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Don't forget to remember

By JACKIE SILVER

Tribune correspondent

Published: June 27, 2009

Japanese scientists have invented a pair of goggles that can remember all those pesky little things we tend to forget, such as where we've put our keys, purse, wallet, cell phone or PDA. They're called Smart Goggles, and they were invented by a professor at the University of Tokyo.

Built into the goggles is a tiny video camera that records everything the wearer looks at so he or she can show its location later. Smart Goggles are bulky and unattractive, but the professor said it should be possible to shrink it down to a more sensible and fashionable size within a few years. He also said he thinks his invention could be useful for elderly patients who have memory trouble.

Not up for wearing the goggles? Try these memory tips:

Say it aloud. When you set down your phone, tell yourself out loud where it is. "My cell phone is in the kitchen." Try it with your keys and any other item you usually misplace.

Memorize billboards and signs. I like to train my brain while I'm stuck in traffic. I'll memorize phone numbers and other information I see on billboards, just to exercise my gray matter.

Exercise. Researchers from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute have found that exercise improves learning and memory. "Until recently it was thought that the growth of new neurons, or neurogenesis, did not occur in the adult mammalian brain," said Terrence Sejnowski, an HHMI investigator at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. "But we now have evidence for it, and it appears that exercise helps this happen."

Use acrostics. An acrostic can be a very simple way to remember a list of words, such as your grocery list. For example, if you need to buy milk, fruit, veggies, eggs and nuts, your sentence could be: "My First Very Excellent Name," using the first letter of each word to create the sentence.

Use association. This is helpful in remembering names. If, for example, you are introduced to someone named Ryan Fields, you could use the association "eat rye bread in the field."

Remember not to forget what you were trying to remember by using these tips!

Jackie Silver is the founder and president of Aging Backwards LLC and author of "Aging Backwards: Secrets to Staying Young." Send your questions or comments to: jackie@agingbackwards.com or follow her on Twitter, @AgingBackwards. Sign up for her free newsletter at http://agingbackwards.com class="bold">/.