How to Improve Your Memory

A recent study alleviated fears that statins–taken by 1 in 4 adults over 40–cause memory loss. But how do you strengthen recall in general? We asked Dr. Majid Fotuhi, chairman of the Memosyn Neurology Institute, to share the latest research-backed insights.

1 GO DANCING

It’s a brain-building triple threat: physical activity protects the brain, learning lets it grow, and socialization helps it thrive. Fotuhi recommends the tango.

2 LEARN SOMETHING NEW

Pre-GPS, cabbies had to learn their cities’ streets and traffic patterns–a challenging mental exercise that over their career actually grew the part of the brain associated with spatial memory, one study found.

3 TAKE OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

The combo of DHA and EPA, two healing molecules, increases blood flow to the brain, reduces inflammation and helps repair neurons, Fotuhi says. His research also suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may slow cognitive decline.

–MANDY OAKLANDER