Okay I am about to embark on what may be the most mentally demanding journeys I have ever done and I shall need every bit of mental stamina my brain has to offer. So I come to you, good people of BrainMeta, any ideas on increasing memory capacity, improving cognition, ect.? I was thinking of doing a combination of Psychology, Pharmacology, Meditation, Hypnosis, Binaural Beats, Subliminal Suggestion, Memory Exercises and of course... Neuroscience.

So, let me be your guinea pig for improving intelligence!

aerobic exercise and certain strength training should probably be part of your regimen

I agree. Working the mind as much as you plan to will mean a lot of stress. Maybe include a body workout right before you meditate to help expell the stress, since otherwise meditating may be difficult.

Don't forget attention to diet and nutrition.

Excellent ideas guys, thank you very much.

I used to do loads of weight training and exercise so I could definatly get back in the habit of that. What do you think about alternating each day between aerobics, cardio and weight training?

Diet and Nutrition are something I do need to learn more about, I am currently taking Omega-3 supplements because I dont like the taste of fish. At times I take Vitamin C and A as well, obviously this is just the very basics of nutrition, what are your suggestions on ensuring proper diet and nutrition?

I suggest you go out and buy a juicer--those things are great. It is an extremely easy way to get all of your fruits and vegies. Here is what I consume on a typical day, it has really improved my health.

Morning (for me about 2 in the afternoon )

Dice one apple into bite size pieces.
Add a teaspoon of cinnamon
ground cloves to taste
some raising (soak in a few tablespoons of rum)
A few tablespoons of water
Stevia to taste
Cook over medium-low heat covered until apples become soft
add vanilla to taste

You can just make a big batch of the stuff and keep it in the fridge for the enitre week~

Prepare oatmeal replacing water with skim milk--add however much apple mixture you like.



Now is where the juicer comes in~
Juice two apples, two carrots, a medium size beat, and a stalk of celery (add whatever you like, I like a little bit of fresh ginger and a small serano chile--it adds zing).

Breakfast is done~ Total time cooking and cleaning 15-20min (if apple mixture is premade).

Serve oatmeal with the glass of juice, a piece of whole wheat toast, a banana, and a glass of skim or soy milk.

Lunch:
6 hardboiled eggs whites (yolks are way too fatty and have tons of cholesterol)
Some wheat thins

Dinner:
Ginger chicken salad~
Juice a few ounces of ginger
add one cup of rice vinegar, and one cup of light soy sauce.
Pepper to taste
add 1/2 to a whole white onion blend everything for 30 seconds or so.
This should be enough dressing to last for a while~

pound one chicken breast, or cut it into bite size pieces.
Salt with potassium chloride if you like (there is already more than enough sodium from the soy sauce)
Pepper the chicken, and season with onion powder.

add one tablespoon of olive oil to skillet on high heat.
add the chicken.
once chicken is browned add a bit of the ginger dressing mixture, cook until chicken is done.
Add chicken to whatever the hell you feel like having in a salad, and add a few tablespoons more dressing.

If you run a good 3 miles or so in the morning, and do some push-ups at night--maybe a little yoga, I promise you will feel great.

On top of this diet, I suggest supplementing fish oild, flax seed oil, and ortho-core (I am just a fan of orthocore anything similar will do just fine).

This was just a sample diet. Sorry the recipies are so lame, I don't actually use any recipes when I cook I just experiment. If you want me to post some healthy, quick, easy recipes I will next time I am home and can get a chance to use a real kitchen If you have any foods in particular you like, let me know and I will figure out a fast healthy meal incorporating them. Deserts included~ Give me a desert idea, and I will try to adapt it to have no fat or sugar, but still taste great.

You may want to consider purchasing Omega-3 eggs. A dozen Omega-3 eggs are a little more pricey than a dozen normal eggs, however, in the long run it may be cheaper than buying the direct supplements. Plus you get the proteins, choline, etc.

Fish oil and excercise along with a good diet and vitamins is a very good start. Meditation too. I would also recommend piracetam. It's been researched for around 40 years and is completely safe. If you are under 30 or so it may do less good than if you are over. It helps with memory, verbal fluency and general creativity. It's also neuroprotective.

The most memory increasing method is to study!
I dont mean to study for gaining memory (obviously)..I mean that, due to neural plasticity, the best way ever to enhance your memory skills is (1) to use your neurons and (2) to facilitate the learning pathways!

