Jolie Rouge
03-18-2003, 11:03 AM
By Cathryn Conroy, Netscape News Editor
NO --- NOT *THAT* "WEED" !
It's just a common old weed, but research from Northumbria University in the United Kingdom shows that lemon balm improves mood, enhances memory, and may even help people who have Alzheimer's disease. The wild-growing, bright green plant that resembles a nettle and is a relative to mint is native to most European countries. Lemon balm has long been used as a folk remedy to calm, and it was given to students in the 16th-century to "quicken the senses." Now tests have now shown it helps people learn, store, and retrieve information, reports the BBC News Online.
At Northumbria University, researcher Andrew Scholey and David Kennedy gave 20 young adult volunteers capsules of the dried leaves of lemon balm or a placebo. Those who had the lemon balm performed better at standardized computer memory tests and scored higher on a standard test that measures calmness than those who were given a placebo. The more they took, the better the effect on memory and mood. The BBC reports that while lemon balm had no effect on working memory, which is the constant recall of continual events during the day, it did have a positive effect on secondary memory, which is the ability to learn, store, and retrieve information.
A different study conducted by Elaine Perry at the Medical Research Council's unit at Newcastle General Hospital found that lemon balm also had a positive effect on brain tissue and chemical receptors in the brain that were affected by Alzheimer's. Specifically, it increased the activity of acetylcholene, a chemical messenger linked to memory that is reduced in people with Alzheimer's, notes the BBC. Both studies were presented at the British Psychological Society's annual conference.
--------------------------
Lemon balm isn't the only thing that will boost your memory. Eat this and you could still have a sharp memory--even in old age!
Blueberries
By Janice M. Horowitz
Pint for pint, these little blue jewels may contain more antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetable. The most powerful health-promoting compounds in blueberries are anthocyanins, phytochemicals that belong to the flavonoid family. Besides combatting the free-radical damage linked to heart disease and cancer, anthocyanins may boost brainpower—at least in rats. When fed blueberry extract for nine weeks, elderly rats outperformed a control group at such tasks as navigating mazes and balancing on rotating logs. And when aging rats ate a blueberry-enriched diet for four months, they performed as well in memory tests as younger rats. Another blueberry benefit: like cranberries, they seem to fight off urinary-tract infections by preventing E. coli bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall.
Next: Potatoes >>
www.time.com/time/covers/1101020121/blueberries.html
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If you don't get enough of this nutrient in your diet, your memory will suffer.
Ironing out memory problems
Iron helps carry oxygen to the tissues, including the brain. When iron levels drop, tissues are starved for oxygen, resulting in fatigue, memory loss, poor concentration, lack of motivation, shortened attention span and reduced work performance. Premenopausal women need at least 15 milligrams of iron daily, yet many consume 10 milligrams or less.
How can you boost iron?
- Eat more iron-rich foods, including extra-lean red meat, cooked dried beans and peas, dark green leafy vegetables and dried apricots.
- Cook in cast-iron pots. The iron will leach out of the pot and into the food, raising the iron content of the meal.
- Drink vitamin C-rich orange juice with iron-rich meals to boost iron absorption.
---------------------------
B is for brain
Inadequate intake of any B vitamin, including vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12 and folic acid, literally starves the brain for energy and leads to confusion, irritability, and impaired thinking, concentration, memory, reaction time and mental clarity.
To boost Bs, include several daily servings of B-rich foods, including nonfat milk and yogurt, wheat germ, bananas, seafood, whole grains and green peas. In addition, take a moderate-dose multiple vitamin and mineral.
Anti-dumbing vitamins
The brain consumes more oxygen than any other body tissue. This exposes the brain to a huge daily dose of free radicals, byproducts of oxygen usage that attack and damage brain cells. After decades, the wear and tear of free-radical attacks can contribute to the gradual loss of memory and thinking, an effect associated with aging. Fortunately, the body has an anti-free-radical army comprised of antioxidant nutrients, which include vitamins C and E. This dietary militia deactivates free radicals.
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/diet.fitness/9906/24/smart.foods/index.html
-------------
How sharp is your memory? Take this quick quiz to find out if you have any signs of memory loss.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,108786,00.html
Snowdon uses a longer version of the following quiz to pick up signs of memory loss. You can use it to test your own memory. If you are concerned about the results, discuss them with your physician.
Verbal Fluency
How many animals can you name in 60 seconds ? _____
Word-list Memory
1. Have a friend read the following 10 words aloud
Leg
Cheese
Tent
Motor
Flower
Stamp
Cup
King
Forest
Menu
[b]2. Try to commit them to memory.
3. Go over the list twice more, each time in a different order. How many can you recall on the third try? _____
Delayed Word Recall Test
Wait five minutes. Now how many words can you recall? _____
Word Recognition
1. Ask your friend to write 20 words on separate index cards — the 10 words from the list above mixed in with ten different words
2. Have your friend show you the cards one at a time
3. How many words can you pick out from the original list? _____
Add up your scores. If the total is less than 29, you may have difficulty with short-term memory. Ask your doctor about doing a more thorough exam.
