Memory Boosters

Foods to Eat
Eggs (with yolk!), legumes such as lentils, beans and peas, which are high in Choline and protein. Coffee or tea and sugar in moderation. A breakfast of eggs, toast and coffee may sound old-fashioned but it's the ideal fuel for a test. Bring along a muffin or a piece of fruit to munch on during a break. The boost in blood sugar will keep you going and helps in reading retention.

The Night Before
A big plate of pasta, (protein poor and rich in carbohydrates) is the last thing you should eat an hour before a test, but the night before, mangia! A nice baked potato will do the trick too, releasing L-Tryptophan, which aids in the production of Seratonin and Melatonin, chemicals your brain produces to help you sleep. Avoid alcohol, however, which depletes the body of B vitamins, and marijuana, which is bad for the memory.

Supplements and Vitamins
Choline and B vitamins. Don't crash diet or fast in the weeks before you'll be relying on your powers of recall. Nutritional deficiencies can alter brain waves, decrease memory and cause anxiety and confusion.

Exercise
1 hour the day before. 15 minutes the day of, just to wake up and get oxygen to your brain.

Mental Exercises
While memorizing facts, singing the material can help. Besides loosening you up, melodies aid memory. (How many times have you had an unwanted song in your head?) For tests of your analytical and mathematical skills, listening to Mozart has been shown to improve these capacities.

Good Trips

Foods to Eat
Two common travel mistakes are not eating enough and not eating well. Unless you are traveling First Class, the fare available on planes and in airports is expensive, laden with fat and non-nutritious. Just having the foresight to pack your own sandwich will help you sleep better and fight jetlag (no need to wake up during meals or try to sleep on an empty stomach). Sunflower seeds make a nutritious, easily portable snack and are rich in L-Tryptophan, which fights stress. For years, women's magazines have cautioned against drinking alcohol on planes for fear of dehydration, but the calming benefits of a glass of wine on a long trip greatly outweigh any risk. After all, nothing is stopping you from rehydrating. You can bring your own mineral water on the plane.

The Night Before
It's likely you'll be up late packing or doing last-minute chores, and skimp on sleep. Prepare the coffee-maker before you go to bed so all you have to do is flip the On switch. The caffeine will get your brain jump-started so you don't forget your passport. Make sure to eat a full, low-fat meal before you leave for the airport.

Supplements and Vitamins
Melatonin, preferably in liquid form, will help you sleep no matter what the time zone.

Exercise
The more the better before a trip. Frequent stretching also helps.

Mental Exercises
Use your time in the plane, train or car to learn a few words of the language you'll be surrounded by, or to study the map of a foreign city. This will make your arrival less disorienting.

Interviews and Meetings

Foods to Eat
N-3 fats, found in fish, such as salmon, and in soy products are a beneficial and necessary nutrient and aid in alertness and mental performance. Broccoli is full of both anti-stress and anti-aging nutrients.

The Night Before
Avoid dairy products and fried foods, which are likely to cause indigestion.

Supplements and Vitamins
Vitamin B-5, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Ginkgo Biloba.

Exercise
Anaerobic, stretching and toning exercise such as yoga.

Mental Exercises
Before a stressful meeting or job interview, it's best to clear your head and simply meditate on a relaxing image or color. Pastel yellow is the best.

Public speaking, Pitches, and Presentations

Foods to Eat Opera singers know to avoid chocolate, nuts and dairy products because they can damage the voice. Before the big moment, be sure to eat a high protein, low-carbohydrate meal, and drink tea with lemon.

The Night Before A good night's sleep (but not over 9 hours) is essential. Before bed, drink a smoothie made with soy milk, honey and a banana pureed in a blender.

Supplements and Vitamins Choline, Lecithin, B Vitamins and Vitamin C, Zinc and Green Tea.

Exercise Avoid strenuous exercise right before, as it will produce too much Seratonin.

Mental Exercises Reading a particularly eloquent writer or listening to one on tape will activate the part of your brain that governs language and verbal skills. To link the right and left sides of the brain, simply draw and retrace the infinity symbol (a sideways figure eight).

Sex and Dating

Foods to Eat
Bananas, carrots, garlic (in moderation), onion, chocolate, figs and avocados enhance sexual performance, pleasure, and can aid in curing impotence. Avoid drinking too much alcohol.

The Night Before
Sleep well (and clean your apartment).

Supplements and Vitamins
B vitamins counteract the negative effects of PMS and the Pill. Vitamins E and C aid in the body's production of sex hormones. Zinc helps in the production of testosterone and helps cure impotence in men.

Exercise
Vigorous exercise is always beneficial to a healthy sex life.

Mental Exercises
Whatever relaxes you or puts you in a romantic mood such as listening to jazz or reading romantic poetry and literature.

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