I Forgot What I was Going to Say…
February 6th 2010 21:08
Signature Tune
If you have ever forgotten what you are about to say… can’t remember why you walked into a room… or called one of your children the dog’s name… I think you’ll get a laugh out of this too.
We all have “senior moments”…
No matter your age, we all experience times when we forget even the most recent event or idea. What did I walk in here for… where did I park my car… why did I just open the refrigerator?
But there is no doubt that these experiences increase as we get older. In previous issues I have discussed the benefits of exercise on memory and cognition. I have also touched on the effect that omega-3 fatty acids can have on mental performance. And I never miss a chance to remind you that long-term consumption of sugar and high-carbohydrate foods can diminish mental performance and raise your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
But I haven’t talked about the memory and cognitive benefits of America’s favorite beverage – coffee!
Hundreds of studies have shown the health benefits of coffee…
Drinking coffee has been shown to reduce the risk of developing diabetes (although it can raise blood sugar levels in those who already have it). It has also been linked with lower rates of cancer, including those of the colon and prostate.
Coffee has also been shown to have significant neuro-protective properties. In one Finnish study, it lowered the risk of Alzheimer’s by 65%. Another study of lab mice showed that it reversed signs of the disease.
There was also a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition that showed an inverse relationship between the amount of coffee consumed and cognitive decline in elderly men. In other words, the more coffee the men drank, the better their mental performance.
Another benefit: improved short-term memory and reaction times…
Researchers at the Medical University at Innsbruck, Austria divided a study group into two segments. Both groups fasted for six hours and abstained from caffeine and nicotine for 24 hours prior to the test. The groups were given either a cup of strong coffee or a caffeine-free placebo.
After 20 minutes both groups were asked to carry out memory and concentration tests while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. The goal was to track their performance and also to see how coffee activates different areas of the brain. Several days later, the two groups took the same tests under the same conditions, except each group received the other drink.
What they discovered is that the coffee significantly activates parts of the prefrontal lobe of the brain. This part of the brain is involved in attention, concentration, planning and monitoring. It also stimulates what is known as the executive or “working memory.” This would be called on, for example, when you look up a telephone number and then store it in your memory before dialing.
A few things to keep in mind about coffee…
First of all, conventional coffee is heavily sprayed with pesticides. You should always buy organic. And if you add a couple teaspoons of sugar to every cup, you are probably negating any potential health benefits. So, if you take it sweet, use stevia.
Caffeine can also raise blood pressure and heart rate for some people. So, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. And finally, while it can improve mood and concentration… it can also cause anxiety and irritability and make you jittery.
Which is why I was interested to learn about something that THB Chairman of the Board, Dr. Al Sears calls…
Kick Start Your Morning Without Feeling Nervous or Jitteryl
Rain Forest Herb Gives You Lasting Energy Throughout the Day
Dr. Sears brings together two powerful nutrients to create one powerful new formula. Adding just a spoonful of Choline Punch to your favorite drink gives you:
Mental clarity and alertness that lasts the whole day.
Stronger memory and power of recall.
Better physical coordination and a more stable gait.
In the fall of 2006, Dr. Sears trekked through the Amazon jungles of Peru and was introduced to a powerful rain forest herb. According to tribal folklore, the Indians of the Amazon River Basin have been using it to prevent fatigue and increase physical endurance since before recorded history.
By combining this potent herb with a powerful brain booster, Dr. Sears’ Choline Punch ramps up your mental energy and accelerates your thinking. Get the safe and natural ingredients that keep your memory sharp and give you the power of instant recall… right HERE.
“A better brain booster than coffee”
Last year, Dr. Sears took a trip to the Brazilian Rain Forest. He was there for an adventure vacation. But he was also there to research botanical and herbal medicines that the indigenous tribes have used for centuries.
One morning, before a long hike through the jungle, Dr. Sears’ guides gave him a drink made from the extract of seeds of a plant called Guaraná (Paullinia cupana). The people he was with drink this stimulating beverage as an energy booster, for the same reasons we drink coffee.
Dr. Sears was amazed by the mental and physical energy it gave him. So when he returned to the states, he began researching the plant and how he might incorporate it into his practice.
It turns out that the seeds of this plant have two to four times more caffeine than coffee beans. However, according to Dr. Sears, the seeds are full of fatty acids that slow the release of the caffeine. He says, “Its effect gradually increases over a period of hours. It doesn’t pick you up and throw you down like coffee.”
The studies confirm that is has similar benefits to America’s favorite beverage. In rats, the extract from guarana seeds increased memory and physical endurance. And in a human study, the compound boosted memory, alertness and mood.
Coffee and guarana may boost mental performance by releasing an important neurotransmitter in your brain. But there is a catch…
Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that helps to keep your mind sharp and your memory clear (among other important properties). And caffeine definitely helps to release it. But coffee – and guarana, for that matter – also depletes your reserves of this important brain chemical. They do nothing to replace what is released.
But there is something you can do to replenish your reserves…
Consume more choline – one of the major building blocks for the powerful neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Choline is similar to the B-vitamins and is classified as an essential nutrient by the Institute of Medicine.
Choline helps to build cell membranes. It can protect the liver from damage and repair damage that has already occurred. As a precursor to acetylcholine, it also has powerful brain-boosting properties. Human milk has high levels of choline, because it is vital to the rapidly developing brains of infants. And it has also been shown to improve memory and test scores in adults.
The USDA food database lists foods highest in choline. Here are some of to consider:
Egg yolks
Beef, chicken and turkey livers (Always select organic, pastured animals, particularly if you choose to eat a filter organ like the liver)
Grass-fed ground beef
Cauliflower
Almonds
Dr. Sears has also produced a product called Choline Punch, where he has combined the natural stimulant guarana with choline and DMAE (another precursor to acetylcholine). Click here if you would like to learn more about it.
To Your Health,
Jon Herring
Editor
Total Health Breakthroughs
| 26 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
