A study Shea coauthored with Amy Chan, PhD, published last year in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, found that mice suffering from the equivalent of normal human age-related memory loss or early Alzheimer's disease got a memory boost when they consumed a daily dose of apple juice. After just 1 month, those mice did a far superior job on a maze, which tests short-term memory, than the animals that didn't get the drink. Shea has begun clinical trials to determine whether humans get a similar benefit. In the meantime, he recommends consuming two or three apples or two 8-ounce glasses of apple juice each day; even one will give your brain a good lift.
Rev Up Your Heart
Old-fashioned cardio can also keep your memory spry by improving a number of aspects of brain functions. Last year, researchers from the University of Illinois, Urbana, put two groups of older, healthy adult volunteers on different regimens. One group did aerobic training three times a week for 1 hour; the other did non-aerobic stretching and toning.
MRIs taken after 3 months showed that the aerobics group actually increased their brains' volume (which could reflect new neurons or cells) and white matter (connections between neurons) in the frontal lobes, which contribute to attention and memory processing. The aerobic exercisers, who ranged from age 60 to 79, had the brain volumes of people 2 to 3 years younger, said Arthur Kramer, PhD, who reported his results in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences. Taking a 1-hour walk at a brisk, slightly breathless pace three times a week will likely confer the same benefits.
Believe In Your Brain
Do you find yourself worrying about forgetfulness? Give it up! Any anxiety you feel about your occasionally wayward memory later in life may actually make it worse. In a recent North Carolina State University study published in Psychology and Aging, healthy older folks scored poorly on memory tests after being informed that aging causes forgetfulness.
When another group was told that there wasn't much of a decline in their recall abilities with age, however, they scored 15% higher even better than a control group told nothing about memory and age. "Believing in negative stereotypes can be a self-fulfilling prophecy," says head researcher and psychology professor Thomas M. Hess, PhD. "That's a shame because your memory probably isn't nearly as bad as you fear it is."
High-Tech Brain Power
Your teen knows best: Video games are good for your brain
What's an eight-letter word for brain booster? The answer could be Nintendo. Experts say playing one of the new games specially designed to improve your focus could have the indirect effect of getting your memory in shape.
"Whenever you solve puzzles or do brainteasers, you're making the connections between your neurons work more efficiently, which is like putting money in the bank," says Stuart Zola, PhD, an Alzheimer's researcher at Emory University. But if you get too good at one game, quickly proceed to the next level, or try a new one altogether. Your brain is very much like a muscle: It needs constant challenge to grow.
For starters, try:
Nintendo's Brain Age, a computer game featuring a set of fun reading and mathematical exercises to be done every day.
A "virtual mental gymnasium" at My Brain Trainer, where you can calculate your "brain age" and work to lower it.
Check out our selection of games from the "brain fitness" experts at Happy Neuron.
Buyer Beware: Ginkgo biloba
Should you take ginkgo biloba for a memory boost? These experts make a less-than-compelling case for the supplement.
Maybe: "The jury is still out. Some studies suggest that ginkgo is useful, but more research needs to be done. If you're going to take ginkgo, you should do it with caution. It has side effects, such as reducing the ability of your blood to clot, that could be a problem if you take aspirin or a blood thinner. So check with your doctor to make sure it won't interact with your medications." Stuart Zola, PhD, codirector of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Emory University
No: "A National Institute on Aging study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found absolutely no memory benefits when normal people take ginkgo biloba supplements. And, as is true with all herbal supplements, which are unregulated, you can never be certain what you're getting in the bottle. Consumers should be very wary." Aaron P. Nelson, PhD, assistant professor, and author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to Achieving Optimal Memory
Glass of Red for your Head
Here's a pleasing Rx for boosting brainpower: Flex your noodle by doing crossword puzzles and brain teasers for an hour or so, then cool down with a glass of wine it, too, may help preserve your memory. According to research done by Philippe Marambaud, PhD, a compound in red wine, resveratrol, may help ward off Alzheimer's disease.
Marambaud, a senior research scientist at New York's Litwin-Zucker Research Center for the Study of Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders, found in lab experiments that resveratrol hampered the formation of beta-amyloid protein, a key ingredient in plaque found in the brains of people who die with Alzheimer's disease.
Alcohol's benefits to the heart it can help lower cholesterol levels may also protect against memory loss by improving circulation to the brain, says Aaron Nelson, PhD. But remember, everything in moderation: "Drinking more than a glass won't help, and it just might hurt."
New Thinking On Memory - Page 1 - Aging Well - MSN Health & Fitness
Crappy memory?
Re: Crappy memory?
Mine used to be really good but I don't know what happened. I was watching a movie with a friend and I couldn't remember the name of an actor I liked. It was on the tip of my tongue but I just coudln't get it. 
So I asked her and she was like "Gerrard Butler." Not even a minute had gone by and I turned to ask her atleast 3 more times. 
