The exams are just a few days away and you are struggling hard to remember all the points. Your friends may have guided you to do a selective study and you are not considering their opinion. But how much space is there in your "hard disk"? Can you afford to remember each and everything? Your memory will answer this question! And your "inputs" will try to justify the functioning of your memory!
Our brain, with all its complexities and sensitivities need nourishment to keep up its normal function. As time passes, toxins start accumulating in our body. These toxins, which come from pollutants, smoking and drinking, inhibit our blood circulatory process. This results in a lesser availability of vitamins and other essential nutrients to the brain. And this affects the normal functioning ability of the brain. When the brain fails to function properly, you may expect some really serious health problems including loss of memory. Some vitamins act as effective brain stimulants and can promote appropriate brain activity which in turn, can affect memory, concentration and mental awareness to a considerable extent. These are the vitamins which can boost memory:
1. B Vitamins
Research shows that B vitamins improve memory by creating a protective shield for the neurons in the brain. The vital B vitamins for memory include B6, B12, and Folic Acid (B9).
- Vitamin B6: Researches have proved the effectiveness of this type of vitamin in memory retention as well as its contribution towards promotion of brain health. The food sources of vitamin B6 include legumes, meat, cereals, fish, poultry, bananas, soybean, avocado, peanut butter, potato, walnut, oatmeal, spinach, cheese, wheat bran, walnut, beans, fortified cereals, milk and eggs. Vitamin B6 is sensitive to ultraviolet light and heat, so large amounts of this nutrient may get lost during the cooking process.
- Folic acid (Vitamin B9): Folic acid or folate reduces the blood level of homocysteine. Homocysteine, being a damaging amino acid, may harm the brain cells, thereby leading to memory loss. The most important food sources of folic acid are green leafy vegetables and legumes. It also promotes the production of red blood cells while improving mental clarity and the sense of well-being in totality.
- Vitamin B12: It helps to produce red blood cells which carry oxygen to the brain. It also aids in the repair of nerve fibers in the brain. Good sources of this vitamin are meat and other animal products such as eggs and cheese. Some breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamin B12.
2. Vitamin D
Elderly people are more likely to suffer from Vitamin D deficiency and the areas mostly affected include cognitive function and mental health. Hypovitaminosis D, which results from the deficiency of vitamin D, has been found to affect senior people. A study published in the "American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry" involved 80 subjects and 40 of them were affected with Alzheimer's Disease. The research intended to study the relationship between Vitamin D standing, mood, physical performance and cognitive function. The study results indicated that the deficiency of this vitamin had something to do with the impairment on standard tests designed to measure cognitive performance.
3. Choline and Thiamine
Choline is an essential nutrient which is included in the category of vitamins. The human bodies synthesize some choline. It is vital for the formation of the neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. This chemical messenger in the brain can prevent memory loss and increase brain function. This nutrient is present in various foods, especially in peanuts, milk and eggs. Thiamine, a type of B vitamin, is vital for the production of acetylcholine. The dietary sources of this vitamin are whole grains, acorn squash, pork, peanuts, enriched breads and cereals and dried beans.
4. Antioxidant Vitamins
Some vitamins show excellent anti-oxidation properties and they have the ability to protect the brain tissues from the harmful free radicals. Vitamins C, E and beta carotene (Vitamin A) are blessed with such special quality. Antioxidant vitamins and memory are linked because the free radicals can impair the functioning of the brain's neurons. Like the B vitamins, in other words, the antioxidant vitamins offer protection to the fundamental brain structures from injuries caused by the free radicals, which may lead to memory loss over time. Consume foods high in antioxidant vitamins. Fruits like berries and citrus fruits and vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli and spinach are particularly beneficial. Fortified cereals, nuts, vegetable oils and seeds are examples of Vitamin E rich foods.
Regular nourishment of all these vitamins can help fight short term memory loss problems from occurring in the future. Vitamins for memory will work out best if people will practice a healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise, proper diet, good sleeping habits, proper stress-s management and quitting smoking and drinking will surely help in enhancing memory. Now, you may ask your mother to come out with special recipes using foods which contain these memory boosting vitamins. And tasty foods will boost your moods as well! This will benefit you before your exams!
