Have you ever been talking to someone and describing a book, a movie, something that was on television and during your description of some part of the plot, a pretty actress, a handsome actor, the story twists or great directing, you find yourself lacking the right word to describe what exactly it is you want to get across to the listener. The word is... You just cannot think of it. It eludes you no matter how hard you try to think of it or concentrate to get the word to pop into your mind. You even find that now you are having a hard time recalling a synonym.

Why does this happen? It could happen for any number of reasons... Lack of sleep? Prescription drug cloudiness? Stress? You mind is wondering or thinking in the background elsewhere.

Or could it be your brain's diet? Researchers know that our cognitive brain function is affected by our diet. They have shown that memory retention and cognitive function is affected by the foods we eat and this could even have a long-lasting effect and could help prevent dementia and Alzheimer's diseases.

So what foods are the right 'brain foods'?

Spinach - Really, any dark, leafy vegetables contain high levels of folate and vitamin B12 which shows signs of being able to protect the brain against dementia.

Raisins - Dried fruits in this family are loaded with boron and researchers have found that subjects taking boron supplements performed 10% better on attention and memory tests. Apples and nuts are also high in boron.

Turkey - This bird contains tyrosine which has been shown to help the brain maintain level of dopamine, an important part of the our nervous system nuerotransmitting systems.

Blueberries - Dark vegetables and fruits are high in antioxidants. Tests with lab animals that fed on these foods improved in short-term memory testing and motor skills.

Almonds - Almonds are high in Vitamin E which was found to antioxidative properties that reduce deterioration in the brain as you age.

Oatmeal - Eating carbohydrate-rich foods increase glucose in the sugar which in turn is used by the brain for energy. The higher levels of glucose in the brain have been found to correlate with higher cognitive memory and concentration functions.

Eggs - Eggs are rich in choline which is a mineral believed to improve memory function. Students taking choline 1 hour before testing did better as a group than those who did not.

Fish - Cold-water fish like salmon, halibut, tuna and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to its protective qualities, omega-3 fatty acids also show promise in decreasing the symptoms of depression.

Beef - Eating beef provides high levels of protein that have been shown in testing to increase memory testing scores.

Coffee - Consuming caffeine equivalent to a 1-cup serving of coffee improved attention spans and problem-solving skills.