I heard something on Good Morning America this morning that was very interesting. We are not utilizing our brain to it's full potential! At least many of us aren't!
Do you think we are all too programmed to use things that makes our lives simple and easy? We go into automatic pilot and not really think about some of the things we have to do throughout our daily lives! We have our brain on automatic pilot on the drive in to work, going to get coffee, using the computer, sending our email, heck we don't even have to get up and change the television channel!
We let technology do most of the thinking for us! Okay, so yes, we do have to know how to program those technological equipment and that takes brain power! Well....yes, and no! Yes, we use our brain to help us to think, but we do read the instructions! We don't actually figure things out ourselves because it has already been done for us, we just have to put 'it' together or figure out which buttons to push in order to program the thingy!
There's that famous question that has been asked frequently, "What percentage of our brain do we use?" and the famous response "We use only 10% of our brain"! (I hope I got that right - I know you'll tell me if I didn't!) But that response is not correct! You see we do use all of our brain power, but we do not use it all at once. There are different parts of our brains that are used at different times, for different things!
Have you noticed that the older you get, the less you seem to remember and your attention span seems to be going further south?! That is because the older we get the less of our brain we seem to use, and you know what that means! Of course, unless you are some super-smart person who is constantly thinking, then I beg your forgiveness in lumping you with all of us! 
Seriously though, I was having problems with my short-term memory recently. I didn't need a doctor's visit to diagnose anything because it wasn't really a serious (enough) problem, because I've already faced the realization that I'm getting old! I just didn't like the fact that I would put things down and forget where I left them, one time too many! Simple things I couldn't fathom! Then I realise, hey, you need to really utilize your brain some more. I"ve become set in a pattern wherein I wasn't utilizing much brain power! So I decided to help myself. I purchased a Sudoku book and began solving the puzzles, it was fun! I downloaded my favourite game Mahjong and began to play more often. Those were simple things but I had to enjoy the challenge of something that I love doing! I also began to eat better and eat more often, dark leafy vegetables, beans, blueberries, salmon, sardines, etc., and especially dark chocolate!
The good thing about eating more of those food, was it fell right into my fit for life goals! I also began to do one thing I've been planning to do, learn Spanish! I truthfully have not been as dedicated to learning the language, but I will continue to do it! And Oh joy, I did notice an improvement in my memory!
I've heard that if you were to teach yourself, or learn something new, that would be a big plus in the health of your brain! So shake things up a little, do something new, or differently and empower that brain of yours!