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RealAge Tip of the DAY for December 5, 2007
Blueberry Fields Forever!
Think berries of the blue variety and your mental brawn could go on and on.

Compounds in this tiny fruit may help protect you from two processes linked to brain-cell aging: inflammation and oxidation. And there's no tastier way to keep your brain keeping on! (see below ?)
Potent Polyphenols
Research shows that polyphenols -- powerful plant-based substances that are abundant in tea, red wine, and blueberries -- have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Why does that matter to your brain? Because both oxidative stress and inflammation appear to play a part in Alzheimer's disease.
Brain Builders
Although you can't turn back time, you can take steps to get peak performance from your brain. Start with these options:

* Bend your mind with word games. (see below)
* Boost your memory with mnemonic techniques. (see below.)
* Take your vitamins. (see below.)

RealAge Benefit: Getting the right amount of antioxidants through diet or supplements can make your RealAge 6 years younger.
Exercise Your Brain: Crossword Puzzles Can Do the Trick

If you made a New Year's resolution to get your body in shape this year, why not do the same for your brain? Challenging your mind is as important as challenging your muscles when it comes to making your RealAge younger.

Word games are a great way to fire up your neurons and stimulate those brain synapses. Complete the RealAge "Super Foods" crossword puzzle and find out which nutrition-packed foods will help keep you in top form, head to toe.

Using your mouse, click each numbered box to read the clue for that word, and fill in the answers. Incorrect entries appear red. Use your mouse, not your keyboard, to navigate backward.

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To solve the puzzle and learn more about these 14 super foods, click here.
Down
1. Rich in vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, fiber, potassium, and iron, these "sweetie pie" eats shouldn't wait for the holidays.
2. One clove of this potent spice contains more than 15 antioxidants.
4. These tangy treats are rich in vitamin C and are as likely to be turned into juice as they are to be eaten whole.
5. This "berry" wonderful fruit is full of vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and pectin.
6. Nothing about this fruit will make you "melon-choly." Just one cup provides more than 50% of the recommended daily value of vitamin A.
9. Holy cow! Brimming with protein and riboflavin, this slimmed-down sipper has more calcium than its whole-fat cousin and contains osteoporosis-fighting calcium.
11. This amazing food contains iron, calcium, magnesium, and fiber. And it's the only food to contain genistein, which may inhibit breast cancer by decreasing estrogen levels. Tofu to you!
12. No "strings" attached, these contain protein, folic acid, and fiber, and may lower both your cholesterol and your cancer risk.
Across
3. One cup of this whole grain contains more than 20% of the recommended daily value of magnesium and selenium. It also contains antioxidants and fiber. Talk about grain power!
7. This food is "cherry." These fruits are rich in lycopene, a phytochemical that can boost heart and prostate health.
8. Popeye's favorite food, it contains vitamin C, vitamin E, folic acid, protein, calcium, and beta carotene.
10. This food should bring tears of joy to your eyes because it may help control high cholesterol, as well as prevent heart attacks and stomach cancer.
13. Chock-full of beta-carotene, this veggie has a reputation for helping eyesight, but its real strength is that it may help prevent cancer, reduce the risk of heart attack, and lower cholesterol.
14. Packed with soluble fiber, which may help lower cholesterol, this super food also has iron, copper, folic acid, vitamin E, and zinc. Hot or cold, eat it by the bowlful or mix it into your favorite cookie recipe.
Flex Your Memory
Written by RealAge, Inc., peer-reviewed by Dr. Axel Goetz, September 2005

Have you ever driven to the store, only to forget to buy one or more of the items you needed? You could make a list ahead of time, or you could use a handy mnemonic technique to sharpen your memory and remember everything in one stop.

The mnemonic technique relies on the fact that your brain uses information from all your senses—touch, sight, smell, hearing, and taste—to form your memories.

For example, have you ever noticed how a certain smell can remind you of someone or something from your past? Information from your nose is processed partly by the limbic system, a part of the brain involved in memory and emotion that stores memories.

The more senses engaged while experiencing an event, the more likely you'll be to remember it. For the following brain game, use your imagination to create associations based on your five senses to help you remember something practical, such as that list of grocery store items.

Memory-Making Mnemonic
Suppose you're preparing for a picnic, and you want to remember a list of items to bring: napkins, plastic cups, paper plates, chairs, soda, and a potato salad.

First, choose a favorite and familiar place, such as a bedroom, backyard, or neighborhood park, and create a mental map of that place. Imagine the surroundings in as much detail as you can, noticing colors, sounds, smells, and feelings associated with the setting. Can you visualize 5 to 10 objects in this space? These objects are the foundation for your memory device, or mnemonic; once you fix them in your mind, you can use them to help you remember almost anything.

Let's say your favorite place is your backyard, and you easily visualize a rose bush, tree, cobblestone path, doghouse, garden hose, and patio table.

Create an association between each item on your picnic list and one of the objects in this backyard.

For example, you might imagine napkins covering your rose bush, with the thorns sticking through the paper. See plastic cup ornaments hanging from the tree and paper plates lining the cobblestone path. Visualize a stack of chairs sitting on top of the doghouse, soda streaming from the garden hose, and a potato salad spread all over the patio table. The crazier and sillier your associations, the better the memory device will work.

When it's time to get your picnic items together, close your eyes and take a mental walk around your decorated backyard. You'll be sure to remember everything! RA

Take Your Vitamins to boost your brain functioning:
RealAge Tip of the DAY for March 27, 2006
•A Boost of B
Following your RealAge plan can put you ahead of the B12 curve.

Current U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines recommend 2.4 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B12 daily to prevent deficiency, but a recent study suggests you may need more than double that amount. For maximum health benefits, aim for the RealAge Optimum dose of 25 mcg per day.
Your body uses vitamin B12 to maintain healthy nerve and blood cells and to synthesize DNA. A deficiency of this important nutrient can lead to depression, confusion, memory problems, fatigue, mouth sores, and other health problems. It's difficult to overdo it with vitamin B12 because it is a water-soluble vitamin and is readily flushed from your body, making the risk of toxicity low. Many dietary guidelines -- including U.S. FDA guidelines -- recommend between 2 and 6 micrograms (mcg) of the vitamin daily. However, in a recent study of postmenopausal women, researchers discovered that the women whose B12 intake was at the lower end of the dosing spectrum displayed some signs of deficiency. Women whose B12 intake was at least 6 mcg did not show signs of deficiency. To go beyond preventing deficiency and maximize the disease-prevention potential of vitamin B12, RealAge recommends you get at least 25 mcg of B12 daily. Because B12 is found only in animal-derived foods, strict vegetarians need a supplement to get the proper amount. In addition, people over the age of 50 and people with certain stomach or intestinal disorders may have difficulty absorbing enough B12 to meet their needs, so they should opt for a larger dose of the supplement. Food sources of B12 include fish, poultry, red meat, eggs, and dairy.
RealAge Benefit: Eating a diverse diet that is low in calories and high in nutrients can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.