DR. WALLACE: Our family arrives for a vacation in the greater Phoenix area on the morning of March 20, and my three sisters have already mapped out a whole schedule of activities they want to participate in.

We've agreed as a family to spend 90% of our time together as a family unit. That leaves 10% of the time for my father and I to go off and seek out some activities that we might enjoy away from the girls.

My dad and I enjoy sports, but I see that the NBA and NHL tickets are very expensive, so we might not be able to take in a pro hockey or pro basketball game. Also, March Madness will be starting, so there won't be any Arizona State basketball home games left on their schedule.

We could go hiking or exploring, but we do a lot of that already in our home area. We also like fishing, but we won't be bringing a lot of fishing gear on the airplane. Do you have any suggestions on how we can spend our "guy" time out there in Phoenix? — Seeking Things To Do, via email

SEEKING THINGS TO DO: Why not consider going to a spring training baseball game? There are 10 baseball stadiums in the Phoenix area, and they house 15 major league teams during February and March each spring.

You might just have enough time to catch a game if you get your tickets soon; the final Cactus League game is March 26. Your letter did not mention your hometown, but since exactly half of the MLB teams train in Arizona, you have a 50% chance of being able to see your team play a game there.

One of the great things about spring training games is that you get to see the major leaguers up close in smaller stadiums for a much lower price than the regular season games command. It's also a nice, relaxed atmosphere that is truly enjoyable for baseball fans of all ages. It's often possible to speak with a few players before the games start, so if you would like to go, I suggest that you and your father arrive early so that you can soak up the full experience.

I'M VERY FATIGUED DURING THIS LONG FRESHMAN YEAR

DR. WALLACE: I'm 19, and I've struggled to keep up with the whirlwind that has been my freshman year at my university.

Between my school schedule, my studies, my job and my social life, I sometimes feel that I don't have time to breathe. As this school year has worn on, I've felt increasingly tired and especially mentally fatigued.

I know that eating right and exercising are the best ways to fight being tired in general, and I do partake in each of those disciplines to some level.

Of course, I don't eat perfectly healthy foods all of the time. I'm trying to improve in this area, so I'm wondering what the best foods are to combat mental fatigue. If there are a few dishes or items that might help, I'm quite interested in trying them out. — Tired on Several Levels, via email

TIRED ON SEVERAL LEVELS: I can understand and appreciate how busy the typical college student's life is these days, and it sounds to me that your situation is more of the norm than an outlier.

I think trying foods that help prevent memory loss over time also makes sense for someone like you who wishes to stay as sharp as possible each day in the present.

Along this line of thinking, I'm aware of significant, reputable studies that indicate that the pigments found in orange and yellow plants such as orange and yellow peppers, squash and corn can be helpful. Why? It's due to their zeaxanthin and lutein, which protect your body's proteins, fats and DNA from stressors. These two substances are antioxidants, which also provide defense for your body against the unstable molecules often called free radicals.

Beyond the orange and yellow pigmented plants, these substances can also be found in other foods such as egg yolks, orange juice, honeydew melons and kiwis. And there's also a group of vegetables with high zeaxanthin and lutein that have a dark green color; the chlorophyll in these vegetables overpowers and masks the natural orange and yellow colors. This group includes peas, kale, spinach, broccoli and parsley. Try some or all of these foods to help achieve the difference you seek.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Jose Francisco Morales at Unsplash