Lifestyle

Engage the brain
Some people may benefit from software marketed for brain enhancement, although Logan doesn't put too much stock in the programs. You'll do better, he says, by increasing social interaction to stimulate the brain. "Learn something new," adds Lottor, who recommends organizations like Elderhostel, which hosts participants on learning adventures around the world. Of course, it doesn't hurt to do a daily crossword or sudoku puzzle, as well.

Move it
To really nourish your mind, take a walk. In a 2004 study, subjects who walked up to six hours per week, or more than two miles a day, improved their cognitive abilities (Journal of the American Medical Association, 2004, vol. 292, no. 12). "Take the opportunity to walk whenever you can," says Logan, who says exercise benefits the brain because it increases blood flow throughout the body and lowers stress levels.

Kelli Rosen is a freelance writer in Monkton, Maryland.