The number one way to improve your memory

Memory loss is the single biggest fear forAmericans over the age of 55. And it’s understandable: over 4million currently suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, and thosenumbers are expected to quadruple by 2050, according tothe Alzheimer's Foundation. That may be why products promisingto improve your brain function are flooding the market. Sudoku andcrossword puzzles are said to improve memory association skills, though critics believe only when put to task bythose puzzles. Ginkgo infused soft drinks line the grocery aisle,ever since the root was suggested to combat dementia (it doesn't). Even celery has been loosely linked to mentalacuity. But the truth is there’s not enough hard evidence that anyof these things really work.In fact, there’s only one practice that’s been proven, withoutquestion, to preserve your memory: exercise. "Aerobicactivities tend to show larger effects than non-aerobicactivities," University of Pittsburgh psychologistKirk Erickson tells Yahoo.Working up a sweat helps your mind stay fit better than anycrossword puzzle--unless you're doing that crossword on atreadmill.[Related: 18 memory tricks you need to know][Photos: First photographs of'ghosts']The good news is that you don’t need to run a marathon. Justwalking six miles a week can ward off memory disorders caused byaging, according to Erickson's research published thismonth in the medical journal Neurology. "Itappears that if people start exercising their memory may improveand if you continue to exercise, that might delay, or offset, theage-related decline in memory," he explains.
And you don't need to lift any heavy barbells either. Ericksonand his team monitored 300 senior adults over a period of 13 years,and found that those who walked between 6 and 9 miles aweek—whether to work or with the dog--had half the braindeterioration of those who didn’t. "Exercise seems to enhancesome of the more fundamental properties of our brain,"Erickson explains. "It increases the growth of new cells andimproves cellular processes associated with learning andmemory." To put it simply, walking keeps your gray matterfrom shrinking. And the more matter, the more mind.Another study publishedearlier this year suggests exercise can actually help your braingrow. A moderate workout may generate new brain cells. And not justany brain cells, but cells that specifically help to distinguishbetween memories, so each recollection stands out. It’s the kind offunction you rely on every day, says Tim Bussey, one of the authorsof the Cambridge University study. "[These cells helpwith] remembering which car parking space you have used on twodifferent days in the previous week." But exercise isn't the only way to keep tabs on your parkingspot. There are some supplemental practices that doctors recommendin addition to a regular walk-a-thon. Diets rich in Omega fatty acids are instrumental inkeeping your brain from aging. Two servings of salmon a week,provides ingredients that support brain tissue and enhance nervecell function. Balancing fish with the other elements of aMediterranean diet, like fruits and vegetables, has been found tolower the chances of cognitive decline. When itcomes to memory retrieval, self-testing can be beneficial. In other words,pausing between paragraphs of an article and asking yourself toparaphrase the information, or repeat a fact. It can't hurt ifthat article is written in anotherlanguage. Bilingualism, says one new study, helps ward off Alzheimer’sfor up to four years. But it doesn't prevent the diseasealtogether. Your best bet: Walk it off.