It’s inevitable that our memory naturally worsens as we get older. Fortunately, there are also natural ways to improve your memory recall at any age. And we’re going to teach them to you in this guide.
Don’t worry: these tips aren’t difficult to implement into your normal routine. In fact, they mostly have to do with healthy living. As your lifestyle becomes healthier, so will your memory.
Read on and use these natural methods to keep your memory strong well into your later years.
Diet
The first pathway to a healthy memory is a healthy diet. Here are some ways you can improve your diet to boost memory function.
1. Cut These Memory Killers From Your Diet
First, let’s try to cut these brain-unhealthy foods from your regular diet. The worst offenders are soda and other sources of excess sugar. High intake of sugary beverages has been linked to impaired memory function and may even lead to Alzheimer’s Disease.
Similarly, refined carbs also negatively affect memory. These are common in foods made from highly-processed grains, like white bread and pasta.
Next, we’re all aware that memory and cognitive function are impaired when you’re drinking. But you may not know that drinking too much on a regular basis keeps you in a constant state of impairment, even after sobering up. Any more than one drink a day for women, two drinks a day for men will do this to you.
On the other hand, sticking to one glass of red wine a night (two for men) increases blood flow in your brain. This can improve memory and could prevent Alzheimer’s.
2. Eat These Memory Boosters
It’s a well-documented fact that consuming omega-3 fatty acids improves memory and cognitive function. These are especially high in fatty fish like salmon, tuna, sardines, halibut, mackerel, herring, and trout. But you can also get them from flaxseed, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, seaweed, broccoli, spinach, soybeans, kidney beans, and pinto beans.
Next, anti-inflammatory foods high in antioxidants can also improve memory. To that end, try to get at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Green tea and chocolate (the darker, the better) are also high in antioxidants.
Lastly, Tumeric and garlic are also beneficial for strengthening your memory.
3. Take These Supplements
Furthermore, if any of the beneficial nutrients listed above are gagworthy to your tastebuds, you can supplement them. Garlic or Tumeric supplements, for example, can be found almost anywhere. So can omega-3, usually labeled as “Fish Oil.”
Vitamin D has been known to assist cognitive function. Although absorbing sunlight into your skin is a better source of this.
Besides these, there are nootropics, also known as “smart drugs.” There are many varieties of nootropics, each with different benefits, including some made from all-natural ingredients.
Many who have tried them have seen great results, although some have experienced side effects. You should definitely do some research (and ask your doctor) before trying them. There’s a very complete guide on nootropics at advancedliving.com that can help with this.
Exercise
Next on the path to a strong memory is exercise. That goes for your mind as well as your body.
4. Work Out Your Brain
Puzzle games that work out your cognitive skills actually train your mind to be stronger. This works the same way that strength training does for your muscles.
You can find games that are specifically designed and scientifically-approved to boost brain function. But any game that challenges or teaches your mind works well. Even Tetris has been proven to enhance memory capacity.
Besides games, any activity that requires focus, teaches you something new, or challenges your problem-solving skills counts as brain training.
5. Work Out Your Body
In addition, physical exercise also boosts mental ability. Since your brain needs oxygen from blood to function, aerobic exercise that gets your heart pumping keeps your mind healthy and efficient.
Exercise improves physical and mental reaction time. And it can take your mind of daily stressors, letting your brain relax and destress.
Destress
Speaking of destressing, stress is a huge cognitive killer. Think about it: how well does your mind work when you are stressed?
Our brains perform at top function when they are at peace. Here are some tips for achieving a peaceful state of mind.
6. Meditation and Mindfulness
Meditation and mindfulness practices aren’t new-age mumbo jumbo. They are scientifically-proven methods to improve your state of mind.
For instance, meditation actually increases your brain’s grey matter. The natural loss of grey matter that comes with age is a big reason why we lose memory function later in life.
Mindfulness just means keeping your mind only in the present, shutting everything else out. To practice mindfulness, simply focus on what is happening around you or in your body that very moment.
One of the easiest ways is to pay attention to your breathing. Progressive muscle relaxation is great, too.
7. Laugh
Laughter truly is one of the best preventative medicines. For one thing, letting yourself laugh means you are relaxed enough to do so. The more you laugh, the more times a day you are in a relaxed state.
Comedy and humor also help you develop creativity.
8. Healthy Relationships
People learn from each other and grow better together. Keeping connected with others keeps your mind engaged and helps you build meaningful memories.
It also keeps your mind from the damaging and stressful effects of isolation. Staying close to your loved ones improves your mood, helps you learn, and increases laughter.
Keep Healthy
Here are other ways that keeping your body healthy leads to a healthy mind.
9. Get Plenty of Sleep
Getting enough sleep is essential for good brain function. Your mind needs to rest to replenish certain resources. Getting insufficient amounts or quality of sleep is guaranteed to impair all your mental abilities, including memory recall.
Adults should get 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.
10. See a Doctor
Finally, your poor memory recall could be linked to a specific health condition. Or, it could result later from a condition you have now.
The bottom line is, make regular appointments with your doctor to keep yourself healthy. After all, the mind cannot be healthy without the body.
Improve Your Memory Recall Naturally
Do you want to improve your memory recall and prevent Alzheimer’s the natural way? Then keep this list and follow these tips. If you found this guide helpful, please share it on social media.