HGH SCIENCE

The Effects of HGH Deficiency Upon One of a Pair of Twins

You may not be able to tell immediately, but Axel and Kyan Crossley-Coe are identical twins. They are three years old. In spite of being identical twins, Axel is much shorter than his brother, owing directly to Human Growth Hormone Deficiency. Even though Axel clearly suffers from HGH Deficiency, he is unable to get the treatment that he needs, because he is just slightly above the threshold which qualifies him for a subsidy.

In fact, he's only three millimeters over the limit to qualify for Injectable HGH via a subsidy known as Pharmac. This means that if he were three millimeters taller, his family could get this life-changing Growth Hormone Therapy for free, but because of bureaucratic issues, they have to come up with the money for the treatment on their own.

The mother of the twins is named Kayla, and she is working to raise the funds for treatment via an online fund raising site called Givealittle.

Axel clearly isn't producing enough Human Growth Hormone to meet his needs, but his problems go far beyond HGH Deficiency. He also has issues with jaundice, and he has severe hearing problems. With regard to HGH Deficiency, Axel is 9.25 pounds lighter than his brother and 5.5 inches shorter than his brother.

In addition to his issues getting the HGH Treatment that he needs, his physicians are having trouble pinpointing the exact root of his health problems because they are so varied. Axel's mother had her twins at the early age of sixteen. It's not completely surprising that the child experienced such issues, because twins and young pregnancies both have an increased risk of complications.

In fact, Kayla did not realize that she was pregnant until she was over 5 months pregnant, when she received a heart scan which revealed that she was going to have twins. Further scans showed that there was something wrong, however. Kyan was twice the size of his brother, and Axel was not getting the resources that he needed in the womb, as a result of a condition known as twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. In this condition, one of the fetuses crowds the majority of the placenta, preventing the other twin from getting the resources it needs to thrive.

Things were so bad that doctors estimated that he only had a five percent chance of surviving. The mother had the opportunity to abort Axel to increase the chances that Kyan would thrive, but she chose not to. After 6 months of pregnancy, she went to the hospital for a Caesarean section to save the children. The twins were of significantly different sizes. Axel was only 11.8 inches long and 1 pound, 2 ounces, whereas Kyan was 16.1 inches long and 3 pounds, 2 ounces. The mother remembers that she was not even able to hold the Axel after he was born, because of how severe his health situation was.

The problems did not resolve through early development, and after three years, Kyan is still growing and developing like a normal and healthy boy, and Axel still lags far behind. In terms of weight, Kyan is perfectly average for his age, but Axel is so far behind that normal charting techniques don't even have his size listed.

Recently, Axel's problems became worse, and he began quickly losing weight. The problem was so bad that he had to start using a feeding tube to get proper nutrition. Furthermore, physicians also found that Axel had lost his hearing, and are perplexed as to the reason why such a change even occurred.

Kayla is now hoping that her fund raising efforts will raise enough money to get young Axel the HGH Therapy that he needs to be more like his brother Kyan. Like elsewhere, Human Growth Hormone Injection Therapy is quite expensive for children, because they need so much. In fact, the treatment costs around ten thousand dollars each year. It may be expensive, but it provides absolutely life changing benefits.

With Injectable Bio-Identical HGH, Axel will be able to grow taller and stronger. Human Growth Hormone also stimulates the organs and causes them to grow to a normal size for his age. Growth Hormone also stimulates metabolism, so it should lead him to start eating much more readily on his own.

Human Growth Hormone Incredibly Important for Human Development

As you can see by reading about this child's story, Human Growth Hormone is vital to the normal and healthy development of a child. Axel's problems may be more complex than simply HGH Deficiency, but the lack of efficient Growth Hormone Production is seriously affecting his health and exacerbating other health issues that he is experiencing as a result of his prenatal condition.

