Science article about memory

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4
Secrets
To
A
Great
Memory
By
Professor
Scott
Straub
Professor
Scott
Straub
LLC
Go
to
www.GoodGradesFAST.com
now!
4
Secrets
To
A
Great
Memory

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THE
LEGAL
STUFF
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Reserved.
www.GoodGradesFAST.com
4
Secrets
to
a
Great
Memory
Most
people
believe
that
having
an
impeccable
memory
is
something
you
are
born
with:
either
you
have
it
or
you
don’t.
This
misguided
belief
is—thankfully—false.
While
everyone
understands
that
a
good
memory
is
one
of
the
most
important
skills
every
student
should
have,
for
some
reason
we’ve
been
lead
to
believe
that
it’s
a
gift
only
for
a
special
few—those
special
few
who
won
the
gene-­‐
pool
memory
lottery.
Nothing
could
be
further
from
the
truth.
Having
a
good
memory
is
a
skill—and
like
all
skills
it
can
be
learned
and
improved
by
using
the
right
techniques.
Scott
Straub,
a
teacher
and
memory
expert,
currently
teaches
memory
skills
to
college
students
helping
them
understand
how
to
survive
and
thrive
in
college.
He
also
teaches
senior
adults,
medical/health
care
professionals
and
children
how
to
dramatically
improve
their
memory.
Straub
also
developed
a
groundbreaking
program
for
remembering
numbers.
Having
struggled
in
school
himself,
Straub
understands
the
need
to
retain
and
recall
information.
Memorization
is
key
as
a
student
and
seems
to
be
even
more
important
today
than
in
previous
decades.
Straub
addresses
the
extreme
importance
of
memory
in
his
Tune
Up
Your
Memory
DVD
programs
designed
for
people
of
every
age,
from
children
through
senior
adults.
His
programs
provide
the
fundamental
keys
to
improving
memory
that
could
mean
the
difference
between
getting
a
failing
grade
or
an
“A;”
waiting
to
get
into
the
nursing
program
or
getting
accepted
right
away;
or
simply
living
a
happy,
healthy
life.
Having
a
good
memory
is
crucial
at
every
age.
SECRET
#1:
YOU
MUST
FOCUS
ON
NEW
INFORMATION
FOR
AT
LEAST
7-­‐9
SECONDS
________________________________________________
The
first
key
to
improving
memory
deals
with
focus.
This
step
is
called
“First
Awareness.”
This
is
the
process
of
consciously
focusing
on
an
item
for
an
uninterrupted
period
of
time.
Focusing
on
something
long
enough
allows
the
brain
to
store
it
in
its
short-­‐term
memory
which
is
crucial
to

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www.GoodGradesFAST.com
success.
Latest
research
shows
that
it
takes
an
average
of
7-­‐9
seconds
of
concentration
(at
least)
to
place
something
in
short-­‐term
memory.
Most
people
focus
on
new
information
for
2-­‐5
seconds
and
then
move
on.
This
is
not
long
enough
for
the
short-­‐term
memory
to
retain
the
new
information.
You
must
be
focused
(no
multi-­‐tasking!)
and
make
sure
your
time
is
uninterrupted.
If
you
get
distracted
easily
make
sure
you
study
in
a
quiet
place
where
distractions
are
limited.
In
reality,
10
seconds
isn’t
that
long
when
you
are
studying;
but
it’s
long
enough
to
get
that
new
information
into
your
short-­‐term
memory
and
that’s
important.
SECRET
#2:
YOUR
MEDICATIONS
MAY
BE
AFFECTING
YOUR
MEMORY
______________________________
*Consult
your
doctor
for
advice
on
alternative
medicines
Your
over-­‐the-­‐counter
and
prescription
medication
could
be
harming
your
memory.
According
to
Doctors
Douglas
J.
Mason
and
Michael
L.
Kohn,
medications
including
any
sedating
side
effect
have
the
potential
to
harm
your
memory.
Medications
known
as
anticholinergics
slow
down
the
primary
neurotransmitter
that
helps
you
learn
and
retain
information
(Douglas
J.
Mason,
2007).
Sleep
medications
can
also
cause
memory
impairment
because
they
prevent
your
body
from
achieving
the
deep
REM
sleep
it
needs
to
rejuvenate
itself.
If
you
constantly
wake
up
tired
please
see
your
doctor.

