Guide to Natural Healing

Antioxidant formulations vary widely. Most should be taken twice a day, with meals.

This herb boosts memory and alleviates circulatory problems. Active compounds are extracted from the fan-shaped leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree.

Ginkgo regulates blood vessel health, increasing blood flow to the brain. Its antioxidant compounds scavenge free radicals and proteins that can accumulate in memory-robbing dementias. Ginkgo also inhibits blood clots that could block vessels.

Ginkgo may improve mental performance in healthy individuals as well as in those with established dementia. In one study, healthy volunteers taking ginkgo combined with Panax ginseng enjoyed sharper cognitive function and less mental fatigue than volunteers who did not take the supplements. They also had temporary improvement in short- and long-term memory.

"Ginkgo may slow down the dementia illnesses," says Edelberg. "However, if your memory is already pretty sharp, don't expect significant improvement."

Be thankful that ginkgo is available in pill form; for millennia, people resorted to brewing tea from the notoriously stinky leaves.

B vitamins preserve the integrity of the central nervous system, keeping vascular health as well as cognitive function in top condition. Most formulas contain B12, B6 and folic acid.

Among other actions, B vitamins engage in chemical reactions that can influence cognitive decline. Adequate levels are also necessary to dampen levels of homocysteine, an inflammation-provoking compound that may contribute to vascular disease.

Memory performance improved in 211 healthy women of various ages who took a short-term daily course of folic acid, B12 and B6 vitamins, but not in those who took a placebo. Recall and recognition, processing speed and verbal ability improved with increased intake of these vitamins.

"American diets are often short in the three B's—folate, B6, and B12," says dietician and Environmental Nutrition editor Susan Male Smith. "Elevated homocysteine levels have been linked to cognitive changes, and replenishing depletions of these three B's is a way to get homocysteine down."

You're dutifully taking your vitamin B complex, but your urine is now an alarming bright yellow. Don't worry; it's a harmless side effect of the riboflavin.

Take one B complex daily, or confirm presence of B vitamins in your multivitamin. People over age 50 should get the RDA for B12 (2.4 mcg) from supplements or fortified foods because absorption capacity dwindles with age.

The knotty underground stems, called Rhizomes, of the aromatic ginger plant (Zingiber officinale) are treasured for their spicy sweetness and healing properties. ginger quells nausea and vomiting, and is a natural antihistamine and decongestant.

The stomach-soothing compounds in ginger—shogaol and gingerol—neutralize stomach acids and counter inflammation. These compounds act directly in the stomach to increase intestinal muscle tone and suppress gastric contractions. Nausea lessens as the flow of saliva, bile and gastric secretions picks up.

Several major clinical trials are underway to assess ginger's ability to control nausea and vomiting in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. More basic benefits for indigestion are widely accepted.

"I don't think there's a big difference in how you take ginger, whether in tea, as a liquid extract or a candy," explains Reed. "Although, if your stomach's already sensitive, ginger tea bags could be a problem because there's often other stuff in them (spices, seasonings, sweeteners)."

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Publication: Psychology Today Magazine
Publication Date: Nov/Dec 2004
Last Reviewed: 21 Dec 2006
(Document ID: 3583)

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