WHY OUR BRAINS ARE DECLINING

(Neither the author of this article, nor any of the researchers listed below,  are affiliated with, employed by, or  involved in any way with sales of products such as the recommended brain healing foods and/or brain supplements, and report no conflict of interest.)

• CHEMICALS CURRENTLY ADDED TO MANY COMMERCIAL FOODS, OUR WATER SUPPLY, ANTIPERSPIRANT/DEODORANTS AND TOOTHPASTE, ARE BELIEVED TO BE PROGRESSIVELY DAMAGING OUR BRAINS ACCORDING TO VERIFIED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.

A recently-published Harvard University meta-analysis funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has concluded that children who live in areas with highly fluoridated water have “significantly lower” IQ scores than those who live in low fluoride areas. In a 32-page report that can be downloaded free of charge from Environmental Health Perspectives.

Neurobehavioural effects of developmental toxicity [as reported in the British journal The Lancet Neurology] Neurodevelopmental disabilities, including autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and other cognitive impairments, affect millions of children worldwide, and some diagnoses seem to be increasing in frequency.

Industrial chemicals that injure the developing brain are among the known causes for this rise in prevalence. We conducted  a systematic review and identified the following industrial chemicals as developmental neurotoxicants: lead, methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, arsenic, toluene, manganese, fluoride, chlorpyrifos, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, tetrachloroethylene, and the polybrominated diphenyl ethers. We postulate that even more neurotoxicants remain undiscovered. To control the pandemic of developmental neurotoxicity, we propose a global prevention strategy. Untested chemicals should not be presumed to be safe to brain development, and chemicals in existing use and all new chemicals must therefore be tested for developmental neurotoxicity.

Artificial sweeteners trigger the death of brain cells; A new study investigated the effect of long-term intake of aspartame on the antioxidant defense status in the rat brain.Male rats that were given a high dose of the artificial sweetener exhibited a lowered concentration of reduced glutathione (the active, antioxidant form of glutathione), and reduced glutathione reductase activity. Glutathione deficiency has been linked to age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Too much aspartate in your brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill the cells. The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartate is why they are referred to as "excitotoxins." They "excite" or stimulate the neural cells to death.

Adding to the problem, according to Dr. Russell Blaylock, a retired neurosurgeon:

"Excitotoxins have been found to dramatically promote cancer growth and metastasis. In fact, one aspartame researcher noticed that, when cancer cells were exposed to aspartame, they became more mobile … "

The blood-brain barrier, which normally protects your brain from excess aspartate, as well as toxins, is not able to adequately protect you against the effects of aspartame consumption because it:

1. Is not fully developed during childhood
2. Does not fully protect all areas of the brain
3. Is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions
4. Allows seepage of excess aspartate into the brain even when intact

That excess aspartate slowly begins to destroy neurons, and the large majority (75 percent or more) of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. Examples of chronic illnesses that are made worse by long-term exposure to excitatory amino acid damage include: Multiple sclerosis (MS); Alzheimer's disease and dementia; Epilepsy; Parkinson's disease; Hypoglycemia; AIDS; Neuroendocrine disorders.

High fructose corn syrup and foods high in sugar are scientifically shown to cause brain shrinkage according to recent research published in the journal Neurology.  Too much refined sugar will disrupt your brain function even if you're not diabetic or have any signs of dementia.

To test this theory, scientists evaluated short- and long-term glucose markers in 141 healthy, non-diabetic, non-demented individuals. Memory tests and brain imaging were administered to assess their brain function and the actual structure of their hippocampus. As reported by Scientific American:

"Higher levels on both glucose measures were associated with worse memory, as well as a smaller hippocampus and compromised hippocampal structure.

The researchers also found that the structural changes partially accounted for the statistical link between glucose and memory. According to study co-author Agnes Fl?el, a neurologist at Charité, the results 'provide further evidence that glucose might directly contribute to hippocampal atrophy.'"

These research findings tell us that even in individuals who are not diagnosed as diabetic or insulin resistant (and about 80 percent of Americans fall into the latter category), High fructose corn syrup and refined sugar consumption will still be detrimental to their brain cells; through progressive shrinking of the hippocampus, which is a hallmark symptom of Alzheimer's disease. (The hippocampus is involved with the formation, organization, and storage of memories.)

