Age-Proof Your Mind is one of those books I like to refer to as a “pass-around.” That means that once I finish it, I pass it around to everyone I love (or tell them to go buy their own copy) so that they, too, can benefit from the important information within. The fact that this book deals with something sure to effect most people at some point in their lives makes it more than important. Critical might be a better word.

Millions of Americans suffer from memory-loss diseases such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and brain degeneration that makes the second half of life often a blur of trying to remember where you put the car keys, who that guy was you just met, and what the names of your grandchildren are. Author Zaldy S. Tan is the director of the Memory Clinic at the Beth Deaconess Medical Center and the Harvard Medical School Division on Aging, and he has put together a powerful, information-packed book that looks at the growing problem of mental deterioration and what we can do to ward it off or diminish its effects.

With self-assessment tests, brain teasers and memory games throughout the book, Tan first tells us what causes aging and degeneration of the brain and what recent studies have discovered about the relationships between the brain and food, exercise, vitamins and supplements, alcohol and stress. The author points out time and time again the importance of keeping the brain active with mental stimulation and offers proven techniques and strategies that can keep the brain sharp well into the late years of life.

The good news for many people is that lifestyle changes really can make a difference in mental aging, although genetics also plays a role in determining who will fall victim to Alzheimer’s and other tragic diseases. But it is good to know that the things we do today to strengthen our bodies, reduce stress, eliminate toxic foods and drugs, and test and challenge our minds can keep us mentally fit even as it keeps us physically fit.

There is even a sixty-minute brain workout that targets mental weaknesses we all struggle with, and plenty of advice and resources for further study. Tan even includes some tasty recipes that are packed with antioxidants and good for the body and the mind. All of the information, advice and memory games are explained in a clear and concise manner easily understood by the average reader.

If you are worried about the effects of memory loss and aging and may even be noticing that your mind just isn’t as sharp and focused as it could be, this book can help save your life, literally and figuratively. Because being alive is more than just about being, well, alive…it’s about having the blessings of memories to recall the past, and the power of a healthy brain to enjoy the present and look forward to the future.