Things to Help With Memory Loss

As you age, your brain's effective performance decreases due to inflammation, chemical reactions and dying neurons. This leads to memory loss and diminished senses. Although these symptoms may seem inevitable as part of the aging process, you can take several steps to slow the deterioration of your brain. A healthy diet, constant mental activity and social life can all contribute to maintaining your short-term and long-term memory skills well into your old age.

Fatty Acids

• Your neurons, or brain cells, are created from fatty acids that your body cannot produce naturally. According to the Franklin Institute, the two types of acids essential to proper brain function are omega-3 and omega-6. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in most kinds of fish, especially salmon and tuna. Eat these instead of red meat whenever possible. Omega-6 fatty acids can be found in cooking oils such as canola oil or sesame oil. They also appear as a primary ingredient in fried foods. It's important to have these two types of fatty acids in equal proportions in your diet.

Regular Brain Activity

• Like a muscle, the brain can become weaker through lack of stimulation. When the brain is regularly stimulated, neurons form new connections with one another. Learning a new skill, reading regularly, doing a crossword puzzle or simply breaking away from a normal routine can repair or slow memory loss as you age. Chess is an especially challenging activity for the brain; the multitude of opening moves forces your brain to branch out and consider new possibilities and memorize potential variants on strategy.

Socializing

• Keeping a healthy social network can also boost your memory and performance. When you socialize with people in person, you interact with them using all five of your senses to pick up on subtle nuances of their mood and the meanings of their words. This forces all your senses to work together. In addition to increased neural activity, an active, healthy social life reduces stress. According to the University of California, an abundance of cortisol, the stress hormone, can damage the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the area of the brain responsible for long-term memory storage. It is especially vulnerable to stress-related diseases or anxiety.