GMOs in non-organic vegetables and many processed foods causing "brain rancidity"

Monsanto has created a dangerous world-wide dependence on their GM corn and soybeans. As of 2012, 93% of the soybeans produced in the US were genetically modified, and 83% for corn. GMO-introduces glutamate excitotoxicity appears to share similar effects to monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame-linked brain damage, according to new study, published in the journal Toxicology.  According to the study, the huge recent increase in the amount of glyphosate applied to corn and soybean crops has significantly increased American exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals. Correlations were scientifically shown between glyphosate use, GMO crop increase and related increases in thyroid cancer, liver cancer, obesity, high blood pressure, acute kidney injury, incidence and prevalence of diabetes and end stage renal disease.

The increase in the amount of glyphosates applied to genetically engineered (GE) varieties corn and soy crops grown in the U.S., directly corresponds to an equivalent rise in autism in children and death rates for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and Senile Dementia which scientists have been plotted against glyphosate applications to U.S. corn and soy crops. According to researchers the correlations are quite strong with deaths due to Alzheimer’s rising since 1980, and spiking in 1999.

The endocrine disrupting properties of glyphosate are known to lead to neurological disorders (learning disabilities (LD), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), autism, dementia, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder). With those most susceptible being children and the elderly.  Glyphosate was first marketed in 1976 and its use has exploded since the advent of glyphosateresistant, genetically engineered (GE) crops in 1995. The herbicide-resistant GE crops absorb glyphosate through direct application and from the soil and it cannot be washed off. Glyphosate is an integral part of GMO engineered food.  Glyphosate has also been found in rivers, streams, air and rain.

According to researchers the increases in these diseases and disorders can be attributed to the following factors:

1 Glyphosate is a known endocrine disruptor.

1. Endocrine disruptors can cause organ and neurological damage.
2. GMOs have shown liver and kidney damage and abnormal behavior in rat studies.
3. Use of glyphosate on herbicide-resistant crops has skyrocketed since 1995.
4. Incidence, prevalence and deaths due to these diseases has concurrently skyrocketed since 1995.

 

Moreover, French scientists, Gilles-Eric Seralini, a professor at the University of Caen in Normandy, published a report demonstrating how  rats fed NK603 corn developed liver and kidney disease and mammary tumours.                                                 

Consumption of Aluminum through our water supply, cookware, and application of antiperspirants and deodorants have been scientifically determined to cause toxic build-up of heavy metals that are detrimental to our brains. There is a strong connection between aluminum and Alzheimer's disease. Research clearly demonstrates abnormally high accumulations of aluminum within the brains of Alzheimer's victims. Independent studies performed in Norway, the United Kingdom, France and Canada, show a direct correlation between the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and aluminum concentrations in the drinking water. In fact, one British study reported in the highly respected medical journal The Lancet, showed the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease to be 50 percent greater where drinking water contained high levels of aluminum.

1. AGING AND BRAIN DECLINE

(Excerpted from a research article published by Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA a research study published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, by authors Dr. George Bartzokis, a professor of psychiatry at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA; and his colleagues: Po H. Lu, Kathleen Tingus, Mario F. Mendez, Aurore Richard, Douglas G. Peters, Bolanle Oluwadara, Katherine A. Barrall, J. Paul Finn, Pablo Villablanca, Paul M. Thompson, and Jim Mintz. The study was funded and supported by the National Institutes of Health, the RCS Alzheimer's Foundation, Sidell-Kagan Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. )

   Scientific research shows that the average person's memory declines by as much as 40% between the ages of 30 and 65, with an even more pronounced decline as an individual reaches 65.  One study compared how quickly a group of males ranging in age from 23 to 80 could perform a motor task and then correlated their performances to their brains' myelin integrity. The researchers found a striking correlation between the speed of the task and the integrity of myelination over the range of ages. Put another way, after middle age, we start to lose the battle to repair the myelin in our brain, and our motor and cognitive functions begin a long, slow downhill slide.

    The myelination of brain circuits follows an inverted U-shaped trajectory, peaking in middle age. Bartzokis and his colleagues have long argued that brain aging may be primarily related to the process of myelin breakdown. "Research Studies have shown us that as we age, myelin breakdown and repair are continually occurring over the brain's entire 'neural network,'" said Bartzokis, who is also a member of UCLA's Ahmanson–Lovelace Brain Mapping Center and the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging. "But in older age, we begin losing the repair battle. That means the average performance of the networks gradually declines with age at an accelerating rate."