Human Growth Hormone promotes cellular metabolism. That is the primary job of the hormone. During childhood and adolescence, children produce high levels of HGH, and this directly leads to their normal growth and development. Growth Hormone causes the organs to grow normally to meet the needs of the growing body. It causes the long bones, particularly those of the arms and legs, to grow longer, until the end of puberty, when the epiphyseal plates close.

HGH also plays a strong role in psychological and cognitive health, and without getting the therapy and treatment that he needs, he will lag even further cognitively behind his twin brother. Without Human Growth Hormone, it simply isn't possible to be a normal child, and it certainly isn't possible to grow up to be a normal adult.

If a child like Axel does not receive Growth Hormone Therapy, he will have health issues throughout his entire life. HGH promotes cellular metabolism, and if he doesn't produce enough of the hormone, he will be more likely to be overweight or obese, and he will also suffer from significant energy issues which will impact his ability to perform daily tasks easily which others do thoughtlessly. He will also have major issues with frailty, because the muscles feed heavily off of not only Testosterone, but Human Growth Hormone, along with the bones.

This article clearly shows how important that HGH Therapy is, and hopefully, young Axel will get the treatment that he needs and deserves.

Diabetes Cure on the Horizon?

Diabetes is one of the biggest health issues in the United States today, affecting millions of Americans. Diabetes is the seventh most common cause of death in America today, and for that reason, it is a huge area in American medical research. What if it were possible to cure Diabetes? Imagine how many lives would be saved and how much longer people would live. Well, new research shows that there may be hope for Diabetes sufferers, and one day in the near future, they may be able to overcome the disease entirelyat least patients with Type-1 Diabetes.

What is the Difference between Type-1 and Type-2 Diabetes?

Type-1 Diabetes is a form of diabetes that occurs in childhood. It is the least common of the two forms of Diabetes, affecting only five to ten percent of diabetes sufferers. Type-1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system of the patient directly attacks the pancreatic islet cells which produce insulin. Over the course of years, the ability to produce insulin is entirely depleted in the patient, and they need to take insulin to survive. Insulin is the hormone which facilitates the transfer of energy from glucose to the cells.

Type-2 Diabetes, on the other hand, is far more common, and generally becomes an issue in adulthood. It is largely a lifestyle disease, in which the patient develops what is known as insulin resistance, where their body loses the ability to effectively transport glucose. Historically, Type-2 Diabetes has been rare in adolescent patients, but the number of patients with this condition is rising. Type-2 Diabetes is caused largely by a diet which is high in sugar and processed carbohydrates, which causes sugar levels and insulin levels to spike in an unnatural way. Over time, the body often loses its ability to effectively produce insulin as a result of this condition, necessitating medical treatment.

UAB Diabetes Study

In a groundbreaking study by the University of Alabama Birmingham, scientists have discovered that there is a medication that is currently available on the market which has the ability to counteract Diabetes in animal subjects. Mammals, at least for the most part, all use insulin the same way, so what works in mammals should also work in human beings. The results of this study were so promising that they led directly to a donation of over two million dollars by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, in order to attempt to replicate the results in a human clinical study.

This research study is titled The Repurposing of Verapamil as a Beta Cell Survival Therapy in Type 1 Diabetes. The study is projected to start in winter of 2015, and is ultimately the result of a decade plus of combined research led by the University of Alabama Birmingham Comprehensive Diabetes Center.

How Does Verapamil Cure Diabetes?

This study is promoting a revolutionary new form of diabetes treatment. Scientists and medical professionals have long known that the beta cells of the pancreas are responsible for the production of insulin, but there have been no medical approaches designed to promote the regeneration of these vitally important cells. When glucose enters the blood stream, the Beta Cells produce insulin to transport glucose to cells.

Researchers at UAB have discovered that elevated blood sugar leads directly to the excess production of a particular protein known as TXNIP. Beta cells produce TXNIP, and patients with Diabetes produce way too much of it. Before UAB discovered their function and processes, no one knew what these proteins did. Unfortunately, when the Beta Cells have elevated levels of TXNIP for too long, this is toxic, and contributes to the death of the cells. This is why Type-2 Diabetes gets worse over time.

