Most of us can lose our train of thought midway through a sentence but lots of us just put it down to having a 'senior moment'. But absent-mindedness is not just about 'senior moments', says neuropsychologist Dr Joanna Iddon, co-author of Memory Boosters.

我们中的大多数人都可能在说话的时候忘记后面想说什么，但很多人都认为这是暂时性失忆所致。但健忘并不是暂时性失忆，神经心理学家、Memory Boosters一书的合著作者乔安娜·伊登（Joanna Iddon）博士说道。

"In a recent study of healthy adults, the average number of memory slips, like putting the coffee jar in the fridge, was around six per week, irrespective of age, gender¹ and intelligence," says Dr Iddon. "In fact, it was the younger, busier people that were the most absent-minded.

"最新的一篇有关健康成年人的研究发现：不论年龄、性别和智力，人们每周平均健忘6次，比如把咖啡罐放入冰箱，"伊登博士说道。"事实上，较为年轻、较为忙碌的人最为健忘。"

"Remembering is an active process and making the most of your memory involves paying better attention, planning and organising. Luckily, there are some tricks and strategies to help you banish² those thingumabob moments."

"记忆是一个积极的过程，最大化的利用记忆包括更加集中注意力、计划和组织。幸运的是，有一些方法和策略可以帮助你消除这些健忘时刻。"

1. What is the best supplement for memory?

1. 哪种补充剂最适合提高记忆力？

There is no cast iron scientific proof that any supplements can help improve your memory, but there are some supplements that it has been suggested may have some potential to improve cognition.

虽然没有任何科学证据能充分证明补充剂可以帮助改善记忆力，但是研究员给出了一些补充剂建议，这些补充剂或能改善认知。

Vitamin E may not decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer's, but it may slow its progression. According to the NHS, if you take vitamin E supplements, don't take too much as this could be harmful. Taking 540mg or less a day of vitamin E supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.

维生素E或许并不能降低患阿尔兹海默症的风险，但或能延缓其进程。英国国民健康体系表示，不能服用太多的维生素E补充剂，因为太多剂量可能有害。每天服用的维生素E含量不要超过540毫克，这样做基本不会带来危害。

Studies have suggested that a higher intake³ of omega-3 fatty acid from foods such as cold-water fish, plant and nut oils, and walnuts⁴ are strongly linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer's. However, there are not enough studies currently available to say whether omega-3 supplements will give these benefits.

研究表明，从冷水鱼、植物和坚果油，以及核桃中摄入更多的欧米茄3脂肪酸与患阿尔兹海默症的较低风险密切相关。然而，目前还没有足够的研究来说明欧米茄3补充剂能带来这些益处。

2. What is the best vitamin for concentration and memory?

2. 哪种维生素最能提高注意力和记忆力？

Vitamin B12 is thought to help you with memory and concentration by maintaining your myelin sheath's structure and function, which is a substance that is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system. Without vitamin B12, this breaks down, and it causes brain cells responsible for cognition to no longer function properly. Long-term vitamin B12 deficiency can cause memory loss and dementia.

维生素B12被认为能提高记忆力和注意力，因为维生素B12能维持髓鞘的结构和功能。髓鞘是神经系统正常运作所必需的物质。如果没有维生素B12，髓鞘就会分解，从而导致负责认知的脑细胞不再正常运作。长期缺乏维生素B12将导致记忆力减退和痴呆。

3. Associate the memory with your environment

3. 将记忆与环境联系起来

So if, for example, a joke is learned in the presence of a particular smell, that same aroma⁵ may cue the memory for that joke.

比如，你在特定的气味状态下学到了一个笑话，那么同样的气味可能会让你想起有关那个笑话的记忆。