New research has provided key insights that may help prevent a devastating disease that destroys quality of life. In "Mental Gymnastics: couch potatoes and Alzheimer's disease" Barry Bittman, M.D. reports on research results revealing that adults...
Vinpocetine is chemically related to vincamine, an alkaloid found in the periwinkle plant. It was introduced into clinical practice in Europe more than two decades ago for the treatment of cerebrovascular disorders and related symptoms. In...
Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive deterioration in mental functioning with onset most commonly starting in one's 80s, although it has been known to start as early as age 30. While scientists have not fully determined the actual causes of...
A study of more than 6,000 persons ages 65 and older showed that a high intake of vitamin E from foods and/or dietary supplements was associated with reduced memory loss and other cognitive decline. This study was important because most of the...
The root of the ginseng plant has been used in China, Japan, and Korea for many centuries in the therapy of psychiatric and neurological disorders. In the column "Ginseng Improves Mood in Postmenopausal Women" Ray Sahelian, M.D. presents data on a...
Huperzine A is an extract from a club moss, whose action has been attributed to its ability to strongly inhibit the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft. In the column, "Huperzine A" Ray Sahelian, M.D. reports that this...
Ashwagandha is a shrub cultivated in India and North America whose roots have been used for thousands of years by Ayurvedic practitioners as a folk remedy. In the column "Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)" Ray Sahelian, M.D. alerts us to several...
The combination ginkgo biloba and ginseng extracts can promote fast, accurate thinking, improve short and long-term memory retention, and reduce mental fatigue. While previous research has documented the effects of ginkgo biloba on memory in older...
The B vitamins should be called the thinking and feeling nutrients because they nourish the nervous system. Frank deficiencies result in serious neurological conditions such as Wernicke's encephalopathy. But for the average American eating a normal...
We have artificially separated our brains from our bodies. We talk about psychosomatic illness, and the body-mind connection as if our mental and physical selves are two separate entities. In reality the brain is just one part of our body. Poisons...