Using this knowledge, UAB Researchers tested the effectiveness of various existing drugs upon the TXNIP concentrations within Beta Cells. What they discovered was that one particular medication, known as Verapamil, had the ability to suppress TXNIP levels significantly in rodent models. Rodents with blood sugar levels higher than 300 mg/dl and clear diabetes were given Verapamil treatment, and the medication was so effective, that the rodents essentially no longer suffered from Diabetes.

What Is Verapamil Used For?

Verapamil is a type of medication which is known as a Calcium Channel Blocker. The medication is designed to alleviate symptoms such as chest pain and high blood pressure by encouraging vasodilation of the blood vessels and the heart. The medical treatment is also sometimes used for certain conditions in which the heart beats irregularly.

This is not the first time that a medication designed to facilitate vasodilation has shown potential outside of its established or hypothesized use. Viagra is an effective erectile dysfunction medication which was first synthesized in order to treat similar conditions, but was found to be more effective as an erectile aid.

Information Regarding Verapamil Diabetes Trial

Now that they have established the effectiveness of Verapamil in animal subjects, it's time to test the effectiveness and safety of the treatment on human patients. In this study, 52 participants will be selected for study. Selected patients will range in age between 19 and 45. This study is looking to select participants that have just been diagnosed with Type-1 Diabetes in the three months prior to recruitment.

These patients will be divided into a control and experimental group. Half of the patients will be given placebo, whereas the other half of the patients will receive Verapamil. All patients will continue using Insulin Treatments for the duration of the study. Throughout the study, the patients will also carry a device which is designed to constantly monitor their blood sugar levels for the entire year, providing researchers with vital information with regard to their health state.

Patients experiencing unexplained weight loss, fatigue, excessive urination, or significant thirst are encouraged to visit their doctor in order to see if they suffer from Diabetes and could potentially benefit from this study.

Research Indicates that Verapamil May Be a Highly Effective Diabetes Treatment

The lead researcher in charge of this trial is Dr. Anath Shalev, who is the head of the University of Alabama Birmingham Comprehensive Diabetes Center. He explains that it is clear from the Center's research that Verapamil has the capability to both stop diabetes before it starts and cure those that currently suffer from Diabetes, at least in rodent subjects. By suppressing TXNIP in Beta Cells, it appears possible to fully protect and preserve the production of Insulin.

Verapamil appears to be effective, or at least highly beneficial, for practically all patients suffering from Diabetes, even those that are suffering from severe Diabetes. The primary cause of Type-1 Diabetes is the death of Beta Cells, and if it is possible to prevent these cells from dying or create an atmosphere in which they can regenerate, this would be huge. As of today, there are no treatments of this kind that are available to patients.

The secondary head of this Diabetes Cure Study is Fernando Ovalle. He also played a major role in creating this study, and will be responsible for making sure everything goes to plan with the execution of the human trial. He will be in charge of collecting data, testing, treatment, and the recruitment of participants.

How Is Diabetes Treated Today?

Today, the symptoms of Diabetes are treated, rather than the root cause. In order to promote and preserve the health of the patient as effectively as possible, doctors prescribe drugs to reduce blood sugar, and also prescribe insulin in order to facilitate the effective transport of glucose to cells throughout the body. When blood sugar levels are too high, it essentially becomes toxic, and damages the circulatory system.

If it is possible to treat Diabetes with Verapamil, this will change the way that Diabetes is treated world wide, and could even eliminate the need for Insulin and other drugs in the long term. As people are growing older and more susceptible to Diabetes, a treatment like this could save so many lives and billions of dollars each year.

Diabetes is an American Epidemic

Diabetes is one of the most dangerous and widespread diseases in the United States today. In fact, it is currently the 7th most common mortality risk among Americans. The devastating effects of Diabetes are widespreadThe circulatory issues associated with diabetes lead to a host of health issues, including amputation, kidney disease, blindness, hypertension, and heart attack.

