Give Your Brain A Boost

10 years ago

Puzzles are great for your brain and memory health, but can you do more?

"I have a terrible memory." How often have you heard that? When I meet new people and tell them I research and treat age-related memory loss, the most common response is "You should research me – my memory is so dreadful!" Is it really?

You can purchase this great book on GrownUps now.

Do you…

– Lose your glasses?

– Forget names?

– Go to the supermarket for milk and buy everything but?

– Have trouble remembering appointments?

– Forget why you went into another room?

What's happening? Are you losing your edge?

Many people are worried about memory and become concerned these occasional lapses may be the beginning of losing memory altogether. Perhaps you have been told that from the age of 50 you lose brain cells at a prodigious rate.

The good news is that neuroscience, with the aid of sophisticated imaging techniques, has blown away the old gloomy myths around ageing and memory. It is likely that your memory has dulled simply because your brain (and maybe your body, too!) is no longer in tip-top shape. You don't have to accept memory lapses as inevitable – you can take steps to improve your brain fitness.

After several years of researching memory, it became apparent that too many people accept memory loss as inevitable. With my sister Gillian Eadie, a noted educator, we combined our skills to create practical solutions to help people remember confidently and well at any age. Then our own mother, Jeanie, in her 90s, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. As we cared for her we became 'sisters on a mission' to make sure everyone knows we can grow new brain connections every day and harness the power of these neurons. And so the Memory Foundation was born, established to provide all the information you need to make sure memory serves you well.

We've had fun along the way. A partnership with The University of Auckland led to our very own memory games being enjoyed by older people on the University's delightful health robots. You can play our memory games yourself on the Memory Foundation website. We greatly enjoy the new confidence shown by people who take our Brain Fit for Life™ workshops.

Staying mentally active, engaging in physical exercise, staying socially engaged and other important lifestyle factors all contribute to a sharp memory. That’s well known. But so many people asked us, “How do we go about setting up the best memory habits?’ that we devised a plan to get brain and memory health on track.

The result is the book 7-Day Brain Boost Plan. Our own backgrounds of memory expertise and education combine with contributions from a nutritionist and exercise specialist to give a day-by-day, step-by-step plan.

The response from readers has been extraordinary. After we made a television appearance last week, an 87 year-old viewer rang to say he felt mentally 20 years younger!

You can purchase this great book on GrownUps now.

Check out the Memory Foundation website for yourself to enjoy our memory games, read about your memory, or try the 7-Day Brain Boost Plan.

Dr. Allison Lamont (Rotary Club of Auckland East) is founder and clinician at the Auckland Memory Clinic, or email dr.lamont(at)memory.foundation.