However, the good news is, according to Bartzokis, that brain damage is treatable with therapeutic intervention ;  "Since in healthy individuals brain myelin breakdown begins to occur in middle age, there is a decades-long period during which a program of therapeutic intervention, including dietary changes, brain retraining and use of specific supplements, could alter the course of brain aging and possibly prevent or delay age-driven degenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimer's”

THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION IS INDICATED IF….

You seem to keep forgetting where you've put things, names, faces, or important due dates and appointments

You are experiencing increasing difficulty remembering conversations you recently had, or things you just read

You find yourself mid-sentence, forgetting what you wanted to say, or keep stumbling over words.

You are suffering from unexpected lapses in concentration and being "scatter brained"

You experience episodes of "brain fog", where you can't think clearly or your thought process feels slowed and murky

Research at Georgia Tech University shows that the average person's memory declines by as much as 40% between the ages of 30 and 65, with an even more pronounced decline as you enter the so-called "golden years".

TYPES OF THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION

It has been scientifically determined that certain SELECT LIFE-STYLE STRATEGIES can promote neurogenesis and stimulate regrowth of brain cells through targeted specific gene pathways called BDNF or brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which stimulate brain cell growth and connectivity as proved and demonstrated on MRI scans of brain of volunteers who participated in the studies.

• EXERCISE; Physical activity produces biochemical changes that strengthen and renew not just your body but also your brain—particularly areas associated with memory and learning.
• DIET; According to the Journal Archives of Neurology, researches done, on the eating habits of almost 2,000 dementia-free adult’s ages 65 years and older, proved that a diet is rich in *certain beverages, spices, fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. (see https://abcnews.go.com/Health/Alzheimers/alzheimers-diet-foods-lowerdementiarisk/story?id=10359869) (*also see list provided below this discussion.)
• STIMULATE YOUR BRAIN: Humans brains, like human muscles can atrophy if not properly stimulated. More specifically, our brain's cognitive reserve or ability to withstand neurological damage due to aging and other factors without showing visible signs of slowing or memory loss can either diminishes or increase through the years. Just as weight workouts can add lean muscle to our body, researchers now believe that performing regular, targeted brain exercises can progressively increase our brain's cognitive reserves. In one study researchers found that people who regularly challenge and stimulate their brains are 60 percent less likely to develop cognitive impairment and dementia. Exercises to strengthen brain function should offer novelty and challenge. "Almost any silly suggestion can work," says David Eagleman, PhD, neuroscientist and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. "Drive home via a different route; brush your teeth with your opposite hand. Your brain works through associations, [which is why it's easier to memorize lyrics to a song than it is to try and remember the same words without music], so the more senses you involve the better."

Reading the morning  newspaper is a great place to start. "Simple games like Sudoku and word games are good, as well as comic strips where you find things that are different from one picture to the next," says John E. Morley, MD, director of St. Louis University's Division of Geriatric Medicine and author of The Science of Staying Young. In addition to word games, Dr. Morley recommends the following exercises to sharpen your mental skills:

1. Test your recall. Make a list — of grocery items, things to do, or anything else that comes to mind — and memorize it. An hour or so later, see how many items you can recall. Make items on the list as challenging as possible for the greatest mental stimulation.
2. Let the music play. Learn to play a musical instrument or join a choir. Studies show that learning something new and complex over a longer period of time is ideal for the aging mind.
3. Do math in your head. Figure out problems without the aid of pencil, paper, or computer; you can make this more difficult — and athletic — by walking at the same time.
4. Take a cooking class. Learn how to cook a new cuisine. Cooking uses a number of senses: smell, touch, sight, and taste, which all involve different parts of the brain.
5. Learn a foreign language. The listening and hearing involved stimulates the brain. What’s more, a rich vocabulary has been linked to a reduced risk for cognitive decline.
6. Create word pictures. Visualize the spelling of a word in your head, then try and think of any other words that begin (or end) with the same two letters.
7. Draw a map from memory. After returning home from visiting a new place, try to draw a map of the area; repeat this exercise each time you visit a new location.
8. Challenge your taste buds. When eating, try to identify individual ingredients in your meal, including subtle herbs and spices.
9. Refine your hand-eye abilities. Take up a new hobby that involves fine-motor skills, such as knitting, drawing, painting, assembling a puzzle, etc.
10. Learn a new sport. Start doing an athletic exercise that utilizes both mind and body, such as yoga, golf, or tennis.

