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Memory: Use it or Lose it!
Do you feel like your memory is not as sharp as it used to be? Perhaps you find yourself forgetting the little things, like where you set your car keys, or where you parked your car in the grocery store parking lot. Maybe it takes you a few minutes to conjure up certain details that normally you would know off the top of your head – like the name of an old flame, or what year your granddaughter is in school. You may have just chalked up such mental fogginess to the normal aging process and figure nothing can be done to change it.
So . . . can anything be done to change it?
Well, yes . . . and no. While some age-related memory loss is a result of genetics, illness or environmental factors, it can be avoided, even improved, if you take the proper steps towards staying sharp.
Engage in regular mental exercise. The mind is like a muscle that needs to be challenged, and regular exercise keeps it running efficiently. Crossword puzzles and Sudoku are fun daily ways to challenge your memory and problem-solving skills. Also, it’s never too late to go back to school! Enroll in continuing education courses at your local university, or take a less formal class at your local community center. Have you always wanted to learn to speak Italian? Interested in the works of Shakespeare? Curious what it takes to be a massage therapist? Take a course, just for fun, in something that interests you and your brain will get a workout as you learn.
Move your body. Regular physical exercise does a brain good, too. Aerobic activities, such as jogging, cycling, rowing—really, anything that elevates the heart rate for at least twenty to thirty minutes five days a week—increases the circulation of blood to the brain and makes you feel more alert.
Get plenty of rest. The less you sleep, the less likely you are to retain recently-learned information. Seven hours or more a night of uninterrupted sleep is ideal.
Feed your mind. Gingko biloba can improve your ability to concentrate for longer periods of time and improve both long and short-term memory. Ginseng can help sharpen your overall memory skills. Omega-3s have been shown to improve cognitive functioning, and antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, E and flavonoids, ward off damaging free radicals that can negatively impact the memory. A vitamin B complex containing B6, B12 and folic acid can improve recognition, recall and verbal skills.
Remember, age-related memory loss doesn’t have to be inevitable. Use it, so you won’t lose it!
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