Mild forgetfulness affects most people at some point in their lives. You may become forgetful or struggle with concentration when you're stressed, fatigued, suffering from PMS or perimenopausal. Healthy eating, staying physically fit and getting plenty of rest are essential. Natural herbal supplements are becoming popular with people who want to self-treat naturally. Although some of the herbs have shown promise in helping with the memory, the Mayo Clinic doctors are concerned that people are self treating with herbs that may interfere with important medications. Before taking any herb, consult with your doctor.
Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo biloba helps improve blood circulation and increases the flow of oxygen to the brain and the rest of the body. According to PerimenopauseSymptoms.org, ginkgo can help women overcome forgetfulness during perimenopause and menopause. The National Institute on Aging claims that ginkgo taken by healthy elderly adults for six weeks did not help their memory. Some of the side effects of taking too much ginkgo biloba can be nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, headaches or allergic reactions. Ginkgo may increase your risk of bleeding, so if you are taking anticoagulant medication or have a bleeding disorder, discuss this with your doctor first.
Ginseng
Ginseng is an herb that helps increase energy and may help improve your memory claims the PerimenopauseSymptom.org website. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, ginseng combined with ginkgo can significantly improve both long-term and short-term memory function in healthy, middle-aged people after conducting a 12-week study.
Tea
Both green tea and black tea contain powerful antioxidants that increase blood flow, which can aid in memory function. Use tea moderately because it also contains caffeine. The Vanderbilt Health Psychology department claims that the antioxidants in green tea can assist with reducing the free radicals that tend to build up in adults over time, which may be one of the reasons the incidence of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia are so low in Asian countries.
Rosemary
Rosemary adds a distinctive flavor in cooking, or you can take it as an herbal supplement to assist with your memory. WorldHealth.net claims that even the smell of rosemary may help increase your mental performance. U.K. researcher Dr. Mark Moss conducted a study with volunteers on long-term memory and working memory by infusing scents of lavender or rosemary into some cubicles and leaving other cubicles unscented. The long-term memory of those in the rosemary-scented cubicles improved, while the memories of those in the lavender-scented cubicles fared the worst.