Neurobiofeedback, an excellent physical routine, basic nutritional support, a healthy well balanced diet, and an advanced Nootropic combination would be a good start.

Agreed. I believe today a lot of people are trying to take the 'easy' way out of information retention by taking these 'smart pills.'
They're wasting all of their time trying to find a pill while instead they could have read 100 books in the mean time.

Today, I had a student leave a lecture early as she was too cold! So I recommend a warm room to enhance the learning experience!

Let's not forget the obvious. Make sure you're getting enough (or extra) sleep! Adequate sleep is critical.

Your quality of sleep is important as well. For example, if you tend drink alcohol, you may sleep quite a bit, but you may still be "sleep deprived."

a cold room stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and helps some people remain more alert relative to a warm room that is cozy and tends to make people drowsy.

Much good stuff above.
Two years ago, this June, I started doing the FIVE TIBETAN RITES--good for body, mind and spirit. I now think of them as essential to my physical, mental and spiritual well being.
http://www.mkprojects.com/pf_TibetanRites.htm
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Read the bio of William James. I think it was James who was one of the first to say that we are using less than 10% of our ability to think. He also emphasized the value of using the human ability to will things to happen--physically, mentally and spiritually. He later revealed that, until he became aware of this, and changed his conscious intentions, he was a victim of much physical, mental and spiritual stress.
IMHO, will--that is, the power to say I choose this, that or something else--originates in the pneuma (human spirit) and expresses in the psyche (human intelligence) and the soma (the physical body).

http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/jphotos.html

NOTE THE FOLLOWING QUOTES
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What James thought of Wundt, behaviourism and the strictly objective, materialist approach to psychology. That was in 1892.
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This just came to me:

Those who do not believe that they are free, are content to be slaves! Sad, eh?

Those who do not choose to be free, choose to be slaves.

What do you choose?

Hello Max!!
Have you, or anyone, checked out the biography of William James?
Or are you too busy reading it to take the time to respond?

Don't forget to "feed" your brain.

Here's an interesting article for you:
http://www.fi.edu/brain/carbs.htm#brainpower

Yah, Casey! Thanks for the information on glucose and the brain.
However, I trust that people are wise enough to take note that all sugars are not born equal, and that glucose is not sucrose, etc.

Also, beware of what I call YOYOGLYCEMIA--the highs and lows of blood glucose levels.

MY PERSONAL PROBLEMS MOTIVATED ME TO GET INVOLVED
In the 1960's, I had a personal problem with extreme fatigue and the constant feeling of anxiety--the cause of which medical doctors, too attached to what the drug companies told them, had failed to uncover.

I discovered the cause of my problem, on my own, after I read
http://www.amazon.com/Body-Mind-Sugar-E-M-...n/dp/003026555X
At the time, the regular medical texts put the emphasis on diabetes--the problems caused by high blood sugar. The Abrahamson book was written in 1951. We are slow to learn, eh?

BTW, I still have a copy of a large major medical text book, used in the 1960's--the basic text, in medical physiology, used at the University of Toronto Medical School at that time. It shows a singular lack of information on the nature, cause and treatment for low blood glucose. It was given to me by an MD who was open to looking at the role of nutrition in medical therapy. He gave it to me to show why he had failed to discover what was wrong with his wife who had come to see me about severe emotional problems involving fits of rage with here young children. She was also very over much overweight. Both she and here doctor husband came to the classes on holism.

When the doctor had his wife take the six-hour glucose tolerance test, he found that she was a very yoyoglycemic. He told me, later, "When I checked many of my patients, who I feared were taking too many uppers and downers, I found that they, too, were yoyo-ing."

ABOUT HEALTH-CARE COSTS, THE EPIDEMIC OF OBESITY AND DIABETES
Need we be surprised why so many people suffer from a variety of addictions, including tobacco, alcohol, pop and junk foods? Nicotine, alcohol, pop and junk foods, all help addicts feel high, temporarily. Thus keeping them addicted. Need I mention what this is also doing to the "health"-care system, and the economy?

