1) Sniffing paint — Yes, sniffing paint will give you a “high” for awhile, but it can really inflict severe brain damage. Avoid inhalants like paint and keep your brain cells healthy. Even worse than just killing your brain cells is the fact that sniffing paint has the potential to kill you — even on your first time. Stay away from this stuff and get help now if you are addicted.

2) Taking cocaine – Thank you captain obvious, right? It’s possible that not everyone out there knew that cocaine killed brain cells. Cocaine doesn’t just kill random brain cells either, it wipes out the brain cells in your brain’s pleasure center — brain cells that make you feel good and are triggered with positive emotion and pleasure. Want to keep having fun in life and feel pleasure? Stay away from cocaine.

3) Too much stress — A little bit of stress is healthy for everyone. It keeps you motivated and motivated to achieve goals. When stress gets out of hand to the point where you’re having adrenaline rushes, your body produces an excess of the chemical “cortisol.” Too much of that cortisol is what kills brain cells. Please don’t stress after reading this.

4) Getting a concussion – Unfortunately most people don’t have much control over getting concussions. The fact is, concussions are neuronal killers and should be avoided if at all possible. There are special precautions to take to avoid concussions such as: wearing a helmet in contact sports, wearing a helmet when riding your motorcycle, even wearing a helmet when riding your bike.

5) Rapidly shaking your head – Rapidly shaking your head around back and forth causes axons to tear, which causes brain cell death. A very easy way to prevent brain cell loss is by NOT shaking your head. You have complete control over the shaking of your head; don’t do it!

6) Eating junk food — What happens to your brain cells when they aren’t provided with the healthy nutrients they need to survive? They starve and die! A little bit of junk food won’t hurt, but unhealthy food on a consistent basis without any healthy food will cause brain cells to die. Again, you have complete control over what you choose to eat. Pick healthy foods and give your brains the adequate nutrients that they need to flourish.

7) Drinking too much alcohol — How many brain cells does one beer kill? Chances are good that drinking just one beer won’t kill any. Getting drunk probably won’t even kill any brain cells. Alcohol can cause a temporary chemical imbalance and structural changes. If you are an alcoholic or you frequently “drink too much alcohol,” you will most likely kill brain cells. MRI’s of alcoholic patients show a decreased brain volume.

8) Taking ecstasy (MDMA) – Common-day club drug, Ecstasy literally puts holes in your brain. Brain scans have compared healthy brains to brains of those who’ve used ecstacy and have found that the “brains on ecstasy” had holes in them. Ecstasy depletes serotonin manufacturing cells, which are important for keeping a positive mood and promoting relaxation. If you frequently go “clubbing” make the choice to stay away from “X,” as it is very common in clubs. Avoid this drug, and your brain will be much healthier than if you didn’t.

9) Dehydration – Without sufficient levels of water in the brain, ions get disrupted and the result is brain damage. Replenish your body and brain with necessary water levels to avoid dehydration and keep your brain cells healthy.

10) Using methamphetamines – Taking methamphetamines is probably the most uneducated decision you could possibly make. Not only are they one of the most addicting groups of drugs, they destroy lives and kill brain cells. The sad part is, methamphetamine use results in severe to permanent brain damage even long after the drug has been stopped. In my opinion, methamphetamines are the most dangerous group of drugs to get involved with. Stay away from them, get help now if you use them, and help a friend if you know they are a user.

11) Getting a contusion – A contusion is a severe bruise within the brain. It does cause neuronal death (brain cell death). Unfortunately, most people that have contusions couldn’t really do much to avoid them. Sports like boxing where taking jabs to the head is common, influences the development of contusions. Safety precautions: wear a helmet or hardhat when debris or other objects have potential to damage your head. The great-est Mohammed Ali suffered brain contusions from his heavy involvement in boxing.

12) Having a stroke – A stroke results from temporary loss of blood-flow to the brain. Usually, the damage from having a stroke is centralized in just one side of the brain. Strokes can cause anything from small lesions, to widespread cell death. Unfortunately strokes cannot be avoided, but there are things that you can do to reduce your risk: lowering stress levels and staying active are just a couple healthy activities that reduce risk of a stroke. An interesting fact: millions of brain cells die each minute a stroke is left untreated.

13) Avoiding exercise — The act of avoiding exercise doesn’t kill brain cells, however, the effects that are associated with lack of exercise happen to be killers. Exercise reduces stress levels, chance of brain damage, and even creates new brain cells. If you are avoiding exercise, you happen to be setting your brain cells up for an early death. Make time in your schedule to exercise and reap the benefits; exercise should never be avoided.

14) Sensory deprivation – We know from my “hearing voices” article that sensory deprivation may cause you to have auditory hallucinations. When your brain undergoes sensory deprivation for longer periods of time, you lose brain cells. When cells are not stimulated for long periods of time, your brain reorganizes itself; you naturally lose the unused, understimulated cells.

15) Taking absinthe — Most types of absinthe contain extremely high amounts of ethanol and a chemical called thujone; both of which can cause brain cell death. Thujone has the opposite effects of barbiturates like Xanax and in high doses can cause seizures and possibly death. It is definitely best to avoid absinthe and not put your brain at risk of damage.

16) Drinking too much water — The act of drinking too much water in too short of time period will actually flood your nervous system and kill off brain cells. How exactly does this work? When the ratio of water to sodium escalates, your brain swells and brain cells die in the process. Individuals on low-sodium diets may be especially vulnerable to “water toxicity.” It is important to stay hydrated, but be reasonable; you know what’s right for your body. Don’t go overboard and kill off your brain cells!

17) Being a chronic negative thinker — The act of simply thinking negative will not cause any sort of brain cell loss. Most people have negative thoughts that creep in their consciousness from time to time. It is when the negative thinking takes over, gets “out of line” and causes stress, and you to make unwise decisions such as taking drugs like Ecstacy to improve your mood at the club when you are probably losing brain cells. The side-effects and byproducts from negative thoughts are what make you more likely to engage in activities that kill brain cells. Negative thinking is an indirect killer; surround yourself with positivity and a healthy circle of friends!

18) Post traumatic stress disorder – Victims of post-traumatic stress disorder unfortunately deal with memory problems, anxiety, flashbacks, and happen to lose brain cells in the process. Post traumatic stress disorder causes the brain to produce a surplus of the stress hormone “cortisol,” which kills brain cells. Like other stress related disorders, they don’t lose a huge amount of brain cells overnight, but they definitely can lose a significant amount if they don’t get adequate assistance and treatment.

19) Head trauma – The scary thing about head trauma is that it not only kills brain cells, it also damages the brain’s ability to repair itself after the damage. Head trauma is linked to Parkinson’s disease and poor sensorimotor processing within the brain — always try to protect your head whenever engaging in a contact sport, working construction, riding a motorcycle, etc.

