From the mid-20s, brain function starts to decline, although you may not notice the effects until decades later. When synapses — the connections between the ends of nerve cells — aren’t switched on regularly, the brain finds it harder to store and retrieve information. However bad your memory is now, mental aerobics, good nutrition and moderate physical activity can elevate mental acuity and memory skills.
1. Cook with sage
Sage is traditionally associated with improving memory. Research has shown that people who take sage oil in capsule form before memory tests perform better than those who take a placebo. The purple variety is best — use it to flavour roasts and sauces or make a cup of surprisingly drinkable tea.
2. Take ginkgo
The herb ginkgo biloba has earned its reputation as a brain tonic because it has a beneficial effect on the peripheral blood circulation, improving blood supply to the brain. (It helps with piles and varicose veins for the same reason.) Gingko is prescribed to dementia patients in France and Germany. Take as an herbal extract or tincture as prescribed by your herbalist or following instructions on the pack. Avoid if taking other medication.
3. Switch hands
Use your “wrong” hand to manipulate the mouse, brush teeth and hair and open doors. This expands the circuits in the part of the brain that processes that hand.
4. Find everyday mental challenges
Get into the habit of attempting a crossword or Sudoku most days. One study found that people who complete a crossword four times a week seemed to have 47 per cent lowered risk of dementia.
5. Rearrange familiar objects
Move objects you habitually reach for without thinking in the morning: alarm clock, toothbrush, cutlery, breakfast cereal. This forces your brain to shift into gear early on and may make mornings more wakeful.
6. Become a lifelong student
Continuing study through each new decade keeps the brain performing in a youthful way. Book an adult education course (to maintain interest make it a subject you feel passionate about), join a book group or local history society, a choir with a challenging and changing repertoire or try something practical such as car maintenance. The social aspect is important: socializing with others keeps the memory sharp and brain agile.
7. Learn a language
Enrol in a language school or invest in a course to follow in the car or on the train. Learning languages stimulates the frontal lobes, the part of the brain that most often fades over the years. Book a holiday in a country that speaks the language and start buying local newspapers two weeks before you go. With a dictionary, pick through the weather report, arts reviews and TV guide.
Post from Health and Fitness on MSN. Article originally from CanadianLiving.com.
