People of all ages experience occasional worries about their ability to retain and recall such information as the name of a new acquaintance or even where they left the car keys. Such concerns grow more serious among older people, many of whom see memory lapses as a sign of oncoming senility or dementia. Over the years certain substances have developed a reputation for helping to improve memory. Some actually live up to that reputation.
Gingko Biloba
Widely touted as a memory enhancer, this herb is derived from the leaves and seeds of the gingko biloba tree. Long used by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, gingko contains two types of chemicals–flavonoids and terpenoids–that possess powerful antioxidant properties, according to a profile of the herb on the website of the University of Maryland Medical Center. Antioxidants combat free radicals that are widely associated with a variety of human illnesses, including heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer.
The memory-enhancing effects of gingko stem from its ability to improve blood circulation by dilating blood vessels and thus allowing more oxygen-rich blood to reach the brain. Optimal blood supply is essential to optimal memory. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports that several small clinical studies have reached favorable conclusions about the herb’s ability to improve memory. But the center cautions that other studies on gingko’s effectiveness in patients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia have been more equivocal in their findings. However, UMMC reports that gingko is widely used in Europe to treat dementia. Such use is based not only on the herb’s ability to improve blood flow to the brain but also on its protective effect on nerve cells that are damaged in the Alzheimer’s disease process. Check with your doctor before using this or any other herbal remedy.
B Vitamins and Brain Function
Research has shown that adults fare poorly in tests of memory when their blood levels of B vitamins are low, according to Betty Fielding, author of “The Memory Manual.” Although all B vitamins help to optimize cognitive function, Fielding says that B6, B12 and folic acid, also part of the B-complex, seem the most critical to the thought processes that include memory. Foods rich in B6 include fish, meat, poultry, bananas, soybeans, nuts, green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes and whole grains and cereals. To get more B12, eat more dairy products, eggs, fish and meat, says Fielding. Folic acid can be found in dried beans, legumes, green leafy vegetables, brewer’s yeast and citrus fruit. Consult a medical professional before beginning any regimen of self-treatment.
Rosemary Oil
Rosemary’s reputation as a memory enhancer can be traced back to ancient Greece, where students taking examinations hung garlands of the herb around their necks to stimulate cognitive function. In “Aromatherapy: Essential Oils for Vibrant Health and Beauty,” author Roberta Wilson contends that rosemary oil strengthens and stimulates the central nervous system, thus combating mental sluggishness and fatigue, enhancing mental clarity and promoting concentration and alertness. Talk to your doctor to see if rosemary oil might be appropriate for you.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Complementary Medicine: Gingko Biloba
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Herbs at a Glance: Gingko
- “The Memory Manual: 10 Simple Things You Can Do to Improve Your Memory after 50”; Betty Fielding; 1999
- “Aromatherapy: Essential Oils for Vibrant Health and Beauty”; Roberta Wilson; 2002
