or so, each morning and evening, going over your goals and reinforce your goals in your mind. Your achievements in life can increase many-fold if you learn how to use the power of Creative Visualization, Positive Thinking and Goal Setting to tap into the power of your subconscious mind: these 3 actions have tremendous potential and can help to transform all your hopes, desires and dreams into reality if you use them correctly.
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Y
OUR brain is the greediest organ in your body, with some quite specific dietary requirements. So it is hardly surprising that what you eat can affect how you think
In the same way that a proper diet and exercise are good for your body, so is diet and exercise good for your brain. And after all, it should be, because your brain is part of your body! And like any other organ in your body, your brain also needs the correct fuel to perform well. .Unfortunately,
proper nutrition for the brain is often overlooked by a fast
paced lifestyle and often having to eat “on the go”. But after all, people work hard to conserve their bodies in the desire to look good for as long as possible, so why not do the same for our brains? It may seem strange that what we put in our stomachs can have such a powerful effect on what goes on in our minds, but research is increasingly showing that emotional and mental disorders may more likely be the result of dietary deficiencies than genetic predispositions. In this chapter I’m going to give you an overview as to what foods and supplements are considered to be good for your brain……and in turn will boost your brain power!
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Foods to Increase Brain Power Essentially, a “Brain Food” is a food which boosts brain function. Almost all dietary foods boost brain function in one way or another. Take, for example, the effect of Carbohydrate on your brain. Your brain runs on blood sugar, using an incredible 20% of all the carbohydrates you take into your body as food. Your brain likes a steady supply of carbohydrates and dislikes wild fluctuations. Simple carbohydrates, such as processed flour products and sugary foods, cause wild fluctuations in blood sugar levels. These foods cause a rush of sugar into the bloodstream and cause the hormone Insulin to be released. Insulin works hard to “mop up” all the excess sugar in your blood; the trouble is, Insulin is a bit too efficient, and can cause blood sugar levels to plunge. This is known as Hypoglycemia. But it doesn’t stop there. Hypoglycemia can cause the release of Adrenal Hormones: these hormones squeeze stored sugar from the liver, sending blood sugar levels back up. This is known as a “sugar high”. So the body goes on a blood sugar roller-coaster, with "sugar highs" and "sugar blues." The ups and downs of blood sugar and adrenal hormones also stimulate neurotransmitter imbalance, causing fidgetiness, irritability, inattentiveness, and even sleepiness. Not the most conducive state for efficient brain function! Try doing some mental maths 15 minutes after a carb binge – the resulting brain fog will leave both your body and mind feeling irritable and sluggish! © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Complex Carbohydrates are much better for your brain. The molecules in these Carbohydrates are long, so it takes longer for the Intestines to break them down into the simple sugars
Mashed Potatoes Improve Memory! Researchers at the University of Toronto have shown that eating common carbohydrates such as mashed potatoes can improve your memory for up to an hour after eating them. Pity we usually eat them at night before we sit down to remember the latest episode of NYPD Blue. Maybe breakfast cereals also help? Well barley is actually best. The study participants' memory improved 37% after eating barley, 32% after mashed potatoes and 8% after drinking something with glucose in it.
the body can use. Because of this, they provide a
Reported in Psychology Today, January 25, 2001
source of steady energy rather than a surge followed by a plunge. The Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of the rate at which sugar from a food enters your body cells. Foods with a high GI stimulate large Insulin release, and this in turn starts the roller coaster of “sugar highs” and “sugar blues”. On the other hand, foods with a low GI don't push the pancreas to secrete much Insulin, and blood sugar levels remain steadier. So, foods with a low GI are much better for your brain. Foods with a low GI include: Cereals and Grains: These would include oatmeal and bran, whole wheat spaghetti and brown rice. Vegetables and legumes: These would include soybeans, kidney beans, chick peas, and lentils. They have the lowest GI of any food. (Potatoes and carrots have a much higher GI). Fruits: grapefruit, apples, cherries, oranges, and grapes all have a low GI.
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Dairy products: Milk products have low Glycemic Indexes; they are higher than legumes, but lower than fruits. Omega 3 Oils. Perhaps the number one supplement for brain health, the case for omega 3 oils is overwhelming. Omega-3 oils, (or Omega-3 Fatty Acids) are essential fatty acids necessary for human health. They are termed "essential" because they cannot be produced by the body, and so must be obtained from the diet. Actually, there are two families of essential fatty acids: Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Omega-6 Fatty Acids. The three main types of omega-3s important to humans are Alpha-linolenic Acid (ALA), Eicosapentanoic Acid (EPA), and Docosahexanoic Acid (DHA). As far as your brain is concerned, Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial because they provide fluidity to cell membranes and improve communication between brain cells. They help to boost learning power, but also greatly enhance mood. Both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are stored in the cell membranes of tissues andOmega-3 fatty acids comprise 30% of the gray matter in the brain. Also, your brain is one of the largest "consumers" of DHA; A normal adult human brain contains more than 20 grams of DHA. Another great benefit of Omega-3 fatty acids is they help to reduce the clotting ability of blood platelets, potentially decreasing the incidence of
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heart attacks and strokes. So omega-3 oils will look after your heart as well as your brain! Unfortunately, as good as Omega 3 Oils are for the brain, many modern diets are deficient in these oils. The Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing write in The Folk Remedy Encyclopedia, “Just like a machine, your brain needs oil -- in the form of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids -- to run smoothly. Unfortunately, the average diet doesn't usually contain the right balance of these fatty acids. If you eat a typical modern diet, you probably get plenty of omega-6 through corn, soybean, and other oils in processed food. But omega-3 oils, which are just as important, are often missing.” So, how are Omega 3 Oils increased in the diet?