Soon people will realize that they can take steps to keep their brains healthy, just as they know they can prevent heart disease by taking certain actions, says Bender. "In the coming decade, I predict brain wellness to be right up there with heart health — now that there's proof that living a brain-healthy lifestyle works!

• PURPOSE: Greater purpose in life was associated with a 52 percent reduced risk of Alzheimer's, and those with a high score on the purpose-in-life measurement were 2.4 times more likely to remain disease-free than low-scorers according to Dr. Patricia A. Boyle of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and colleagues reported in the March issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry. "The tendency to derive meaning from life's experiences and to possess a sense of intentionality and goal directedness are associated with a substantially reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and a less rapid rate of cognitive decline in older age," the researchers wrote. Some data have suggested that psychological factors such as extraversion and neuroticism, as well as experiential factors including social networks, are associated with risk of Alzheimer's disease.
• DEPRESSION: Depression weakens the body's defenses against dementia by affecting the brain's blood supply. Cardiovascular disease (another risk factor for Alzheimer's) and depression are often clinically linked, perhaps because of reduced blood flow to the brain. These vascular changes are thought to render the brain more vulnerable to Alzheimer's-related damage. Individuals who suffer from depression are more likely to develop Alzheimer's is believed to have a strong component of depression. Scientific researchers determined those afflicted with Alzheimer's have higher number of depressive symptoms. Some of the symptoms common to both Alzheimer's and depression include; 1.)Loss of interest in once-enjoyable activities and hobbies 2.) Social withdrawal 3.) Memory problems 4.) Sleeping too much or too little 5.) Impaired concentration

For individuals suffering from, or at risk for depression, these lifestyle factors listed above may well make a difference. Exercise and diet combat vascular disease that has been clinically linked to depression, said, stressed mice and rats that exercise, take antidepressants and eat well show fewer brain changes than those that don’t.

FOODS SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN TO HELP DEFEAT ALZHEIMER'S AND INCREASE BRAIN HEALTH

• Pomegranate Juice. A daily glass of pomegranate juice is believed to prevent the build-up of harmful proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease. A scientific research study has shown that pomegranates juice works just as well as many pharmaceutical medicines. “This study is the first to show beneficial effects (both behavioral and neuropathological) of pomegranate juice in an animal model of Alzheimer’s disease,” says Dr. Hartman, researcher and lead author of the study. He also collaborated with Washington University researchers on this project.The study began with transgenic mice predisposed to develop Alzheimer’s-like pathology and symptoms. At a young age, the mice were split into two groups—half received water with added pomegranate-juice concentrate, and the control group received drinking water with the same amount of sugar as the juice. Dr. Hartman’s research found that the mice who drank the pomegranate juice had 50 percent less beta-amyloid plaques in the hippocampus of their brains. The mice drank an average of 5 milliliters of fluid a day, which is roughly equivalent to a human drinking one to two glasses of pomegranate juice a day. The learning and memory abilities of the mice were tested in the Morris water maze, which required the animals to swim and find a submerged platform in a pool of water.
  
