Ten Easy Tips on How to Keep From Losing Your Mind 

Memory loss occurs in the young as well as the old. Occurring more frequently in the elderly, Alzheimer's disease and forgetfulness has prompted neurologists, psychologists, psychiatrists and other brainy specialists to come up with ways to prevent such memory loss. 

Ruling out disease, a major cause of forgetfulness in the young and not so young is having too much on one's mind. 'Too many pieces on the plate, too many things to do and no time to do it' is a common mantra of today's society. With cell phones, computers, email, Web pages, and other modern technology, we have worked ourselves into a non-stop frenzy where we can work 24 hours a day.

At this ultra-busy holiday season, it is easier than ever to forget things. To offset forgetfulness, the following tips can help. 'Use it or lose it' is the bottom line.

1. Focus on listening more and talking less. Listening requires greater concentration.
2. Avoid hanging around negative people. Thinking positive stimulates the brain as well as brightens your day.
3. Stick to a healthy diet of protein foods, fruit and veggies. It gives you brain power. 
4. Avoid high fat foods. Fat clogs the arteries that supply blood to the brain.
5. Take vitamins, especially vitamin E, zinc and Ginko Baloba. Some tests show this can help aging and memory.
6. Read, read, read and do crossword puzzles. It's exercise for the brain.
7. Avoid excessive alcohol. Too much may result in loss of brain cells.
8. Plan activities with others. Socialization offsets brain laziness.
9. Avoid unnecessary medication. Losing weight, lowering blood pressure and high cholesterol levels can often be achieved through diet and exercise instead of drugs. Learn the side effects of medication you take. Some types of sleep aids may cause memory loss.
10. Maintain a daily exercise and workout schedule. It improves blood circulation to the brain.

THE NET'S LARGEST IMPORT MUSIC STORE - HUGE HOLIDAY SPECIAL!

Order now and receive free shipping. Musicimports.com has everything you could dream of with over 500,000 CD's, LP's, videos, DVD's and cassette titles on thousands of labels. These titles are not available in the US but currently available in Europe, Japan and Australia. Secure shopping.

For more info:
Click Here
 

Question of the Week

Question: 
I am a 32 year old 5'4" female. I recently weighed myself and found that to my astonishment I now weigh 165 pounds. I put the weight on without really noticing it until I went to do some summer shopping. I was already about 150 pounds before the weight gain. I would like to know what my ideal weight should be for my height and also a healthy diet and exercise regimen to help me reach this desired weight. I also want to add that I had a baby a year ago and during my pregnancy I weighed 175 and I never fully lost all of the weight. Please help me!

Answer: 
In general, the guidelines of the National Health Institute recommend for women, 100 lbs. for 5 feet and five lbs. per inch, give or take pounds according to age. For men, it's 100 lbs. per five feet and seven lbs. per inch. 

Considering your age and height, your ideal weight lies somewhere between 120 and 140 lbs., depending on your body type. That's a broad range but only you know where you feel healthy and comfortable. In recent years, the guidelines have slimmed down ideal body weights as extensive medical studies prove that thinner people are generally healthier and live longer than their heavier counterparts. 

We're not talking about super skinny or about victims of Anorexia Nervosa (an illness that causes people, especially females, to think they are too fat and starve themselves into stick figures.) Use common sense. When your bones start to show and people start to stare, you're generally too thin. When you have to go to the children's department to find clothes that fit you, there's a problem. (We have included this to ward off letters of outrage from some officious types who think everybody who wants to lose weight is suffering from America's "model-thin obsession.")

As far as having had a baby, that's no excuse so get with the program. We know it's difficult for some women to lose post-pregnancy weight, so we are not entirely without empathy. But the same diet recommendations we make for everybody apply to new moms too. The main difference is that you need to exercise more, take time for yourself every day so you don't eat out of frustration and/or boredom. Cut fatty foods including anything fried, butter, sauces and fatty gravies. Avoid baked goods and processed desserts. Avoid alcoholic and/or sugary beverages. Increase foods rich in protein such as chicken, fish, turkey and low-fat dairy products. Also increase intake of fresh fruits, vegetables, and drink eight glasses of water a day. Cut out junk food and be sure to exercise daily. No days off for you until you begin seeing positive results. Good luck.

The HFT Staff

NOTE: If you would like to see your question featured here, please submit to: questions@health-fitness-tips.com

Product of the Week

Buns Of Steel 2000

Have a blast while sculpting your buns and thighs with this intense toning workout video. You'll feel like you're dancing with this exciting workout that is packed with terrific music. Choose from three 15-minute light aerobic sessions, each with warm-up and cool-down. 

For more info:
Click Here

Subscribe to the Health & Fitness Tips Newsletter by clicking here.