Men’s Health: Tips for Keeping Memory Sharp

There are Some ways to beat back memory loss include:

Keep your brain active. Challenging your brain and mental abilities is believed to stimulate brain cells and keep your thinking sharp. Reading, writing, developing a new skill, or relearning old skills are ways to give your brain a workout. You also can work on stimulating problem-solving and brain games and puzzles. These mental challenges should be a regular part of your life.
Let go of stress. Prolonged stress over many weeks has been shown to cause memory loss by altering brain chemistry and damaging the hippocampus, which is where the brain stores new memories.

Stay socially active. Relationships with other people can improve your mental performance. Social activities often are intellectually stimulating, which prompts good memory function. Friends also can provide support when you're feeling stressed. Research has linked loneliness with an increased risk of memory loss and dementia.
Exercise. Working out can keep blood flowing to the brain, leaving your brain cells well-nourished with oxygen and nutrients.
Don't smoke or abuse alcohol. Smokers have been shown to perform worse than nonsmokers in memory studies and tests of thinking skills. Heavy alcohol use is also known to cause memory loss.

Trauma. Head trauma is one of the major causes of memory loss, as well as something that can cause dementia later in life. Always use a helmet and other protective gear when participating in high-speed activities and contact sports.

Men’s Health: When Memory Loss Is Serious

How can you tell when your memory loss has become something worse, like a symptom of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease? Here are some warning signs:

Forgetting things at a noticeably increased rate. Everyone occasionally forgets about plans they have or where they’ve put things, but if you find yourself missing scheduled activities much more frequently or misplacing items a lot more than you used to, that could be a sign that you need to have checked out.
Forgetting how to perform activities you've done many times before. No longer being able to balance a checkbook is one example.

Finding it difficult to learn new things. You just can't grasp something that's being explained to you, even though you feel it should be simple.
Repeating yourself. Telling the same stories, asking the same questions, or repeating the same phrases during a single conversation could be a sign of advanced memory loss.

Confusion. If you're suffering serious memory lapses, you might end up getting lost in a familiar place. You might also put something in an inappropriate place — your wallet in the oven, for example — because you can't remember where it should be kept.

If you find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms, you should go see your family physician. The doctor will ask you questions to objectively test your memory and thinking skills, and do a physical exam and possibly other diagnostic tests. He may have suggestions to help you improve your memory function, and might even be able to prescribe medications known to help with dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

GREEN TEA BENEFITS

Even Oprah swears by the benefits of this fat-burning, metabolism-boosting antioxidant. When used in combination with a healthy-eating program and fitness plan, green tea can have a great impact on cholesterol levels, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes and other medical conditions.

World Health Organization Declares A(H1N1) Pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the A(H1N1) virus, commonly referred to as Swine Flu, has reached pandemic stage.

SYMPTOMS OF AUTISM (AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER)

At birth, a child with autism spectrum disorder often appears normal. Symptoms may appear as early as the first year of life, but it may not be until the child is 2 or 3 years old that the parents realize something is not quite right.

Infants with autism spectrum disorder may respond abnormally to being touched. Instead of cuddling when they are picked up, they may stiffen or go limp. In addition, they may not show normal developmental behaviors during the first year of life, such as smiling at the sound of their mother's voice, pointing out objects to catch someone's attention, reaching out to others with their hands or attempting one-syllable conversations. The child may not maintain eye contact, may appear unable to distinguish parents from strangers and typically shows little interest in others. Symptoms vary from mild to severe.

Some behaviors associated with autism include:

Disordered play — A toddler with autism spectrum disorder usually ignores other children and prefers to play alone. The child may spend hours repeatedly laying out objects in lines, sitting silently in an apparent trance-like state or concentrating on only one object or topic. Any attempt to divert the child can provoke an emotional outburst. Children with autism spectrum disorder usually do not engage in make-believe play.

Disordered speech — A child with autism spectrum disorder may not speak much or may remain silent. When the child does speak, the words may be an echo of what another person said. Speech patterns may be different. Instead of saying, "I want a sandwich," the child may ask, "Do you want a sandwich?"

Repetitive behaviors — A child with autism spectrum disorder may perform repetitive behaviors, such as repeating the same phrase or a particular motion. Clapping, finger snapping, rocking, swaying and hand flapping are common.

Abnormal behaviors — Children with autism spectrum disorder may develop obsessive routines, such as wanting to take the same route to school every day or turning around before entering a room, or may become intensely preoccupied with something, such as parts of objects or a particular activity. Some may become hyperactive, aggressive, destructive or impulsive. Others may intentionally injure themselves.

PARSLEY - FRESHEN YOUR BREATH, REDUCE CANCER RISK

Keep fresh parsley on hand. This herb is rich in Vitamin A and C. Parsley is rich in iron and chlorophyll, which is thought to reduce the risk of colon cancer. Not only does parsley add flavor to food, it's also a great breath freshener. Carry chopped parsley with you at all times and nibble on a bit in between meals.