Posts Tagged ‘dementia’

The quest for new, natural approaches has taken herbalists to the corners of the earth in search of plant-based treatments for disease. As it turns out, one such remedy may have been under their feet the whole time. Found deep within in the shady forests of the Far East, this plant has been a mainstay of traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. And now, a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that it may help improve symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. So just what is this powerful plant-based product?

Posted in: Articles

Tags: acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors, acetylcholine, Alzheimer's disease, Chinese club moss, cognition, dementia, Huperzia serrate, huperzine A, memory, myasthenia gravis

Forget-me-nots symbolize remembrance in myths and legends.  But in the scientific realm, another purple flower seems to best protect the brain. And that’s no fiction. Proponents say this common garden border can enhance memory, increase blood flow, and even protect nerve cells against damaging strokes. Some doctors like it, too.  In fact, a synthetic derivative of the plant is prescribed in Europe for these very purposes. But you don’t need to travel overseas to get your hands on the product.  It’s sold here in the United States as a dietary supplement. So does it live up to the hype? Incoming […]

Posted in: Articles

Tags: cognitive enhancement, dementia, memory, periwinkle, stroke, vascular dementia, Vinca minor, vincamine, vinpocetine

There’s a remarkable story I want to tell you. Amid the ashes of the horrific World War II bombing of Hiroshima stood a lush, green tree, unmarred by the blast. In fact, it continued to spring the same healing leaves that had been revered by the Chinese for more than five centuries.1,2 Now that’s resilient! Even more impressive? Today, scientists are learning that this tree, the world’s oldest living species, may hold the answers to Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and other age-related woes. There’s no doubt about it. Ginkgo biloba is a survivor. And a growing body of research suggests […]

Posted in: Articles

Tags: alzheimer's, cardiovascular disease, circulation, cognitive function, dementia, gingko, gingko biloba, heart disease, hypertension, immune system, inflammation, nervous system, oxidative stress

Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham report that consuming a Mediterranean-style diet, which emphasizes foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like fish and less saturated fats, meat and dairy foods may help preserve one’s memory and thinking abilities. However, this observation was not seen in people with diabetes. The study was recently published in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Georgios Tsivgoulis, M.D., a neurologist with UAB and the University of Athens, Greece says that since there are no known treatments for most illnesses causing dementia, people can turn to modifying their lifestyle, including […]

Posted in: Healthy Eating, Mental Health, News Briefs

Tags: dementia, memory problems, omega-3 fatty acids

Researchers at the Cooper Institute in Dallas found that people who have the highest cardiorespiratory fitness levels during midlife are less likely to develop dementia in their later years, regardless of a history of stroke. Laura F. DeFina, MD, and colleagues report in Annals of Internal Medicine that among about 20,000 individuals who participated in the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study, those who had the highest scores on a treadmill test had a lower risk of developing dementia after age 65, compared to those who got the lowest scores. For the study, the participants’ Medicare records were examined to determine diagnoses […]

Posted in: Mental Health, News Briefs, Seniors' Health

Tags: cardio-respiratory fitness, dementia, physical activity, risk for dementia