Give Your Brain Some Much Needed Love

Taking care of your brain is every bit as important as taking care of any other part of your body – especially as you head towards your “Golden Years.” Here are 5 things you can do to boost your memory and help protect that thing between your ears – enjoy!

  1. Walk more. A study published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that walking just 40 minutes a day, three times a week, helps increase the size of your hippocampus – the part of your brain that’s important for the formation of memories. As you age (around 55 – 60), the hippocampus starts to shrink, so keeping it healthy is critically important!

 

 

  1. Eat blueberries. This tasty fruit has powerful antioxidants that have been shown to help block the accumulation of amyloid-beta proteins in the brain that are thought to be partially responsible for the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. So eat up!

 

 

  1. Challenge yourself mentally. Do crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or even learn a new skill like ballroom dancing. Do anything that engages your thinking or forces you to learn new motor skills. This helps create new neural pathways that block the accumulation of plaque linked to memory decline.

 

  1. Doodle. Yes, you read that right. Doodling on a piece of paper helps you focus and keeps you sharp, according to research published in the journal Applied Cognitive Psychology. In the study, participants that doodled did 29% better on a memory test than those who did not.

 

  1. Take vinpocetine. This is an extract from the periwinkle plant and is nature’s own memory enhancer. It’s been used in Europe for over 20 years to help treat dementia and helps by enhancing blood flow to the brain.