I mean, I can't remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday.

Having a photographic memory would be super convenient.

When was the last time you successfully did your grocery shopping from memory?

Because you left the list on the counter.

So what exactly is a photographic memory and how can you get one?

Well, we're going to tell you What would our lives be like without memories?

We would be empty shells of ourselves.

All the experiences we've had, people we've met in places we've travelled that have all worked to shape us into who we are.

All of that would be gone.

We would barely have personalities or opinions.

We wouldn't know her family or friends.

Our lives would be lived in small, forgettable moments.

It doesn't sound like much of a life now, does it?

Scientifically speaking, Ah, photographic memory, also known as an addict memory is the ability to recall images from memory vividly and precisely after only seeing an image a few times for short periods of time without using a pneumonic device, you've probably used a pneumonic device to study for a test in school.

Ah, good old classic example of a pneumonic device is Roy G.

Biv used to remember the colors and orders of those colors of the rainbow, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.

The last part of the definition of a photographic memory is key, though.

If he used pneumonic devices often, you probably do not have a photographic memory.

Sorry, there is quite a debate among scientists about photographic memory.

Some scientists say that you can develop a photographic memory and that those rare individuals who do have one are born with the ability.

This branch of thought also says that a photographic memory is mostly found in Children rather than adults.

Others say that with a lot of work, you can develop a photographic memory or at least come very close.

At any age, there are basic exercises that will improve your memory, like playing cards.

The card game solitaire, for instance, is a good memory booster reading and using all your senses, not just sight of sound when learning something new that you want to remember.

Flashcards are also a good method to use when you need to improve your memory.

We have, of course, a short term memory and a long term memory.

To achieve a photographic memory, you should work on improving your short term memory first.

Then new information will be turned into a long term memory more quickly and efficiently.

There are thousands of online tests that will help you gauge just how good your memory is.

Just make sure that the test is based on scientific data.

These online memory tests are a good place to start.

You know there are memory champions around the world who participate in memory competitions.

Who knew that was a thing some of these champions can memorize Up to 32 decks of cards there order color, name or face and the suit.

How amazing is that they will have their own methods of jogging and improving their photographic memories.

One very popular method is to grab a deck of cards.

These could be regular playing cards or even an you know death.

Pick three cards out of the deck and memorize them.

Once you have the memorized, stick them back in the deck.

A random spread out the cards face up and try to pick out your original three cars and lay them out in the same order that you drew them.

Do this little exercise with three cards every day for a week.

Then increase the card.

You draw 25 10 15 and so on.

Until you can do this with the whole death, it is possible the downside.

To get good at it, you have to do this exercise every day for a whole year.

I warned you that developing a photographic memory would take a lot of work.

The most famous and widely used method to improve memory is known as the Memory Palace.

This method even dates to ancient times, so people have been using it well pretty much forever.

The Memory palace first appeared in Cicero's Rhetorical A and Uranium.

Cicero was one of ancient Rome's most famous and respected philosophers, so we probably knows what he's talking about, right.

It turns out that there is a method to our human memory madness.

According to memory champion Joshua four, we are terrible at remembering random lists, whether it's our grocery list, a list of numbers or a list of letters intended for spelling.

Our ancestors were hunter gatherers.

They didn't have to remember the kinds of things we do in our modern day like phone numbers or the names and faces of random people at a party or even all those darned passwords.

Our ancestors had to remember how and where to find food.

This meant knowing which trails to take the food and water sources, which plants could be beaten and which ones were poisonous and how to find their way home again.

What does all this have to do with our modern human brain?

Well, we evolved to have an excellent spatial memory.

We are graded, memorizing places what they look like and their geographical layout.

Our memory is very vision oriented, So the trick is figuring out how to turn hard things to remember into easy things to remember by memorizing them in the right format.

That is in a way that is easy and natural for our brains.

Even though it's now 2019 we still have our ancient hunter gatherer ourselves in the network of our brains.

Enter the memory palace.

Now think of a building you know really well.

Perhaps your childhood home school for grandma's house.

Now take the things you want to remember, like a grocery list or phone number and associate it with an image.

Our minds tend to remember things that are funny, gross or bizarre.

For example, associate those apples on your grocery list with a hilarious picture of you as a kid that still hanging on the wall at your childhood home.

Each item should go with an image this is called Constructing Your Palace.

The last step is placing your items around your palace.

Let's use the childhood home and grocery list.

Example.

Think of the route you would take every single day through your childhood home to get up to your bedroom.

Say you walk in the front door and wipe your shoes on the rug by the front door with the pattern of rabbits on it.

You always thought that rug was weird.

Oh yeah, you need to pick up carrots.

You head up the stairs and glance at that goofy school picture and laugh it yourself.

Oh, right.

You need apples, too.

The item you need to remember should somehow easily associate with the image, like in the example above rabbits and carrots, school photo and apples.

Time to recall your grocery list.

Take a walk through your palace in your mind's eye stop and look at your images.

The items that you need to remember should come to mind now.

This takes practice, of course, but it's easy to test yourself.

Just be brave enough to visit the grocery store without a written list.

Here's an interesting tidbit.

There are other things you can do to naturally boost your memory other than flash cards and memory quiz is, of course, good exercise, and keeping the blood flowing helps every part of your body, including the brain.

But did you know that you could also boost your memory by eating certain foods?

The term brain food exists for a reason.

Hey, count me in.

Fatty fish is almost always at the top of brain food lists.

These are fish such as trout, salmon and sardines.

These fish are high in omega three fats, which 60% of your brain is already made off.

Eating these fish build brain cells, and we need that omega three for learning and keeping our memory sharp.

Coffee, thank goodness is also on this memory booster list.

When consumed in healthy amounts, the caffeine and coffee boosts our mood and concentration, making the brain open to taking in new information blueberries and other dark colored Berries are full of antioxidants that are essential to the whole body, but especially to the brain.

These antioxidants act as anti inflammatory agents, keeping our brain from aging and becoming forgetful.

Pumpkin seeds and other nuts, tumeric and green tea are also great for keeping a sharp memory.

So what shouldn't you eat to keep your brain healthy and memory thriving?

Well, a few of them are obvious.

Avoid fried foods, fast food and foods high in sodium to keep your brain healthy, and your memory and working order.

Thes foods can be inflammatory to the brain, causing it to age refined carbs, white breads and pastas.

Some cereals.

White rice are also bad for your overall brain health.

These foods are often dense, full of sugar and high and carbs, which could cause a spike in blood sugar.

Scientists have found that there is a correlation between high blood sugar and brain health.

Your memory will undoubtedly suffer if you eat a lot of refined carbs.

Choose whole wheat products instead.

I don't know about you, but now I'm hungry.

How about you hungry, too?

Are there any tips or tests that you've used to improve your memory.

If so, remember toe let us know in the comments.

If you learn something new today, then give this video alike and share with a friend.

But hey, don't go memorizing the U.

S Constitution just yet.

We have over 2000 cool videos for your brain to feast on.

Just click on the left or right video.

Remember, Stay on the bright side of life.