BOOST brainpower with this ancient ‘scholar’s herb’ [Check your spice rack!]

I can’t think of anything more frightening than forgetting WHERE you are… WHO you are… and HOW you got there.

But that’s EXACTLY the nightmare that too many older folks with memory impairment never wake up from.

That’s an extreme form of memory loss, of course. And I pray that none of us ever come face-to-face with any condition that severe.

But we all know what those occasional “senior moments” are like… even if we just laugh them off.

If we’re lucky, a brain burp or two will never take over our lives… or steal our precious memories.

But once it’s clear that those memory lapses could be a sign of something more serious…

It could already be too late.

Fortunately, there’s something you can do NOW to preserve or even improve your mental performance — even if you’re still sharp as a tack.

The herb of remembrance

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) has been around pretty much as long as anybody can remember.

Dating as far back as the year 5000 B.C. , stone tablets that are widely considered one of the first forms of writing contain mentions of the herb.

This sacred Mediterranean treasure is actually closely related to members of the mint family (like oregano and sage)… even though it may look like a tiny evergreen tree.

I’ve shared with you before right here in eAlert how rosemary can ease pain associated with headaches… and even arthritis…

But there’s a surprising benefit to rosemary that you probably haven’t heard about yet.

Even if you just incorporate it into your diet in healthy amounts… just like they do in Italy… it could help boost your brainpower!

That’s why scholars in Ancient Greece used to wear rosemary garlands while studying for their exams!

Because even just SMELLING rosemary can help strengthen your memory.

Both rosemary essential oil aromatherapy and consumption of rosemary could help improve working memory (like reasoning and decision-making)… and prospective memory (like future events or tasks).

And that could manifest in better…

• accuracy
• speed, and
• alertness.

That’s not just in the very old… or the “senile”…

But also in folks with ZERO memory issues… including schoolchildren!

In a 2018 study out of England, healthy participants who drank a concentrated rosemary extract “water” saw their memory performance improve by an average of 15%…

And after just 20 minutes!

So, what’s the trick to how this “memory herb” works?

Well, one theory is that rosemary acts as natural AChE antagonist – that is, it INHIBITS acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh).

This is one of the same processes that Big Pharma has targeted for its Alzheimer’s drug development.

But rosemary has got even more going for it… and more than you’ll find in those drugs.

Rosemary “leaves”… that is, the needles… contain an antioxidant substance called carnosic acid.

This free radical scavenger has shown in studies to keep brain cells from DYING…

Especially in the brain’s “memory center,” a.k.a. the hippocampus.

That may be primarily because this phenolic acid can protect those neuronal cells from any inflammation that’s INVADED your brain.

Another compound found in rosemary, rosmarinic acid, may also exhibit some of the same neuroprotective actions.

Look for a supplement in capsule form that’s standardized to contain a high percentage of either carnosic acid or rosmarinic acid… or, ideally, both.

The highest concentration of either ingredient I’ve seen is 20% — but it can vary, so check your labels.

The rosemary water I mentioned earlier is available commercially, sold as No. 1 Rosemary Water in sparkling, still, and pure extract forms. Its maker is based out of the UK, but they do ship their products to U.S. addresses.

You can also find No. 1 Botanicals products on shelves at some health food stores in this country – but only in California (of course).

 

To getting ahead of memory loss,

Melissa Young