20) Elevated testosterone levels — Having too high of testosterone levels has been proven to be detrimental to your brain’s health and does kill brain cells. If you are taking supplements that increase testosterone levels, be aware that too much of the supplement could potentially cause the death of your brain cells!

21) Chemotherapy — Unfortunately for those who have undergone chemotherapy, the process not only kills the cancerous cells, but many of your good brain cells. In order to avoid cancer, take steps to reduce your risk of developing cancer such as: eating healthy, exercising, getting proper sleep, etc. Not everyone is able to avoid cancer, but you can certainly make an effort to try.

22) A single stressful event — Yes, you read correct — just ONE stressful event has the potential to kill off brain cells. If you live in a high-stress environment, are always on the go, and never take time to just chill, your mind is most likely overactive and you are losing brain cells. If you know that you will be exposed to stressful events, I recommend learning stress coping methods like meditation, deep breathing, guided imagery, yoga, etc. There are many things you can do to lower your stress response to hectic events.

23) Smoking cigarettes — The act of smoking cigarettes is not only detrimental to your physical health — it could be taking a heavy toll on your mental health. The fact is, scientists have found that “smoking” kills brain cells and stops the production of new brain cells (neurogenesis). If you are a smoker, work hard to kick the habit. If you are smoke-free, stay that way and encourage smokers to quit.

24) Taking steroids — Taking steroids is terrible for your brain and body. Steroids elevate testosterone levels and increase stress levels: 2 activities [mentioned earlier] that are known to deplete brain cell. Steroids cause early death, an increased suicide risk, and give the user absolutely ZERO fulfillment in the long-term. Take the time to lift the necessary weights and don’t expect to get “ripped” overnight; you will be better off in the grand scheme of life.

25) Extreme anxiety and panic — Anxiety and panic in extreme situations will definitely provoke feelings of stress, release cortisol, and will kill your brain cells in severe forms. Light and moderate forms of anxiety and panic may feel uncomfortable, but will probably not damage your brain. Learning valuable coping techniques by visiting a psychotherapist, using relaxation techniques consistently, and considering medication are all things that will stop you from losing brain cells from anxiety and panic.

26) Food additives — Food additives contain a group of compounds commonly referred to as “exotoxins,” which slow and destroy cognitive development in the brain. “Exotoxins” are not just present in a few foods, they are present in virtually ALL processed foods. To avoid future health problems and keep a healthy brain, your best bet is to eat healthy, non-processed foods.

27) Oxycodone abuse — Oxycodone abuse kills brain cells, heart tissue, damages kidneys, and has terrible side-effects. If you or someone you know abuses Oxycodone, seek help immediately! Your brain and body will thank you in the long run — Oxycodone is nothing to fool around with.

28) Exposure to electricity — Short and long-term exposure to electricity has terrible effects on your brain. Electricity doesn’t just cause you to lose a few brain cells either, it causes you to lose millions! If you or anyone you know works with electricity on a consistent basis, you may want to take special precautions or reconsider!

29) Exposure to lead — It is known that the early exposure of lead may lead to later brain aging in life. What about brain cell loss from lead exposure? Scientific evidence shows that exposure to lead leads to brain cell loss and damage years later. Scientists figure that a single exposure is equivalent to at least 5 years of brain aging. Avoid lead exposure at all possible costs and do what you’ve got to do to keep your brain healthy!

30) Mercury toxicity — Chances are good that you probably know that avoiding exposure to mercury is recommended. When a person is exposed to mercury, they can develop what’s known as “mercury toxicity” in the brain. Mercury toxicity is a known brain cell killer. I find it interesting that many old, tooth-fillings could be releasing mercury into your body and you could be a victim of mercury poisoning. To watch a boring, yet informative research video about mercury poisoning, check out this video.

31) Carbon monoxide poisoning — Yes carbon monoxide itself can kill brain cells, but the reason brain cells die in carbon monoxide poisoning is mostly due to the fact that inadequate amounts of oxygen get to the brain. To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, take necessary household precautions such as installing a detector and check for burning.

32) Getting Lyme disease — Severe forms of Lyme disease cause memory impairments and brain cell loss if left untreated for a long period of time. Lyme disease is usually carried by deer ticks, but can be found in other types of ticks. To avoid Lyme disease, it is recommended to always check your body after long expeditions through the woods.

33) Exposure to pesticides — It is always important to take the necessary precautions when working with pesticides or being in an area around pesticides. Pesticides kill brain cells quickly and cause abnormal mental and physical development. If you are in an environment where pesticide exposure is common, get out, save yourself, or report the company and people using the pesticides to proper authorities. Pesticides are linked to Parkinson’s disease and many other forms of mental illness!

34) Certain types of cosmetics – Certain types of cosmetics have been proven to have an adverse interaction with mental health. Some forms of shampoo have ingredients that have been shown to kill brain cells. Be aware that certain types of cosmetics have ingredients that will kill or damage your brain cells.

35) Using cleaning solvents — Taking a good whiff of a solvent can really knock you out! If “sniffed” with the purpose to get high, solvents can cause severe brain damage and possibly death. They can cause severe learning impairments, declined social functioning, and reduce the capacity of your short-term memory. Most cleaning solvents, when used properly for their intended purpose (to clean), will not cause any harm. If you know someone that is abusing solvents, get them help! You are not only helping their brain, you are helping their life!

36) Ingesting aspartame — In case you didn’t know, aspartame is an artificial sweetener found in gum, candy, and Nutra-Sweet. Several studies made connections that link aspartame to brain cell destruction. It is a very controversial substance that has been proven to be bad for health in some studies, and has been proven safe in others. Either way, I’d avoid aspartame; it’s nothing to risk your brain cells over.

37) Indoor air pollution — Indoor air pollution affects the spinal cord, kidneys, blood cells, central nervous system, and the brain. Depending on the type of indoor air pollution, effects can range from being unnoticeable to causing brain cell loss. It is important to keep the air inside of your home and business clean and safe to breathe. Don’t underestimate the potential of indoor air pollution to be detrimental to the health of your body and mind!

38) Lack of quality sleep — We all know that when we don’t get enough sleep, we cannot properly function the next day! Not only does lack of quality sleep interfere with learning and social functions (left-hemisphere), it does kill brain cells. In order to prevent brain cell loss from lack of sleep, it is recommended to get good quality sleep. Some people run effectively on just 6 hours of sleep, while some need 9 to keep a clear head. You be the judge of what works best for your body and brain!

39) Using heroin – As you probably expected, using heroin will kill your brain cells. Heroin has been linked to Alzheimer-like brain damage. Opiate use has been associated with sped up aging in the brain. Heroin causes nerve-cell damage in essential parts of the brain. Don’t let a drug like Heroin ruin your brain and your life!