Fish is good for your Brain! The belief that "fish is brain food" has been held around the world for well over two thousand years. Fish (in particular oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel) supply the omega-3 oils essential for brain development. And considering that Your Brain is around 60 per cent fat, you should eat to keep it well oiled! Dr Earl Mindell, PhD, stated in his book entitled Earl Mindell's Supplement Bible, “There's a reason why fish is known as brain food. It is a rich source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a fatty acid that is found in high concentration in the gray matter of the brain. DHA is instrumental in the function of brain cell membranes, which are important for the transmission of brain signals.” © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Jean Carper, author of “Miracle Cures”, stated in her book; “If you don't feed brain cell membranes enough of the right type of fat, the messages can be short-circuited and garbled. That may mean a disturbance in mood, concentration, memory, attention, and behavior.”
Fishy Facts In a study titled ‘Children of the Nineties,’ scientists at the University of Bristol, England, asked 435 pregnant women to keep a detailed diary of what they ate throughout their pregnancy. Three years later the team tested how well their children could recognize depth in threedimensional images --- one of the main measures of brain development. The findings were startling: children of mothers who ate oily fish at least once a fortnight during pregnancy had by far the best scores.
How to Boost your Omega-3 Fat Intake • Eat organically raised, "free-range" meats since these animals have grazed on plants high in omega-3 fats. Organic organ meats are especially good sources. Raw milk products from pasture-fed, organically raised animals are much richer in omega-3s than "regular" types. • Eat eggs from "cage-free" or "free-range" hens. Some farms are now feeding their hens omega-3 rich foods. • Eat a variety of dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, collards, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, purslane, dark lettuces. • Eat cold-water fish regularly, preferably deep-ocean fish. Most farmraised fish should be avoided. Shellfish and molluscs also contain omega-3 oils. Salmon, sardines, bluefish, herring, mackerel, trout, tuna, whitefish, Atlantic cod, shrimp, and halibut are good sources.
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• Get some walnuts, hemp seeds, and legumes (such as kidney beans) into your diet. • Supplement with ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil (since it becomes rancid quickly, make sure it is fresh and refrigerated), microalgae, and seaweeds. • Supplement with tuna oil
Did you know….. A shortage or imbalance of Omega-3 fats is being linked
(make sure it is not refined so that important
with numerous brain and nervous system problems including depression, moodiness, anxiety, multiple
nutrients are
sclerosis, ADHD (attention-deficit and hyperactivity
not depleted)
disorder), autism, dyslexia, other learning disorders,
such as
fatigue, weakness, Alzheimer's disease and other forms of
Standard
dementia, seizures (epilepsy), memory loss, unwarranted
Process' Tuna
personality change, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and
Omega-3 Oil. Parkinson's disease. Actually about 50 different
• Avoid all partially
deleterious conditions of the brain show evidence that, in
hydrogenated
some way, they are related to omega-3 fatty acid
fats including
deficiency and/or respond to omega-3 fatty acid
shortening,
supplementation. The list will no doubt continue to grow.
margarine, and
A deficit of omega-3 fats may not be the ONLY cause of
those found in non-dairy
these problems, but it can certainly be one of the most commonly missed links. A failure to conquer common
creamers, crackers, pre-
symptoms such as dwindling brain power or resistant
packaged
depression or fatigue can be due to the need for this
baked foods,
essential fatty acid group.
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and other processed items. • Eat ONLY good quality, unrefined, un-tampered with, fresh fats and oils.
STOP PRESS! At the time of writing, KRILL OIL appears to be the latest “good for you” oil. It comes from Antarctic Krill, a crustacean found in the Antarctic waters. Krill oil also provided EPA and DHA, but its chemical structure is different from the other good oils so that it is easier for your body to absorb. The type of fats found in Krill Oil belong to the family of fats called phospholipids – your body is able to use phospholipids quicker and more efficiently. It's super-rich in essential DHA and EPA Omega-3, loaded with far more antioxidant power, has almost 100% bio-availability for better digestion. Proteins Proteins are constructed from the building blocks of amino acids. The brain’s Neurotransmitters are made from amino acids, (particularly Tryptophan and Tyrosine) so the better you feed these messengers, the more efficiently they can work. Neurotransmitters such as Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine, carry messages from one cell to the other and affect mood as well as thoughts and actions. Foods which are high in the amino acids Tyrosine and Tryptophan include: seafood, meat, eggs, soy, dairy, chocolate, almonds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and legumes.
