Change your lifestyle – boost your memory

Did you ever eat fish the night before an exam because it was ‘brain food’? In fact, it’s not such an old wives’ tale. Fish, especially oily fish, is bursting with omega-3 fats, which are essential for a healthy brain.

But it’s not just fish that can keep us bright and alert. A good balanced diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit, carbohydrate such as potatoes and rice, protein (particularly fish!), nuts and seeds, is vital for overall health as we move into our later years. Trans (or hydrogenated) fats, on the other hand, actually stop the good fats in fish from doing their work effectively – they are best avoided!

There are other changes you can make to your lifestyle that will actively help your memory. Regular aerobic exercise (walking is great!), keeping your blood pressure down, doing puzzles and reading, sleeping well and getting out and about to meet other people regularly, will all help keep the little grey cells working well for you.

What are your tips for keeping your memory sharp? We’d love to hear them.

Best wishes,

Simplyheath team

[Jamie13]

This made me smile we always used to eat fish before our exams when I was at school! I managed to scrape through most of them so I suppose it might have done some good! I don't eat much fish these days cos I don't like it much but I might start to eat more cos my memory is definitely going. My husband too. We laugh because it's so absurd that two intelligent people can't remember the word for something simple. The other day it was 'mushrooms'. Why do words escape you?

[JCA1]

I heard a lot about trans (or hydrogenated) fats but I've absolutely no idea what they are so I may or may not be eating them. Can you provide a list of foods that contain these please.

[lharris in reply to JCA1]

Hydrogenation is the process that turns liquid oil into a more solid fat. Liquid oils are ‘hardened’ by adding hydrogen to stabilise the fat, making it easier to use in recipes for biscuits, cakes, pastry, and other processed foods.

[Helengemini17]

I worked with special needs children for a few years and to help their concentration we gave them Omega 3-6-9 and it did really help them. Our diet is deficient in omega 3 and this has been linked to dementia so all we can do to stay healthy must be a good thing.