Diabetes is an incredibly common condition, and the American government estimates that more than 12% of men and women over the age of 20 suffer from diabetes, whether they realize it or not. Beyond that 12%, it is believed that 37% of patients are pre-diabetic, meaning that their blood sugar levels are elevated. This means that, in the near future, it is nearly undeniable that the number of people with Diabetes will continue to grow. Only ten years ago, 27% of Americans over 20 were considered to be pre-diabetic.

New cases of Diabetes continue to increase in the United States, but are finally starting to slow down. Over 8% of adults were discovered to have Diabetes in the year 2012. Certain populations are more susceptible to Diabetes at this time than others. Hispanics and blacks, for example, are still experiencing Diabetes at an increasing pace, as well as men and women that never graduated or only graduated high school.

It is imperative to find new and more effective treatments for Diabetes not only for the social cost but for the financial cost of the condition as well. It is estimated by the American Diabetes Association that Diabetes cost the United States almost $250 billion dollars last year.

Changes in Beta Cell Function Play a Role in both Type-1 and Type-2 Diabetes

It has been clear for many years that both Type-1 and Type-2 Diabetes are largely the result of diminishing Beta Cell Function. It's also been clear that both forms of Diabetes lead to the death of Beta Cells. It is only recently, and due to the diligent efforts of UAB researchers, that we have come closer to recognizing the root cause of the condition.

Interestingly enough, even adult patients with Type-1 Diabetes diagnosed in their youth still have some level of Beta Cell activity in spite of their autoimmune issues. Unfortunately, there are not enough Beta Cells to promote healthy blood sugar.

Previously, it was hypothesized that it would be possible to implant Beta Cells in order to facilitate healthier blood sugar, but in practice, this form of treatment is incredibly costly and of limited effectiveness. As a result of this, increased research is being put into figuring out a way to create an atmosphere in the pancreas and the Beta Cells where the body could regenerate its own tissues and restore its own ability to produce insulin. It appears that Verapamil may be able to do just that, suppressing the negative influence of TXNIP and allowing the Beta Cells to propagate and repopulate the Pancreatic Islets. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is the biggest charity in the world which promotes research to help patients with Type-1 Diabetes.

The JDRF has a number of goals with regard to the research that they choose to fund. In particular, this study was chosen because the charity places a particular emphasis on research which is designed to potentially allow patients to restore proper pancreatic function. Any study which may potentially cure Type-1 Diabetes is near the top of their list for grants, and Verapamil may lead Diabetes to know longer be a chronic condition, but an actual, reversible disease. The specific name of the JDRF initiative is the Beta Cell Restoration Research Program.

One of the means by which it would be possible to cure Diabetes would be to catch the condition relatively early and provide aggressive treatment designed to amplify the function and survival of the Beta Cells which produce Insulin. Dr. Andrew Rakeman, a director at the JDRF explains that this Verapamil study is an end result of years and decades of Diabetes basic research promoted by the charity. Before new, practicable research can be conducted, the scientific foundation must be laid for those new treatments.

As a result of all of this basic research, it is now possible for scientists to use that science to create treatments that can benefit patients and save lives. This treatment may benefit patients with both Type-1 and Type-2 Diabetes. Dr. Rakeman is excited about this study because it can absolutely change the way that Diabetes is treated, and may even cure the condition, at least in some facet.

In this study, the patients will see both their established Clinical Endocrinologist and the Research Practitioners. The goal of the University of Alabama Birmingham researchers will be to assess the ability of the patient to make their own insulin, and measure how well the patient is controlling blood sugar based upon the readings on their glucose sensor. The researchers will also use a modern and advanced test called C-Peptide Response in order to assess how well the patient is able to produce his or her own insulin, and how many functional beta cells that they actually have over the course of the study.