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Soya According to Professor Sandra File, head of the Psychopharmacology Research Unit at Guy's Hospital in London, Isoflavones, the natural plant Oestrogens in soya foods, might act on oestrogen receptors in the human brain, particularly those in the hippocampus, which we know is a crucial area for memory. As a result, new nerve connections form more readily. Medical trials revealed that those fed a high soya diet showed improvements in verbal and non-verbal memory and in mental flexibility, all of which are controlled by the brain's frontal lobes. Good sources of soya include soya milk, tofu and isoflavene supplements.
Antioxidants When a cell converts oxygen into energy, tiny molecules called free radicals are made. When produced in normal amounts, free radicals work to rid the body of harmful toxins, and so keep your body healthy. But if produced in toxic amounts, free radicals damage your body's cellular machinery, resulting in cell death and tissue damage. This process is called Oxidative Stress. Some Scientific Studies have shown that a good dietary intake of antioxidants from fruits and vegetables will significantly reduce the risk of developing “Cognitive Impairment”. The Best Antioxidant Fruits and Vegetables include: Blueberries, Blackberries, Cranberries, Strawberries, Spinach, Raspberries, Brussels
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sprouts, Plums, Broccoli, Beets, Avocados, Oranges, Red grapes, Red bell peppers, Cherries and Kiwis. Chocolate may boost Brain Power!
Vitamin E, Vitamin C and Beta Carotene also appear to inhibit the production of free radicals.
Good news for chocolate lovers! A new study hints that eating milk chocolate may boost brain function as many substances, like Theobromine, Phenethylamine and Caffeine, act as stimulants that lead to increased mental performance. (Phenylethylamine has been called the "love-drug" because it quickens your pulse, as if you are in love.) Dr Bryan Raudenbush from Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia, noted; ''Chocolate contains many substances that act as stimulants and these substances by themselves have previously been found to increase alertness and attention and what we have found is that by consuming chocolate you can get the stimulating effects, which then lead to increased mental performance.'' To study the effects of various chocolate types on brain power, Raudenbush and his colleagues had a group of volunteers consume, on four separate occasions, 85 grams of milk chocolate; 85 grams of dark chocolate; 85 grams of carob; and nothing (the control condition). After a 15-minute digestive period, participants completed a variety of computer-based neuropsychological tests designed to assess cognitive performance including memory, attention span, reaction time, and problem solving. ''Composite scores for verbal and visual memory were significantly higher for milk chocolate than the other conditions,'' Raudenbush said. Also, the consumption of milk and dark chocolate was associated with improved impulse control and reaction time.
Coffee No surprise here! Caffeine has been shown repeatedly to improve brain function and increase concentration temporarily. A study printed in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that you can jump start your brain with about 2 cups of coffee a day. But be warned; any more than that can actually have the opposite effect. If you overdo it on
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caffeine, it can give you the jitters and make it tougher, rather than easier, to concentrate. Tea Researchers from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in the United Kingdom, conducted a series of experiments to determine whether Tea could improve memory. Overall, they found that green and black tea inhibit the activity of certain enzymes in the brain which are associated with memory. The Team investigated the properties of green and black tea in a series of scientific experiments. Black tea -- traditional English breakfast tea -- is derived from the same plant as green tea, Camellia sinensis, but has a different taste and appearance because it is fermented. They found that both green and black tea inhibited the activity of enzymes associated with the development of Alzheimer's Disease. Both teas inhibited the activity of the enzyme Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which breaks down the Neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Alzheimer's is characterised by a drop in acetylcholine. Green tea and black tea also hinder the activity of the enzyme Butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), which has been discovered in protein deposits which are found on the brain of patients with Alzheimer's. The team published their findings in the academic journal, “Phytotherapy Research”.
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The following supplements, although not listed as foods, have been demonstrated in some part to have a beneficial impact on the brain: Choline Choline is a nutrient used by your body to produce the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine. Researchers at Boston University found that when healthy young adults were given the drug Scopolamine, which blocks acetylcholine receptors in the brain, it significantly reduced their ability to remember word pairs. Low levels of acetylcholine are also associated with Alzheimer's disease, and some studies suggest that boosting dietary intake may slow age-related memory loss. Foods rich in Choline include; sardines, eggs, Beef liver, iceberg lettuce, peanut butter, peanuts and cauliflower. Vitamin B B vitamins deliver oxygen to the brain and provide protection against free radicals. They also help to sharpen senses and boost memory and help the body form acetylcholine. Niacin or Vitamin B3 is particularly good for brain enhancement, while Vitamin B6 is essential for the manufacture of neurotransmitters, especially mood-enhancing serotonin. Vitamin B12 is important for overall health of brain cells.
