Build a Better Memory -- Without Spending a Dime

We've often thought it would be great if there were such a thing as mental Viagra -- just swallow a pill, and get a little lift where you need it. But, in fact, you don't need a pharmacy to bolster your ability to remember the great idea you had yesterday for your best friend's birthday present or the plan for the next great Internet start-up. All you need are these memory boosters, available without going to a doctor or even spending a buck:

Believe that your memory is just fine, thank you. Seriously. When older adults were told that people their age tended to perform poorly on certain types of memory tests, they did perform more poorly. Performance also dipped when they felt as if they were looked down on because of their age.

Think your education has taught you not to believe everything you hear? Even Fulbright scholars are susceptible: The dips were more pronounced in people with the highest levels of education. The good news is that if you read this and think you can remember it, you probably will.

Be sugar savvy. Brain scans of older people with diabetes show damage to the hippocampus, a part of the brain responsible for processing and storing short-term memory. Other research pinpoints that high blood sugar over time is what does the damage. It's not too late to control yours. Avoid refined carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, pastries, and the like), simple sugars (including syrups -- especially high-fructose corn syrup -- and ingredients ending in -ose, such as dextrose). You can't go wrong with a diet full of fresh vegetables and fruit as well as proteins that are naturally low in the fats that age you (proteins like fish, nuts, and beans). We also love fish, especially salmon, for its brain-preserving DHA. But that's another column (stay tuned!).

Get one foot out the door. Follow it with the other one, and keep going for at least 30 minutes. Every day. Walking not only helps keep blood sugar, weight, and stress under control but also can enlarge your hippocampus. In this case, more is better -- the higher your fitness level, the larger your hippocampus (flex THAT the next time you need to impress someone!).

Do one thing at a time. Multitasking messes with your ability to remember what you're learning about that new software for work while you're signing your kid's permission slip for the zoo. It's smart to be single-minded when it comes to learning things, especially when you need to really use the information in different ways, not just spit it back as you learned it.

Get tough. The mind is like a muscle, and if you want it to perform, you need to challenge it. Doing puzzles is great, but don't do just the ones you can finish. Pushing yourself slightly beyond your capabilities helps grow your brain cells and their connections, which keep communication signals flowing through your brain.

Sleep -- even for a little bit. A healthy night of sleep helps you remember what you learned the day before. And people who take a micronap -- a mere 6 minutes -- also tend to perform better on memory exercises than non-nappers do. It's likely that a memory-boosting process happens at the onset of sleep, so longer naps aren't likely to help that much more. But a good night's sleep (7 to 8 hours) still beats a nap for restoring quick responses and judgment.

Filch condiments. We're kidding. Don't filch anything; we're just trying to stick with the "free" theme. If there's inexpensive mustard around, use it. Often, the yellow stuff contains turmeric (check the label), a spice that activates genes responsible for clearing nerve-cell waste. If that stuff doesn't get cleared, you develop inflammation that destroys brain cells and may lead to memory dysfunction. Aim for 17 milligrams of turmeric a day; that's about a teaspoon of mustard.

Think you don't need to worry about any of this until you're eligible for senior discounts? Remember this: Memory loss starts at age 16 and is relatively common by age 40. Start giving your brain its Viagra boost now (these strategies will keep your body young, too). By the way, we're not just trying to be cute when we say give your brain a boost. More sleep, more mustard, more walking, more puzzles, and less sugar all boost your release of nitric oxide, the short-lived gas that helps dilate your blood vessels so you get better blood flow in your brain and other places (like the ones Viagra serves). So what's good for your brain is probably also good for your sex life. Can you remember that?