Verapamil Has Big Advantages for Patients over Other Clinical Diabetes Trials

Because of the way that Verapamil works, it is much safer for the patient than other forms of experimental treatment being studied. Most other experimental studies use medications which modulate or suppress the immune system, in order to slow down or prevent the immune system from attacking the Beta Cells. Unfortunately, drugs like these can have significant side effects which can be very hard on the patient.

Verapamil has long been used by patients suffering from high blood pressure and other related conditions. In fact, it has been used effectively for over thirty years with no significant side-effects. As a result of this, the researchers are highly confident that the use of the medication will not lead to any severe side-effects, even if the treatment is, in the end, of limited effectiveness.

There is a lot of scientific data, derived from both animal research and in vitro human tissue studies, that shows how Verapamil works, and how it can effectively treat diabetes. If this treatment is effective, it will be the only Diabetes treatment available that actually promotes the natural proliferation of natural Insulin and the natural enhancement and proliferation of Beta Cells.

How Did Researchers Discover that Verapamil Could Be Effective for Diabetes Patients?

It took more than ten years for the original hypothesis regarding Diabetes Research to turn into actionable results. It began with a simple brainstorming question, and has developed into a totally new mechanism for Diabetes treatment.

Dr. Shalev feels strongly that this Verapamil Treatment will change the way that we treat Diabetes throughout the world. At this point, it is unclear exactly how effective that the Verapamil treatment will be. It's very much possible that this research will eventually lead patients to invigorate their Beta Cell concentrations so significantly that they can overcome the need for Insulin treatments. It's very possible that this treatment could totally cure Diabetes. Dr. Shalev is quick to point out that, although this research points to that potential conclusion, that a single year of treatmentthe duration of this particular studywill likely not lead to a total independence from Insulin.

This does not mean that Verapamil will not be extremely beneficial to patients, however. Even if Verapamil is unable to totally reinvigorate Insulin Production, increased natural Insulin Production will benefit the patient significantly even if they still need to take Insulin. This is because natural Insulin production of any kind allows the body to tweak Insulin levels to meet the needs of the body. One of the issues with Insulin Injections alone is that they can't adapt to particular circumstances and meet the ideal needs of the body accurately, which increases the risk of complications. Increased natural Insulin Production reduces the risk of these complications.

Even the concept of Verapamil will totally change the way that we think about Diabetes. This represents an entirely new area of Diabetes Study, one that the University of Alabama Birmingham is on the forefront of, along with the Southern Research Institute. The two institutions have combined forces to form the Alabama Drug Discovery Institute. In addition to the current study featuring Verapamil, they are also looking into other potential treatments that have the ability to modulate TXNIP levels in order to effectively treat diabetes by preserving and proliferating the Beta Cells of the Pancreatic Islets.

Dr. Shalev explains that none of the current treatments available provide ultimately effective treatment for Diabetes, which is why mortality rates associated with the disease are so significant. This research is the first time where there truly is hope to reverse the global Diabetes epidemic. The doctor also explains that it is due to the vigorous efforts of the University of Alabama Birmingham Comprehensive Diabetes Center and the forward thinking of the administration and the friends of the school that created an atmosphere where these advances are possible.

Twelve Steps to Enhance and Preserve Your Memory

One of the most worrisome aspects of the aging process is loss of memory. Many people can handle the idea of losing some of their physical capacity, but are absolutely horrified about their memory fading. The goal of this article is to provide you with some simple tips that you can use to sharpen your memory and preserve your brain from cognitive decline. Whether you are twenty or eighty, these tips can help you stay at the top of your game!

Step One: Drink Alcohol in Moderation

Although heavy drinking can have a negative effect upon your memory, numerous studies have shown that moderate alcohol consumption can have a beneficial effect upon your memory and cognitive function. This may seem surprising at first, but alcohol does have some anti-oxidant effects when used conscientiously, and this has been shown to benefit brain health.