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Folic acid or Folate, is also an important B vitamin for the brain. It can improve memory and focus. It also helps to lower blood levels of the amino acid Homocysteine, which can damage brain cells. The B vitamins are found in green leafy vegetables, whole-wheat cereals, beans, fruits, and lentils. Rosemary and Sage It is thought by some scientists that essential oils made from rosemary and sage can stimulate the memory, strengthen clarity and awareness and help to relieve mental fatigue. Sage has been recommended as a memory aid in texts dating as far back as 1597, whilst Rosemary has a high concentration of antioxidants. Psychologists at the University of Northumbria tested essential oils from rosemary on memory attention and mood and discovered it made volunteers feel more alter and enhanced their long-term memory by around 15%. Some studies have found that volunteers’ ability to remember lists of words improved by more than 10% if they had taken a capsule of sage oil. Lemon Balm "The sweet smell of lemon balm may soothe the mind”, according to studies conducted at the Medicinal Plant Research Centre at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in Great Britain. Scientists used extracts of lemon balm and sage, also from the mint family, to boost memory performance in young adults. The tests showed that Lemon Balm was increased the brain’s level of acetylcholine.
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Creatine Researchers from the University of Sydney and Macquarie University, both in Australia claim that the dietary supplement Creatine - known to improve athletic performance - can also boost memory and intelligence. Dr Caroline Rae from the University of Sydney stated that “Creatine supplementation gave a significant measurable boost to brain power” However, it’s also notorious for creating an unpleasant odor in the vicinity of the taker! Curcumin Curcumin, the yellow component of the curry spice turmeric, has been shown to reduce the amount of beta-amyloid protein in Alzheimer'ssusceptible mice. In a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Dr Cole and his colleagues reported that curcumin binds to bits of amyloid-beta protein, discouraging them from aggregating into the waxy clumps associated with Alzheimer's symptoms. Phosphatidylserine Phosphatidylserine has been demonstrated to improve concentration, rate of learning, short-term memory, and alleviate depression, especially in elderly individuals. Vinpocetine Vinpocetine is an alkaloid extract of the Periwinkle plant and has been demonstrated to enhance oxygen uptake and blood circulation to the brain. Increased blood circulation increases mental alertness to the brain. Also, increased blood flow to the brain allows for more oxygen and glucose © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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uptake by brain and nerve cells. This nourishes brain cells, preventing cell death from lack of oxygen. Vinpocetine has also been shown to improve micro-circulation in the eyes, which may help maintain healthy vision and assist with healing eye related disorders. Gingseng Oriental ginseng, also known as "Panax Ginseng," can help your brainpower, according to Researchers at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Researchers tested the effects of ginseng on thirty adults. Subjects took a ten-minute math test, and then were given either a placebo or 200 or 400 mg of standardized Panax Ginseng extract. An hour later the subjects were given six more ten-minute tests to take. The subjects in both ginseng groups had significant reductions in blood sugar levels after taking the ginseng, compared to the placebo group. Test scores were also higher, and mental fatigue reduced. The highest scores were actually in the group given 200 mg, so more is not necessarily better. The researchers reported their findings in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. They concluded that mental performance may be enhanced and mental fatigue reduced with moderate amounts of ginseng. The Researchers speculated that the effect is due to the ability of ginseng to regulate blood sugar levels.
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Gingko Biloba Ginkgo is gaining recognition as a brain tonic that enhances memory because of its positive effects on the brain’s blood vessels. Ginkgo works by increasing blood flow to the brain and throughout the body's network of blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the organ systems. It increases metabolism efficiency, Did you know..
regulates neurotransmitters, and boosts oxygen levels in the brain. Benefits of enhanced
The ginkgo is the oldest living tree species, geological records indicate this plant has been growing on earth for 150 - 200 million years. Chinese monks are credited with keeping the tree in existence, as a sacred herb. It was first brought to Europe in the 1700's and it is now a commonly prescribed drug in France and Germany. It is one of the most well researched herbs in the world.
circulation in the brain include improved short and long term memory, increased reaction time and improved mental clarity. Ginkgo is often used to treat elderly persons with Alzheimer's disease and other symptoms of cerebral insufficiency. (Cerebral insufficiency is a general term for a collection of symptoms that include difficulties of concentration and memory, absentmindedness, confusion, lack of energy, depressive mood, anxiety, dizziness, tinnitus, and headache). Researcher Dr Andrew Scholey at the University of Northumbria, England has shown that Gingko Biloba and Ginseng, when taken together, seem to dramatically boost brain power. The Researchers demonstrated that Ginkgo Biloba can improve the power of concentration, while Ginseng sharpens up the memory. But the effect was even more powerful if the two herbs were taken together. © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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The most significant impact of all was when volunteers took a preparation of 60% Ginseng and 40% Ginkgo Biloba. The most effective doses were 400mg of Ginseng, 360mg of Ginkgo Biloba, and 960mg of the two combined. The above foods and supplements is by no means an exhausted list, as Scientists and Researchers are discovering new benefits every day to the foods which are generally considered good to eat. So watch this space! In the following chapter, I’m going to show you how you can limber up your brain for mental exercise – a sure fire fantastic way to boost your brain power!
