Nature Knows - Natural Nootropics

Ashwagandha might be tricky to pronounce (it’s ash-wa-gan-da, FYI) but this small, evergreen plant has become the health influencer’s supplement du jour . Touted as the ultimate remedy to 21st century living , ashwaganda is what’s known as an ‘adaptogen’. “In other words, it’s a natural substance that helps the body to adapt to stress ,” explains Mina Khan, a pharmacist with a background in Indian Ayurvedic medicine.

While it may be new to us Brits, ashwagandha is a powerful herb that is prominent in Ayurvedic medicine, one of the world’s oldest medical systems, and its history of use as a medicine dates back to AD 6000. The bioactive compounds in the plant exert ‘antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities’ that herbalists say can help reduce stress and anxiety, boost testosterone levels , and potentially alleviate the symptoms of certain diseases.

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In a world filled with relentless calendar notifications a natural stress-soothing solution definitely appeals. “The modern world brings with it lots of stress and long working hours for many,” says Khan, “ashwagandha is likely to be particularly of interest to people who want natural solutions to stress; and want to enhance their energy levels and benefit from increased mental clarity .” Ashwagandha Root

Native to India, North Africa and the Middle East, ashwagandha’s botanical name is withania somnifera, though it’s sometimes referred to as Indian ginseng or winter cherry. If this all seems a bit too far removed from your local supermarket, ashwagandha is part of the nightshade family, which includes potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, and chilli peppers. While various parts of the plant are used, including the leaves, seeds, and even fruit, ashwagandha root is used most commonly.

“Ashwagandha adapts to the needs of the body, helping to support it and reduce negative changes during times of emotional and physical stress by strengthening the endocrine and nervous systems,” says Sebastian Pole, co-founder and master herbsmith at Pukka Herbs . This capacity to help the body adapt to stress “is reflected by its ability to thrive in very dry conditions in poor-quality soils,” he continues. “Most plants would suffer from severe stress in such an environment.”

This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Ashwagandha supposedly smells like horses – ashva means ‘horse’ and gandha means ‘smell’ in Sanskrit – and the name also refers to the horse-like strength the herb is purported to stimulate. Don’t let the horse connotations put you off, though. Here, we run through the science-backed benefits associated with ashwagandha, including the dosage and side effects. Ashwagandha Benefits

While there are a whole host of health benefits associated with taking ashwagandha, spanning cognitive function, immune system support , adrenal function, sports performance, energy metabolism and more, human studies have so far been small scale.

There are also variables in the way ashwagandha is approached – the leaves, seeds, fruits and roots have been experimented with in different ways, and there isn’t a standard dosage that’s been studied by modern clinical trials. Even so, the science that does exist is promising.

“Ayurveda views ashwagandha as one of the most prized rejuvenating herbs, known as a ‘rasayana’ in Sanskrit,” explains Pole. “Rasayanas are thought to enhance both the quality and quantity of life, nourish the mind and enhance physical vigour, making them perfect for when we are feeling weak and exhausted .” 8 Things Not To Do At The Gym

by Men’s Health UK

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Refresh the page to resume playback.8 Things Not To Do At The Gymby Men’s Health UKBeginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteTransparencyOpaqueBackgroundColorBlackTransparencyOpaqueWindowColorBlackTransparencyTransparentFont Size50%Text Edge StyleNoneFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifEnd of dialog window. Replay “8 Things Not To Do At The Gym” Up Next01:28 Never, Ever Be This Guy in the Gym 01:2803:35 What women hate men doing at the gym 03:3500:39 MH UK Gym Chat – 1 00:39 Ashwagandha Soothes Anxiety and Stress The key chemical ingredients in ashwagandha are withaferin A and withanolide A. These mimic GABA, an amino acid which acts as a neurotransmitter in your central nervous system and calms nervous activity, according to a rodent study by California State University .And human studies have shown it can reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. When researchers in India asked people with chronic stress to supplement with ashwagandha root, 69 per cent reported a reduction in anxiety and insomnia, compared with 11 per cent in the control group.Related Story Why Multivitamins Could Help You Lose Weight Various studies – both animal and human – have found that ashwagandha helps to reduce cortisol levels, too. “Stress causes a surge in the adrenal hormones – adrenaline and cortisol – that increase alertness,” says Pole.Not only does ashwagandha regulate imbalanced cortisol levels and nourish the adrenal glands, Pole continues, it also acts as a tonic. “This means it will strengthen an exhausted or agitated nervous system while at the same time calming it,” he says. Ashwagandha Enhances Muscle Growth and Strength The herb could supercharge your gym sessions, too, since it’s been shown to increase muscle mass, reduce body fat, and increase strength in men. In a study of 57 men , taking ashwagandha led to “significant increases in muscle mass and strength ” and more than doubled their reductions in body fat percentage compared to a placebo group. Another study found that healthy men who took around one gram of ashwagandha per day saw gains in muscle strength after 30 days. “This quality of ashwagandha also makes it helpful for recovering from weakness in any post-illness convalescence period,” adds Pole. Corey JenkinsGetty Images Ashwagandha Boosts Brain Function and Memory Ashwagandha […]

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Ever find yourself staring into your closet, unable to recall why you’re there or what you needed in the first place? Or why do you sometimes jumble perfectly easy sentences or blank at a pivotal moment during a work meeting? You’re young and relatively healthy, so what’s the deal?