40) Paint remover — When you put paint remover on paint, it eats it away. When you inhale paint remover, it eats away at your brain! Paint remover, when sniffed, crosses the blood-brain barrier and eats away at your brain tissue and cells. Make the decision to help others that have a problem with “sniffing” or “huffing” paint remover by getting them psychological assistance and being around for support.

41) Welding fumes — Exposure to welding fumes is an extreme health hazard. Welding rod fumes have been linked to Parkinson’s disease and many other illnesses. Most fumes from welding are produced during “arc-welding.” The fumes enter and damage your lungs, nervous system, and deplete brain cells. If you are a welder, you may want to check out this informational guide from the American Society of Safety Engineers.

42) Outdoor air pollution – Like indoor air pollution, outdoor air pollution can have terrible side-effects. Places like Mexico City have so much air pollution that many citizens chose to wear masks and filters to protect themselves. Depending on the type and severity of the air pollution, you can potentially lose a lot of brain tissue. Chemical gases build up quickly and mix with each other, those gases get trapped in the environment, people inhale the gases, and brain damage / cell loss is a result.

43) Microwaving “popcorn” — It doesn’t really matter what you are microwaving, if you stand close enough to the microwave or have a “microwave” leakage, you are killing your brain cells. By just standing close to a microwave that is fully sealed while operating, you do risk losing some brain cells — but not nearly as many as if there were a microwave leakage. It is important to always check up on your microwave and to repair any possible leaks. It is recommended to always stand a minimum of 2 feet away from microwaves while they are cooking.

44) Having narcolepsy – Having narcolepsy — a disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and uncontrollably falling asleep at random times. Research has shown that having narcolepsy kills “hypocretin” brain cells which are located in the hippocampus. Individuals without narcolepsy have around 70,000 hypocretin brain cells, while narcoleptics have have between 3,000 to 10,000 (a significantly lower amount). Luckily new advances and treatments are constantly being developed to help with narcolepsy!

45) Formaldehyde — Formaldehyde can be found in forest fires, automobile exhaust, and tobacco smoke. Formaldehyde can deplete brain cells and decreases cell counts within the brain. Formaldehyde exposure can cause burning of the eyes and nose, coughing, difficulty breathing, and could possibly cause leukemia. For great physical and mental health, formaldehyde exposure should be avoided.

46) Radiation treatment — It is not surprising that radiation treatment damages brain cells. After all, radiation treatment works to damage the DNA of cancerous cells. Some other cells happen to get hit with the radiation intended to take out the cancer cells, and healthy brain cells die. Most medically accepted treatments of cancer involve the killing of both healthy and unhealthy brain cells.

47) Taking the chemical MPTP — MPTP is a neurotoxin that causes permanent symptoms of Parkinson’s disease by killing neurons in the substantia nigra area of the brain. It’s scary that there’s an illicit drug like this… Hopefully you never even hear about MPTP other than on the internet.

48) Laughing gas a.K.a. nitrous oxide — When nitrous oxide is used in a controlled setting like the dentist’s office, it is fine and will not cause brain damage — the amount of the substance is carefully monitored. It is when nitrous oxide is illicitly used and abused that results in brain damage and cell loss. No need to freak out the next time the dentist uses this stuff. Don’t use this stuff in a non-medical setting and you’ll be fine.

49) Using ketamine – The use of ketamine, a common type of anesthesia, prevents brain cells from picking up “glutamate” — a protein which is essential for cell communication and survival. Like nitrous oxide, ketamine use should be limited to medical professionals. Using the proper amount of ketamine probably won’t do much damage.

50) Taking PCP – Most commonly referred to as “angel dust,” the drug PCP (Phencyclidine) can cause memory problems, inability to control thoughts, and compulsive action. PCP has been correlated with frontal-lobe brain damage and like most drugs, aids in the process of brain cell death. PCP is dangerous, triggers dangerous behavior, and should be avoided to keep a healthy brain.

There are more drugs and activities that weren’t mentioned that kill brain cells. I recommend checking out the article: “50 Ways To Boost Your Brain Power” to keep your brain healthy and to avoid unnecessarily killing brain cells!

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Forgot where you put your car-keys? Does your mind blank out when trying to think of answers? Forgetting these types of things is a sign of how busy we are. “When we’re not paying good attention, the memories we form aren’t very robust, and we have a problem retrieving the information later,” says Zaldy S. Tan, MD, director of a Memory Disorders Clinic in Boston. Not everyone has a bad memory, but everyone can benefit from a few memorization tips.

How to better remember names:

1) Pay close attention — When you first meet someone, consciously force yourself to listen closely to that person’s name. To improve ability to remember the name, be sure to ask about the spelling. Ask if “Kristine is spelled with a ‘K’ or a ‘C’ “– picture the spelling. Also, be sure to add a comment about the name such as: “I used to have a few friends named Kristine, but their names were spelled with a ‘K’ and not a ‘C’ like yours.” Always be sure to use their name when first greeting them, saying goodbye, or throughout a conversation.

2) Visualize their name — If you are terrible at remembering names, it may help to relate their name with a picture. Visualize their name, meditate on it if you need to. Picture the name, or a picture associated with the name, then picture the person. If the person’s first name is something like Troy — it may help to picture the person and then the DVD cover of the movie “Troy.” If you are shooting to remember the last name as well, try to break it up into smaller words. Heres an example: a man’s last name is Lidkey — break the name up into the words “lid” and “key.” Picture a “lid” and “key” and associate it with the man’s face.

3) Jot down some notes — If you are watching a speaker or are in a position to help you take notes to remember a person, by all means do so. It will definitely help by jotting down some personal features like: has a shiny bald-head, coached the University’s basketball team, and wears big sunglasses. These notes will serve as a good reference when you need a reminder.

Misplacing things: Where did I put my cell phone?

1) Describe the “play-by-play” –Notice what you are doing when you set your cell phone down on the table. Increase your overall awareness by being conscious that you’ve lost your cell phone in the past, tell yourself that you won’t forget where you put it. As you set down your cell phone on the table, tell yourself: “I’m reminding myself that I’m putting my cell phone on this table,” so you have a clear memory of where you put your cell phone.

2) Make remembering a habit — Put a small box or basket on the counter top. Train yourself to put your cell phone, sunglasses, car keys, or any other object that you commonly misplace, in the basket after each use. By putting each object in the basket, you are gradually training yourself to remember where you put things.