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Simple Exercises to Boost Your Brain Power "mens sana in corpore sano" “A healthy mind residing in a healthy body”
M
ost of us incorporate some kind of physical exercise into our daily lives. We do this to improve our bodies and health and generally make us feel better.
But physical exercise also benefits your brain. Researchers are finding that just as physical exercise primes the body, exercise also primes the mind. The more you exercise your brain, the better
it will perform and the better you will feel. You will be able to concentrate better, make decisions faster, solve problems more quickly and be more creative. It seems that during exercise, brain cells release a chemical called BrainDerived Neurotrophic Factor, or BDNF for short. This chemical is protein in nature and seems to act like “brain fertilizer”, promoting many beneficial health benefits to the brain. And no wonder that physical exercise is good for both mind and body: exercise increases the flow of oxygen to your brain, helping you to improve your concentration and to think sharper and faster.
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Simply walking sedately for half an hour three times a week can improve abilities such as learning, concentration and abstract reasoning by 15 per cent. Dean Macadam, editor of “Science News”, states that “physical exercise encourages healthy brains to function at their optimum levels. Exercise appears to prompt brain cells to multiply, strengthens their connections, and boosts their resilience against damage and disease. The Benefits also seem to
Did you know…. Physical exercise promotes the growth of new brain cells. Fred Gage from the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, demonstrated this in the year 2000, when he showed that even adults can grow new brain cells. He also found that exercise is one of the best ways to achieve this.
extend to brains that are diseased or damaged”.
But did you know that you can perform “physical” exercises designed solely to improve brain function? Research carried out by the BBC Television Channel in the United Kingdom suggests that doing ‘brain exercises’ can make a person up to 40 per cent cleverer within seven days!
So, there’s no reason why you cannot give your brain a workout all by itself – mental exercises that are designed just for the brain. Paul and Gail Dennison, acclaimed for their “Brain Gym” exercises, devised their series of exercises for School pupils prior to learning so that they could get the most out of their lessons.
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However, there is no reason why their “Brain Gym” exercises cannot be used by everyone, as their exercises are designed to improve concentration and mental agility.
Brain Gym in Action The following “Brain Gym” exercises are exerts from implemented ideas developed by Dr Carla Hannaford in her best selling book “Smart Moves”: •
"Brain Buttons" This exercise helps improve blood flow to the brain to "switch on" the entire brain before a lesson begins. The increased blood flow helps improve concentration skills required for reading, writing, etc. o
Put one hand so that there is as wide a space as possible between the thumb and index finger.
o
Place your index and thumb into the slight indentations below the collar bone on each side of the sternum. Press lightly in a pulsing manner.
o
At the same time put the other hand over the navel area of the stomach. Gently press on these points for about 2 minutes.
• "Cross Crawl" This exercise helps coordinate right and left brain by exercising the information flow between the two hemispheres. It is useful for spelling, writing, listening, reading and comprehension.
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o
Stand or sit. Put the right hand across the body to the left knee as you raise it, and then do the same thing for the left hand on the right knee just as if you were marching.
o
Just do this either sitting or standing for about 2 minutes.
• "Hook Ups" This works well for nerves before a test or special event such as making a speech. Any situation which will cause nervousness calls for a few "hook ups" to calm the mind and improve concentration. o
Stand or sit. Cross the right leg over the left at the ankles.
o
Take your right wrist and cross it over the left wrist and link up the fingers so that the right wrist is on top.
o
Bend the elbows out and gently turn the fingers in towards the body until they rest on the sternum (breast bone) in the center of the chest. Stay in this position.
o
Keep the ankles crossed and the wrists crossed and then breathe evenly in this position for a few minutes. You will be noticeably calmer after that time.
Tony Buzan who I mentioned earlier, and Richard Israel, one of America’s leading Sales Trainers, are the authors of “Superself”, an innovative book on harnessing the power of the brain to boost sales performance. The following are some exercises they also suggest to boost brain power….
