4. University of Southern California researcher Elizabeth Zelinksi confirms that such mental exertion really does work to improve memory skills. In a presentation to the Gerontological Society of America in November, 2007, she reported on a study of 524 healthy seniors who worked an hour per day for eight weeks on a computer-based learning program called Brain Fitness 2.0 from Posit Science. She later told Time magazine that “the gains were equivalent to turning back the clock ten years.”

6. To boost memory and brain power, don’t just sit in your armchair doing mental exercises though. Physical exercise counts too! Time magazine reports that Dr. Barry Gordon, founder of the memory clinic at Johns Hopkins, is conducting research that has “shed new light” on the benefits of physical activity on memory. His work shows that exercise increases levels of a brain chemical called BDNF, which promotes the growth of new synapses. BDNF appears to be so important that one scientist has dubbed it “brain fertilizer.”  

8. The leaves of Gingko biloba, a tree so ancient it may be the world’s oldest living species, is known for improving blood flow, and it’s thought to improve memory. It may be worth a try – especially given the fact that blood flow is such a critical component for optimal brain function and memory.