http://www.helpguide.org/life/prevent_memory_loss.htm
Preventing memory loss and cognitive decline
The same practices that contribute to healthy aging and physical vitality also contribute to healthy memory.
Exercise regularly. Regular exercise boosts brain growth factors and encourages the development of new brain cells. Exercise also reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Exercise also makes a huge difference in managing stress and alleviating anxiety and depression—all of which leads to a healthier brain.
Stay social. People who don’t have social contact with family and friends are at higher risk for memory problems than people who have strong social ties. Social interaction helps brain function in several ways: it often involves activities that challenge the mind, and it helps ward off stress and depression. So join a book club, reconnect with old friends, or visit the local senior center. Being with other people will help keep you sharp!
Watch what you eat. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and drink green tea as these foods contain antioxidants in abundance, which can keep your brain cells from “rusting.” Foods rich in omega-3 fats (such as salmon, tuna, trout, walnuts, and flaxseed) are particularly good for your brain and memory. Eating too many calories, though, can increase your risk of developing memory loss or cognitive impairment. Also avoid saturated and trans fats, which can help your cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of stroke.
Manage stress. Cortisol, the stress hormone, damages the brain over time and can lead to memory problems. But even before that happens, stress or anxiety can cause memory difficulties in the moment. When you’re stressed out or anxious, you’re more likely to suffer memory lapses and have trouble learning and concentrating.
Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is necessary for memory consolidation, the process of forming and storing new memories so you can retrieve them later. Sleep deprivation also reduces the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus and causes problems with memory, concentration, and decision-making. It can even lead to depression—another memory killer.
Don’t smoke. Smoking heightens the risk of vascular disorders that can cause stroke and constrict arteries that deliver oxygen to the brain.
Walking: An easy way to fight memory loss
New research indicates that walking six miles to nine miles every week can prevent brain shrinkage and memory loss. According to the American Academy of Neurology, older adults who walked between 6 and 9 miles per week had more gray matter in their brains nine years after the start of the study than people who didn't walk as much. Researchers say that those who walked the most cut their risk of developing memory loss in half.
Brain exercises to prevent memory loss and boost brainpower
When it comes to memory, it’s “use it or lose it.” Just as physical exercise can make and keep your body stronger, mental exercise can make your brain work better and lower the risk of mental decline. Try to find brain exercises that you find enjoyable. The more pleasurable an activity is to you, the more powerful its effect will be on your brain. You can make some activities more enjoyable by appealing to your senses—by playing music during the exercise, for example, or lighting a scented candle, or rewarding yourself after you’ve finished.
Here are some ideas for brain exercise, from light workouts to heavy lifting:
Play games that involve strategy, like chess or bridge, and word games like Scrabble.
Try crossword and other word puzzles, or number puzzles such as Sudoku.
Read newspapers, magazines, and books that challenge you.
Get in the habit of learning new things: games, recipes, driving routes, a musical instrument, a foreign language.
Take a course in an unfamiliar subject that interests you. The more interested and engaged your brain, the more likely you’ll be to continue learning and the greater the benefits you’ll experience.
Take on a project that involves design and planning, such as a new garden, a quilt, or a koi pond.
Compensating for memory loss
Even if you are experiencing a troublesome level of memory loss, there are many things you can do to learn new information and retain it.
Tips to Help You Remember
To keep track of dates, schedules, tasks, phone numbers
Leave yourself notes or make checklists.
Put appointments and important dates on calendars and in a day planner or electronic organizer.
Ditto for phone numbers and other contact information.
If you have trouble remembering how to do something, write down the steps.
To remember where you put things
Put the things you use regularly (keys, glasses, purse, watch) in the same spot when you’re not using them.
If you have to put something down in a different place, look at the place when you put down the object and say the location out loud.
If necessary, write down where things are.
To stay on top of times and places
Set an alarm clock or timer to remind you when to leave for an appointment or do something in your home.
Use a map to help you get from one place to another.
Enlist friends and relatives to remind you of where you need to be & what you’re supposed to do.
To learn new information
Listen closely when someone talks to you.
Repeat back the information.
Try to talk with people in quiet places.
Focus on one thing at a time; screen out distractions.
http://www.helpguide.org/life/improving_memory.htm