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Brain Buddies. Think of the left and right cortex of your brain as two buddies working together to better your performance. Try to make time every day to write out two sentences with your non-dominant hand – the one you don’t normally write with. Note the time it takes to do this. The next day, do the same again – and every day after that. This workout strengthens the buddy who’s been lacking exercise and makes both cortices work more productively. Chiropractic Brain Improvement Sit up straight and put one hand under your chin and one on the back of your neck. Now gently pull up on your head. Relax your neck as much as possible as you do this. You may feel or hear a few clicks as your spine adjusts. Your ears may open up too. More to the point, you may find that you can think a bit more clearly. (Apparently, the exercise has something to do with the adjusting of the vertebrae that allows nerve impulses to travel through more easily.) Thought Master This exercise allows you to build your powers of concentration whilst making you aware of intrusive thoughts. Concentrate on the second hand of your watch for one minute, silently repeating the number “one” as you do this. If a distracting thought comes into your head, maintain your concentration but move to “two”. If another
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distracting thought occurs to you, keep concentration but go on to “three”. Record your score of intruding thoughts. With daily practice, you will reduce the number of intrusive thoughts – and improve your concentration. Working Tools Vocabulary Words are the working tools of your brain – you need a strong vocabulary to develop your mind. Find a new word to add to your vocabulary each day. Write the word and its definition in your diary and start using it straightaway. Over time, you will improve your communication abilities. Whole Brain Pictures Think of a different word every day – and create a “whole brain picture” from it. For example, “ocean” is an evocative word. In your mind, see yourself walking on a beach and hear those crashing waves. Smell the ocean breeze as you taste the salty spray hitting your face. Touch the sand between your toes. Over time, this type of exercise will help develop your five senses. Breathing Space Brain (BSB) Your brain needs to rest occasionally. To relax effectively, you need to develop your “breathing space brain”. Sit or lie on your back, relax your body and close your eyes. Begin breathing easily, and listen to its sound. If your attention drifts from your breath, bring it back. © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Continue for several minutes. Next, repeat the exercise but concentrate instead on a favorite word. Examples: “calm” “peace” “wealth”. Say the word silently to yourself each time you exhale. Do this for several minutes. The benefit of this exercise is that you can use BSB whenever you feel stressed out or want to boost your performance. Sudoku Believe me, absolutely nothing gives your brain as good a work out as a good Sudoku puzzle! Sudoku puzzles were first published in America in the 1970s and are sometimes known as "Number Squares". They have been popular for many years in Japan, where the name "Sudoku" (meaning "single number") was coined. The current craze was started late in 2004 when a United Kingdom newspaper started publishing the puzzles. Within weeks the puzzles were picked up in other newspapers and Sudoku became the pastime of choice for everyone! Sudoku has found millions of fans worldwide. They are fun to solve and are perfect for keeping your brain sharp all day long, as they help your brain to develop logic, reasoning skills and concentration. You can get some very good free Sudoku puzzles from the following website:
www.websudoku.com
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Nighty Night….. And of course, don’t forget that adequate sleep is very important – between 6 and 8 hours each night will give optimum brain power. So there you are!
In the last chapter, I’m going to reveal to you some “smart drugs” which will keep your brain boosted all day…….and all night…..long. I’m also going to reveal some drugs which are not so smart at boosting your brain power!
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T
he age of “smart drugs” for your brain is rapidly approaching. Scientists and Researchers are studying substances that, when used ethically and correctly, may improve your brain’s mental abilities.
In fact, there now exists an array of brain-boosting medications — some already on pharmacy shelves and others in development — which promise an era of sharper thinking and brain boosting through chemistry. The term name for smart drugs is “Cognitive Enhancers” or “Nootropics”,
because they help the brain maintain sharpness and alertness under the strain of tiredness, or even mental exhaustion. “Nootropics” also refers to substances which boost your brain’s cognitive abilities. ("Nootropic" comes from Greek - "noos" = mind and "tropos" = changed, toward, turn). Typically, Nootropics work in 3 ways by: 1) Increasing the brain's supply of neurochemicals (neurotransmitters, enzymes, and hormones). 2) Improving the brain's oxygen supply. 3) Stimulating nerve growth.
In fact, Nootropics have been in use for several decades already, depending on the purpose of their use. For example, nootropics which are considered “smart drugs” are medically used to treat retardation, neural degradation (for example, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's conditions), and for cases of oxygen deficit to prevent hypoxia.
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Also, smart drugs have applications within the Military and Armed forces Personnel: Pilots may be given a smart drug to maintain alertness and overcome the effects of exhaustion during air combat. Generally, smart drugs have a variety of human enhancement applications, are marketed heavily on the World Wide Web, and are used by many people in personal cognitive enhancement regimens. The following is by no means a complete list of smart drugs, but will give you some ideas as to which ones are most popular, and their effects, at the time of writing. Modafinil Modafinil is described as an Eugeroic drug. An Eugeroic is a class of stimulant that produces long-lasting mental arousal. The term itself means "Good Arousal" and Modafinil has been recommended for use as a treatment for narcolepsy and to augment antidepressants, when it is normally prescribed under the commercial trade names Provigil, Modiodal (UK, France), Vigil (Germany), Sparlon (US), Alertec (Canada), and possibly Vigicer) Modafinil has also been shown to enhance certain mental powers and Studies have shown that the drug can produce significant mental gains in normal, healthy subjects. During 2001, a series of experiments conducted by Cambridge University Psychologist Barbara Sahakian and colleagues found that in games that test mental skill, subjects who took a 200-milligram dose of Modafinil paid closer attention and used information more effectively than subjects given a sugar pill.
