Self-help guides abound and are on a variety of topics , but there do not seem to be many credible ones around that purport to help your wetware. In this vein, New Scientist has assembled an eleven step program intended to improve your brain. Some of the items put forth by New Scientist as ways to get the most from your brain are simply common sense : Get a good night’s sleep, exercise 3 or 4 times per week, and eat the right foods. They suggest a good breakfast, a lunch consisting of an omelette, salad and yogurt, with the evening meal being fish-based, plus strawberries and blueberries for desert. The article strays from the path of orthodoxy somewhat by touting the benefits of unproven techniques, including — the Mozart Effect, the chewing of gum to improve test scores, thought control through neurofeedback, and the art of paying attention, which is facilitated by increasing arousal levels and eliminating distractions. The piece also describes a number of chemicals that can augment or improve memory : such as Modafinil which is able to keep a person awake and alert for 90 hours straight, and Ritalin for improved concentration. 11 steps to a better brain - New Scientist 28 May 2005 Update on June 24, 2005 :- MSNBC’s ‘The Week in Pictures’ for the week of June 16-23, 2005 includes the following image : In a transparent allusion to the Mozart Effect, the caption accompanying the picture shown above, states that babies in Ko�ice, Slovakia are made to listen to classical music composed by Mozart and Vivaldi, in an attempt to “help them adapt to life after birth”.

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