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Straub
LLC
-­‐
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www.GoodGradesFAST.com
Many
of
us
have
been
lead
to
believe
that
memory
loss
is
a
natural
form
of
aging
when
in
reality
memory
loss
could
be
the
result
of
a
number
of
untreated
conditions.
According
to
the
Alzheimer
Association:
“Serious
memory
loss,
confusion,
and
other
major
changes
in
the
way
our
minds
work
are
not
a
normal
part
of
aging.
Many
conditions
can
disrupt
memory
and
mental
function.
Symptoms
may
improve
when
the
underlying
cause
is
treated.”
Some
of
these
causes
are:
depression,
Rx
medication,
dehydration,
alcohol
abuse,
drug
abuse,
nutritional
deficiencies,
social
isolation,
insomnia,
head
trauma,
anxiety,
environmental
chemicals,
thyroid
deficiency,
tia’s,
embolism,
hormonal
changes,
infection,
diabetes,
aneurysm,
and
stress
(Blotsky,
2009).
Getting
diagnosed
correctly
and
treating
these
conditions
can
help
your
memory.
You
can
take
a
B12
Complex
and
folic
acid
to
help
prevent
memory
loss
along
with
living
a
healthy
lifestyle.
This
will
be
addressed
further
in
Secret
#4.
So
remember,
please
consult
your
physician
if
you
any
concerns
about
the
medications
you
are
taking.
SECRET
#3:
YOUR
ABILITY
TO
THINK,
LEARN
AND
MEMORIZE
GOES
DOWN
VERY
RAPIDLY…
_____________________________________________________________________________________
You
know
the
scenario:
your
monstrous
anatomy
final
is
tomorrow
and
thanks
to
poor—
albeit
fun
at
the
time—decisions
you
now
have
only
the
night
before
to
study.
What
do
you
do?
Cram.
What
do
you
get?
An
“F”.
Why
is
that?
You’d
think
after
studying
for
hours
on
end
just
before
the
exam
your
brain
would
retain
a
passing
grade
of
information.
Obviously,
this
isn’t
the
case.

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Actually,
research
shows
that
after
about
only
10
minutes
the
brain’s
ability
to
think
and
learn
goes
down.
That’s
only
for
the
majority
though;
depending
on
the
subject,
your
level
of
interest,
your
personality,
etc
your
brain’s
ability
to
think,
learn
and
store
information
could
be
shorter
than
ten
minutes.
Bottom
line:
your
brain
needs
to
take
a
break
and
it
is
going
to
whether
you
want
it
to
or
not.
Have
you
ever
been
studying
for
20-­‐25
minutes
only
to
stop
and
realize
you’ve
retained
little
to
no
information?
In
order
to
deter
this
from
happening
make
sure
you
take
short
breaks
while
studying
(emphasis
on
“short”)
so
that
you
can
get
back
into
the
material.
Simply
take
deep
breaths
and—if
your
setting
permits—stand
up
and
walk
around
for
a
few
seconds.
Research
shows
that
you
get
15-­‐20%
more
blood
to
the
brain
when
you
stand
so
make
sure
you
do
so.
While
studying
take
note
of
when
your
brain
starts
to
wander.
This
will
show
you
how
long
you
can
go
before
needing
to
take
a
break.
Keep
a
clock
close
by
so
you
can
keep
an
eye
on
how
long
you’ve
been
studying
and
when
you
need
to
take
a
break.
If
you
can,
bring
a
timer
and
set
it
for
10
minutes
(if
it
isn’t
too
distracting).
It
may
be
hard
to
pull
yourself
from
the
material
for
a
quick
break
but
in
the
long
run
you’ll
be
able
to
retain
that
information
and
actually
get
a
passing
grade
on
your
exams.
SECRET
#4:
NUTRITION
CAN
RADICALLY
AFFECT
YOUR
ABILITY
TO
MEMORIZE
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
_____
It’s
really
no
secret
that
exercising
and
eating
right
help
you
stay
healthy.
But,
you
may
not
know
that
a
healthy
lifestyle
can