How to remember tasks to complete:

1) Give yourself a physical reminder — To remind yourself what you need to do, write a big “to-do” list for the day and post it up in a place you will easily see each day. Give yourself some sort of “physical” reminder. You expect to see your bills on the table, so leaving them sit won’t necessarily remind you to pay them; everybody can forget. If you place your toothbrush or glasses on your bills, you will be more likely to pay them without forgetting. Why? When you place an object like a shoe or toothbrush that you use on a daily basis, you will be forced to look for that object. Seeing the object next to your bills will make you remember to pay the bills with less procrastination.

2) Sing some tunes — A great way to remember is to sing. The sound of music has potential to create a rhythm that “gets stuck in our head.” There are many ways to create a tune to help you remember. To remember items on a shopping list, combine them with a well-known, catchy melody. Combine “new shirts, jeans, socks” with the tune to nursery rhymes like “jack and jill” or a popular song that’s been stuck in your head.

3) Use mnemonic devices — Many of us have used phrases like “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas.” Using the first letter of each word can help to remember Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Another very common mnemonic device is “ROY G BIV” to remember the colors of a rainbow. You can make your own form of a mnemonic device to help you remember names in a family. Let’s say the Johnson family has 4 kids that you want to remember: Alex, Eileen, Peter, and Susan. Combine the first letter of their names and you have “APES.” Next time all you’ll need to do is think of a monkey or ape and you are likely to remember the “APES” of the Johnson family.

4) Put your body to use — When you don’t have a writing tool and paper to make a shopping list or to-do-list, remember it by associating each item with parts of your body. Begin at your head and work your way down to your feet. So if you need to by eggs, calculators, chicken, and gum, you should try to picture something like: a smashed egg on your head, calculators on each shoulder, a chicken stuck underneath your shirt, and gum on the bottom of your shoes. When you are able to associate items with something like body parts, you are improving your memory, facilitating creativity, and don’t need to waste time writing out a list.

Remembering passwords: e-mail accounts, bank accounts, PIN numbers

1) Associate shapes with the numbers — For example: the number 2 could appear to look like a duck, 0 looks like a bowling ball, 1 looks like a pen, 8 looks like a snowman, etc. You can use your imagination and think of associations that work best for you. To remember your PIN number 8201, imagine that you have built a snowman (8), when ducks come near (2), you roll a bowling ball (0), miss them and find a new pen.

2) Start rhyming — Think of words that rhyme with numbers. 3-6-9 tree, sticks, pine (all pertaining to the woods). You could get a theme going. Making letters rhyme with numbers and vice-versa is a great way to improve your memory. You are much more likely to remember something that rhymes over something that doesn’t! Start rhyming your way to a better memory.

I have a terrible memory, will anything work?

Some people may have a worse memory than others, but there’s always a method that you can use to improve. Don’t lose hope if you do have a below-average memory. Always keep trying new ways to improve your memorization abilities. A few tips that I have are:

1) Read, talk, and listen to what you are trying to memorize — To memorize a textbook passage or poem, read the material, say the material out loud, and focus on hearing what you are reading. It wouldn’t hurt to write or type what you’ve just read. Writing and typing encourage memory formation through repetition. If you need to, record what you are trying to memorize and play it on your way to work each morning. Rotate every third day between: reading the poem over, stating the poem out loud, and listening to your recorded version of the poem.

2) Eliminate distractions when memorizing — When you can hear the T.V. playing, have the radio playing or your i-Pod playing while trying to memorize, it will naturally be much harder for your brain to retain the information. A valuable recommendation is to eliminate all possible distractions such as: T.V., music, and other distracting sounds. It may help to go to the library in a quiet place to concentrate. Eliminating distractions is much more productive if you are trying to memorize: quit wasting time and get in a good environment that promotes healthy memorization.

3) Take fish oil — The DHA in fish oil supplements has been proven to form memories. I have been taking fish oil supplements for almost 2 years and have personally experienced an improved memory and overall brain function. Fish oil is linked to an increased I.Q. and building a healthier brain. If you haven’t yet at least tried out fish oil for awhile, I recommend it. It could be the best thing for your brain’s memory. If you think you’ll forget a lot of this list, get out a pen and write down “buy fish oil” and start taking it to experience leaps in memory.

Women’s memories are better than men’s in a couple of areas:

1) Remembering stressful, frightening, or unpleasant experiences — The hormone Estrogen activates a much bigger neuron field in a woman’s brain during an unpleasant experience. When faced with an unpleasant experience, women actually find it to be much more distressing than men. “Simply remembering an unpleasant experience can bring back the same terrible sadness and agitation to women that they experienced at the time,” says Dr. Legato, author of Why Men Never Remember and Women Never Forget. On a positive note, women are probably better at remembering more precise details of an accident or crime scene.

2) When people talk — “This includes stories read aloud from books, as well as verbal arguments,” says Dr. Legato. The spoken word becomes firmly packed into women’s memories and can be recalled more easily than men. This is due to an increase in the amount of blood flow to the brain that women experience when listening.

Men can have phenomenal memorization abilities, it’s just that it is more common for women to have a natural advantage when it comes to memorizing.

Will you remember this article ?

Don’t be discouraged if you currently have a bad memory. There are many things you can do to keep your brain fit and memory boosted. If you can do yourself a favor and at least remember the information within this article, your memory will start to improve. If know that you will forget this article, then print it out now and tape it up in a place you will see everyday.  There are also other ways to improve your brain with things like memory vitamins that you should check out if you are interested.

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References: Reader’s Digest, March 2008, “New Ways To Retrain Your Brain” by Patricia Curtis.

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Hearing voices: not as uncommon as you may think

Contrary to popular belief, not only schizophrenics experience auditory hallucinations a.K.a. hear voices. Many people who are not even mentally ill often report hearing claps, whistles, buzzing voices, or even music in their head. Around 70 % of schizophrenics hear voices that interrupt their thought patterns on a consistent basis and 15% of people with mood disorders experience auditory hallucinations. However, hearing noises or voices isn’t necessarily a sign of mental illness.

According to Scientific American Mind magazine, hearing auditory hallucinations may not be as uncommon as the public thinks. In 1983 a study showed that 70% of a 375 college-student survey admitted to hearing voices at leas once in their lives. Many students thought that they heard dead relatives, divine beings, and even their own thoughts in vocal form. Auditory hallucinations during waking or directly before sleep were recorded by 40% of the study participants.

A 1991 National Institute of Mental Health study reported 5% of 15,000 Americans who had experienced auditory hallucinations, heard them for a complete year. Only 1/3 of the 5% that had experienced the hallucinations met the criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis. Thomas Bock, a psychotherapist and director of the outpatient psychosis service at the University Medical Center of Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany, at least 3% to 5% of the entire population in western Europe and the United States hear voices. In comparison to those findings, the disease schizophrenia only affects every 1 in 100 people.

How do these hallucinations happen?

