Have you noticed that as soon as people think of themselves as being senior citizens they begin to blame a faulty memory on age-related "senior moments"? Why? We've all forgotten someone's name, a phone number, our shopping list, or what we ate for dinner last night no matter what our age. We just pay more attention to memory lapses as we get older.

Well, I've got good news for you. I've found some tips to help you boost your learning and improve your retention no matter how old you are. Don't think your brain is too jam-packed with a lifetime of facts to remember one more thing. It can store the equivalent of 10 million books-full of thoughts! Trust me. You have plenty of space in your brain.

First, make sure that you have no physiological reason for a failing memory. Thyroid disorders, depression, and other medical problems can explain a progressive loss of memory. So can certain medications. Once your doctor gives you a clean bill of health, it's time to look at non-medical solutions.

Tip #1: Pay attention

This may seem obvious, but it's not. Remembering means concentrating without distractions and we tend to be a society of perpetually distracted, busy people. Unless you deliberately focus your attention on whatever you want to remember, that thought is likely to slip away.

I have a friend who asks me the same questions over and over again. It's not that he doesn't listen. He does. But he talks on the phone while working on his computer while listening to me. He's not doing two or three things at once. That isn't possible. His attention is jumping back and forth from one task to another. He doesn't stay with one thought long enough for him to remember what I've said a few minutes or seconds ago. No wonder he doesn't remember what I've said. Don't multi-task when you're trying to remember something. Pay attention.

Tip #2: Use the magic number seven

Your brain is a remarkable organ with a huge capacity for storing information. But it can only store so much at any one time. Seven is the magic memory number. Princeton University psychologist George A. Miller found that we are able to remember up to seven chunks of information for a few seconds to a few hours. The best way to remember anything is to break it down into groups of seven or less.

If you're trying to remember a number or fact that's longer, break it down. Phone numbers, without their area code, are seven numerals long. If you want to remember a phone number complete with area code, separate it into two bits: the area code and then the seven-digit number.

To remember a poem or song lyrics, focus on the first seven words or lines. Either qualifies as a single chunk of information. Once you've retained it, work on the next chunk. You'll find you remember faster and retain information longer when you use the magic number seven.

Tip #3: From immediate to long-term memory in six hours

How long do you want to remember something? Your brain can hold thousands of bits of information for one or two seconds. But if you want to "set" a thought into your long-term memory, the optimal time for retention is within the first six hours.

Concentrate on whatever you want to remember and repeat it over and over during these first six hours. It helps to have visual images. Whenever you add images, a thought becomes more vivid and easier to access. Once this piece of information is fixed, that memory is stored in your long-term memory bank for life. I can still remember a lengthy nonsense poem I learned at summer camp as a child. I see myself sitting around the campfire singing it over and over.

Tip #4: Use this memory trio

There are a number of methods you can use to convert short-term to long-term memory. I particularly like this memory trio: intention, filing, and rehearsing. They work best when you use all three steps, so don't skip any of them.

Begin with a strong intention. Think about how useful it will be to remember that address, daily schedule, credit card number, person's name, or shopping list. Don't just assume or hope that you won't forget. Unless your intention is strong and clear you're not likely to retain it. Once you've stated your intention to yourself, break up the information into chunks that are no longer than seven words or phrases. Then find a way to file these chunks.

Filing means organizing information. Since we can remember images more easily than words, you may want to choose an image that you can associate with a particular word or phrase. Before a recent trip to China, I decided to learn a few phrases in Chinese. I wanted to learn how to ask, "How are you?" which is "ni how ma." Just repeating the phrase didn't work, but when I visualized my knee as I stepped forward toward an imaginary person, the first word became easy to retain. "How" is the first word in the question, and "ma" just followed effortlessly.

You may want to remember your shopping list by visualizing yourself walking around the store in a particular pattern, and seeing the objects you want to buy glowing on the shelves. Or you could find an association between a number or letter that helps you remember the string of numbers that follows. To remember my new license plate number, which began with 7W, I thought of "lucky number seven" winning something. The rest of the numbers were easy to remember.

