ME Magazine Spring 2008

Try to Remember

Massage Envy

What was it we were going to say? Oh, right: To forget is human. But since most of us would like to be able to remember where we left the car keys, here are a few tips for improving your memory.

Create associations. If you can't remember to take a daily medication, try associating it with another daily task. For example, always take your medicine at the same time you brush your teeth.

Pay attention. Have trouble remembering names? The next time you meet someone, look him or her straight in the eyes and identify a unique facial feature. Listen to the way the person's name is pronounced and ask them to repeat their name. Then use the person's name as much as possible during your conversation. The same applies to those car keys: Pay attention to where you're putting them down.

Exercise. According to the Mayo Clinic, studies have shown that regular exercise can boost brainpower, delay age-related memory loss and maybe even prevent dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Eat an apple a day. Research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell suggests that consuming apples or apple juice may protect against memory-zapping cell damage, thanks to an apple's antioxidant attributes.

Invest in Your Health

Remember the mad scramble at the end of last year to use up the money in your flexible spending account (FSA)? This year, plan to allot some of those pretax dollars toward massage therapy.

Tax code says that a qualified medical expense "must be to alleviate or prevent a physical or mental defect or illness," so talk with your doctor to find out if your condition could benefit from ongoing massage therapy. The prescription should contain three pieces of information: length of treatment, duration and reason for prescribing massage therapy.

Once you have a prescription, schedule your appointments, submit your receipts to your FSA administrator and enjoy the healthy benefits.

Thank you