Psychotherapist Thomas Bock explains that they arise from “too much internal stimulation” or “too little external stimulation.” Bock thinks that auditory hallucinations maybe a cause of people holding too much thought and emotion on the inside. Many people that hear voices have suffered a degree of trauma as a child or adult such as: rape, abuse, isolation, or a severe accident.

The unresolved conflicts resulting from traumas trigger signals which Bock thinks signifies that they need to listen more to their inner voice. Though there are many speculations as to what causes one to hear voices, some researchers agree that the hallucinations are due to a failure in a feedback circuit within the brain.

This feedback circuit normally tells you when “you” are talking or thinking — not someone else. The hypothesis that “self-talk” or “internal dialogue” gets misaligned with normal internal feedback applies to schizophrenics as well.

How can you tell if a person is hearing voices or has schizophrenia?

Well, researchers also studied and compared those who had no psychiatric symptoms to those already diagnosed with schizophrenia. Participants in the study listened to distorted voices of themselves — they were told to press a button if they thought they were listening to themselves or another person.

People already diagnosed with schizophrenia had much greater difficulty identifying their own voices. Also, non-schizophrenics did not report negative commentary in their hallucinations — schizophrenics heard negative and degrading voices. Both groups of people reported commentary on the vocalization of their thoughts, yet non-mentally ill participants heard encouraging statements like: “You can do it” or “it really wasn’t your fault.” Non-mentally ill patients also felt more in control of their voices, while schizophrenics reported little or no control.

What brain-imaging has shown

Brain-imaging studies have also shown the physiological aspects that happen in verbal hallucinations. During schizophrenic hallucinations, a huge increase of brain activity was shown in Broca’s area, an area involved in producing speech, not hearing it. They also found large amounts of activity in the brain’s primary auditory cortex — an area that normally processes sounds from the outside environment. Schizophrenics brain’s responded to their auditory hallucinations the same way as a regular brain responds to chatting with others.

Several causes of auditory hallucinations:

• Mental illness — People with various forms of mental illness can hear voices. It is most common to hear voices in schizophrenia, but in bipolar disorder and severe forms of depression, some people hear voices.

• Social isolation — A common trait of people who experience auditory hallucinations is social isolation. Social isolation causes the brain to receive too little simulation from the outside world. Withdrawn social activity can fuel hallucinations for non-schizophrenics, which in-turn will fuel social rejection.

• Poor stimulation for extended periods — Several hikers and sailors that have survived poor stimulation for long periods of time have reported auditory hallucinations.

• Sensory deprivation victims — Some victims of sensory deprivation victims often report hearing voices. Sleep deprivation when taken to extremes, can commonly cause auditory hallucinations.

• People with hearing loss — Musical hallucinations in people who have forms of hearing loss are actually quite common. Scientists think that the brain records auditory information that it has stored over one’s lifetime. When the external output (hearing) is eliminated, the deposited signals can live on in the form of hearing music — when it’s not playing…

• Spiritual phenomena — Many very spiritual or religious people claim to have heard voices in meditations, rituals, or during enlightening experiences. Very spiritual people claim to have been talking with others in another dimension, talking to “spirit guides,” deceased relatives, or another “higher being.”

How researchers are trying to quiet the voices

Currently, for those who do suffer from hearing voices, anti-psychotic medications work best for eliminating symptoms. Trans-magnetic-stimulation (TMS) has also been used by scientists as a method of decreasing the amount of brain activity in specific regions by using magnetic fields. The targeted areas of TMS have been those involved in speech-processing.

In 2005, researchers were able to suppress acoustic hallucinations in 50 patients for a total time period of 3 + months! Studies have also shown that the sooner one talks to someone about hearing the voices, the sooner the voices disappear. They have also shown that how a person views their voices is almost always a direct reflection of what the person actually hears.

Researchers and therapists are also helping victims learn how to “reframe the voices” and become more conscious of their illness. Therapists help to make sufferers masters of their own mind — by providing victims with valuable coping techniques. One interesting coping technique that has been used on several patients is that of allowing voices to “come out for conversation” during a set period of time.

By allowing them to come out for a set period, they tend not to usually bother the victims for the rest of the day. Another interesting phenomenon that scientists have found is that the vocal hallucinations that a victim experiences are usually a mirror reflection of their social life with real people.

It’s not always necessary to eliminate hearing voices from your life. Researchers think that whether or not a person should attempt to eliminate voices should result from whether the voices are positive or negative. When voices get negative, swear at the victim, talk trash, or degrade the person hearing them, it is definitely recommended to get help.

On the other hand, if a person hears positive voices, is socially active, and is not isolated, chances are good that the person can comfortably lead a fulfilling life. However, friends and family should still not rule out mental illness if one does hear “positive voices.” Some people manage to convince themselves that “negative voices” actually are well-meaning.

What should you learn from this article?

You should realize that hearing voices is actually fairly common nowadays. If you are hearing voices, don’t be afraid to share them with others — it may quiet them a little bit. The type, or mood of the voice, can usually distinguish a schizophrenic from a non-schizophrenic. For a nice video clip on what it feels like to experience schizophrenia: check this out — it’s a “virtual simulation.”

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Article sources: Scientific American Mind December 2006 / January 2007 Issue, Article: Hearing Voices by Bettina Thraenhardt — a psychologist and science journalist.

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What are beta brainwaves?

Beta brainwaves are considered “fast brain wave” activity. Beta brainwaves are brainwaves that cycle within the range of 12 – 38 Hz and are usually generated in the brain’s left-hemisphere.

Beta waves kick in when logically thinking, feeling stressed, and feeling tense. Beta is generally thought of as a “normal” rhythm and is dominant in people who are alert, anxious, or have their eyes open. Beta brainwaves are considered to be the normal brainwave pattern in healthy adults.

Most children and teenagers have dominant theta and alpha brainwave patterns. There isn’t a single brain wave pattern is better than the others – so don’t think beta brainwaves are some sort of miracle that your children need! If you happen to be deficient in the beta brain wave range, increasing them may feel like a miracle!

Benefits of increasing beta brainwave activity include:

• Ability to think quickly – When a person is high in beta brainwaves, they are able to think fast, generate new ideas quickly, and live in a high-state of functioning. Quick thinking and mental processing definitely helps when applying for a job in the 21^st century and preparing for exams. Studies have shown that people who think quickly feel more confident, happier, and actually live longer than slower thinkers.

• Being more social – When a person talks, their beta brainwave range naturally increases. If you are interested in becoming more social, an increase in beta brainwaves may be the ticket. In most people, an increase in beta activity boosts conversational energy and ability to keep conversation going. I’ve had personal experiences in the high beta brainwave range and you are more social period.