Rehearse: Whenever I give a talk on health, I rehearse my opening sentence until it becomes part of me. I've found that I can give a talk with a few key words written on a 3x5 card and a memorized first line. This opening sentence gives me the direction I want to take and the confidence to expand upon my material. So I write it in my mind and revise it until I'm satisfied with it. My intention is strong. My thoughts have been organized in a way that makes sense to me. Then, I repeat it until it's set in my mind and I know I can access it even when facing hundreds of people.

Repetition is the step most people begin with. However, it works best after you have a strong intention and have organized the information. So, repeat whatever you want to remember, but only after taking the first two steps.

Tip #5: Feed your brain

Your brain needs specific nutrients to function optimally, and the older we get, the more we need them. This is because our bodies either absorb or make less of them.

Our need is constant, but our supply dwindles. I've talked before about nutrients that feed the brain in the past. They include phosphatidyl serine (PS), coenzyme Q10, acetyl-l-carnitine, and magnesium. Please see the enclosed insert for details on my recommended top brain-boosting supplement.

If you're as fascinated by the brain and how it functions as I, you'll absolutely love The Owner's Manual for the Brain, Third Edition, by Pierce J Howard, PhD (Bard Press, 2006). It's easy-to-read and filled with information from sound scientific research. At $29.95 for more than 900 pages, this book will keep the attention of any science or information buff.

Which, If Any, Bone-Saving Drug Is Best for You?

The National Women's Health Network (NWHN) has come out against bone density screening for women under 65 who have no significant risks for osteoporosis. And I agree with them. The Network's reason is simple. It found that screening for either osteoporosis or osteopenia (a risk factor for osteoporosis) hasn't helped prevent serious fractures. What it has done is to make pharmaceutical companies richer.

Ever since we heard the news that hormone therapy had more problems than benefits, drug companies have seen their profits plummet. In fact, they lost three million customers in three years. Like any business, they're scrambling to find a way to replace these customers. They're doing so by promoting a number of drugs for osteoporosis. The result is that women across the country are confused, and many are taking medications that will not help them. What's more, some are downright harmful. Last month, I told you about a serious deterioration of the jaw that can occur from taking Fosamax. A local dentist who has seen this phenomenon repeatedly brought it to my attention.

I've said it before and I'll keep saying it: Preventing and treating osteoporosis should not begin with taking medications. It's more important to improve your balance, do bone-stressing exercises daily, and get plenty of vitamin D, magnesium, and strontium to build strong, flexible bones.

After you've made these lifestyle changes, you could possibly need additional help. So here are some of the most popular drugs used to prevent and treat osteoporosis. Make sure that any prescription drug you decide to take has been shown to be effective for your particular needs.

Hormones

The FDA has approved only estrogen and progestin (synthetic progesterone) to prevent osteoporosis, not to treat it. If you already have some bone loss, there's no reason to take hormones. If you don't yet have osteoporosis, you don't need much. According to the NWHN, 0.625 mg/day of estrogen is sufficient. But even this low amount is enough to increase your risk of stroke, heart attacks, and breast cancer.

What about bio-identical hormones? They may be safe and effective and an excellent choice, but we need more studies to know just what they do. At present, estradiol is the only bio-identical hormone that has been studied. It has the same risk for endometrial cancer, and lack of protection against heart disease, as synthetic hormones.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) strengthens bones and increases their density by driving minerals into the bone. Teriparatide (Forteo) is a derivative of PTH. It is injected daily into some women with advanced osteoporosis. The problem, in addition to the constant injections, is its severe side effects, which include leg cramps, nausea, and dangerously high blood levels of calcium.