Later, I also discovered the following information:
* Sugar Blues by William Dufty
Carlton fredericks' new low blood sugar and you by Carlton Fredericks
* Potatoes Not Prozac, A Natural Seven-Step Dietary Plan to Stabilize the Level of Sugar in Your Blood, Control Your Cravings and Lose Weight, and Recognize How Foods Affect the Way You Feel by Kathleen DesMaisons
* Get the Sugar Out: 501 Simple Ways to Cut the Sugar Out of Any Diet by Ann Louise Phd Cns Gittleman
* Psychodietetics by E. Cheraskin
http://www.hypoglycemia.org/hypo.asp

HOLISM INCLUDES AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT
Beginning in the 1960's--as a result of my personal experience and counseling--several time a year, I gave a series of twelve lectures on holistic health--body, mind and spirit--which included several talks on what the sugar industry and the use of too much overly-refined foods was, and still is, doing to our health. BTW, in addition to my reading and research, I consulted with, and was helped by a few dedicated medical doctors and nutritionists.

At first, we were attacked by the usual obscurants. One prominent Toronto doctor even wrote me and demanded an apology. The tone of the letter was: How dare you, a minister, question medical expertise? However, we persisted and, eventually, more and more got involved. BTW, because I am all infavour of positive criticism based on sound research, I invited that doctor to get involved. My offer was rebuffed.
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Interestingly, it seems that some of the "experts" are, finally, getting on board, thank GØD. But nowhere do they admit that it took them some time become they awakened.
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http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/hypoglycemia/index.htm
http://www.niddk.nih.gov/

Yoyoglycemia...I like your term for it!

I certainly agree with you though. Unstable blood-sugar (and insulin) levels are known to cause mental and physical symptoms. That's why low-carb diets are often associated with profound mood swings (at least initially).

For that very reason, I cut nearly all refined sugars from my diet. I do eat dark chocolate sometimes, but I mostly eat it to get a quick sugar kick before studying. Honestly, I feel better now, and I doubt I'll ever regularly eat sugary products again.

Casey, you mention 'insulin'--a very important component of health.

Wikipedia tells us Helping me with the HOLISTIC HEALTH PROGRAM, already mentioned above, I had a diaconal minister--one who does ministry at the practical and pastoral level. I first met Vic--we'll use his first name--when he, looking for the solution to some painful physical and mental sysmptoms he was experiencing, attended the holistic lectures at Willowdale United Church.

Vic told me, later, that coming to the holistic lectures helped him look for and find a doctor, in Toronto, a specialist in sports medicine, who took nutrition seriously and refused to push drugs. A six-hour glucose tolerance test definitely diagnosed him as a victim of yoyo-glycemia. His experience led Vic to develop the acronym BIGI--Blood insulin glucose imbalance. Later, he lectured on the topic, many times.

HOMEOSTASIS--A FANCY WAY OF SAYING, BALANCE
The Wikipedia article also mentions the word 'homestasis'
http://www.panarchy.org/cannon/homeostasis.1932.html

MODERATION IN ALL THINGS--ARISTOTLE
To this I will add--from the Sermon on the Mount, and found in all the great religions--the Golden Rule, which I will put this way:
LOVE OTHERS, AND YOURSELF, AS YOU WOULD LIKE OTHERS TO LOVE YOU.
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A THOUGHT FOR ST. VALENTINE'S DAY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/ValentinesDay/
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Interestingly, in the Gospel of John, chapter 4:24, Jesus is quoted as saying that "God is spirit". No doubt he was referring to the spirit of love. In his letter, I John 4:7, John states, simply, "God is love..."
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BTW, unless one finds cultic purism (acetism) pleasant, following the holistic approach does not demand that we become acetic (cultic purists) and avoid all the simple pleasures life has to offer. Enjoy yourself, as long as doing so, does not take away anything from the joy of others
With this in mind: I will make the attempt to discover what are my personal pleasures, and my limitations. In my opinion, balance and moderation are good principles by which I will seek to live, and let live.

BTW, Max, I have a question, which I will ask myself, also: What is your reason, your purpose, your goal, for wanting to become more intelligent?

Intelligence and stupidity are perceptions. There are diffrent kinds of intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, Logical Intelligence, Common Sense, Survivalism Intelligence. So many diffrent types to list, we often think of intelligence as just Logical elements, but you can become creativly intelligent as well.

We all are naturally inclined to better ourselves and to become better. I suppose thats why we want to become more intelligent.