• Feeling excited – Ever get that nice healthy adrenaline rush or feeling of excitement in the pit of your stomach? That feeling is caused by an increase in the amount of beta brainwaves. Beta waves kick in when people get excited and definitely feel invigorating.

• Goal oriented – When people are in the beta brainwave state, they naturally feel more goal-oriented. It could be due to the fact that they have more energy, are more social, and have high levels of focus that cause them to naturally be more goal-oriented. It could also be the fact that an increase in left-hemisphere brain functioning is associated with goals and goal setting. Either way, it definitely will get you more pumped up and inspired to achieve your goals.

• Peak-performance – Though a specific peak-performance brainwave pattern is heavily debated, beta brainwaves can certainly aid in performance ability. When a person’s focus skyrockets, and their energy levels skyrocket, their performance abilities will naturally increase.

• Highest levels of focus – Have some mental fog and a low level of focus? Beta brainwaves may be the ticket to changing that around! People with ADD and ADHD are commonly prescribed stimulants, which cause beta brainwave activity in their brains to increase. Hence, an increased ability to focus, get things done, and all the other things associated with beta waves.

• More energy – Do you lack energy? Are you always tired and wish you had more energy? Well, beta brainwaves could definitely help you out! People low in beta brainwaves feel tired and report less overall energy throughout the day. To get out of a sleepy state and lift some mental fog, consider increasing your beta waves!

• Positive thoughts – I’ve definitely noticed that I feel less depressed and constantly am able to generate positive thoughts while in a high-beta mental state. Positive thinking and an increase in beta waves makes perfect sense because the left-hemisphere is associated with positive thoughts.

• Write easily and quickly – When beta brainwave levels are high, one’s ability to write increases. Beta activity occurs in the left hemisphere which is highly activated while writing. I can personally testify for this one: my ability to write is definitely enhanced when I am able to get into a state of beta.

• Increase in I.Q. – Studies have been done and show that people higher in the beta brainwave range actually have higher I.Q.’s than the average population. It makes perfect sense, since activities like reading and solving math problems can definitely help build a smart brain.

As goes for anything, too much beta activity can be a bad thing. By no means would it be a good idea for you to increase a brainwave that you already have high levels of. In fact, you may experience the horror of beta brainwaves, as they can cause:

• Anxiety – I can personally vouch for this one. Too much beta activity caused me to feel afraid or have thoughts of fear towards things that I’m normally completely calm with. I would imagine that if your brainwaves get high enough in the beta range, you will begin to notice a fear of things that are not normal to freak out over.

• Stress – Though there are many good things that come with beta waves, there is also a huge possibility that they may stress you out. They are linked to increased stress, which is why it is important to learn how to shift your brainwaves when needed.

• Paranoia – Paranoid schizophrenics are actually able to generate much more high-beta activity than the average population. Are beta brainwaves the cause of schizophrenia? No, they are a side-effect and schizophrenia is a much more complex disease. Increasing beta brainwaves will not increase the likelihood of you becoming crazy, but they could make you feel more paranoid than usual. Always checking the locks and worried that someone will break in? It may be time to boost that alpha brainwave pattern and tone down the beta!

• Muscle tension – Another drawback to the beta brainwaves is that your body will feel uneasy and muscle tension increases. Nobody enjoys feeling tensed and unable to relax their muscles. Avoid high amounts of beta activity to avoid tense muscles.

• Increased blood pressure – High blood pressure is usually not anything to be proud of. Beta brainwaves cause an increase in stress and thoughts and naturally increase your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is already high, chances are good that you know what a beta brainwave state feels like.

• Unwanted thoughts – Beta brainwaves can be a source of unwanted or anxious thoughts. Too much beta activity can cause one to experience a mild form of obsessive compulsive disorder. Rapid, random thoughts that are beyond control have potential to haunt the person that is high in beta.

• Insomnia – Want to stay up all night? If so, I recommend increasing your beta activity. It is probably a bad idea to do any beta geared activity right before falling asleep. Keep your brain healthy, get that sleep, and work to prevent insomnia.

• Addiction – Are you addicted to the internet? Chances are that if you have an addiction, you would greatly benefit from a downscaling in your current amount of beta brainwaves! Addiction is a long, bad cycle to go down that I don’t recommend. Look at “how to boost your alpha brain wave” to help you curb and hopefully eliminate your addictions.

Healthy Ways To Increase Beta Brain Waves:

• Brainwave entrainment – Check out my recommended products section and try out Neuro-Programmer 2 if you haven’t already. Brainwave entrainment is definitely a revolutionary technique to help you naturally increase brainwave activity within a certain range. Prepare to be impressed with this technology, if you aren’t already.

• Neurofeedback – Neurofeedback is quite expensive, but is actually very effective at increasing beta brainwave activity for people who have ADD and ADHD. There is a very high success rate for helping ADD in neurofeedback! Consider checking it out.

• Brain training games – Brain training games increase thinking speed and naturally increase amounts of beta activity. Not all brain training games are boring: check out the games Big Brain Academy for the Nintendo Wii or DS and Brain Age 2 for the Nintendo DS and prepare to have some fun. I’ve also heard good things about the Luminosity.Com brain program, so consider checking that out.

• Doing homework – Much of the schoolwork geared towards students in the 21^st century is actually beta-geared. Doing math problems and reading short stories is a powerful, natural way to increase your beta activity.

• Reading a book – Reading is a left-hemisphere oriented activity that everyone should do. Not only may you actually learn something, you will get smarter and increase your beta waves.

• Solving math problems – If you aren’t a student, print out some math problems or buy a book of math facts to get up to par.

• Drink a cup of coffee – The caffeine in coffee definitely gives a jolt of energy to the brain and body. Why? Taking in caffeine increases the amount of beta brainwaves for awhile. The caffeine effect is different for everyone, but you’ll learn that caffeine is definitely a beta brainwave booster.

Unhealthy Ways To Increase Beta Brain Waves:

• Snort cocaine – Drugs are just plain unhealthy, addicting, and life threatening. Cocaine does increase beta activity in the brain – causing adrenaline rushes, rapid heartbeat, and positive thinking. Stay away from this stuff and increase your beta waves naturally.

• Take diet pills – Ahh, good old fashioned diet pills. Pop a few down the hatch and you don’t have to work out or eat healthy to lose weight…right… Diet pills are not good for you. You should know better if you are currently taking them!

• Take some amphetamines (Adderall) – If you need to take stimulants for ADD, then do what you’ve gotta do. If you don’t have a prescription for Adderall, then it is illegal to take and could potentially be very addicting. Just stay away from amphetamines if you don’t need them. Their long-term health effects are brutal!

• Drink a Redbull (or another energy drink) – Energy drinks are just plain unhealthy in my opinion. Yes, they do give you a shocking amount of energy temporarily! After the energy comes, a crash occurs and your energy is completely zapped for the rest of the day! I recommend avoiding these to increase your beta activity.

