Superb news for those of us who utilise our employers liberal access to the Internet to the max. All in the name of work related research of course.

Research by a team at the University of California reports brain power boosts from Internet usage, especially among people at middle age and upwards. The research has indicated that web surfing stimulates the brain in areas of ‘controlled decision making’ and ‘complex reasoning’.

So now there’s no need to flash your sudoku book in public to show how clever you are. You can just surf the web on your iphone instead.

Lead researcher Professor Gary Small said: "The study results are encouraging, that emerging computerised technologies may have physiological effects and potential benefits for middle-aged and older adults.

"Internet searching engages complicated brain activity, which may help exercise and improve brain function."

As much as we love this concept - especially with the amount of time we seem to spend on the web these days - don’t forget that there are many other things you can do to improve and maintain mental health.

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We have had a few emails this week with people having a laugh at the brain exercise from the last post.

It can be a bit of a giggle trying to do things with a wrong hand but it is exactly the type of stimulus your brain needs to keep it fit. Just as with your body - if you don’t exercise it it will not perform to its potential.

If you’re really keen to sharpen your memory you need to challenge your mind. You could do this radically and take up a new hobby such as playing a musical instrument or learning a new language.

Alternatively you could just buy yourself a monthly logic problems book and work through that in your spare time. My personal favourites though are playing chess and scrabble - there’s nothing like a bit of competitive edge to add to the exercise.

Whatever you choose doesn’t matter - as long as you can maintain and enjoy it. Exercise your brain regularly and your mind will be fitter, stronger, and more resistant to mental illness.

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If you don’t really feel like drinking coffee by the boat load to boost your memory why not try a herbal supplement instead?

It’s fairly common knowledge that memory can be affected by diet so why not supplement your efforts too. We have several natural memory boost products available at TrooHealthCare.com.

MemoRise is just one of our herbal remedies to assist with cognitive functioning and memory improvement, even reducing symptoms of dementia in Alzheimer’s Disease.

That’s not to say you should forget about the dietary aspect of it to. Herbal remedies are merely an extra tool which you can add to your health armoury.

And while you’re at it why not try a little brain exercise too - it might just make you laugh this one.

If you want to improve the wiring in your brain try using the ‘wrong hand’ to do an everyday task several times a day. Your brain knows you are using the wrong hand and the confusion of mastering a new task with that wrong hand stimulates your brain. A brilliant but simple brain exercise -  just don’t try shaping some wood with your new power saw this way. Ouch!

Technorati Tags: memorise,memory loss,memory boost products,alzheimers,mental health,brain,herbal supplement,herbal remedies

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Did you know that if you drink caffeinated drinks, you’ll get a short term memory boost in your ability to concentrate?

Even better news if you’re a coffee lover is that there may be long term memory benefits also. At the faculty of Medicine in Lisbon, Portugal, researchers found that elderly people who drank 3 or 4 cups of coffee a day were less likely to experience memory loss than those who drank 1 cup per day or less.

Just remember that too much caffeine is actually bad for you so don’t go over the top - stick to 3-4 cups and no more.

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Do you remember the last movie you watched, or the last book that you read? Are names that you would usually remember just on the tip of your tongue unable to release themselves. Do you know where your keys are?

Before you start panicking don’t worry - we are all prone to the odd bout of forgetfulness. It’s not necessarily a sign that something is wrong - it’s just really really annoying most of the time. Arrrrrggggghhhh where’s my bl**dy keys???

The problems come when the scenarios above are the norm. Ageing is the main culprit of this. As we get older there are changes in the way the brain stores and retains information, often resulting in it being more difficult to recall facts. Memory problems can also stem from various medical problems, and obviously mental diseases such as Alzheimers too.

The biggest problem with memory loss is that it is almost impossible for anyone to determine the seriousness of their own problem. If you or someone you know has had a significant downturn in memory over a 6 month period then it is time to see a doctor. You should also include being unable to follow instruction (such as a recipe) on your list of symptoms to look out for.

If you want to find out more on memory loss there are many good articles on familydoctor.org.

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Noticed people backing away from you when you go to talk to them? Or maybe one of your mates has done you a favour and told you your breath stinks? If so you might have halitosis and I’m afraid no amount of mouth wash and mints can help you with this embarrassing condition.

While all of us have bad breath from time to time, good oral hygiene should keep it to a minimum. If yours lingers for more than 24 hours then there could be a more serious underlying problem such as gum disease, intestinal problems, or something worse.