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Modafinil is currently under study as a treatment for depression, and it is being prescribed off-label for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Donepezil Donepezil is describes as an anticholinesterase drug because it increases the concentration of Neurotransmitter Acetylcholine, boosting the power of certain electrical transmissions between brain cells. Donepezil is marketed under the trade name Aricept where its main therapeutic use is in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The drug is used to increase the level of acetylcholine in the brain’s cortex.
Methylphenidate (MPH) Methylphenidate is similar in its Chemistry to an amphetamine. This means that its effect on the brain and body is like that of a stimulant. Methylphenidate (MPH) is available on prescription to treat ADHD in children and adults. It is also one of the primary drugs used to treat symptoms of traumatic brain injury and the daytime drowsiness symptoms of narcolepsy and chronic fatigue syndrome. MPH works by increasing the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain by partially blocking the transporters that remove it from the synapses. Because of its action on the brain, MPH is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance in the United States. Brand names of drugs that contain methylphenidate include Ritalin (Ritalina, Rilatine), Concerta (a timed-release capsule), Metadate, Methylin, Rubifen and Focalin.
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Unfortunately, MPH has widespread potential for abuse because of its prescribed use to treat ADHD. Also, MPH may seem to have some unpleasant, long-lasting side effects, such as sleeplessness. Ampakines Ampakines are a class of compounds known to enhance attention span and alertness. They appear to work by helping the transmission of the neurotransmitter Glutamate, in the cortex region of the brain. This in turn may promote plasticity at the synapse, which could translate into better cognitive performance. Some Ampakines may also increase levels of BDNF. (See earlier reference to BDNF). Ampakines appear not to have the unpleasant side effect of sleeplessness that is associated with MPH. Also, they are being investigated as a potential treatment for a range of mental disability conditions, including Alzheimer's disease and (ADHD). Mem Compounds Mem compounds are substances designed to strengthen the consolidation of long – term memory; and as discussed in Chapter 2, consolidation is the key to learning new skills. Initial studies show promise for Mem compounds as a treatment resource for Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment and depression.
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HT-0712 HT-0712 is a substance designed to speed and strengthen the process by which short-term memories are committed to long-term storage. The drug shows strong promise as a memory enhancer and as an aid in the rehabilitation of Stroke victims. Also, HT-0712 is being investigated as an aid to age-associated memory impairment. “Not so Smart” Drugs Ecstasy and Cannabis Both Ecstasy and Cannabis appear to be drugs which damage short-term and long-term memory. In 2004, a British research team, at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, questioned volunteers about their use of Ecstasy and other recreational drugs. The chemical name for Ecstasy is 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA. Ecstasy is an amphetamine drug. The study, which also surveyed non-drug users, found that those who regularly took ecstasy suffered from mainly long-term memory difficulties, and that they were 23 per cent more likely to report problems with remembering and recollection than non-users. Also, the study found that found those who regularly used Cannabis reported up to 20 per cent more memory problems than non-users. Their short-term memory was mainly affected.
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Other studies have found that ecstasy destroys brain cells. And while the cells may re-connect after discontinued use of the Ecstasy, they don't reconnect normally. Lead researcher Dr. Jacqui Rodgers, of Newcastle University, said "It's concerning that we don't really know what the long-term effects of Ecstasy use will be, as it is still a poorly understood drug. The results indicate that users are potentially creating a time bomb of potential cognitive difficulties in later life.” “The findings also suggest that Ecstasy users who take Cannabis are suffering from a 'double whammy' where both their long-term and shortterm memory is being impaired."
Another study, conducted in 2006 and published in the Scientific Journal of the American Academy of Neurology, found that frequent Cannabis users performed worse than non-users on tests of cognitive abilities. The tests included divided attention (ability to pay attention to more than one stimulus at a time) and verbal fluency (number of words generated within a time limit). Those who had used Cannabis for 10 years or more had more problems with their thinking abilities than those who had used Cannabis for five to 10 years. All of the Cannabis users in the study were “heavy users”, which was defined as smoking four or more joints per week.