Be careful not to abuse alcohol though. Alcohol abuse has a clear negative impact on your brain, leading to immediate (albeit temporary) cognitive impairment. Long term alcohol abuse can also impact the connections your neurons make with one another in your brain, preventing you from making memories and connections as easily.

But if you are smart with your drinking and can maintain moderate habits, there is ample evidence that light alcohol consumption can actually increase your cognitive ability. There are some studies that have been released recently that show that moderate drinkers outscore both hard drinkers and non-drinkers in certain clinical tests of cognition and memory.

Alcohol can also even reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. In one study conducted in France, researchers found that two daily glasses of wine reduced the risk of Alzheimer's by 45%!

Step Two: If You Are Suffering from Depression: Seek Help

Anything in your life that leads to chronic feelings of anger or anxiety can have a negative impact on your memory. Your brain only has so many resources to allocate, and if your brain is fixated on feelings of anxiety and depression, it is pulling resources away from your memory. Depression is the number one psychiatric condition that can eat at your memory and cognitive ability.

In many cases, the root cause of your memory issues can actually be the depression itself. One of the biggest symptoms of Depression is a breakdown in your ability to concentrate. The negative feelings that your consciousness generates removes your ability to concentrate on tasks which are actually important to you, or important to your life. Depression can keep you from holding onto thoughts, and can prevent you from being successful in school or at work because it drains your focus.

One of the reasons why Depression causes these cognitive lapses is because Depression significantly increases cortisol production by the adrenal glands. Elevated cortisol levels enhance your brain's fight or flight response and have a negative impact upon your higher level brain functions.

Depression has also been correlated with a decrease in the size of the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the central area of the brain in regard to short-term memory, so Depression can literally diminish your ability to store new memories. One study in particular showed that significant depression can decrease the size of the hippocampus by as much as fifteen percent.

The condition of depression also has an impact on the forms of memories that you can retain. Individuals with a predisposition toward depression are more likely to retain negative memories than positive memories, not because of any conscious effort on their part, but because their brains are just wired to do so.

Not all hope is lost, however. Studies have shown that medications that have been proven to combat depression, like SSRIs, have the capability to also restore the normal function of the hippocampus, as well as restore its size.

Step Three: Stay Active

Although historically, philosophers and scientists have thought of the mind and the body as two different entities, it is now crystal clear that the health of the body and the health of the mind are interconnected. Physical activity has the capability to kick-start the brain and increase your capacity to retain memories.

Obesity, for example, has a chronic and negative impact on the brain, and can even increase the risk of both Alzheimer's disease and stroke. Exercise is one way that the body takes care of plaque in the blood vessels and arteries, and if you remain excessively sedentary, the heart loses its ability to pump blood effectively, due to a combination of built-up plaque and lack of stimulation. We all know that this plaque build-up increases the risk of heart attack significantly, but did you know that these same issues with cardiovascular health can reduce the efficiency of your memory and cognition?

The brain needs more fresh nutrients and oxygen than any other organ of the body, and if cardiovascular conditions limit the amount of fresh, oxygenated blood that reaches your brain, then the brain will not be able to function at optimal capacity. You don't have to exercise five days a week to improve your cognitive health, however. Just try to regularly do things that get your heart pumping a little bit. Start jogging occasionally, or even just walk or do some laps up and down the stairs. Study after study has shown that the more active a person is, the more it benefits their cognitive health.

Step Four: Association and Visualization

One way to increase the effectiveness of your memory on a day to day basis is to engage in visualization. This means that, when you have something important that you know you need to remember, associate the memory with vivid imagery and use your imagination. By engaging in the creative part of your brain, you increase the likelihood that you will store the memory more effectively.

Try to actively make memories, and not passively expect yourself to store the memories. When someone tells you something important, don't just tell yourself you will remember it later, actively make the memory in your own mind. Dwell on it, and dwell on the implication of the memory.