If you’ve brushed and flossed diligently but still can’t smell minty fresh you may want to try a herbal bacterial cleanser such as Triple Complex HaliTonic. HaliTonic is a natural remedy that is a unique combination of biochemic tissue salts and selected medicinal herbs formulated to cleanse your system and promote healthy liver functioning.

Obviously we advise you to consult your GP anyway just in case it’s something more serious than simple bacterial build up. Please also note that if your breath smells sweet or fruity you should see your GP straight away as it could be a sign of diabetes.

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A recent new poll has found that 45% of women have received conflicting advice about pregnancy leaving mass confusion as to what they should and shouldn’t be eating and drinking. Issues such as the amount of alcohol they were allowed, what kind of foods they could eat, and any potential body changes were found to be confusing issues in the poll of 1,303 mothers. In response to this we decided to do a little digging ourselves and this is what we found:

What You Can Eat?

It’s important to maintain a well balanced and healthy diet which should include a nice variety of foods including:

• - fruit and veg with at least your five portions a day.
• - starchy food such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. Try to use wholegrain where possible for extra fibre
• - protein from lean meats, chicken and fish - eat oily fish at least once per week.
• - eggs (hard boiled), beans and lentils
• - dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yoghurt

It’s important to try and cut down on cakes and biscuits and any unhealthy snacks to avoid excessive weight gain.

What to Avoid?

To avoid making you or your baby ill during pregnancy try to avoid:

• - certain types of moldy cheeses such as soft blues, camembert or brie
• - avoid all pate including vegetable ones
• - raw or rarely cooked meat
• - liver products and others containing high vitamin A
• - some types of fish such as shark, swordfish and marlin. Also avoid any raw shellfish
• - too much caffeine. avoid it all-together if you can
• - for high risk babies (i.e. with lots of hereditary allergies) you may want to avoid peanuts in case your baby is allergic. The counter to this is that if you avoid peanuts this could result in your baby developing a peanut allergy.

What About Alcohol?

Generally it’s recommended that if you are pregnant you don’t drink any alcohol.  If you have to have a drink though make sure you don’t have more than 1 or 2 units, once or twice each week. NEVER get drunk.

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A report in the International Journal of Clinical Practice has recently suggested that nearly 4 million people in the UK are at risk of heart disease unawares. Heart disease is one of the biggest killers in the UK and this news has re-enforced recent calls for national screening tests.

Although advances in medications for heart problems should suggest a lower risk to the population, the fact is that our ever worsening lifestyle choices are outstripping any progress being made in science. Coronary heart disease is now recognised as being one of the most common killers and is augmented by the increase in obesity, by the continual presence of smoking, and by people becoming less and less active. This doesn’t even take into account any hereditary aspect of heart problems.

If you are over-weight, eat poorly or smoke heavily you are more at risk than most people and should get a regular check. Even if you’re not aware of any heart problems and feel healthy it is always better to get checked out just in case. It’s a little known fact that for most people by the time they find out it’s too late.

You can find out more on this topic from our recent article ‘How to Keep a Healthy Heart‘.

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UK researchers have declared Ibuprofen as the best over-the-counter drug to use to treat fever in your baby.

A trial of 156 babies using both paracetamol and ibuprofen found that ibuprofen works faster. It has also been advised that for longer lasting symptoms it is better to alternate the drugs rather than just use one continuously.

Obviously young children can fever quite regularly as their immune systems develop and if over-the-counter remedies are for you then this is the most recent advice.

If you’re looking for alternative remedies to supplement your child’s health then we have many on our site, whilst our recent article Comfort For Your Poorly Baby also outlines some common baby ailments along with some suggested remedies.

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It has been reported that a drug prescribed over 300,000 times in 2 years to reduce cholesterol levels could have a higher cancer risk. The BBC reported that:

“A New England Journal of Medicine study linked Inergy, a combination of two drugs, to a 50% rise in cancer cases.”

Despite the warning people are still being encouraged to continue using Inergy and to consult your doctor with any worries. The initial study done in Oslo was on such a small scale that further testing is required, with some experts suggesting that the results were probably an “anomaly”.

The British Heart Foundation have supported this stance with Dr Mike Knapton, from the charity, saying:

“There is no suggestion that statins increase the risk of cancer.

“The data from the big trials are encouraging but the evidence is not yet conclusive, because many of the patients studied have been followed-up for a relatively short period of time so far.”

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