Consumer Reports' Five Ways to Keep Your Memory Sharp

The March 2007 issue of Consumer Reports has more than the usual product comparisons -- it also has a quick look at what lifestyle changes have been shown to aid memory.

Here are their recommendations and our own commentary:

Work Out - because research indicates that a healthy cardiovascular system is key to maintaining brain health.

Stay Connected - CR cites a study showing that older adults with smaller social networks showed a substantial decline in cognitive ability versus their peers (no word in the CR article whether this was cause, correlation, or effect).

Exercise Your Brain - CR cites "several recent clinical trials" showing the benefit of memory training and other mental exercise. We've written elsewhere at LifeTwo about the ongoing debate on this issue -- others argue that all you're doing is training yourself to do one thing well, and not necessarily improving overall performance. However, Sudoku and the like can't hurt.

Curb Stress -- simply put, stress releases hormones that damage brain cells. They cite a 2006 survey of older adults that showed that memory performance declined with additional sources of stress. Although not mentioned in the CR piece, stress can also cause secondary effects on the cardiovascular system, which in turn affect the brain. CR recommends stress-reducing activities such as exercise, yoga, or even talking to a sympathetic friend.

Feed Your Mind - a healthy diet that promotes blood flow is a good brain diet.

These five points won't be surprising to anyone who's looked into brain health issues, but they're a reminder that maintaining brain health doesn't have to be complicated.

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