Brain blips can be unnerving, but they’re completely normal. The good news is that they’re rarely the sign of a declining mind. We tend to think of youth as a time of peak mental capacity, and that once our child-prodigy days are gone, there’s no hope left. But, in fact, the human brain is most likely at its best during midlife, when life experiences combine with decades’ worth of neural connections, resulting in peak intelligence and ability.

“We may not learn or recall information quite as quickly as we did in our teens and 20s,” says Sandra Bond Chapman, PhD, the founder and chief director of the Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas. “But during our 30s, 40s, and 50s, we get better at what matters most: making decisions, synthesizing information, and coming up with big ideas.”

That means, however old you are now, it’s never too late to adopt healthy habits that will get your brain in good shape—and even improve with time.

While it’s natural for neurons to fire more slowly with age, stress and anxiety cause people to pathologize perfectly normal experiences, like forgetting an acquaintance’s name (again). “You probably pay attention to the few things that go wrong, but don’t give your brain credit for the thousands of things it did right,” Chapman says.

Instead of focusing on the occasional lapse, concentrate on your daily habits. What you do today will play a major role in whether you operate optimally in the present—and whether you develop more serious cognitive deterioration, like dementia, later in life. When it comes to brain function, everyday behavior matters as much as—if not more than—your DNA.

Whether you’re 23 or 63, here are five proven ways to gain a mental edge for years to come.

Listening to classical music and doing the crossword every week will bolster your brain, right? Unfortunately, not as much as you think. While these habits are certainly more stimulating than zoning out to another Friends marathon, research suggests that a great way to boost brainpower is through learning something entirely new—either mental, such as learning a new language, or physical, like signing up for a different yoga class or learning how to knit. As we cultivate an unfamiliar skill, our brains get more flexible and form new neural connections that get stronger over time.

According to a 2013 study from the University of Texas at Dallas, older adults who learned cognitively demanding activities, like quilting and digital photography, improved their memories. Those who listened to classical music, watched classic movies, or engaged in social activities, on the other hand, didn’t have the same gains.

Another study from 2020 , published in The Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences , suggests that regularly deviating from a mundane routine and getting exposure to a diverse array of activities throughout adulthood can boost cognitive functioning and decelerate the signs of cognitive aging, such as memory loss and declines in information processing.

Take your learning to the next level by using your brain for what it does best: fusing existing and new information. “It will repay you by strengthening its complex neural networks,” says Chapman. For example, you know how to read and love to read—but now take your favorite cerebral passtime one step further and get more mental bang for your buck (so to speak). For example, next time you finish a great book, spend a little extra time writing a Goodreads review, blog post, or digital journal entry for your eyes only (a Word or Google doc will do). You might be surprised at what you come up with while mulling it over again. Or reach for a pen and your journal: Studies show that writing by hand, rather than typing, improves information processing as well as the ability to remember what you’re writing about.

Your brain, as much as your body, is affected by what you eat and drink. Thankfully, making things less complicated, good brain nutrition looks a lot like body nutrition. Notable research from Rush University and the Harvard School of Public Health, published in 2015, found that middle-aged and older adults who adhered to an eating plan called the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet were able to decelerate cognitive decline. In fact, they scored the equivalent of seven and a half years younger on cognitive tests after one year of eating that way. According to a Rush University news release, “[this] diet is based on the most compelling research on the foods and nutrients that affect brain health….As the name suggests, the MIND diet is a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets .”

Like the Mediterranean diet , the MIND diet emphasizes nuts , beans, whole grains , poultry, and olive oil . But unlike the former plan, it calls for consuming leafy greens daily and at least two weekly servings of berries, as both are rich in brain-boosting antioxidants.

It shouldn’t be news that exercise is good for your head . But working out on days when you have, say, a big presentation or a stressful test can give your mind the added sharpness it needs.

Take this study, for example: Adults who did aerobic exercise regularly for four weeks—and exercised the morning that they took memory tests—scored higher than did regular exercisers who skipped their workout on test day, according to a 2012 study from Dartmouth College. Exercise’s stress-thwarting effects may be partially responsible: “ Stress is toxic to the brain,” Chapman explains. “It releases the hormone cortisol onto the hippocampus, where memories are stored.” That can make you momentarily forgetful and may weaken neural connections over time, increasing the odds of dementia.