  The results are significant. After six months, the pomegranate juice-treated mice learned water maze tasks more quickly and swam faster; and the mice that drank the pomegranate juice had 50 percent less beta-amyloid plaques in the hippocampus of their brains.
• Eat Curry with turmeric, some curry powders may contain very little turmeric, a spice that in turn contains the anti-inflammatory antioxidant curcumin, so look for the latter type containing turmeric a spice that in turn contains the anti-inflammatory antioxidant curcumin. Research has shown that curcumin may help inhibit the accumulation of destructive beta amyloids in the brain of Alzheimer's patients, as well as break up existing plaques. Curcumin has even been shown to boost memory and stimulate the production of new brain cells.
• Drink coffee to activate Nrf2 pathways, helping to fight off oxidative stress and protect against neurodegenerative diseases, and recent studies have found that high levels of coffee consumption can be associated with up to a 65% reduction in risk for dementia.
• Eat Celery. Celery is a rich source of luteolin, a plant compounds that may calm inflammation in your brain, which is a primary cause of neurodegeneration. Luteolin has also been linked with lower rates of age-related memory loss in mice.2 In addition to celery, peppers and carrots are also good sources of luteolin.
• Eat Broccoli and Cauliflower, Broccoli and Cauliflower are good sources of CHOLINE, a B vitamin known for its role in brain development. Choline intake during pregnancy "super-charged" the brain activity of animals in utero, indicating that it may boost cognitive function, improve learning and memory, is thought to play a role in diminishing  age-related memory decline and the brain's vulnerability to toxins during childhood, as well as conferring brain protection later in life.
• Eat Walnuts & take Krill Oil. Krill oil contains astaxanthin, which appears to be particularly beneficial for brain health. Krill belongs to the class of carotenoids, and is very "focused" on reducing free radical-mediated damage to fat, and your brain is 60 percent to 70 percent fat. Walnuts are good sources of plant-based omega-3 fats, natural phytosterols and antioxidants, and have been shown to reverse brain aging in older rats. DHA, in particular, is a type of omega-3 fat that's been found to boost brain function and promote brain cell healing, it's even more plentiful in animal-based omega-3 sources, like krill oil.
• Eat Crab, Crab is an excellent source of brain-boosting vitamin B12; and a typical serving of crab exceeds the daily requirement of phenylalanine, an amino acid that helps make the neurotransmitter dopamine, a brain-stimulating adrenaline and noradrenaline and thyroid hormone, and is also thought to fight Parkinson's disease. Crab is an excellent source of brain-boosting vitamin B12.
• Eat Magnesium rich foods like Kelp, Nuts, Green Leafy Vegetables and Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas);The top ten sources of Magnesium are: Kelp, Almonds, Cashews, Molasses, Buckweat, Brazil nuts, Dulse (seaweed), Filberts, Millet, and Pecans. Magnesium, is a mineral which benefits brain cell receptors to speed the transmission of messages, while also relaxing blood vessels, which allows more blood flow to the brain, and concurrently is thought to play a role in alleviating such  threats as heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes, depression, arthritis, and asthma. DO NOT TAKE Magnesium Oxide Supplements, because they tend to form a caustic Magnesium Hydroxide in the body that can burn the intestine walls, and are VERY poorly absorbed.
• Eat Blueberries; The antioxidants and other phytochemicals in blueberries have been linked to improvements in learning, thinking and memory, along with reductions in neurodegenerative oxidative stress.
• Consume Healthy Fats; Beneficial health-promoting fats that your body—and your brain in particular—needs for optimal function include organic butter from raw milk, clarified butter called organic grass fed raw butter, olives, organic virgin olive oil and coconut oil, nuts like pecans and macadamia, free-range eggs, wild Alaskan salmon, and avocados.
• Eat wholefoods – wholegrains, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, fresh fruit and vegetables.

1. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Choose dark green, leafy and root vegetables such as watercress, carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach, green beans or peppers, raw or lightly cooked. Choose fresh fruit such as apples, pears, berries, melon or citrus fruit. Have bananas in moderation. Dilute fruit juices.

1. Eat wholegrains such as rice, millet, rye, oats, wholewheat, corn or quinoa.
2. Avoid any form of sugar, and foods with added sugar.
3. Combine protein foods with carbohydrate foods; by eating cereals and fruit with nuts or seeds, eat starch foods (potato, bread, pasta or rice) with fish, lentils, beans or tofu.
4. If eating animal protein, choose lean meat or preferably fish, preferably fish, organic whenever possible.
5. Eat seeds .The best seeds are flax, hemp, pumpkin, sunflower and sesame. You get more goodness out of them by grinding them first and sprinkling on cereal, soups and salads.
6. Use cold-pressed seed oils. Choose an oil blend containing flaxseed oil or hemp oil for salad dressings and cold uses.
7. Drink Wine.There is irrefutable evidence that Red wine’s polyphenols remove protein plaques that accumulate in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients. Moderate alcohol consumption of wine is good for your overall health and that includes brain health and function. Moderate consumption of wine, has played a role in the traditional diets of some of the longest-lived people on earth, including the three countries with the most centenarians   — France, Italy and Japan. In both France and Italy, wine, especially red wine, is an integral part of the daily diet. Moderate consumption of Red wine has been scientifically determined to help heart disease, diabetes, and chronic inflammation all of which can adversely affect your brain. Red wine is also a key part of the diet on the Greek island of Ikaria — one of the world’s unique places where the people experience extraordinary health and mental sharpness well into their 90’s and above.