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Straub
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also
help
your
memory.
There
are
certain
vitamins
found
in
nutritious
foods
that
aid
in
nurturing
and
stimulating
the
brain.
Vitamins
B6,
B12,
and
folic
acid
protect
your
neurons
and
help
make
red
blood
cells
(the
cells
which
carry
oxygen).
These
vitamins
can
be
found
in:
• Broccoli
• Spinach
and
other
dark
leafy
greens
• Asparagus
• Strawberries
• Melons
• Black
beans
and
other
legumes
• Citrus
fruits
• Soybeans
Antioxidants
such
as
Vitamins
C
and
E,
and
beta
carotene
all
fight
free
radicals.
Free
radicals
can
damage
other
cells
but
antioxidants
neutralize
them
along
with
helping
oxygen
flow
through
your
body
and
brain.
These
antioxidants
can
be
found
in:
• Blueberries
and
other
berries
• Sweet
potatoes
• Red
tomatoes
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Green
tea
• Nuts
and
seeds
• Citrus
fruits
• Liver
Other
important
nutrients
your
body
needs
are
Omega-­‐3
fatty
acids.
You
may
think
that
since
it’s
called
a
“fatty”
acid
it’s
bad
(because
all
fat’s
bad
right?).
Actually,
this
is
the
good
fat
your
body
needs.
These
fatty
acids
help

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www.GoodGradesFAST.com
your
brain
with
cognitive
function
and
protect
you
against
high
cholesterol.
The
best
sources
for
these
fatty
acids
are:
• Cold-­‐water
Fish:
Salmon,
Herring,
Tuna,
Halibut,
Mackerel
• Walnuts
and
walnut
oil
• Flaxseed
and
flaxseed
oil
If
for
some
reason
you
can’t
eat
any
of
these
foods
take
a
supplement
so
that
you’re
still
getting
the
vitamins
you
need.
However,
the
best
way
to
get
these
vitamins
is
by
eating
these
foods
they
are
naturally
found
in.
Exercising
regularly
will
also
help
to
stimulate
your
brain
as
well
as
increase
HDL
(good
cholesterol).
Other
healthy
habits
include:
• Losing
weight
(if
needed)
• Not
smoking
• Drinking
alcohol
in
modest
amounts
• Cutting
down
on
trans
and
saturated
fats
• Consuming
olive,
canola
and
peanut
oils
• Drinking
cranberry
juice
• Lowering
bad
cholesterol
Having
a
healthy
lifestyle
not
only
benefits
you
physically
but
it
helps
your
memory
as
well.
BONUS
SECRET
#5:
NEW
INFORMATION
NEEDS
TO
STAND
OUT
TO
BE
REMEMBERED
_____________________________________________________________________________________
This
is
the
most
important
part
of
the
memory
process
and
the
key
to
Scott
Straub’s
new
Tune
Up
Your
Memory
program
(www.TuneUpYourMemory.com).
You’ve
learned
that
focusing
on
new
material
is
important,
avoiding
memory-­‐impairing
medications
along
with
eating
healthy
stimulates
the
brain,
and
that
studying
in
short
bursts
of
time
helps

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to
retain
information
but
this
is
where
it
all
comes
together.
You
have
to
be
able
to
get
what
you
are
studying
from
your
short-­‐term
memory
into
your
long-­‐term
if
you
want
to
really
learn
and
process
what
you
are
studying.
In
order
to
do
so
you
must
make
a
connection.
Connection
is
the
key.
You
must
correlate,
or
connect,
the
new
fact
or
concept
into
something
you
already
know
in
a
unique
way.
This
may
seem
strange
at
first
but
it
really
does
become
easy
and
fun
so
stick
with
it.
The
most
common
way
of
making
these
connections
is
using
something
called
mnemonics.
Mnemonics
are
memory
aids,
often
in
verse
form,
that
help
us
remember
facts.
Science
teachers
use
ROYGBIV
to
help
students
remember
the
seven
primary
colors
of
the
visible
light
spectrum.
“R”
represents
Red,
“O”
represents
orange,
“Y”
represents
yellow
and
so
on.
Rhyming
mnemonics
are
also
used
to
help
with
the
learning
process.
How
many
of
us
were
taught
“I
before
E,
except
after
C”?
This
rhyme
works
so
well
that
many
people
will
remember
it
for
the
rest
of
their
lives.
If
there
is
already
an
existing
mnemonic
device
for
what
you
are
studying:
use
it!
However,
most
of
the
information
you
study
doesn’t
have
a
prescribed
mnemonic
device
for
it.
So
now
you
have
to
get
creative.
This
step
shows
you
how
to
make
even
the
most
abstract
information
stand
out
in
your
mind.
The
reason
why
mnemonics
work
so
well
is
because
they
connect
the
information
and
do
it
in
a
unique
way—a
way
that
is
out
of
the
ordinary.
In
order
to
make
the
connection
you
have
to
do
it
in
an
outlandish
way
so
your
brain
will
remember
the
information.
This
is
the
heart
of
the
memory
system.
Let’s
use
an
example:
say
you
have
vocabulary
you
need
to
memorize
for
a
test.
Now,
you
may
be
tempted
at
first
to
make
flashcards
for
the
task;
don’t
do
it.
A
recent
private
study
showed
that
90%
of
information
learned
by
using
flashcards
alone
was
forgotten
the
next
day.
Why
is
this?
The
students
didn’t
focus
on
each
bit
of
information
long
enough
and
it
wasn’t
remembered
in
a
way
that
was
unique.
Bottom
line:
the
information
didn’t
stand
out.
In
order
to
remember
any
new
thing,
such
as
a
word
and
its
definition,
it
must
be
connected
in
a
very
nonsensical
way.
This
connection
has
to
be
out
of
the
ordinary.

