Aging is tough business. But doing business with the aging market is isn’t.

American baby boomers are recognizing the age-related cognitive decline – and even Alzheimer’s – is creeping up on them. In fact, if no cure for Alzheimer’s is found, the United States could be looking at a million new cases a year by 2050. Already, there are 14 million baby boomers with the disease, and the average boomer is turning 65 next year.

So what’s a senior to do other than wait for a cure? With so much hype around everything from gingkoba and video games to fish oils and “memory pills,” it’s often difficult to know when to open your wallet and when to keep walking. Here are some facts to help you make your own decisions about where to spend your time, energy and/or money to maintain a healthy brain.

1. Ginkgo biloba. There’s no proof that this tree root can help boost memory or prevent Alzheimer’s. However, some doctors believe it could slow the progression of the disease.

2. Cognitive skills training. Although a recent study indicated that “brain-training” video games do not improve mental fitness in any significant way, the opposite is true for specialized one-on-one personalized cognitive skills training.

A just-released study of adults who underwent one-on-one brain training  through LearningRx (www.LearningRx.com) showed that anyone can improve brain function and raise IQ, even those well into their 70s.

The participants – adults aged 20 to 80 – showed significant increases in every cognitive skill trained and in every age bracket. On average:

• Executive processing speed increased an average of 46%
• Long-term memory jumped 66%
• Short-term memory jumped 39%

•            IQ jumped 11.4 points

The results support similar research demonstrating that even seniors can see huge benefits from the mental exercise of brain training, just as they can from physical exercise.

Even if you don’t undergo one-on-one cognitive skills training, there are things you can do at home to exercise your mental muscles. The Alzheimer’s Association recommends crossword puzzles and memory exercises as “mentally stimulating activities [that] strengthen brain cells and the connections between them, and may even create new nerve cells.”

3. Omega-3s, vitamins and HDL cholesterol. Diet may be one of the most controllable factors in maintaining brain health. Research suggests that consuming cold-water fish like tuna, salmon and trout, can help the brain due to beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Likewise, the antioxidants in nuts and dark-skinned fruits and vegetables, and supplements like vitamin E and C, folate and B12 are believed to lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Unlike “bad” cholesterol and saturated fats, which clog arteries, HDL (also known as “good” cholesterol) might actually help protect brain cells.

4. Exercise. Even moderate physical exercise increases blood flow to the brain, and aerobic exercise (like yoga and walking) has been found to reduce brain cell loss. In addition, studies have shown that adults who were obese by middle age were twice as likely to develop dementia later.

5. Memory pills. Almost every so-called memory pill on the market is hype – with the exception of one: aspirin. According to Dr. Mehmet Oz, taking just one 162-milligram pill (or two baby aspirin) daily reduces buildup in the brain and helps prevent mini-strokes.

Until there’s a cure for Alzheimer’s and age-related cognitive decline, all you can do is gather research and make an informed decision about how to spend your money. And if you do decide to run out to buy the latest and greatest miracle cure, leave your car at home. The exercise will do your brain some good.

Wendy Burt-Thomas is the author of four books, including “The Writer’s Digest Guide to Query Letters” (Writer’s Digest Books).