TAKE  SUPPLEMENTS

DHA: Your body is only minimally able to make DHA, a critical fatty acid for brain health. So supplementation is key. A dosage of DHA of around 1000mg. This can come from eating wild fish or better, from taking a fish oil supplement or a DHA supplement derived from algae.Some brain supplement reviews say that docosahexaenoic acid should be considered first. This is an essential fatty acid that that’s used in the cerebral cortex. This part of the brain is responsible for focus, language, memory, and emotion. Studies have shows that elderly people with higher levels of DHA also have better memories and sharper focus. Experts have estimated that 70 percent of people are deficient in DHA, so it’s safe to bet that most people could use this supplement to promote and preserve brain health.

CITICOLINE: This natural compound is in every cell of the human body. It’s considered an anti-aging brain supplement because it helps the body protect itself against damage from inflammation and free radicals. In Europe, it’s common to find doctors who prescribe citicoline to treat people who have suffered from brain injuries, strokes, memory loss, and age-related disorders.

CURCUMIN: The Asian spice, tumeric, contains a high concentration of curcumin. It’s the susbstance that gives this spice it’s distinctive golden hue. It also helps to protect the mind in a number of ways because of its antiviral, anti inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. It may also help protect against cancer. It also helps improve blood flow to the brain. Some folks even call curcumin “bottled exercise” because of the way it helps improve blood flow.

GINKGO BILOBA—is a potent leaf extract used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. In a double-blind placebo controlled study (the gold standard of research design), conducted by Dr. Joseph Mix at Liberty University, 262 healthy older adults received either 180 mg of pure ginkgo extract or a placebo (with no ginkgo) for 6-weeks. At the end of the study the Ginkgo group achieved a whopping 168% improvement in specific memory tests.

Ginkgo biloba, also known as Maidenhair, has been traced back nearly 300 million years making it the oldest surviving tree species on earth! The Chinese have used the plant medicinally for eons but many of the modern applications come from the research of German scientists. Ginkgo is a prescription herb in Germany. Ginkgo extract has proven benefits to elderly people. This ancient herb acts to enhance oxygen utilization and thus improves memory, concentration, and other mental faculties. The herbal extract has also been shown to significantly improve long-distance vision and may reverse damage to the retina of the eye. Studies have also confirmed its value in the treatment of depression in elderly people. The ginkgo extract may provide relief for those who suffer from headaches, sinusitis, and vertigo. It may also help relieve chronic ringing in the ears known as tinnitus.

Ginkgo can reduce retinal damage

In studies, Ginkgo biloba has been reported as demonstrating antioxidant abilities with improvements of the platelet and nerve cell functions and blood flow to the nervous system and brain. It has also been reported as reducing blood viscosity. Its ability to increase vascular dilation may help reduce retinal damage due to macular degradation and may reverse deafness caused by reduced blood flow.

Ginkgo Biloba’s healing properties

Recently, extensive research on the herb has been conducted on the healing properties of the leaf extract of Ginkgo biloba. Germany and France have run literally hundreds of studies on the Ginkgo biloba leaf extract. These studies along with similar studies in America, have shown significant results. The extract of ginkgo biloba has been studied for its effectiveness in the treatment of acrocyanosis, Alzheimer's disease, cerebral atherosclerosis, cerebral insufficiencies, cochlear deafness, dementia, depression, menopause, peripheral and cerebral circulatory stimulation, peripheral vascular disease, Raynaud's syndrome, retinopathy, senility, short-term memory loss, tinnitus, vascular diseases, and vertigo.

It is said to be effective in improving the blood flow to the hands and the feet as well as stimulating the brain and reducing short-term memory loss.

Acetyl-L-carnitine, also known as ALCAR, is a well-researched nutritional supplement. It is synthesized to provide a more bioavailable form of L-carnitine, which is a derivative of the amino acid lysine. L-carnitine is made naturally in the body by the liver and kidneys, and then transported to other tissues such as the brain and heart. Like L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine functions as an antioxidant and promotes the production of glutathione, a free radical scavenger, in cells. Because L-carnitine is involved in cellular metabolism, acetyl-L-carnitine can help increase energy production in the mitochondria, the "power plants" of all cells, and thereby may generally boost physical and mental energy. As a dietary supplement, acetyl-L-carnitine is often used to help improve memory, and has been studied as a possible adjunct treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. It is also thought  to  be useful in the treatment of depression, Parkinson’s  disease, stroke, and Peyronie's disease. In addition, daily supplementation with acetyl-L-carnitine may have a protective effect on the central nervous system and may benefit the heart. There is also some evidence that acetyl-L-carnitine can enhance visual memory and attention in people with Down Syndrome, and clinical data indicates that it also may slow age-related mental decline that is not associated with Alzheimer's.

