@gondar1 I feel your pain...
About 10 years ago I was doing so badly with memory, congiitive function etc I was reffered to a neurologist. I failed the montreal cognitive memory test in stellar fashion lol.. I hated my life back then because how bad my memory was and how slow my congitiion had decline.. I went from sharp as a tack with photogenic memory and a memory that was better than any other person I came across, to just a mushy slow brain..
I'm doing much better now, but my memory and cognitive function truly never came back all the way..
There is parallels to when I was teens/20's and being jacked, strong as fuck, sharp as a tack and memory like an elephant..
To my 40's when I see young jacked strong guys.. In my head I miss those days so much and when I work out around them, yes I'm still bigger and stronger, but in my head I just have this flashing sign saying "man I wish I still had my body in my 20's than I could really show them whose boss".. At work, I deal with young sharp minded colleges.. and the same thing goes through my head "man I wish I still had the brain I had when I was in my 20's... you wouldn't be laughing "..
Growing old just sucks dick..
I think what makes it worse for me is my father had the WORST memory and cognitive function.. It was like he was getting dementia in his 40's.. it was terrible.. I really hated dealing with him when I was a teen because of it.. and now everytime I forgot where I put something or stop mid thought and just have a complete brain shut down, I just think I'm him.. I hate it.
Either way.. I really started to focus on how to save my brain.. I did lots of reading, lots of trying..
1) keep the brain active.. reading books, playing cards, chess etc.. I also think learning new hobbies helps, but nothing works better to keep my brain in best shape I can other than reading..
2) cardio.. I can't recall the research or reasoning, but cardio really does help.
3) Sugar a.. Sugar is poison for the brain.. Carbs aren't bad, but those really good carbs are the only ones I reach for now when I need carbs.
4) vtimains and minerals.. anything that deals with free radicals.. magnesium, beta carotene, vitamin D, fish oil, b12, zinc, vita min C, etc..
5) Sleep is so damn important.. I swear not sleeping great for a few months does lasting damage.. Seems the older we get the less we can actually sleep.. I swear if I get 7 hours of sleep its a miracle.. I used to fall asleep and not wake up until alarm is ringing.. now it seems like I haven't slept through a whole night straight in years.
6) deal with stress.. some stress is good for brain, but the nasty stress, the prolonger stress etc.. that shit is just awful.
7) avoid the booze and pot.. I have used tiny amounts of pot to help sleep.. I need to get off it even though its the tiniest amount.