As we age, we would concentrate better if only we could remember how! Unfortunately, both concentration and memory begin to fall in many elderly persons, not just those with Alzheimer's disease.
STANDARD PRACTICE
Conventional wisdom is to ignore the problem, unless it's associated with a more serious illness because it part of "the natural aging process."
HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES
We do not have to passively accept mental decline as we grow older. Also, we do not have to take expensive, or dangerous drugs. There are things we can do to maintain high-level mental functions throughout your life:
HERBS
GINKGO BILOBA. Use ginkgo biloba, an herb that is readily available in health food stores. In France, a study of 166 patients in five clinics found that it significantly improved memory and enhanced alertness and attention. It is available by prescription in Europe, and is given to 5 million people a year, but can be obtained over-the-counter here in the U.S.
Look for products that have 24% ginkgoloid or 24% flavonoid glycosides. The usual dose is one 40 mg tablet, three times per day, one day a week. If you are over 65, take the same dose every day.
SUPPLEMENTS
BRAINSTORM. To enhance mental clarity and increase memory capacity. The Ginkgo biloba leaf has long been used by Chinese herbalists to improve circulation. Gotu kola is a tropical flower used by herbalists as a rejuvenator. Periwinkle, or creeping myrtle, is a flower used as a cerebral relaxant. Cayenne promotes the delivery of other herbs to vital body systems. Prickly ash bark stimulates capillary circulation, and hawthorn is known as a relaxant.
EINSTEIN. It is formulated to enhance mental clarity and increase memory capacity. The impact of aging, poor circulation, nutrient-depleted food, polluted air and water, toxic chemicals, and a lot of stress, can severely impair your body's ability to supply nourishment to the brain.
Einstein utilizes top-quality grades of ginkgo biloba and Centella asiatica. These specially selected herbs are well known in ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for helping to enhance circulation and revitalize mental and physical energy. Einstein also uses two newly discovered, and incredibly powerful brain phytonutrients: phosphandylserine and bacopa manniera extracts.
VITAMIN B-12. If you are over 65, you may want to consider taking vitamin B-12 shots once or twice a month. Low levels of vitamin B-12 can lead to cognitive dysfunction.
HYDERGINE. Take a safe prescription medication that will improve brain functions. Perhaps the first to consider is Hydergine, a mold that grows in rye. Studies have shown that it greatly increases intelligence, memory, learning, and recall. The effects of Hydergine are subtle, gradual, and very real.
DILANTIN. Another medication you should know about is Dilantin, an inexpensive capsule that markedly reduces anxiety, defuses anger, increases your power of concentration, improves your memory, and even elevates your IQ!
Dilantin has been on the market for nearly 60 years, and it has a remarkable track record of safety. It is commonly used to help control seizures, but it has many powerful benefits for anyone who needs to improve their brain function.
Dilantin is available only by prescription. Since most doctors think of it only as a seizure medication, you may want to prepare yourself before you speak to your doctor about it. Contact The Health Foundation at 212/750-5075 for information you can take with you.
EXERCISE
Exercise at least five times a week for about 30 minutes. Researchers at the Veterans Medical Center in Salt Lake City compared the brain functions of exercisers with those of more sedentary seniors. After four months, the exercisers scored higher in tests of cognitive reaction time, visual organization, memory, and mental flexibility.
 
 
| |