When it comes to enhancing your memory as you age, a lab study of a (nonalcoholic) cocktail made from a mixture of antioxidants appears to do the trick. A mixture of CoQ10, vitamin C, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), and the amino acid L-glutamine was used to help vitamin E-deficient mice reclaim diminished memory and cognition.

It's just one more piece of evidence that what you eat and the supplements you take can transform the aging process and protect your brain.

How can you gain the benefits of the ingredients used in that study?

• You can get a good dose of CoQ10, a powerful antioxidant that converts food into energy, from oily fish such as salmon and 100% whole grains.

• Niacin and riboflavin are in fish, poultry, brown rice, nuts, seeds, legumes, bananas, and dairy (make it low-fat).

• L-glutamine shows up in poultry, raw spinach, raw parsley, and cabbage. These foods tamp down inflammation and work as antioxidants that quiet cell-damaging free radicals that can age you prematurely.

Other powerful ways to tamp down inflammation and control oxidation include smart stress management (so stress hormones such as cortisol and inflammatory proteins don't wreak havoc), getting plenty of restful sleep each night, enjoying regular physical activity, and cultivating your posse and sense of purpose.