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Straub
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Back
to
the
vocabulary
you
have
to
memorize.
Say
you
need
to
remember
the
definition
for
the
word
“encroach.”
Encroach:
to
trespass
upon
property
or
domain,
gradually.
Usually,
connecting
the
word
and
the
meaning
would
be
difficult
since
the
word
“encroach”
can
be
rather
abstract.
So
you
have
to
connect
it.
Here’s
how:
1. First
picture
an
EXTREMELY
large
roach
with
an
“N”
on
its
back
(N-­‐roach).
Picture
this
very
clearly
in
your
mind.
The
trick
is
to
really
focus
on
the
crazy
picture
in
your
mind.
Close
your
eyes
and
concentrate
on
the
image.
Got
it?
2. Next,
picture
the
“N-­‐roach”
creeping
towards
your
house
or
the
fence
around
your
house.
The
“N-­‐roach”
is
gradually
trespassing
on
your
property.
Can
you
see
it
in
your
mind?
The
visualization
is
the
key
to
the
system.
The
image
must
stand
out
by
being
wild,
gross,
strange,
or
whatever
is
outlandish
in
your
mind.
It
must
be
outrageous
or
even
impossible.
If
you
could
come
up
with
these
connections
for
every
vocabulary
word
imagine
how
much
easier
it
would
be
to
remember
each
definition?
Do
you
remember
what
it
means
to
“encroach”?
Some
tips
for
creating
these
bizarre
images
in
your
mind:
Make
the
images:
• Very
strange
• Extreme
in
size
(abnormally
large
or
small)
• Multiply
(visualize
100,000
of
the
item)
• Colorful
• Active
• Talk
to
you.
Give
the
item
a
voice
At
first
this
may
be
difficult,
but
the
goal
is
not
to
create
the
“perfect”
image
or
picture
in
your
mind.
The
connection
and
learning
happens
when
you
spend
time
focusing
on
the
word
and
the
definition
by
trying
to
connect
them.
This
information
is
vital
to
you
being
able
to
learn:
The
goal
is
not
to
create
the
perfect
image
or
picture
in
your
mind.
The
connection
and
learning

11. Page
|
11
2012
©
Professor
Scott
Straub
LLC
-­‐
All
Rights
Reserved.
www.GoodGradesFAST.com
happens
when
you
spend
time
focusing
on
the
word
and
the
definition
by
trying
to
connect
them.
If
you
follow
these
basic
steps
when
studying
you’ll
notice
a
dramatic
difference
in
your
ability
to
retain
information.
These
skills
along
with
others
have
helped
countless
students
obtain
their
academic
goals.
Scott
Straub
teaches
these
skills
to
help
struggling
students
in
his
Tune
Up
Your
Memory
programs.
To
learn
more
techniques
that
will
help
you
remember
more
and
work
less,
check
out
www.GoodGradesFAST.com
and
www.TuneUpYourMemory.com
.
You
will
learn
more
helpful
information
that’s
been
tested
and
proven
to
work
for
children,
college
students,
seniors—anyone
needing
to
improve
their
memory.