May I add: SQ (Spiritual quotient)?
IMHO, as spiritual beings, you and I have a very special ability: We have the ability to make choices about a number of important things.

It seems to me that my animal, vegetable and mineral friends have certain limitations. For example, my two cats--when I had two cats--knew me; but does this mean that they knew that they knew me? I doubt it. (The bodies of my cats are buried not far from where I write these words.)

If they did, not once did they ever communicate to me that they did.

Make no mistake about it: My wife and I loved our cats. However, I have a strong feeling that they cared more about what we did for them, the food we fed them, not what they were willing to do for us. (MORE ON THIS....)

mm, nah. There are plenty of cases where animals have given their lives to save people and people have given their lives to save animals. Remember the baby sheep sleeping in the lions den?

Of course this isnt always the case, but look at animals that just hunt for themselves (they provide for themselves) yet they have good relationships with people. An example is a hawk, barnyard cats, ect. There have been cases where dogs have fought bears to protect people. I think we should look at it from a sociological perspective?

Interesting stories, Max. Who told them to you? A little birdie? Or was it Walt Disney?

But seriously, there are some very interesting stories about the interaction between animal animals and human animals; and it would be interesting to know more about what you call the "sociological perspective". As I have said on more than one occasion: I keep my opition open--on a wide category of things.

If we think of humans as animals, and look at the human relation to the rest of the animal kingdom. We can begin to see various interactions between many animals, in some cases, animals are worshipped as gods, percieved as brothers and sisters (North American Indians) and at times as pets, servants or workers.

We need to look at the diffrent interactions between animals and humans across various cultures to gain a broader perspective.

Let's not forget the plants!

Rick, your comment reminded me of the work of Dr. Franklin Loehr, who I met in the 1960's. What he proposed at the time poses the question: Does prayer (human thinking) effect plant seeds? Here is the link about it http://www.plim.org/PrayerDeb.htm



BTW, when my daughter, an artist and pneumatherapist (using the spirit/mind to change things)--now 50--was in high school, she did a well-supervised experiment on the claims made by Dr. Loehr, in his book. I have her positive report in my file. It affirms Dr. Loehr's claims.

If the experiment was not double blind, it was not a well controlled experiment. It sounds like a non-reproducible result to me. As you are aware, the recent large study of prayer with cardiac hospital patients showed no evidence of supernatural effect. The patients who knew they were being prayed for probably did worse than the control group because they may have thought that those doing the study felt they needed prayer.

KEEP IN MIND, I AGREE THAT THIS WAS NOT AN EXPENSIVE RESEARCH PROJECT. I ALSO AM ALL IN FAVOUR OF DOUBLE-BLIND STUDIES.

But as I remember it, this WAS a double-blind study, as advocated by Dr.Loehr's book, which I have.

For example, several of my daughter's teachers were involved. Separate from my daughters's teachers, I was involved in checking what was going on.

BTW 1, my wife and I observed one element of the experiment not mentioned in the book: My daughter actually froze the tomato plants, in our fridge. They survived and went on to thrive.

BTW 2: I put the healthy plants in my garden that spiring. The results were excellent. I still get excellent results with my garden.

For years now, my daughter has been growing all the vegetable foods she and her husband need. They live on a floating house, near Tofino, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, BC, where there in not a lot of sunshine.

BTW 3: We believe in the integrated approach--body, mind and spirit--to good gardening.
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Interestingly, in his book, SECOND OPINION, epedemiologist, Dr. Michael Rachlis points out that 75% of acceptable medical procedures have never been subjected to double-blind studies. How come?

it seems like u've been a bit offtopic, dont ya?

what plants do you have in mind? What about synthetics?

I heard Franklin Loehr give a paper on what his basic experiments showed:

1. People who have a clear knowledge of what the plants looks like, when they mature, got better, and measurable, results than those who have no knowledge.
2. People who used their imaginations and who actually love gardening got better results, still.
3. People, for example, spiritualists, who involve friends they called in from spiritual realm got even better resullts.
4. And the best results of all were achieved by a few saintly types who appeared to be in touch with the Infinite.

"This is an experiment" he said, "anyone can try for themselves. Don't take my word."

OFF topic? Not when you consider that everything we do, not just the plants we grow, is affected by our perceptions and how we use them.

well...ok!