Senior Brain Boosters

As you get older, you may find you are becoming more forgetful. You don't have to resign yourself to memory loss though. Here are some simple brain boosters to help keep your brain sharp.

1. Go for a walk. Walking is one of the best things you can do for your body, including your brain. Also, some studies suggest physical activity also triggers the release of a protein called BDNF that promotes healthy nerve cells in the brain. That could give your memory a boost.

2. Go Mediterranean. "There's good evidence for the Mediterranean-style diet," says Argye Hillis, MD, professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Keeping to a Mediterranean diet doesn't mean pasta and pizza, she says, "but lots of fruits and vegetables, fish rather than red meat, and olive oil."

3. Engage your Brain. Play cards, join a book club, watch a football game with friends, or play a brain-training app. Any mentally challenging activity will keep your mind sharp.

4. Stay Social. Card games and book clubs also keep you socially active -- another plus for your brain.

5. Sleep Right. Try avoiding big meals before bed, and go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning.

6. Stop Stress. Try different ways to relax, like meditation, yoga, or massage.

7. Stub Out Cigarettes. Smoking speeds up memory loss as you age. If you smoke, quit.

8. Get Checked. Sometimes, medical conditions can cause memory loss. Examples include: Depression, Diabetes, Thyroid Disease, and Vitamin deficiency.​

9. Use Memory Tricks. Mentally connect each new name with an image. If you meet a girl named April, picture a tree in bloom to represent the month of April.

To read the original article from WebMD, go to https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/9-brain-boosters-to-prevent-memory-loss#1.