Use the SHIELD acronym to remember the lifestyle habits that will help protect your memory and thinking skills. We are making encouraging progress in finding medications that prevent or even reverse cognitive decline. Until we get there, however, the most powerful way to protect the brain is to live a healthy lifestyle. The healthy habits to include are summed up with the acronym SHIELD, developed by neuroscientist Rudolph Tanzi, co-director of the McCance Center for Brain Health at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. Here’s what SHIELD means. 1. Sleep at least seven hours a night 2. Handle stress 3. Interact with friends 4. Exercise daily 5. Learn new things 6. Eat a healthy diet