NO --- NOT *THAT* "WEED" !
It's just a common old weed, but research from Northumbria University in the United Kingdom shows that lemon balm improves mood, enhances memory, and may even help people who have Alzheimer's disease. The wild-growing, bright green plant that resembles a nettle and is a relative to mint is native to most European countries. Lemon balm has long been used as a folk remedy to calm, and it was given to students in the 16th-century to "quicken the senses." Now tests have now shown it helps people learn, store, and retrieve information, reports the BBC News Online.
At Northumbria University, researcher Andrew Scholey and David Kennedy gave 20 young adult volunteers capsules of the dried leaves of lemon balm or a placebo. Those who had the lemon balm performed better at standardized computer memory tests and scored higher on a standard test that measures calmness than those who were given a placebo. The more they took, the better the effect on memory and mood. The BBC reports that while lemon balm had no effect on working memory, which is the constant recall of continual events during the day, it did have a positive effect on secondary memory, which is the ability to learn, store, and retrieve information.
A different study conducted by Elaine Perry at the Medical Research Council's unit at Newcastle General Hospital found that lemon balm also had a positive effect on brain tissue and chemical receptors in the brain that were affected by Alzheimer's. Specifically, it increased the activity of acetylcholene, a chemical messenger linked to memory that is reduced in people with Alzheimer's, notes the BBC. Both studies were presented at the British Psychological Society's annual conference.
--------------------------
Lemon balm isn't the only thing that will boost your memory. Eat this and you could still have a sharp memory--even in old age!
Blueberries
By Janice M. Horowitz
Pint for pint, these little blue jewels may contain more antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetable. The most powerful health-promoting compounds in blueberries are anthocyanins, phytochemicals that belong to the flavonoid family. Besides combatting the free-radical damage linked to heart disease and cancer, anthocyanins may boost brainpower—at least in rats. When fed blueberry extract for nine weeks, elderly rats outperformed a control group at such tasks as navigating mazes and balancing on rotating logs. And when aging rats ate a blueberry-enriched diet for four months, they performed as well in memory tests as younger rats. Another blueberry benefit: like cranberries, they seem to fight off urinary-tract infections by preventing E. coli bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall.
Next: Potatoes >>
www.time.com/time/covers/1101020121/blueberries.html
-------------------------
If you don't get enough of this nutrient in your diet, your memory will suffer.
Ironing out memory problems
Iron helps carry oxygen to the tissues, including the brain. When iron levels drop, tissues are starved for oxygen, resulting in fatigue, memory loss, poor concentration, lack of motivation, shortened attention span and reduced work performance. Premenopausal women need at least 15 milligrams of iron daily, yet many consume 10 milligrams or less.
How can you boost iron?
- Eat more iron-rich foods, including extra-lean red meat, cooked dried beans and peas, dark green leafy vegetables and dried apricots.
- Cook in cast-iron pots. The iron will leach out of the pot and into the food, raising the iron content of the meal.
- Drink vitamin C-rich orange juice with iron-rich meals to boost iron absorption.
---------------------------
B is for brain
Inadequate intake of any B vitamin, including vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12 and folic acid, literally starves the brain for energy and leads to confusion, irritability, and impaired thinking, concentration, memory, reaction time and mental clarity.
To boost Bs, include several daily servings of B-rich foods, including nonfat milk and yogurt, wheat germ, bananas, seafood, whole grains and green peas. In addition, take a moderate-dose multiple vitamin and mineral.
Anti-dumbing vitamins
The brain consumes more oxygen than any other body tissue. This exposes the brain to a huge daily dose of free radicals, byproducts of oxygen usage that attack and damage brain cells. After decades, the wear and tear of free-radical attacks can contribute to the gradual loss of memory and thinking, an effect associated with aging. Fortunately, the body has an anti-free-radical army comprised of antioxidant nutrients, which include vitamins C and E. This dietary militia deactivates free radicals.
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/diet.fitness/9906/24/smart.foods/index.html
-------------
How sharp is your memory? Take this quick quiz to find out if you have any signs of memory loss.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,108786,00.html
Snowdon uses a longer version of the following quiz to pick up signs of memory loss. You can use it to test your own memory. If you are concerned about the results, discuss them with your physician.
Verbal Fluency
How many animals can you name in 60 seconds ? _____
Word-list Memory
1. Have a friend read the following 10 words aloud
Leg
Cheese
Tent
Motor
Flower
Stamp
Cup
King
Forest
Menu
[b]2. Try to commit them to memory.
3. Go over the list twice more, each time in a different order. How many can you recall on the third try? _____
Delayed Word Recall Test
Wait five minutes. Now how many words can you recall? _____
Word Recognition
1. Ask your friend to write 20 words on separate index cards — the 10 words from the list above mixed in with ten different words
2. Have your friend show you the cards one at a time
3. How many words can you pick out from the original list? _____
Add up your scores. If the total is less than 29, you may have difficulty with short-term memory. Ask your doctor about doing a more thorough exam.