You may have heard of calcitonin (Fortical or Miacalcin). It's sometimes used as a nasal spray. Calcitonin is a hormone that helps regulate calcium and phosphorous metabolism. It can help prevent spinal fractures, but studies have found it ineffective in preventing other fractures. If you're trying to avoid a broken wrist or hip, you want a different drug. In addition, if you take calcitonin, you need to keep your intake of calcium-rich foods low. Too much calcium can cause nausea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, muscle weakness, confusion, and fatigue.

Bisphosphonates

You know them as Fosamax, Actonel, and Boniva, and they are less risky than hormones in some ways. But they have been linked to a serious jaw bone deterioration called BON, as I explained in last month's newsletter. It is thought that bisphosphonates may suppress bone formation rather than promote it. This is certainly true in some cases of BON. If this is the case, taking any of these drugs could lead to brittle or damaged bones.

Other side effects from bisphosphonates include damage to the esophagus and muscle pain. While most bisphosphonates need to be taken daily, Boniva can be taken once a month. But so far, the FDA has approved it only to prevent spinal fractures. Other bisphosphonates have been approved to prevent broken bones throughout the body. I'm uncomfortable recommending any bisphosphonates after reading the recent information on BON.

Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERM)

SERMs have various actions on estrogen receptors in different locations. They act like estrogen in some sites, and block estrogen in others. Raloxifene (Evista) is one SERM that appears to be safer than the hormones I mentioned previously. But that doesn't mean it's safe. First, it's been found to prevent spinal, but not other fractures. Second, its side effects include hot flashes, leg cramps, nausea, and blood clots.

At one time, raloxifene was said to both prevent and treat breast cancer and heart disease. But the FDA hasn't approved it for these conditions. The NWHN suggests that women use raloxifene only if they already have osteoporosis and can't tolerate bisphosphonates.

Investigate carefully before making changes

As you can see, pharmaceutical solutions to osteoporosis have risks. That's why I have always urged you to avoid these drugs if at all possible. Natural solutions are usually just as effective, if not better, and they are a lot safer. But if you must take a drug, become as well informed as you can before taking any of them. And make sure your doctor monitors you closely for any side effects.

You also want to make sure that the medications you take are working for you. One friend of mine told me recently that she had taken Fosamax for quite a while only to find that her bone density kept decreasing. She stopped the Fosamax and began taking strontium (340 mg twice a day). Her bone density increased. Strontium isn't easy to find, but you can get it from Doctor's Best (800-777-2474) under the name of Strontium Bone Maker.

You can get more information from The National Women's Health Network, a non-profit organization that provides balanced medical information to help all women make informed choices about their health care. I have supported them with contributions for decades. Go to their website, www.nwhn.org and see if you'd like to do the same. Or become a member for $25/year ($15 if you're low income) by calling 202-628-7814. You'll receive their bi-monthly newsletter and information about their special reports.

At Risk for Congestive Heart Failure? This Popular Herb Protects and Strengthens Your Heart

My mother had congestive heart failure, a condition where the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Although she lived into her mid-90s, her heart disease caused extreme fatigue and limited her activities. So when I told my doctor about a mild arrhythmia I'd had for decades, she looked further and found I had inherited a few slight cardiac abnormalities. That's when I searched for ways to protect my heart. I didn't want to wait until I had full-blown heart disease like Mother.

As I've mentioned in the past, it's much easier to prevent a problem than to treat it. And it's easier to work with a mild health problem than to wait until it's advanced. My investigation kept leading me back to a single herb used in the first century by the Greek herbalist Dioscorides. He found that it had numerous beneficial effects on the heart.

Since then, this herb has become one of the oldest known medicinal plants. People throughout China and Europe have used it for decades. And it's gaining popularity here, as well. You've probably heard of it, but may not know when best to use it, or which parts of the plant are most effective. The herb is hawthorn.

What does hawthorn do?

Hawthorn is considered to be a heart tonic. It strengthens the heart muscle, improves blood flow to the heart, reduces angina and arrhythmias, and can even lower blood pressure in some people. It also has properties that block inflammation, which you may remember is at the root of many cardiac and other diseases. Its particular concentration of bioflavonoids and other chemicals result in unique properties that are not duplicated in other herbs.

