The Art of Cuisine

I found this very interesting. Are we ready to boost our memories?

From Healthy Living Lifestyle, Wellness, and Fitness Articles from Health.com and Health Magazine

15 Ways to Boost Your Memory in Your 30s, 40s, 50s, and Beyond August 24, 2009

By Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

From Health magazineCan’t find your keys … again? Whether your momentary memory loss is linked to doing too many things at once or just a bad case of menopausal brain fog,you don’t have to put up with it. In fact, experts say you caninstantly boost your chances of remembering where you put your keys—andeverything else you keep forgetting—if you start treating your brainright (no matter your age). Our simple lifestyle changes will help youstay sharp as the years go by.

The 30s

Floss every day

What do loving licorice and hating the idea of flossing have in common? Both can contribute to plaque on your teeth,which is surprisingly bad for your brain. “The plaque between teeth cancause an immune reaction that attacks arteries, which then can’tdeliver vital nutrients to brain cells,” says Michael Roizen, MD,co-author of YOU—The Owner’s Manual: An Insider’s Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger. Solution? Floss every day. Can’t remember? Keep the floss where you store your morning makeup.

Multitask at the gym

Just as working out can keep your body in good shape as you age,stretching your brain can keep it in top form, too. And doing themtogether is double the fun: Do a crossword puzzle while riding astationary bike or listen to language lessons on your iPod whilerunning. Scientists say that working the body and mind at the same timerevitalizes brain cells. Don’t like multitasking? Hit the crosswordright after the gym, when your brain is energized.

Go fish

Look to the sea for healthy ways to feed your brain. DHA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in salmon, trout, and some fortified foods such as yogurt, is a super saver for your memory. “DHA decreases arterial inflammationand improves repair of the protective sheath around nerves,” Dr. Roizensays. “The result is less age-related memory loss, less Alzheimer’sdisease, less depression, and a quicker mind.”

The 40s

Steal your kids’ toys

There’s a new version of that Rubik’s Cube that you loved as kid. It’sthe 3-D-like Rubik’s 360, and it’s probably good for brains of any age,because it sharpens flexible problem-solving skills, saysneuropsychologist Karen Spangenberg Postal, PhD, president of theMassachusetts Psychological Association. The key: As you play, you’reworking on your memory, strategy, and spatial skills—all required forimproving brain health—at the same time. What if you always found theCube endlessly frustrating? No worries: Any game that stretches your thinking is helpful.

Just do it

Elevating your heart rate three times a week for 20 minutes—even just by walking—bathesyour brain in oxygen and helps it grow new cells. “Aerobic exercise istwo to three times as effective as any known brain-training activity,”says Sam Wang, PhD, associate professor of neuroscience at PrincetonUniversity and co-author of Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys but Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life.If you have no time for the gym during the week, that’s OK: Recentresearch shows moderate to vigorous exercise even just once a week(say, a weekend jog) makes you 30 percent more likely to maintain yourcognitive function as you age.

Start a bridge club

If book clubs bore you and dinner parties leave you exhausted, thenmaybe a brisk game of bridge is just what the doctor ordered. Thecombination of strategy and memory in bridge challenges the brain tolearn new information and exercises cells so they don’t die, Dr. Postalsays. Plus, socializing while playing cards adds a level ofunpredictability that gives your brain a charge—something solo gamesdon’t offer. Bridgeis definitely on the comeback, so you can learn to play through acommunity college or continuing education program, or hire a privateinstructor for lessons.

The 50s Plus

Use chopsticks

“Studies show that engaging the concentrated areas of nerve cells inyour fingertips directly stimulates your brain,” says Maoshing Ni, PhD,author of Second Spring: Dr. Mao’s Hundreds of Natural Secrets for Women to Revitalize and Regenerate at Any Age.Truth is, any fingertip activity—using chopsticks, knitting, or evenrolling a pen or pencil between your fingers—also helps your brain byboosting your circulation. And good circulation helps eliminate wasteproducts that can prevent nutrients from reaching your brain.

Play electronic games

No, you’re not too old for a Wii or one of the new handheldbrain-exercise games. And it may even be good for you, since simplytrying something new gets your brain juiced, says neuropsychologistReon Baird, PhD, of the Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. “When thatsomething new is a video game, you’ll stimulate different parts of thebrain that you don’t normally use on a day-to-day basis,” she says. TryBrain Challenge for the Wii or Brain Age for the Nintendo DS. If that’stoo techy for you, play along with Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy! on TV,Dr. Baird says. Challenge your know-it-all spouse to make it more fun.

Be careful with meds

If you ache every time you work out and never sleep well due to nightsweats, there’s a pill for that. But be careful: Research in ClinicalInterventions in Aging reveals that nonprescription sleep aids maycause some “cognitive impairment”—like confusion— in older adults. Howmuch is unknown, but you’re probably familiar with the next-daygrogginess. And the medicine known as diphenhydramine(found in many allergy medications and nighttime pain pills) has an“anticholinergic” effect; it blocks communication between nerve cells.Talk with your doctor about other remedies like relaxation or cognitive therapy for sleep problems.

Best brain foods for everyone!

Studies suggest that natural chemicals in these foods, spices, and drinks combat cognitive decline.

• Asparagus
• Blueberries
• Cocoa
• Coffee
• Egg yolks
• Indian curry
• Red wine
• Rosemary
• Salmon
• Tomato sauce
• Walnuts

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