The brain is easily the most complex organ in your entire body. Packed with nearly 90 billion neurons, the brain is responsible for everything including our movement, speech, thoughts, the function of our other organs, and most importantly our ability to remember things. 

Our memory is what makes us such unique individuals. It’s what allows us to form long-term relationships, it helps us learn from past mistakes, and it helps give us a reason to continue stepping through life. 

Unfortunately, our memory will get worse as we grow older -- much like the rest of our organs. The parts of our brain that control memory will begin to deteriorate as we age and time will take its toll on us. 

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could not only disturb the natural aging process, but improve our memory over time -- instead of watching it slowly deteriorate over time? With the right diet and supplemental help, this is possible. 

When we say the brain is a complex organ, we mean there’s still a lot we don’t even know about it -- including things about our memory and how they’re formed. At the same time, we’ve learned quite a bit and it has helped us in learning what nutrients are needed to help the brain perform at its best. 

What we do know is that there are three main processes that occur inside your brain that involve the memory -- encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding refers to the initial learning of that specific memory, storage refers to storing the information we learn for later us, and retrieval refers to restoring that information and accessing it when we need it. 

In a perfect world, these three processes will work seamlessly. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world and there will be times when your memory isn’t as powerful as you hoped it would be. This is where we start to forget things and have difficulty remembering even the simplest piece of information.

Also Read: Methylation: Why all the hype?

In addition to the three stages of memory, scientists have uncovered seven major types of memory that all play a role in our day-to-day ability to remember things. 

Before we take a look at some of the most prominent vitamins and minerals to improve your memory, it’s essential you understand what the different types of memory are. Let’s take a look:

• Short-Term Memory 
   Lasts about 20-30 seconds and will either be dismissed or transferred to long-term memory.
• Long-Term Memory
  Consists of anything that happened as soon as a couple of minutes ago. The strength of the memory will depend on how frequently the information is restored.
• Explicit Memory 
  A type of long-term memory; memories and information that requires you to consciously think about before remembering (the street you grew up on, for example).
•  Implicit Memory
  A type of long-term memory; memories and information that don’t require you to consciously think about them. (riding a bike, speaking your language).
• Episodic Memory 
  A type of explicit memory; memories linked to a specific moment in our personal lives. For example, your wedding day or the day you got in a car crash).
• Semantic Memory 
  A type of explicit memory; information and facts that are seen as general knowledge about the world (the sky is blue, dogs bark, cats meow).
• Procedural Memory 
  A type of implicit memory; memories and information that we learn through habits or procedures (tying your shoe, driving a car).

Scientists have noticed a common link between Vitamin B12 deficiency and memory loss. A deficiency is most common in vegetarians and older adults, but it can haunt anyone without the right diet or supplemental help. 

Also known as cobalamin, Vitamin B12 helps to maintain nerve cells and red blood cells in the body and brain. Vitamin B12 can also help build DNA, improve bone health, enhance your mood, and give you an energy boost. 

You can increase your daily intake of Vitamin B12 by eating more fish, meat, poultry, eggs, and milk. Of course, supplements can also help you reach the daily recommended amount of 2.4mcg.

Also Read: Prenatal Vitamins When You Aren't Pregnant

There have been numerous studies that have concluded Vitamin E as a potential help for Alzheimer’s patients. In higher doses, it was shown to help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease -- though it wasn’t clear how it slowed the progression exactly.

In addition to that, Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that can help prevent oxidative stress in your cells. Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals start to take over the cell due to a loss of antioxidants. Ensuring your body has a healthy balance will help prevent aging in the human body and brain.

You should be aiming for around 15mg of Vitamin E per day. You can find it in the following foods: green leafy vegetables, seeds, nuts, and vegetable oils.

Commonly referred to as Thiamine, Vitamin B1 was the first b-complex vitamin discovered by scientists in 1897. Over the past 120 years, scientists have discovered a link between Vitamin B1 deficiency and neurological problems. 

In addition to that, Vitamin B1 is essential for breaking down carbohydrates into glucose -- otherwise known as energy. It also plays a role in normal heart, nerve, and muscle function. You will generally find it in nuts, oranges, oats, seeds, legumes, peas, pork, and eggs. 

You should be aiming for around 1.2mg of Thiamine per day. 

Magnesium is one of the most prominent and talked-about minerals in the human body. It’s essential for a wide range of processes and functions, including the body’s ability to process information and stimulating electrical activity in the brain. Magnesium will also help improve sleep patterns, which will also help your memory and overall brain health.