Introduction

According to Ayurveda, all disease and depression ultimately is caused by an imbalance of the three bio-energies known as the doshas. Like all energies (gravity, electromagnetic, subatomic forces), the doshas too ultimately arise from eternal consciousness (Soul). If the mind is pure, the energy of consciousness flows through us permeating our reality and brings the experience of well-being, eternal peace, and wisdom.

However, when the mind becomes impure due to attachment to external objects and desires, the connection to the source of pure consciousness is lost and we experience pain and fragmentation. In Ayurveda we recognize that the mind is mirror-like in nature, wherein are reflected the objects seen by the physical eyes, heard by the physical ears, tasted by the physical tongue, and so on. But even more fantastical than the most imaginative fairy tale, the images reflected in the mirror of our minds take on a life of their own!

So, within our minds there evolves an imagined world?a world of images of things seen, heard, tasted, smelled and touched. A world that compares and contrasts images, remembers them, forms ideas around them. Quickly, there arise desires, aversions, ambitions, envy, hatred, attractions, plans, theories, and an entire imagined universe. 

So it is crucial to keep the mind clear, sharp, and focused on the eternal. Here are six different ways to keep yourself happy, and help your mind.

1: Eat Fruits and Vegetables for Brain Food

It has long been known that eating lots of fruits and vegetables is good for you. In recent years, research has focused on phytochemicals, the biologically active compounds naturally found in plants that have a positive impact on your health.         

Foods that boost memory are walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, almonds, turmeric, and blueberries, to name a few. Walnuts contain polyunsaturated, omega-3 fatty acids that are good for the brain and have been shown to aid brain development in infants.

Researchers at UCLA found that curcumin in turmeric protects the brain against plaques in the synapses of rats, indicating that the plaques found in the brain of Alzheimer's patients also respond to turmeric. Interestingly enough, India, a country where turmeric is widely used, has very little Alzheimer's disease.

Black pepper has also been shown to enhance the power of memory. An easy way to include these spices in your diet is to saut? your cooking spices in ghee and add it to your cooked vegetables.

A 1999 Tufts University study of 40 fruits and vegetables found that raw blueberries contained the highest level of antioxidants. Animals fed a blueberry extract diet outperformed other animals in memory tests, and showed less degeneration of motor skills due to aging.

To gain the most memory power from food, eat a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, along with healthy proteins such as walnuts, almonds, milk, panir (a fresh cheese made from milk) and split beans and pulses.

2. Enliven Memory with Herbs

Phytochemicals are even more concentrated in herbs. Ayurvedic herbs that are traditionally known to improve memory are Brahmi and Gotu Kola. Brahmi and Gotu Kola are medhya herbs, which means they improve the coordination between dhi (learning), dhriti (retention) and smriti (long-term memory). Shankapushpi is another medhya herb that is revered in the Ayurvedic tradition.

While modern researchers and pharmaceutical companies usually extract the isolated active ingredients from plants and put them in pill form, recent studies show that the whole plants are more beneficial because they contain a synergistic combination of phytochemicals. For instance, a study reported in Nature journal found that eating 100 grams of fresh apple with skins provided the total antioxidant activity equal to 1,500 milligrams of isolated vitamin C. A single carrot contains more than 100 phytochemicals, which would not be available in a pill that only contained isolated beta-carotene.