Numerous studies show hawthorn is most effective when used preventively or to treat mild cardiovascular disease. Both are conditions for which standard therapies are rarely used. The reason is simple. Medications have side effects and hawthorn doesn't. So drugs with adverse side effects are reserved for more serious conditions. Hawthorn, on the other hand, is considered safe enough for pregnant or lactating women. You can't get much safer than this! If you already have a more advanced heart problem and are taking medications, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before adding this herb to make sure it's appropriate for you.

Hawthorn is best used for early stages of congestive heart failure (there are four stages for this disease). In one study of patients with stage-II congestive heart failure, participants had less ankle edema and shortness of breath after taking hawthorn extract for just two months.

In another study of more than 1,000 patients with heart failure, 83% of them had less edema and less frequent urination at night. In addition, their heart muscle function improved, and two-thirds of them felt better in general.

Hawthorn works best for people with stage-I or stage-II. In stage-I, ordinary physical activity doesn't cause any fatigue. In stage-II, there is a slight fatigue that occurs with activity. If your congestive heart failure has progressed beyond stage-II (your doctor can tell you this), please make sure that it's safe and smart for you to use this herb.

Food or medicine?

Hippocrates said, "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food." This saying is particularly applicable to hawthorn, which can be included in a healthy diet to keep your heart healthy. You can make a tea by steeping a teaspoon or two of the dried herb in a cup of hot water, and drink it several times a day. Or you can take a handful of dried hawthorn berries, soak them in apple juice for a few hours and refrigerate everything overnight. In the morning, blend the berries with a little honey and refrigerate your hawthorn jam. Eat a teaspoonful every day as a heart tonic.

If you have the beginning signs of heart disease, you may want to know just how much of hawthorn's active ingredients you're taking. In this case, choose a standardized extract in liquid, tablets, or capsules. All parts of the plant seem to have protective effects on the heart. However, the best scientific studies have used a standardized extract of both leaves and flowers. This is the one I would recommend.

How much hawthorn is enough? A number of studies have found that taking 80 mg twice a day is sufficient. Others suggest from 250 to 500 mg of the standardized extract twice a day is necessary. Begin with the lower amount for the first six months. If you don't find any improvement, increase your dosage. But remember to take it twice a day. Like many supplements, the idea is to keep its active ingredients in your bloodstream over a long period of time.

If you have a history of heart disease in your family or have experienced mild heart symptoms, such as angina, arrhythmia, or hypertension, you may want to include hawthorn in your daily supplement regime. I've been taking it for close to two years and don't intend to stop.

During this time, my doctor tells me my heart has gotten stronger and healthier. I've noticed that my arrhythmias have disappeared. I attribute this to my improved exercise regime and hawthorn. Hawthorn is not a quick fix, but rather part of a long-term treatment plan to protect your heart or treat mild cardiac symptoms.

All references for this issue can be found at www.womenshealthletter.com

Health Detective

Are Cherries Too Sweet to Eat Every Day?

Sweet cherries are my favorite fruit, so I was interested in a recent study out of the University of California, Davis that looked at their anti-inflammatory properties. I was also interested in finding out whether or not eating cherries affected blood sugar levels. You see, I can easily eat half a pound of cherries every day. That happens to be just what people in this study did.

A group of healthy men and women were asked to eat a little over half a pound of cherries every day for a month. They gave blood samples each week, as well as one month after the cherry eating ended. C-reactive protein — a marker of inflammation and an indication of increased risk for heart disease — decreased by 25%! Other signs of inflammation also decreased both during the study and for the following month.

Did the cherries affect blood sugar levels? No, they didn't. Fasting blood sugar and insulin levels remained unchanged. What's more, eating cherries didn't affect cholesterol, triglycerides (a sign of stored sugars), or other blood lipids. It looks like eating cherries every day is not only safe, but beneficial as well.