You can also effectively use word association in order to more effectively remember important (and not-so-important) details, obligations, and memories. Associate what you are trying to remember with some other memory that you already have stored, so that when you think of one memory, it instantly recalls the other thing that you are trying to remember.

By creating emphasis in your own mind with visualization and association, you enhance or reinforce the thing that you are trying to remember, improving your overall memory, and practice good memory habits which will help you in the future.

Step Five: Pay Attention

This may seem simple and obvious enough, but this is actually one of the toughest aspects of memory for many people. Research has shown that it takes time to convert a short-term memory to a long-term memory. The average amount of time it takes to store a long-term memory is eight seconds. No matter how badly you want to remember something, you will have trouble keeping it if you do not hold it in your mind for at least eight seconds.

It's also important to do things deliberately if you intend on remembering them. Too often, we do things offhand, and put too much faith in our memory. Do you ever forget where you put your keys? Or your wallet? These sorts of mistakes happen because we simply toss things aside without actually engaging our brains to ensure that we know where they are later when we need them.

In situations where you know what you are experiencing is or might be very important in the future, reduce the distractions in your mind and take stock of what really matters. Put your phone away, take your mind off the television, and engage.

Step Six: Repetition

One useful way to store memories more effectively is to utilize repetition. When you meet someone for the first time, repeat their name back to them both when you are first introduced and when you depart. You can use repetition for common lapses in memory as well. Whenever you do something like put your keys away, remind yourself immediately where you placed them. This may sound weird, but by actively engaging your brain when you perform an action, you all but ensure that you will remember them later.

This can happen with names as well. Always take the time to mentally check yourself whenever you meet a new person. It can be easy to forget the name of someone that you like and get along with because you spent so much time thinking about the conversation and the social cues that you forgot to remember his or her name. This happens more often than you'd think, and it's embarrassing!

Step Seven: Chunking

Chunking is one of the most effective ways to store complex memories. Our brains only have a limited ability to store a certain amount of items at a time. For example, our brains only really have the capability to remember an average of seven numbers in sequence. This is one reason why credit card numbers are sixteen digits and social security numbers are nine digits: They are longer than most people's brains are equipped to handle.

One way to remember long numbers or other forms of information in through the technique known as chunking. Chunking is when you convert simple information into slightly more complex relational information. Essentially, you are turning two small memories into one larger memory in which the relationship between the two items enhances your storage capacity.

With numbers, for example, it may be difficult to remember a phone number, especially if it is from an area code you are unfamiliar with. Say the number is (256) 998-2356. With this number, you can combine the ten digits into three distinct memories. You can remember that 256 is a common number of megabytes for flash drives, 998 is two less than 1000, and that the last four digits are 23456 without the four.

You can also use this strategy to remember things other than numbers. Say, if you have to remember a group of people's names, you can associate them with each other based off of the first letters of their name, or group them together by where you met them. You can also use this to commit your grocery list to memory. Rather than think about everything you need as soon as you go in, categorize your needs, and remember small groups of items as you enter different sections of the store.

Step Eight: Method of Loci

Another effective means to enhance your memory is to remember things by associating them with their location when you last saw them. One of the most obvious examples of this occurs in the way that teachers remember their students' names. Over time, all of the students tend to settle into a preferred seating arrangement, and the teacher can remember a person's name more effectively when they stay in the same spot week in and week out. When someone is absent, they simply have to reconnect the empty seat with the person that is normally seating in the seat.

This also works well with remembering directions and the location of certain destinations. Some people remember most effectively by following street names and addresses, while others find their way around the world primarily by utilizing landmarks. Landmark navigation is an explicit form of using the Method of Loci for memory. Simply by seeing an object or intermediate location, you can remember where to go next by associating the step of the direction with the location where the turn is made.

Step Nine: Take Time to Take it Easy

Although your brain thrives on activity, it is also possible to overwork your mind at the same time. In order to prevent mental burnout, allocate time every day to things and people that you enjoy. Just like your body, your brain needs time to wind down and recover from activity in order to maintain optimal function.

