The main principle is that foods that are good for our body are also good for our brain. omega-3 fatty acids, found in cold-water fish such as mackerel, herring, salmon, and tuna, also have shown some benefits. there is contradictory data on Ginkgo biloba. The best "brain food" is, literally, mental stimulation.

Tips to keep the brain healthy:

• Exercise your body regularly: Exercise increases the density and size of brain capillaries, which has the effect of increasing blood flow and oxygen to the brain. This may in turn help support the survival of new neurons and facilitate faster "firing" by neurons.
• Keep your mind exercised by learning more: We can make the brain work better simply by accumulating more knowledge, which builds more networks of connections in the brain
• Stay socially engaged: People with strong relationships has less mental decline and live more actively, pain-free lives without physical limitations.
• Maintain a positive attitude and a sense of control over your life
• Manage Stress: Use relaxation strategies such as deep breathing, meditating, or visualizing a calm, peaceful space. Read self-help books or trusted Web sites—or consult a therapist—if you need help learning relaxation techniques.
• Eat a balanced diet: Stick to healthy choices when snacking, like fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy, or whole-grain products. Drink 8-10 cups of fluid every day, and make at least 5 of them water. Limit caffeinated and alcoholic beverages; they act as diuretics, and may flush nutrients from your body.
• Mind your numbers: Lose any extra pounds, lower your cholesterol if it is high, and keep your blood glucose and blood pressure under control
• Sleep: Keep a sleep journal to keep track of activities, food and drink, emotional circumstances, or other factors that might influence how well you sleep.

Our brains are composed of different areas and functions, and we can strengthen them through mental exercise- or they get atrophied for lack of practice. The benefits are both short-term (improved concentration and memory, sustained mental clarity under stressful situations...), and long-term (creation of a "brain reserve" that help protect us against potential problems such as Alzheimer's)