Rhodiola Rosea Extract Rhodiola rosea is sometimes referred to as Golden Root, Roseroot, Arctic Root or Aaron’s Rod — is an adaptogen with increasing clinical evidence suggesting a wide range of benefits with exceptionally few side effects and dangers. Rhodiola rosea, a perennial plant of the Rhodiola genus in the Crassulaceae family, grows in cold, harsh alpine regions of the Northern Hemisphere (thus it is a Holarctic ecozone species of Rhodiola). These regions include the Arctic, the Rocky Mountains, mountainous areas of central Asia, the Alps, the Carpathian Mountains, the Pyrenees, Scandinavia, Iceland and northern Russia (Siberia). It is a pretty little plant with yellow flowers, but it exhibits a hardiness by easily thriving in harsh, craggy environments. Because Rhodiola rosea features both distinctly male and female plants, it is a dioecious plant, and because of its tendency to grow among rocks and stones, it is sometimes referred to as a stonecrop. When cut, the root emits a potent rose-like aroma. This rhodiola species name, rosea, originates from that strong rose aroma. Multiple strong stems grow from the root, growing from 10 to 30 inches in height, and from each stem blossoms its distinct yellow flower.

Traditionally, Russians, Siberians and Scandinavians used R. rosea to improve their vitality in the harsh conditions present in the bitter cold climates and high altitudes. This golden root later developed a rather mysterious reputation as Soviet KGB agents relied on it to improve their physical and mental endurance while persevering stressful conditions and situations.

After centuries of use in China and Russia and decades of studies by the Soviet Union, rhodiola rosea’s western research was spearheaded by Dr. Zakir Ramazanov when he left the Soviet Union in 1989 to conduct research at the University of Umea in Sweden. He later joined Louisiana State University in the United States. His scientific work and his efforts to promote the research of Siberian phytomedicines laid the foundation for modern research on adaptogens such as rhodiola rosea.

Green Tea- & Theanine- Theanine is a derivative of glutamic acid, a neurotransmitter naturally found in your brain. It has been shown to influence the formation of the relaxing neurotransmitter called GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid). Research on theanine has continued over the years, and an impressive body of science shows both the safety and effectiveness of this nutrient.

Theanine is the active component of green tea responsible not only for its taste but also for its relaxing effects. A dietary  supplement providing a concentrating a purified form of theanine is marketed under the trade name Suntheanine. Brain cells are known to generate electrical pulses, called brain waves, from their cell surfaces. It was demonstrated in humans that 40 minutes after taking a theanine supplement (50 mg to 200 mg), relaxing alpha waves were generated in various brain regions, an effect that may last up to 12 hours.

Theanine and Sleep Theanine does not make you drowsy, sleepy or tired when taken during the day. However, part of preparing your mind to go into deeper sleep is first getting into a more relaxed state, which theanine clearly supports. Once you are relaxed, you are more likely to enter brain wave states associated with deeper sleep.Various stressors tend to wind up your nerves and keep you up even when you may be physically tired. The wear and tear of such stress tends to deplete the “relaxed reserves” in your nervous system.  Taking theanine during the day may help you be more relaxed at bedtime, and taking some before bedtime may also help you to relax so that you find it easier to get to sleep and stay asleep. A preliminary human sleep study found improved quality of sleep as subjects reported an absence of feeling exhausted, and a reduced need for sleep.

BUYER ALERT: Unfortunately, many manufacturers refuse to pay 4 times the price for pure USP Grade  Ginkgo. Instead, they use cheap versions that can be dangerously high in a toxin called Ginkgolic Acid—in amounts well above the standards set by the World Health Organization.  Ginkgolic Acid can even cause damage to DNA and it’s potentially toxic to nerve cells and the immune system. Pure Ginkgo, however (listed on the label as "USP Grade Gingko"), is extremely safe and exceptionally effective. Also be sure to avoid any brain stimulating formula that contains Magnesium stearate. These and other synthetic ingredients are often used to fill up the capsule and can be harmful to your health. Be sure to look for supplements that come in a Vegetarian Capsule.

 sources for combined supplements

https://informedlifestyle.com/reviews/nootropics/brain-vitamins-supplements

https://www.braindrainsolution.com/choose-your-package-fs/