All that said, don’t miss out on regular sweat […]

Read more at www.realsimple.com

You can find a detox protocol for just about anything these days, including your brain.

With the right supplements, cleansing herbs, and a major overhaul of your diet, among other things, you can supposedly: banish grogginess

enhance your memory

boost your cognitive function

While certain lifestyle changes can certainly have a positive impact on your health, most medical experts agree that detoxes, including those that focus on your brain, aren’t necessary.

Also, there’s no compelling research to support the use of detoxes.

Your body already has processes in place to get rid of toxins and keep things running smoothly. When it comes to your brain, there’s actually an entire system dedicated to detoxification.

Here’s a look at how the process works and the simple things you can do to support it.

When it comes to detoxification, your brain is pretty good at taking care of business on its own.

Research published in 2015 explains this happens as part of the function of the glymphatic system, which removes waste products from your brain and nervous system . Think of it as the brain’s trash collector.

The glymphatic system does most of its work while you sleep. During sleep, your other bodily processes are less active, allowing glymphatic activity to take priority.

Animal research suggests that there’s also a higher volume of open space between the cells in your brain during sleep, which allows more room for your brain to take out the trash, so to speak.

This process is somewhat complicated, but here’s a quick look at how it works: First, the channels of the glymphatic system fill with cerebrospinal fluid.

This fluid collects “garbage” like proteins, toxins, and other waste products as it flows along the network.

Your brain then flushes this waste at different drainage sites, where it moves through your body and exits just like any other type of waste.

One important product removed from the brain when eliminating waste products is the protein β-amyloid (beta-amyloid), which experts believe plays a part in the development of Alzheimer’s disease .

Sleep plays an essential role in the function of the glymphatic system. Getting enough sleep each night is one of the best ways to support your brain’s natural detoxification process.

If you have trouble getting enough quality sleep, try these tips for a better, more refreshing rest. Maintain a regular bedtime

If you don’t have any particular reason to get up at a specific time each day, your sleep schedule might be all over the place. Maybe you keep a regular bedtime during the week but stay up late and sleep in over the weekend.

This might feel natural to you, but over time, it can do a number on your sleep-wake cycle .

Going to bed (and waking up) at approximately the same time every day can help you get better rest and improve your overall sleep quality.

You can still stay up a little later than usual and sleep in when you don’t need to get up early — just try to avoid varying your sleep schedule by more than an hour.

Part of consistent sleep involves getting the right amount of sleep, which can range from 7 to 9 hours.

Pro tip: Use a sleep calculator to figure out when you should go to bed. Consider your diet

Eating certain foods, especially later in the day, may disrupt your sleep.

For better sleep, try to avoid the following just before bedtime :If you feel hungry before bedtime, try a better bedtime snack , such as: a banana yogurt a small bowl of oatmeal cheese, fruit, and crackers Create a comfortable sleeping environment Keeping your bedroom cool and dark can help you get better sleep.If you tend to get warm or cold during the night, opt for layers of lightweight, breathable bedding.You might also consider adding a fan to your room, which can also help to block out any noises that tend to keep you up.Using your room only for sleeping and sex can also make it easier to fall asleep when you do go to bed.That way, your brain knows that getting into bed means you’re ready to sleep, not watch TV or scroll through social media. Set aside some de-stress time before bed Stress and anxiety are both common culprits behind sleep issues. Making time to relax before bed won’t necessarily get rid of these concerns, but it can help you put them out of your mind for the eveningAn hour or so before bedtime, try: writing out things you need to take care of the next day so you won’t worry about them You know that refreshed, focused feeling (despite your tired muscles) you have after a big workout? That’s the glymphatic system kicking in. Animal research published in 2018 suggests exercise can have a significant effect on waste disposal in the brain.According to the study results, mice that could exercise by running on a wheel displayed twice the glymphatic activity as mice that couldn’t exercise.It’s important to note that the increase in glymphatic activity is likely associated with running rather than a direct result of it.Exercise has plenty of other benefits , too.It can: help lower your risk for many health conditions decrease stress increase energy improve your mood improve cognitive function It’s also worth mentioning that exercise can help you get better sleep, which can also promote glymphatic system function.Experts recommend getting at least 2 1/2 hours of moderate aerobic exercise each week.You can also ramp up the intensity and see similar benefits with just 1 hour and 15 minutes each week of intense or vigorous aerobic exercise.You don’t have to get all your weekly activity at once, either. It’s usually best (and easiest) to get about half an hour of exercise each day.Any exercise is better than no exercise, so doing what you can to increase the amount of physical activity you get each week can help. Try squeezing in a 15-minute walk after lunch or dinner (or both), for example.Sleep and exercise are beneficial for your brain, but you can […]

Read more at www.healthline.com