DIY Herbal Health

Healing straight from your garden

Herbs for memory and neurological support

Holistic Herbology is an alternative philosophy in herbal remedies that makes it possible to treat neurological conditions naturally. Natural healing – that’s what attracts more patients nowadays due to its effectiveness and safeties. In today’s age as the need for herbal remedies grows, it also indirectly influences the expansion of various alternative herbal procedures and treatments.

GUT -BRAIN CONNECTION?

Comprehensive research now available on this most amazing topic is enabling a clear indication that most dis-eases and inflammation in the body originate from gut health.  But what is the link to the brain?

The saying you are what you eat plays a pivotal role in determining the health of the gut. Emotional stress levels also impact on the gut and brain.  Choices we make in our lifestyles have a huge impact on our health physically and mentally… In most cases we are all overloaded with one or more of these issues. The gut health is now connected to other symptoms like depression, anxiety, and mood swings. Understanding how to balance the gut health through better life choices seems a simple path to resolving many unnecessary health issues and applying natural remedies reduces the impact of chemicals.

Prolonged emotional stress leads to gut stress which in turn leads to brain stress. Stress is a under played emotion when it comes to physical health as it weakens the immune system over long periods of time damaging the body’s ability to fight off invaders like viruses, bacteria, and inflammation.  

Toxic overload originates from products like pesticides, chemical cleaners, chemical hygiene products, junk food, preservatives, fizzy drinks, foods that have no nutrient value like bread, mielie meal, foods that are artificial and finally products that contain chloride and fluoride like tap water and toothpastes. The best option available is to go as natural as possible. Remember the higher the toxic levels are in the body, the higher the parasite levels will be as toxins are food for parasites.

Bacterial Balance

One of the leading causes of bacterial imbalance is a condition called dysbiosis which is the imbalance of the good and bad bacteria in the gut. This condition originates from toxic overload of antibiotics and lack of good probiotic in the gut. This can be remedied by using fermented foods, high fibre and good supplements of probiotic and enzymes that will maintain your gut health.

Inflammation in the gut shows how the lining in the colon becomes permeable and then allows particles to penetrate the system. Leaky Gut Syndrome affects the functioning of the brain in a major way resulting in headaches and brain dysfunctions as well as the major reasons why Leaky Gut has been linked to conditions like Bipolar, Autism, Dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Two of the main biochemical representatives of stress in the body are adrenaline and cortisol with both having major effects on gut-brain health. When stress levels rise in the body due to crisis mode, blood is diverted away from the gut to supply the rest of the body with higher oxygen levels and to assist in the fright and flight response. In today’s fast-paced society stress levels are way too high. The constant diversion of blood away from the gut causes the gut lining to breakdown resulting in disorders like IBS/Leaky Gut. Added to this these biochemicals suppress the immune system causing poor absorption of nutrient, food allergies and inflammation.

Once the breakdown of the lining has occurred it effects the brain’s ability to balance the body and further mental disorders can occur. Over 95% of serotonin in the human body is produced by the GI Tract. A happy gut means a healthy joy filled brain that must logically leads to good moods and positive outlook. If the opposite is true an unhealthy gut that is inflamed will allow bacteria and parasites to grow leading to mood swings and disease.

This is amazingly good news as the level of difficulty in healing the brain through traditional methods of chemicals, psychiatric assistance and drugs can be at best guess work. However, healing the gut with good diet, probiotics, herbal remedies, and detoxing will automatically without chemical intervention heal the gut and brain. Choose healthier options. Treat your food intake as a remedy high in nutritional value, add herbal culinary protocols and herbs for healing naturally, wholistically and permanently.

Balance is the key to maintain and regain our overall health. The balance of the gut will automatically balance the brain and the relationship will become a synchronistic melody that feeds and nourishes you.  It is all in our hands to ensure what we consume through our mouths, or our skin is pure in nature and nourishes us.

We are our own power houses, and we can through different choices heal ourselves from every single ailment that exists right now….

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant which is part of the ginger family and is surprisingly easy to grow in temperature range of is 20°C to 35°C. A rhizome is a thick underground horizontal stem producing roots and shoots that develop into new plants. The plant reaches about 1m tall with stunning flowers. It can be grown in direct soil or in containers but never let it dry out. The crop can be harvest in 8 to 9 months. After you have harvested, mulch the remaining plants with compost and they will appear again in late spring. Turmeric improves blood circulation, which is beneficial for the entire body, including its ability to tighten skin, enable healthy collagen production antiaging properties, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. Regular consumption of turmeric can overcome the age-related decline in memory and support cognition and healthier brain function.  It counteracts memory deficits caused by neurodegenerative diseases.

Sage has surprising health benefits for brain and support of cognitive health. Sage contains 160 unique antioxidants including chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, rutin, and rosmarinic acid. These plant polyphenols improve memory and brain function, along with protecting neurons from the wear and tear of aging. However, sage also halts the destruction of acetylcholine the brain’s chemical messenger that regulates memory and cognition. People with Alzheimer’s are shown to have low ACH levels Besides boosting memory function, sage is also shown to help with mood, specifically, alertness, happiness, and calmness. And as per anecdotal evidence, sage can help you fall asleep faster as well. Many people use it successfully for insomnia.

Gotu Kola sometimes called Indian Pennywort but mainly known as “the fountain of life” is amazing when it comes to improving brain function and memory. This herb is used as a rejuvenation of the mind and body. It’s considered by many to be an anti-aging herb. Studies show that this herb has certain compounds that increase the power of the brain and improves blood circulation to the brain itself, which results in improved concentration and better memory.

Periwinkle flowers contain a compound called vincamine that acts as a peripheral vasodilator, meaning that it works to increase blood flow to the brain. This compound is often used to enhance cognitive function in aging minds and has been used in several studies related to improving the brain function of Alzheimer’s patients. Periwinkle in whole herb form offers the benefits of naturally occurring vincamine and is much gentler on the body. Periwinkle works in the same way that ginkgo biloba does to improve memory and act as a powerful killer of free radicals, which prevents any damage to the blood vessels and prevents dementia. It also encourages the brain to absorb more nutrients, which will significantly improve the brain’s function.