Being overworked or suffering from excessive anxiety can reduce your focus and prevent you from keeping your mind in tip-top shape. As we mentioned earlier, your body and brain only have so much energy, and if you work yourself ragged or have a habit of letting your mind run around in circles inside your head, you are going to be too exhausted to keep your memory strong.

It doesn't matter how you do it. You can exercise. You can meditate. You can go hang out with your friends. Just regularly arrange for time for your mind to unwind.

Step Ten: Sleep to Enhance your Memory

Sleep is perhaps the most important time of the day for your memory. Even though your brain is busy gathering new memories during the day, it is at night when your body cements those memories that you have prepared for long term storage. When you sleep, your brain goes through a process known as memory consolidation.

Optimal memory consolidation is dependent upon healthy and deep sleep, and when you commit yourself to an abridged sleep schedule, or you toss and turn at night, you prevent your brain from optimally storing the memories that you have formed. This can affect all aspects of your life. Poor sleep can cause you to struggle in exams and it can keep you from functioning at your peak while you are at work. It can also prevent you from storing memories in your personal life, and it can drain you of the mental energy you need to remember the little things, like birthdays and anniversaries.

Step Eleven: Eat Well to Improve your Memory

Like we mentioned earlier, your brain functions at its best when it has all the fuel that it needs to function. Exercise helps circulate blood to the brain, and proper diet ensures that that blood is full of nutrients that your brain can use for optimization.

There are a number of foods in particular that have an impact on memory and cognition:

• Omega-3s Studies have shown that Omega-3s have a significant impact on cognitive function. These nutrients are found in high concentrations in fish, including sardines, halibut, tuna, and salmon. Foods such as flaxseed, spinach, walnuts, and pinto beans have a lot of Omega-3s as well.

• Fruits and Veggies Vegetables are great because they pack lots of nutrition in a small amount of calories. Most fruits and vegetables are very good for you because they are loaded with antioxidants which eliminate free radicals from your brain and help streamline its normal, healthy function. The best foods for your brain tend to be vegetables that are a deep and dark green, and fruits and veggies that are very vibrant in color like bell peppers, tomatoes, and watermelon.

• Green Tea Green Tea is loaded with particular anti-oxidants known as polyphenols. There is evidence that Green Tea can enhance both memory and cognition, while also supplying some useful Anti-Aging Benefits as well.

• Wine and Grape Juice These beverages, as well as beverages made from other dark fruits, such as blackberries or cranberries, are high in Resveratrol, a phytonutrient which has both been linked to improved blood flow as well as a reduced risk of Alzheimer's Disease.

• Control Saturated Fat and Calorie Consumption A poor diet which breaks down the health of the cardiovascular system will have both immediate and long-term effects upon the health and function of the brain. Diets full of saturated fat and calories have been linked both to reduced cognitive function and an increased risk of dementia. Avoiding bad foods is just as important as consuming healthy foods when it comes to the health of your brain.

Step Twelve: Practice, Practice, Practice

In order to preserve your memory and your cognitive ability, the best thing you can possibly do is exercise your faculties as much as possible. This is a major issue both once people graduate from school and when they retire. You are so used to exercising your brain in a particular way regularly, that when you are no longer obligated to do so, you start to let your brain off the hook.

This is one reason why so many people seem to lose their edge when they retire. They don't have the outside motivation prodding them to keep their mind active. It's the same with physical exercise. How many professional athletes or college athletes have you seen go completely soft as soon as they aren't working out for their career? This is what happens to your brain when you suddenly have significantly less responsibility in your life, and you don't make the effort to keep your memory strong.

In order to stay as sharp as possible, make sure you find activities that can keep your brain hard at work on a daily basis. Volunteer, tutor, or find social groups that encourage you to think on your feet. Make your memory a game, and keep your brain working each and every day. By making an active and conscious effort to preserve your mental sharpness, you will keep your mind younger and more active!