| It’s never too late to start a memory loss | | | | circulation, as well as your mood. Additional |
| prevention program. | | | | benefits include lowering your blood pressure and |
| It’s true! You can actually get better at | | | | helping you lose weight. Start walking, ride a |
| remembering things, no matter what your age. | | | | bicycle, join a dance club or get a treadmill. As |
| Even people in their seventies and eighties can | | | | long as you’re moving, the blood is circulating |
| benefit from the following 7 simple strategies to | | | | and nourishing your brain as well as your body. |
| improve the memory loss that comes naturally | | | | 5. Use your head. That old adage “use it or |
| with aging. | | | | lose it” is good advice. Keep your brain active, |
| And the sooner you start, the longer you’ll | | | | as well as your body. There are a variety of |
| keep your mental faculties healthy and vigorous. | | | | ways to stimulate brain activity. Try doing the |
| First, though, what is memory? It’s the | | | | daily crossword puzzle. Join the Sudoku craze. |
| process of acquiring, storing and later retrieving | | | | Learn a new language or musical instrument. |
| information and knowledge. Whether it’s as | | | | Become a member of a book club or a knitting |
| simple as remembering your ABCs or a | | | | group. Try keeping track of your purchases in |
| friend’s phone number — or as | | | | your head the next time you go grocery shopping |
| complicated as filling out your tax form, memory | | | | and guessing what the total will be. In short, keep |
| is involved in nearly every activity in daily living. | | | | learning! |
| You work hard to maintain your body in good | | | | 6. Become a social butterfly. Research into |
| health and fitness. Why shouldn’t you keep | | | | Alzheimer's disease has uncovered the amazing |
| your mind healthy and fit as well? | | | | fact that people who participate in interesting and |
| But how do you maintain your brain and | | | | fun leisure and social activities maintain their |
| memory? The brain is living tissue. You can’t | | | | mental capabilities better into their later years of |
| simply add another memory chip like you can with | | | | life than do people who have a habit of staying |
| your home computer. | | | | home alone and sitting in front of the television |
| Instead, you can protect your brain by following | | | | set. |
| these 7 simple strategies for memory loss | | | | You can become more social by joining a dance |
| prevention, offered by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., | | | | class, doing volunteer work, attending concerts or |
| President and Medical Director of the non-profit | | | | visiting your local museum. Play board games with |
| Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation. | | | | your children or grandchildren or read to them. If |
| 1. Take charge of your blood pressure. Medical | | | | you play a musical instrument, team up with |
| studies have shown that high blood pressure in | | | | others who play instruments and form a musical |
| mid-life leads to poor brain function in later years. | | | | group. |
| Have your physician check your blood pressure, | | | | 7. Reduce stress. Let’s face it — modern |
| especially if you’re in your middle years of life. | | | | living is stressful. A certain amount of stress is |
| If it’s too high, correcting it now will make for | | | | beneficial, but too much or chronic stress can |
| a healthier mind later on. | | | | cause depression, affecting both your physical and |
| 2. Have your cholesterol checked. High | | | | mental well-being. |
| cholesterol may contribute to the formation of | | | | Meditation is an excellent way to lower your |
| amyloid plaques, a factor in Alzheimer's disease. | | | | stress level and calm anxiety. Yoga, too, improves |
| Lowering your cholesterol has been shown to also | | | | inner peace. Practice patience with family |
| lower your risk of developing Alzheimer's. | | | | members and co-workers. Plan your weekly |
| 3. Eat a healthy diet. Studies have shown that a | | | | schedule to avoid stressful conflicts — and be |
| diet rich in fruits and vegetables is beneficial in | | | | sure to include time for relaxation. Perform |
| counteracting the natural wear and tear on the | | | | random acts of kindness, like buying a friend |
| body as we age, especially the skin, heart, joints | | | | some flowers or a gift for your spouse. Keep a |
| and brain. Eating a diet that includes a variety of | | | | positive attitude. And smile! Smiling is a great |
| fruits and vegetables and is low in fat and | | | | stress-buster. |
| cholesterol will lead to better memory and | | | | Researchers have discovered that engaging in |
| cognitive abilities, as well as reduce the damage | | | | mental activities lowers the risk of dementia. It |
| aging causes to your brain, heart, skin and joints. | | | | also dramatically reduces the likelihood of |
| Also, many physicians specializing in treating | | | | developing memory problems. Memory loss |
| Alzheimer's patients recommend supplements of | | | | prevention is possible. By using the above 7 simple |
| vitamin E and other antioxidants, as well as | | | | strategies, you can improve your memory and |
| vitamin B12 and folate (folic acid). | | | | keep it young well into the last decades of your |
| 4. Keep moving. Regular physical activity | | | | life. Remember, it’s never too late to start. |
| improves your cardio function and blood | | | | |