12. Page
|
12
2012
©
Professor
Scott
Straub
LLC
-­‐
All
Rights
Reserved.
www.GoodGradesFAST.com
SECRET
#6:
THE
LATEST
RESEARCH
ON
THE
BRAIN
AND
MEMORY…
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Over
the
past
ten
years
there
has
been
a
tremendous
amount
of
research
done
on
how
the
brain
processes
and
retains
information.
THE
DOORWAY
EFFECT
Have
you
ever
walked
into
a
room
and
forgot
why
you
walked
in?
Researchers
have
found
that
everyone
experiences
this
same
phenomenon.
It
has
recently
been
proven
that
the
brain
erases
information
when
you
go
from
one
to
another.
When
you
are
in
one
location,
the
brain
takes
in
information
about
the
current
situation
and
stores
it
in
temporary
memory.
When
you
move
to
a
different
location,
such
as
when
you
walk
through
a
doorway
into
a
different
room
we
are
programmed
to
naturally
purge
out
useless
information
and
get
ready
for
a
new
set
of
data.
This
is
why
it’s
called
the
doorway
effect.
The
great
news
is
that
forgetting
information
doesn’t
necessarily
indicate
a
problem
with
our
memory,
although
if
you
notice
it
getting
worse
you
should
consult
a
physician.
STRESS
AND
LEARNING
Research
tells
us
that
when
humans
are
under
stress,
their
brains
automatically
"downshift"
to
a
lower
functioning
level.
This
design
allows
fingers
to
pull
away
from
a
hot
pan
before
the
thought
"I
need
a
potholder"
can
even
be
formulated,
but
it
just
as
easily
sacrifices
thinking
and
learning
to
such
"survival"
responses.
Under
stress,
humans
drop
from
the
thinking
level,
to
the
emotional
level,
and
eventually
to
the
"fight
or
flight"
survival
level.
This
is
why
you
have
a
hard
time
learning
and
remembering
when
you
are
under
increased
stress.
When
attempting
to
learn
and
remember
new
information,
try
to
do
so
in
with
little
or
no
stress.

13. Page
|
13
2012
©
Professor
Scott
Straub
LLC
-­‐
All
Rights
Reserved.
www.GoodGradesFAST.com
MOVEMENT
AND
LEARNING
IN
YOUNGER
CHILDREN
Movement
is
the
only
thing
that
unites
all
brain
levels
and
integrates
the
right
and
left
hemispheres
,
especially
of
young
learners.
Research
tells
us
that
we
remember
more
information
when
our
brain
is
fully
engaged.
The
locomotion
centers
of
the
brain
are
paired,
facing
one
another
along
the
top
of
the
right
and
left
hemispheres,
so
that
the
center
controlling
the
left
leg
parallels
the
center
controlling
the
right
leg,
and
so
forth.
For
this
reason,
movement
ties
in
both
hemispheres,
allowing
young
children
almost
their
only
opportunity
to
apply
both
sides
of
the
brain
to
an
effort
and
attempt
to
pass
information
between
the
right
and
left
hemispheres.
For
this
reason
many
young
children
(and
older
kinesthetic
learners)
must
move
to
learn.
They
are
able
to
pay
attention
and
learn
only
if
they
are
free
to
wiggle
around;
sitting
still
is
a
strain.
Communication
between
hemispheres
begins
when
a
child
is
about
five
years
old,
becomes
more
effective
around
age
seven
(when
a
child
can
deal
with
the
abstract),
and
is
fully
communicating
about
age
9-­‐10
for
girls
and
puberty
for
boys.
Until
these
maturation
points,
most
children
are
better
off
employing
movement
whenever
possible
to
cement
learning.

14. Page
|
14
2012
©
Professor
Scott
Straub
LLC
-­‐
All
Rights
Reserved.
www.GoodGradesFAST.com
Bibliography
Blotsky,
F.
H.
(2009,
October
22).
Hope
for
those
with
Memory
Loss.
Retrieved
November
16,
2009,
from
Trib:
http://www.trib.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_a57e50b3-­‐b487-­‐
5708-­‐9424-­‐86cceae65282.html
Douglas
J.
Mason,
P.
&.
(2007).
Are
Your
Medications
Affecting
Your
Memory?
Retrieved
November
16,
2009,
from
InnerSelf.com:
http://innerself.com/html/health/resources/are-­‐
medications-­‐affecting-­‐your-­‐memory.html