Like your muscles, your brain gets flabby if you don’t exercise it. To find out the best ways to strengthen your brain, take Health’s anti-aging quiz (below), developed with Louis Cozolino, PhD, a professor of psychology at Pepperdine University and author of The Healthy Aging Brain: Sustaining Attachment, Attaining Wisdom (W.W. Norton, 2008; $35). Read More
New studies show Cabernet Sauvignon, fruit and vegetable juice, and coffee might help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. The drinks slowed buildup of a damaging protein, which scientists believe kills brain cells related to learning and memory. So how much do you need? It takes one 4-ounce glass of the wine a day, says a study by Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Read More
Need a reason to hit the dance floor? “Recent research suggests that dance provides both physical and psychological benefits,” says Christina Devereaux, public relations chairperson for the American Dance Therapy Association. Move to the music and … Read More
Remember those card-matching games you used to ace? Get your game (and memory) back with our guide to staying smart through the ages.
While ransacking your purse in search of your cell phone, it dawns on you: You’re talking on it. So you keep chatting away, surely on the verge of a clever remark … but what were you saying again? Hey, we all have a brain lapse now and then—and judging by the Sudoku craze and the boom in video games and gizmos designed to boost our memories—forgetting is contagious. That’s why we’ve collected age-specific tricks to keep you sharp. Read More
If you forget to pick up your dry cleaning once or twice, it’s unlikely that dementia is around the corner (although your favorite silk dress may be). Letting a few errands slip isn’t a sure sign of the disease. Really important symptoms include loss of control over speech, trouble completing simple tasks like balancing a checkbook, and confusion about where you are. In fact, your memory losses may simply be due to a shortage of vitamin B12. According to Harvard research, a deficiency can produce symptoms similar to dementia and Alzheimer’s. There’s plenty of the vitamin in meats, chicken, fish, dairy products, and fortified breakfast cereal.
Still worried? Consider talking to a therapist if you’re superanxious about memory loss. A study by the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago found that people plagued by worry, anxiety, or depression are more prone to developing a condition that’s a precursor to Alzheimer’s.
You can’t find your glasses (they’re on your head), you forgot the morning staff meeting (it was an hour ago), and the kids are safely at school (but their lunches are still on the kitchen counter). Oh well, when you’re crazy-busy, exhausted, or valiantly multitasking from morning till night, something’s gotta give—and it’s usually your memory. Not to worry: A little memory loss is perfectly normal once you hit middle age, says Martha Weinman Lear, author of the forthcoming book Where Did I Leave My Glasses? The What, When, and Why of Normal Memory Loss. But, guess what? You don’t have to put up with it. Our 10 memory-boosting tricks will have you remembering where you parked the car in no time. Read More
Misplace your keys? Forget your best friend’s birthday? If sticky notes are fast replacing your actual memory, you might want to check out the growing list of computer- and Internet-based games and programs designed to help make you think smarter and faster. Read More
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