August 2015

BRAIN FOG!!!

Foggy thoughts; occasional forgetfulness happens to everyone at one time or another during their lifetime. Memory glitches and attention issues can be fleeting; and a little disconcerting, but for the most part harmless.

Aging does put us at a greater risk of cognitive impairment-with one in seven older Americans affected; however aging is not the only culprit. Insufficient sleep, too much stress, not enough exercise and social time, chronic disease, inflammation, drug side effects, and a junky diet can all play a role in BRAIN FOG!

There is hope however! Nine out of 10 people with memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s saw a REVERSAL of symptoms following a holistic multifaceted plan geared individually looking at things such as medication, diet, exercise, sleep, and even dietary supplements.  Increased meditation and exercise; along with a clean diet showed improvements!

Supplements that helped reverse Brain Fog include Vitamin D, B12, and Omega 3s. Optimal doses help improve brain function as well as mood and energy levels thus resulting in less age related decline.

Next we’ll review a few herbs that may work for you! GOTU KOLA (Centella asiatica) has a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine for boosting mental abilities. Besides help with memory and recall this super herb helps to reduce anxiety and stress while improving physical strength. You can find GOTU KOLA in tincture, capsule and tea at most health food stores.

RHODIOLA (Rhodiola rosea) is a stimulating adaptive   that has shown promise in clinical studies on students performing under stress on exams; they reported less stress and much clearer thinking! Night shift workers at hospitals reported less fatigue and improved mental function.

Minty herbs like spearmint, pepper mint, lemon balm, sage and rosemary not only help promote clarity and brain function; they also inhibit AchE; thus improving the activity of neurotransmitters that aid brain functions. Word of caution>>>Mega doses of these herbs can cause memory to worsen in adults with Alzheimer’s. 

Finally, my favorite is green tea.  Green Tea may reduce the risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in the elderly. I drink at least two cups a day and it’s delicious over ice with some lemon and mint!

I also highly recommend a web site called “Lumosity”! This program which was developed by neuroscientists trains various parts of my brain and cognitive function daily with about 15 minutes of truly great challenges!  Go to Lumosity.com and give it a try!

Take good Care,  Barbara