Review: Concentration Made Effective and Easy By David V. Bush

Bush has written extensively on practical psychology and “Concentration Made Effective and Easy” is just one of  the books that is part of a series covering the fields of success, health and happiness.

Concentration Made Effective and Easy

This book was originally published in 1925 and is part of a rare reprint book collection. The book covers topics that are surprisingly relevant, even when Bush talks about what is happening ‘in the times.’

The book is a definite read, as it provides very simple exercises to improve concentration. The exercises for improving concentration are also not all physical, Bush is also keen to include mental exercises to improve concentration. Overall Bush defines 31 exercises that can be used to improve concentration. I think what is most important about this book is that it is time-tested – the book was written during the roaring 20’s and still holds true even today.

I recommend picking up a copy at the link above.

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Eastern Techniques to Improve Concentration Power

Having a high degree of concentration isn’t something that most people are born with. In fact, it’s more natural for various priorities to constantly compete for mental attention, resulting in a good deal of distraction at any given time. Eastern religion and traditions, however, have spent centuries training followers to become more focused. In general, this is thought to be a spiritual issue, as it’s hard to be in tune with deity without clearing the mind. However, even those who have no religious tradition, or one quite different than a Hindu or Buddhist faith, can benefit from the eastern techniques to improve concentration power.

Yoga
Most people utilize the discipline as yoga as a form of exercise. It is, in fact, a very effective way to work your body. Yoga is a mind-body type of movement, providing a strong mental focus, coupled with challenging physical expression. As a result, concentration is necessary to properly perform yoga moves. To those looking on, yoga seems ridiculously easy; it isn’t until you attempt the moves yourself that you begin to realize how challenging the art is. Yoga brings balance to the physical and mental aspects of your concentration, increasing focus and training your brain to balance the mental and physical. You might be surprised at how well this translates into better memory and concentration power.

Meditate on It
Think of any eastern culture and one picture will certainly come to the front of your mind: someone sitting cross-legged, holding their fingers together, with their eyes closed. Meditation is a major part of eastern health. Meditation is designed to clear the mind and bring a hyper-awareness to the present moment. Concentration is a huge part of the meditation process, so it makes sense that practicing this discipline would train your mind for targeted focus. Meditation is an art that is closely connected with eastern spirituality. It is integrated into worship and self-awareness rituals of eastern faiths. As someone who resides in the west, you can gain many of the same benefits, even if you don’t share the faith behind the practice. Two types of mediation are particularly useful for improving concentration power. The first is a type of meditation that focuses on breathing. This draws your concentration to an internal point-of-focus, bringing clarity of thought. Proponents claim that meditating on breathing helps with self-discovery. Another common meditation technique focuses on an object or environment to hone in concentration. This also helps the brain become more aware of a single thought or object, increasing the capacity for concentration.

Oriental Herbology
As a complementary health discipline, herbs have always been integrated into eastern culture. In fact, many of the most effective herbs come from oriental cultures. This includes well-known plants such as gingko biloba and ginseng. Surprisingly, both of these substances have been studied in relation to brain function, memory and concentration. While few medical doctors will openly admit that these are effective for concentration, you might be surprised at how many professionals use herbs themselves to gain a boost. Eastern techniques have been used for centuries to improve concentration power. While each person is different, there are many people who find herbs, yoga and meditation to be a huge help in boosting their ability to function daily. As someone who needs a bit of a pick-up, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to try these eastern techniques to boost concentration power.

Toshi O. is a retired amateur Muay Thai fighter who also consults with some of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world.

Website Affiliations include: Improve Concentration Power – A Guide to Improving Concentration

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Improve My Concentration by Changing My Diet

Recent years have seen an increase on attention being paid to the value of diet in relation to health. When it comes to the ability to concentrate, this has been a major focus of research, largely because of its ability to help children with ADHD. While it took doctors awhile to catch up, parents have long suspected that diet had the ability to affect the performance of people with attention deficit disorders. While studies are still inconclusive, many doctors who treat ADHD are beginning to make consistent recommendations. These dietary measures are not just for attention deficit patients either; they can actually improve concentration and performance in everybody.

What to Eat?

When it comes to concentration, there are a good number of foods that you should be regularly including in a balanced diet. Most people recommend that a high-protein breakfast start off every day. This prompts your brain to start activity and awakens the portions that deal with memory and concentration. In addition, protein provides the fuel necessary to continue performing as your day progresses. As lunch time looms closer, keep a balance in what you are eating. Consuming too many carbohydrate-rich foods can cause a mid-afternoon drag to take over. This is because carbs provide a quick boost of energy, followed by a slump. Instead, try eating a salad, topped with nuts and meat. Finally, as a general rule, whole foods are always better for concentration and memory function. Specifically, look for those items that have an antioxidant effect. These substances can actually reduce cognitive damage, improving my concentration abilities permanently.

Moderate These Items

There are some foods that have the ability to improve short-term concentration or even boost your focus for the entire day. However, they are often overused, creating dependency and a backlash of lowered energy. This category of foods includes caffeine, found in things like coffee or even green tea. Some coffee can certainly improve concentration. However, don’t use it for a crutch and keep your consumption to well below a reasonable level. Besides the obvious, there are other foods that have the ability to harm your brain function. While these may not be a problem for everybody, more people than ever suffer from food allergies. Consuming foods that cause allergic responses can overload your body, causing poor memory and decreased concentration. If you suspect that you have allergies, get tested to determine what foods you should avoid.

Stay Away From It

For those that are concerned about concentration, there are some foods that should just never see the inside of your kitchen. These are the most obvious culprits that parents of ADHD children report as causing or exacerbating concentration problems. The most commonly cited problem food for focus is sugar- most especially high fructose corn syrup. For improving memory and concentration, stay away from sugar as much as possible. Instead, favor natural sweeteners, such as honey or stevia. Another problem area is synthetic food colorings. Children with ADHD are often extremely sensitive to artificial color, especially red dyes. Other artificial additives, such as MSG, can lower concentration. What you eat forms the basis that your brain builds on. Whole foods, high in protein and full of energy, feed good concentration. In addition, fat makes up the matter that your brain is built on, so don’t neglect healthy lipids! Finally, if you can’t read it, or don’t know what it actually is, just avoid those foods altogether.

These are just some of the ways I have used to improve my concentration and hope that that you can also find some benefits.

Toshi O. is a retired amateur Muay Thai fighter who also consults with some of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world.

Website Affiliations include:

Improve My Concentration – A Guide to Improving Concentration

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