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Tobacco There are in fact many species of tobacco; Nicotiana tabacum (or common tobacco) is used to produce cigarettes. Tobacco smoke contains massive amounts of carbon monoxide, resulting in impaired oxygen supply to the brain. "Cerebral Anoxia” occurs, cell by cell, neuron by neuron, year after year. Nicotine, a powerful central nervous system stimulant found naturally in the tobacco leaf, is classified as a drug. Nicotine is one of the main ingredients in tobacco. In higher doses, nicotine is extremely poisonous - hence the reason it is commonly used as an insecticide. Nicotine is considered addictive because it alters brain functioning. In tobacco smoke, nicotine "rides" on small particles of tar. When the smoke with this nicotine/tar mixture gets to the lungs, the nicotine is absorbed quickly - nicotine reaches the brain about eight seconds after the smoke is inhaled. Once inside the brain, nicotine triggers the release of dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with euphoria and pleasure. It appears that it is the increased euphoria which keeps people addicted to nicotine – and unfortunately all the other side effects which are proven to correlate with tobacco use.
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Alcohol Alcohol doesn’t just have adverse effects on your brain – it can affect your whole body because it is a Central Nervous System depressant. But as far as your brain is concerned, alcohol acts at many sites, including the spinal cord, cerebellum and cerebral cortex, and on many neurotransmitter systems. Alcohol is a very small molecule and is soluble in "lipid" and water solutions. Because of these properties, alcohol gets into the bloodstream very easily and also crosses the blood brain barrier. Some of the Neurochemical effects of alcohol are: • Increased turnover of Neurotransmitters Norepinephrine and Dopamine • Decreased transmission in Acetylcholine systems • Increased transmission in GABA systems • Increased production of Beta-endorphin in the hypothalamus The effects of Alcohol can be graded. In low doses, alcohol produces: •
a relaxing effect
•
reduced tension
•
lowered inhibitions
•
impaired concentration
•
slowed reflexes
•
impaired reaction time
•
reduced coordination
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
In medium doses, alcohol produces: •
slurred speech
•
drowsiness
•
altered emotions
In high doses, alcohol produces: •
vomiting
•
breathing difficulties
•
unconsciousness
•
coma
Chronic alcohol use can: •
Damage the frontal lobes of the brain
•
Cause an overall reduction in brain size and increase in the size of the ventricles
•
Lead to alcoholism (addiction to alcohol) and result in tolerance to the effects of alcohol and other health problems
•
Cause a vitamin deficiency. Because the digestion system of alcoholics is unable to absorb vitamin B-1 (thiamine), a syndrome known as "Wernicke's Encephalopathy" may develop. This syndrome is characterized by impaired memory, confusion and lack of coordination.
So, now you know how “Good” and “Bad” drugs can affect your brain, you will be able to make informed decisions about the effect of “drugs” on your Brain Power.
© Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
Appendix Your brain is a marvelous organ, fit for the purpose in mind and designed by a Creator with intelligent thought. However, whatever we want to achieve in life requires effort. And it is not always the case that the reward of our effort is in direct proportion to the effort we may put in. So why not give yourself an “edge” on success? Hopefully, the information contained in this book will allow you to have that “edge”. And if you have any hints, tips, tricks or techniques that you’d like to share, you are most welcome to contact me, Lynnee Davidson, at the email address at the end of this book. I’m looking to produce a sequel to this book and would be more than happy to quote you as the source, if you do not object. Also, there will be an Affiliate System in association with this book. So, if you would like to make money with this book by reselling, please contact me at my email address. Now, go forth and use the knowledge in this book I’ve given you……discover what you can really achieve when you take action to “Double Your Brain Power!” Thank you for your time. Lynnee Davidson. © Lynnee Davidson All Rights Reserved. www.doubleyourbrainpower.com Unauthorized duplication or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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References 'In vitro Anti-beta-secretase and dual anti-cholinesterase activities of Camellia sinensis L. (tea) relevant to treatment of dementia'; Edward J Okello et al, Phytotherapy Research, 18 624-627 (2004)
Nature Neuroscience, volume 7, page 75, and Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, volume 44, page 177.
Reay, Kennedy, Scholey, (2006). Effects of Panex Gingseng, consumed with and without glucose, on blood glucose levels and cognitive performance during sustained “mentally demanding” tasks. Journal of Pharmacology. (refers to study on Panex gingseng)
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Double Your Brain Power! Tips Tricks and Techniques to make your Brain Sharper Smarter and Faster
Contact email address: We use a system of contact email which is completely Spam free. The system of email we use is called ZOEMAIL. The Zoemail system allows you to register with us (just once) and you will then receive your own personal, contact email address. Once you have this address, please save it and use it every time you want to send us an email. If you would like to send us an email, please go to:
http://www.zoemail.net/?lynnee After signing in, you will be sent an email containing your personalized contact email address for us. It will look like the following:
[email protected] where the “Xs” are your personal key. You only have to do this once. Sorry about the inconvenience but Spam is becoming a huge problem, as you will no doubt understand. If you cannot for any reason get this to work, we do have an “emergency” Email address:
[email protected] Please only use this address if you cannot get through by any other means. This address is only checked weekly.
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