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Older, active Americans have become increasingly aware of the need to keep their minds and body active as they start to gracefully age. The key is to find the right balance of physical activity, diet, and mental stimulation.

The first two can seem relatively easy compared to the third. Getting your heart pumping regularly contributes to an overall healthy lifestyle. A good diet filled with lots of fruits and veggies has been a good idea ever since mom reminded you to finish your broccoli and to eat your carrots for good eyesight. Keeping the brain active, however, takes a little more thought.

Younger generations take brain workouts for granted. From kindergarten to college, kids get quizzed and tested all the time. Learn this, memorize that, study this and solve that. Why would I want to keep quizzing myself? Ugh! Young parents also undergo a constant mental challenge from balancing work, home life, and their kids' hectic extracurricular schedules. Somewhere in there, though, people can fall into a routine. It may take some effort to break out of it and make sure your brain is getting put through a good workout regimen.

Crossword puzzles and sudoku always have been good alternatives for people who want their daily fix of mental stimulation. I can tell you that my Mom does find-a-word puzzles in her spare time to keep her mind sharp, even though she has early dementia.

As the population ages, more and more companies are finding fun and creative ways to get people flexing their mental muscles. Nintendo, a company known for its video games, is now incorporating cognitive exercises in its latest offering.

A new experience called "Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain," made for the portable Nintendo Switch system, gives users a real mental workout, without the need to press a lot of complicated buttons or codes like most video games. It's a treadmill for the mind that fits into the lifestyles of the new generation of older adults.

Baby boomers will likely have more active and dynamic retirement years than previous generations, says Dr. Elizabeth Zelinski, the Rita and Edward Polusky Chair in Education and Aging Professor of Gerontology and Psychology School at the University of Southern California of Gerontology.

"Americans can do a great deal to maintain and even improve their mental abilities," Zelinski says. "Aging is about taking on new challenges for our minds.

"Brain vs. Brain" includes activities such as performing simple math problems and quick counting. It sounds simple, but the goal is to complete these tasks as quickly as possible. All of the puzzles challenge users to think on their feet. The software is available at online and local retailers, including Target and Wal-Mart.

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