• Smoke a cigarette – The nicotine found in cigarettes is a beta brainwave booster. Want lung-cancer, a tarred up throat, and to lose money in the process? Nobody does! Stay away from cigarettes!

Final Evaluation of beta brainwaves:

I personally think that beta brainwaves are great, but you need to be the judge as to whether or not increasing them is right for you. Are you already a positive thinker with higher than normal amounts of energy? If so, chances are good that your brain naturally produces large amounts of beta activity and you may even benefit from slowing down your pattern to the alpha range. If you are tired a lot, feeling unmotivated and bored, chances are good that you are a type of person that would benefit from the increase. I recommend giving Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional a shot and doing a little bit of experimentation to find out what’s right for your brain!

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1) Meditate — Meditation has been known to increase IQ, relieve stress, and promotes higher levels of brain functioning. Meditation also activates the “prefrontal cortex” of the brain, an area responsible for advanced thinking ability and performance.

2) Draw A Picture — Drawing stimulates the right-hemisphere of the brain and inspires creativity. Get out the colored pencils and begin drawing your way to a powerful brain.

3) Exercise — Long-term exercise has been proven to increase brain power and even create new neurons in the brain. Go out and get a natural high off of your own brain chemistry through exercise!

4) Brainwave Entrainment — Brainwave entrainment is a safe, innovative way to stimulate and shape the brain and it’s functioning. You can literally build up more control over your life and harness your brain’s potential!

5) Avoid Junk Food – Junk food has been proven to decrease energy in the body and promotes “brain fog.” Cut some junk food from your diet, and reap the benefits of a more calm, focused brain chemistry.

6) Deep Breathing — Deep breathing actually increases oxygen levels and blood-flow to the brain. 10-15 minutes of daily deep breathing can make a huge difference in the quality of your life and brain’s functioning potential.

7) Learn A New Language — Learning adds more structure to the brain and improves the brain’s speech centers. Hablas espanol? It may be time for you to take a class or program to supplement your job-skills and brain power!

8) Take Fish Oil — Fish oil supplements are literally like membrane material for the brain. The 2 primary components of EPA and DHA each act to strengthen both the emotional center of the brain and boost focus. There is an increase in overall brain activity after taking fish oil for awhile.

9) Laugh It Up — Laughter causes a natural release of the brain’s endorphins — chemicals that drown out pain and increase overall wellbeing. Laughter is a well known, natural stress reducer. Watch a comedy, crack a joke, and increase those endorphin levels!

10) Engage In Debate — A good, healthy debate strengthens the brain’s ability to think quickly and apply intelligence to verbal situations. Work to build up your brain power by engaging in plenty of healthy debate. Just ask someone who they are voting for in the presidential election and you’ll definitely provoke a debate!

11) Take A Multivitamin — Vitamins are great for the brain, and if it does not get enough of a certain vitamin through daily diet, consider a multivitamin. Multivitamins help facilitate the functioning of a healthy body and enriched brain. Start popping a vitamin each morning for awhile and chances are good that you’ll notice a difference!

12) Drink Red Wine — Alcohol in moderation has been proven to be good for the brain. Why? It is rich in antioxidants — chemicals that actually protect the brain! One glass daily for women and two for men is generally considered a healthy amount.

13) Eat Healthy — You know what ‘healthy’ is, so why not eat healthy and improve your brain? The brain requires a certain amount of energy to reach it’s maximum level of functioning. Eating chocolate cake and chips instead of fish and legumes, well maybe that’s why you cannot think clearly.

14) Change Your Environment — To keep your brain properly stimulated, it is important to keep changing your environment. Drive a new route to work, eat at a new restaurant on Friday night. Changing the environment helps change the brain!

15) Set Goals — Setting goals activates areas of the brain associated with positive thinking and action. Setting goals is great for achieving success and prosperity in life and boosting your brain.

16) Listen To Music — Studies have proven that listening to music strengthens the right-hemisphere of the brain and literally changes the structure. Those same studies have found that people who listen to music are generally smarter and have more emotional intelligence than those who don’t.

17) Be Empathetic — Being empathetic and trying to understand the emotions of others is a skill that your brain can learn. Being empathetic is definitely a powerful trait to have and allows your brain to relate to the emotions of others.

18) Avoid Stress — A little bit of stress will never hurt anybody. Too much stress actually causes detrimental increases in the hormone “cortisol” which in high levels, kills brain cells and suppresses brain functioning.

19) Think Positive — If you are currently very good at thinking positively, chances are good that you already have a more powerful brain than those “Negative Nellies.” Take 10 minutes daily to think more positive and start noticing an improvement in thinking abilities and problem solving skills.

20) Brainstorm — A good brainstorming session to think of new, stimulating ideas is a great way to boost your brains ability to think creatively. Brainstorming is actually a different way of thinking that will equip your brain with a quick creative boost.

21) Write An Article — Writing is linked to an improved memory and expression of thoughts. When you write, you are strengthening your brain’s natural ability to convey thoughts and feelings. Writing is a great way to exercise your ability to analyze and build a thought process with critical thinking. Journals, diaries, blog entries, and writing stories are phenomenal ways to fulfill your brain.

22) Visualize — Visualization has been associated with focus at a deeper level. Many successful athletes that are able to play “in the zone” actually visualize their game at a deeper level. Visualization has been linked to lowered stress, increased creativity, and peak mind-body performance.

23) Get Some Sleep — Be sure to always fulfill your brain’s need for sleep. Sleep clears out mental clutter and unimportant thoughts. Getting a good night’s sleep can also be the difference between a sharp memory and feeling forgetful. Everyone has different sleep requirements, be sure to fulfill yours! If you don’t get enough sleep — you may want to take a nap…

24) Do Self-Hypnosis — The power of hypnotic suggestion is definitely real. You can change aspects of your thought process and learn to shift your focus by taking the time to do some self-hypnosis. Hypnosis research shows that by practicing hypnosis, an individual experiences lowered stress, increased pain tolerance, and clear thinking. Try it out for yourself if you haven’t already!

25) Do Crossword Puzzles — Crossword puzzles bring out your brain’s ability to critically think and recall past memories. The challenge of completing crossword puzzles is definitely mentally invigorating and stimulating. If you enjoy reading the newspaper, be sure to check out the daily crossword puzzles section and build up that brain power!

26) Eat Nuts — Brazil and South American University students swear by eating nuts before taking exams. They notice that eating them is correlated with an increase in test scores. New studies are beginning to prove nuts effectiveness at increasing brain power. If you do not eat a lot of nuts, try it sometime and reap the brain related benefits!