They can also help people with gout. In a second study, 10 healthy women ate half a pound of cherries twice during a day. They gave blood and urine samples three times after eating the fruit. Their blood levels of urate, a substance that can form painful crystals in the joints and often leads to gout, lessened.

So whether you have gout or inflammation, consider "medicating" yourself with a bowl of juicy cherries.

Gluten-Free Foods on the Go

If you're one of three million people in this country with celiac disease and can't eat anything with gluten, you may have a difficult time eating when you're on vacation. Unless you decide to visit Disneyland in Los Angeles.

Head chef, Chris Jutesen is making it possible for visitors to this Disney park, both young and old, find gluten-free waffles, pancakes, hamburger buns, and pizza shells. If you're going somewhere else, however, you're on your own.

People with gluten-intolerance can't eat wheat, rye, barley, or oats. This common allergy makes it challenging if you're traveling. But I've found a resource to help you eat out anywhere. It gives an overview of traditional ingredients in American, Chinese, French, Indian, Thai, and Italian foods to which you may be allergic. Then it walks you through ingredients that may be contained in various dishes and suggests other options. It tells you what to discuss with the chef, and provides a quick reference guide with allergens that may be hidden within dozens of foods in each category.

This book, Let's Eat Out!: Your passport to living gluten and allergy free, by Koeller & La France (R & R Publishing, $24.95) is packed with essential information that anyone with allergies can put to use immediately. For more information, see their website, www.rnrpublishing.com or call them at 1-866-564-1440.

Ask Dr. Nan

Q: I am a senior citizen, less than five feet tall, and weigh only 86 lbs. No foods help me gain weight. Ensure once did, but now it's not helping much. I have a thyroid problem and have taken thyroid medication for 10 years. My symptoms are both hypo and hyperthyroid, but my doctor says I'm hypo. I'm very thin and nervous and have a rapid heartbeat. What can I do to gain weight and feel normal again? — L.B., via e-mail

A: First, get another doctor, preferably a medical doctor who specializes in thyroid problems. Blood tests are not always accurate, and you need a doctor who understands this. Your medications may need to be reevaluated.

In fact, Dr. Richard Shames, MD, a thyroid specialist who works with some people by phone, suggests that you may feel better without any medications. He says that your condition may even have shifted from hyper to hypothyroid.

You could have both if you have a condition called hashi-toxicosis. Neither of us recommends that you stop your meds without a doctor's help.

Dr. Shames' book, Thyroid Power (HarperCollins, 2002) may give you an idea of how he works. He often uses a saliva test, available through www.canaryclub.org. Consider taking this test.

You can get more information and arrange a phone consultation with Dr. Shames at the following website: www.FeelingFFF.com.

Next, look at the possibility of malabsorption. You may not be breaking down and utilizing the foods you're eating.

Malabsorption can be a sign of a number of health problems, from lactose or gluten intolerance to parasites. You may need a skilled doctor of complementary medicine to work with.

Look for someone in your area or call the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) at 888-439-6891 to help you find a doctor near you who may be able to work with you.

Q: I have a lung infection and don't want to take the multiple antibiotics that have been recommended. You've talked about the herb Usnea barbata for lung problems. I can find only plain Usnea on the Internet. Is it the same thing? Can I use it instead of traditional antibiotics? — B D.L., e-mail

A: Most Usnea on the market is Usnea barbata. But not all. HerbPharm is one company that sells this particular variety (800-348-4372). But before you rush out to buy it, you may want to read Herbal Antibiotics by Stephen Harrod Buhner (Storey Books, 1999).

Find the herbs that have the properties most like the antibiotics prescribed for you, and then discuss using them with your doctor, acupuncturist, or naturopath. You should be monitored while you take them so you don't get yourself in trouble. After all, hopefully you'd be monitored if you took a pharmaceutical antibiotic.

Herbs often take longer to work than drugs. You need to know that you're taking the appropriate ones, and that you have time for them to work. If you have a serious or long-standing infection, an herb may not be appropriate.