How to Boost Memory with Natural Remedies

Memory loss does not have to be inevitable as you age. The brain needs certain nutrients to maintain the chemicals it uses to transmit memories. Eating a balanced, healthy diet that includes an array of vitamins and minerals -- as well as maintaining your levels of physical exercise as you age -- may be all you need to keep your memory functioning properly. These tips may also reduce your chance of developing conditions like dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Here are some ways to boost your memory with natural remedies.

Instructions

• 1

  Eating foods rich in vitamin C and E can help boost your memory.

  Include plenty of the antioxidant vitamins, C and E, in your diet. Whether you eat foods rich in these vitamins or take supplements, vitamins C and E have been found to protect against memory loss and the onset of dementia. One 2002 study published in the "Archives of Neurology" found that people who had high quantities of vitamin E in their diet were 36 percent less likely to experience a decline in mental abilities.

  The recommended daily allowance of vitamin C is 90 milligrams a day and the RDA of vitamin E is 22 international units (IUs).

• 2

  Bananas are a good source of B vitamins.

  Take a daily B-complex vitamin that includes folic acid. Vitamin B-12 is especially important for retaining memory. According to Mark Stengler, ND, author of "The Natural Physician's Healing Therapies", researchers found that taking vitamin B-12 can slow memory decline by one-third.

• 3

  DHA comes from cold water fish like salmon.

  Take DHA supplements to improve memory. Docosahexaenoic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid that is naturally found in cold water fish and algae. A study published in the November 2010 issue of "Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association" found that memory and learning abilities improved in healthy older people who had mild memory loss after taking DHA supplements for six months. DHA comes in capsule form and is also found in fish oil supplements along with EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).

  The recommended dose of DHA is 1,000 to 2,500 milligrams per day.

• 4

  Eat more foods that contain lecithin. Lecithin assists in building cell membranes and is one of the few components that can get through the blood-brain barrier. Acetylcholine is the substance that has been found to be missing in Alzheimer's patients. Most people can get enough lecithin through their diet, but supplements are available. Foods rich in lecithin include soybeans, legumes, grains, fish, egg yolks, wheat germ and peanuts.

  The recommended dose is 550 milligrams of lecithin a day.

• 5

  Walking daily as you age can help reduce memory loss.

  Take a daily walk. A study published in the October 2010 issue of "Neurology" found that people who walked at least six miles each week can protect the brain from shrinking and losing memories as they age. At the end of the 13 year study, researchers found that the participants who continued to walk between six to nine miles a week were 50 percent less likely to lose memory than those who walked less.