Here’s what you can do to keep your memory strong.
Take part in a wide range of activities to improve the connection between nerve cells in the brain that relay messages. If you work with numbers, you might spend your spare time doing ceramics, writing, or painting to protect against mental decline.
Tackle routine mental tasks (such as balancing the checkbook) in your head, instead of delegating them to a calculator.
Eat plenty of foods high in the antioxidant vitamins, such as C (found in oranges), E (found in nuts), and betacarotene (found in carrots). They may protect cells in the brain responsible for memory by blocking the attack of free radicals (unstable oxygen molecules).