27) Read Books — Reading books teaches your brain to adapt to absorb large amounts of information in shorter periods of time. Books challenge your thinking abilities and memorization skills, as well as boost vocabulary and critical thinking skills. Not only do you learn something from reading a book, but your brain power increases as you build up the book load.

28) Listen To Classical Tunes — Listening to classical music activates the left hemisphere of the brain, which is why classical music usually helps students do better in mathematics and writing. If you haven’t yet tried listening to some Mozart, consider it! Mozart has been linked to an 80 % increase in spatial intelligence scores!

29) Play “Brain Age” — New games like “Brain Age” for the nintendo DS and Big-Brain Academy help promote quick thinking and essential brain skills. These games work wonderful for improving thinking speed and natural problem solving skills. I’ve had a chance to play these games before and I can personally vouch for their effectiveness!

30) Take A Nap – Taking a nap has been proven through research to significantly improve task-performance and thinking abilities. If you are feeling tired throughout the day and have time to take a quick nap, it is recommended. Naps are a wonderful refresher and quick little mental booster.

31) Turn Off The T.V. – Watching T.V. may not be the only reason which rotting begins in the brain, but it is a key ingredient to the rotting process. A little T.V. will never hurt anybody, but it does definitely change brain functioning. The act of watching T.V. slows brainwaves and causes a decline in brain fitness.

32) Paint A Picture — Being able to visualize where you want paint to go on paper sparks pure creativity from within. Painting is an exercise that gets the right-brain fully functioning and improves your creative side. If you haven’t tried painting a picture, give it a shot and notice that you’re likely to feel and be more creative.

33) Start Crying — Don’t be afraid to cry when the time is right! Crying actually heals emotions and promotes healthy circulation within the brain. Those who are able to cry are actually cleansing the inside of their brain, which is another very healthy way to increase brain power.

34) Eat Less — Eating too much food has the effect of decreasing blood-flow to the brain and increasing blood-flow to the digestive system. Therefore, if you are able to cut-back on the total amount of food you consume, you will have enhanced brain functioning. In several lab studies, rats on a calorie-restricted diet had increased blood flow to their brains.

35) Eat Breakfast — When kids who hadn’t eating breakfast for awhile, began to eat breakfast, their math grades went up an entire letter grade (on average). Breakfast is probably the most important meal of the day — it provides your body with fuel for the rest of the day. If you don’t have time to eat an entire breakfast in the morning, at least have some sort of snack… It could give your brain a powerful edge!

36) Go For A Walk — Exercise deifnitely benefits the brain, and walking is a great form of exercise that is easy and very effective for boosting brainpower. Walking puts your mind in a relaxed state of clear thought and brain function. Walking gives your brain a chance to wander and free itself from any troubling thoughts.

37) Mimic Others — Being able to mimic other’s actions and talk activates several areas of the brain that are usually inactive. Mimicing others, if done in a fun, playful manner, can improve your brain power and the brain’s natural ability to adapt quickly when faced with new situations.

38) Solve Puzzles — Solving puzzles is a great way to stimulate your brains ability to critically think and process information. Puzzles are thought provoking, challenging, and a fun activity. The great thing about puzzles is that they require activity in the left-hemisphere of the brain to work with, and transfer information to, the right hemisphere’s visual center of the brain. Want a more integrated brain? Solve a puzzle!

39) Do Neurofeedback — Neurofeedback is a great way to learn to consciously control your brain wave patterns. Neurofeedback builds brain structure and helps promote flexibility within a brain’s neural network. Though neurofeedback is somewhat costly, if you’ve got enough money — it may very well be the best investment you can make for your brain!

40) Cut Alcohol Consumption — Alcohol in moderation isn’t terrible for the brain, too much alcohol is damaging to brain health and function. If you want to boost brain power, cutting alcohol is a great way to do it. Alcohol can cause memory problems and encourage “foggy,” disorganized thinking.

41) Live A Drug-Free Lifestyle — Everyone knows that drugs are bad for them. Drugs do not foster creativity, they kill creativity and deplete brain cells. Depending on the drug, effects can range from brain bleeding, to cell loss, to impairments in neural growth. Live drug free and keep your brain more powerful!

42) Drink Fruit Juice — Drinking fruit juice revitalizes the brain and provides cells with a refreshing jolt of nutrients. Great juices to drink include: grape juice, orange juice, cranberry juice, and apple juice. Most juices provide your brain with vital nutrients which in turn, provide you with more mental energy and focus.

43) Be Self-Aware — When you learn to let go of ego-driven and emotional aspects of life, rational thinking kicks in. Rational thinking will allow you to become self-aware, which in turn allows you to make better future decisions to achieve optimal brain health. Activities like meditation, self-hypnosis, and introspection allow us to increase our self-awareness.

44) Take Gingko Biloba — Gingko Biloba has been scientifically researched and documented to significantly increase blood-flow to the brain. Gingko Biloba is a farily inexpensive way to pump up your brain’s blood-flow. Increased bloodflow to the brain is correlated with an increase in focus and problem solving. Try some Gingko Biloba and allow your brain to reap the benefits!

45) Have Sex — Having sex is a great way to naturally release vital hormones in the brain. When involved in a loving relationship, having sex improves social connection as well as emotional intelligence. Sex is connecting, stress-relieving, and a great way to give your brain a boost. Chances are that sex will also improve your confidence and ability to think positively!

46) Drink Caffeine — Research shows that students that drink coffee before exams, have higher scores. Why? Caffeine seems to stimulate activity in the brain, speed up thinking, and improve focus. Too much caffeine is never good as it can cause stress or trigger anger. A little bit, however, may be the ticket to an “A” on your test. Drink some and find out how it affects your focus and thinking abilities!

47) Sniff Some Basil — I personally haven’t tried this method, but there seem to be many claims testifying for Basil’s effectiveness at improving overall brain function. Either way, certain fragrances actually change brain functioning. Taking a whiff of peppermint speeds up brain functioning, while other fragrances actually slow things down! Since scent is the strongest thing tied to memory, some good fragrances can definitely help out brain functioning.

48) Stay In School — If you are in school, chances are good that you will boost your brain power more than the average dropout! Keeping up with school work, means giving your brain a good workout in areas of self-discipline, learning, and mental processing. Stay in school, or do something to always be learning something new!

49) Ask Questions — Asking questions is a phenomenal way to keep your brain in shape. Get in the habit of questioning others and their thoughts. Questions can provoke new thoughts and ideas and asking them is a great way to build up brain power!

50) Re-Read This List – Want to boost your brain power? Start by re-reading this list and highlighting several methods that you can apply to your life. As a matter of fact, print this list out and staple it up someplace that you will view everyday. That way, when walking past the list, you can take a glance and randomly choose an activity to boost your brain power!

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