What weighs approximately three pounds, contains around 86 billion neurons and a complex network of over 100 trillion synaptic connections transmitting information at speeds of up to 268 miles per hour to all parts of the body, and consumes about 20 percent of our total energy and oxygen intake? The brain!
With its remarkable ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life—known as neuroplasticity—this essential organ undergoes countless processes that form the basis of learning, memory formation and consolidation, cognitive function, and recovery from brain injuries. But that’s not all: the amygdala, a part of the brain involved in emotional processing, also plays a key role in the formation and storage of emotional memories.
Miraculously, the brain generates electrical impulses known as brain waves, which can be detected and measured using electroencephalography (EEG). Different types of brain waves are associated with different states of consciousness, such as waking, sleeping, and dreaming. The brain is divided into two hemispheres—left and right—each with distinct functions. The left hemisphere is typically associated with language and logical thinking, while the right hemisphere is involved in visual-spatial skills and creativity. Mirror neurons are specialized neurons that fire both when an individual performs an action and when they observe the same action being performed by another. These neurons play a role in empathy, imitation, and understanding others’ intentions.
The brain, an intricate and powerful organ, plays a central role in nearly every aspect of our existence. It processes information, regulates emotions, and controls our bodily functions. Understanding how our brain works and what it needs to stay healthy can help us maintain mental fortitude and enhance cognitive function. If we are to successfully navigate the complexities of this modern matrix reality, we’re going to need all the mental resilience we can muster.
Beyond its physiological tasks, the brain defines our humanity, housing our memories, emotions, and the essence of our personalities. It processes sensory information, interprets feelings, and orchestrates motor functions with unparalleled efficiency. However, this remarkable organ is not immune to challenges. The brain’s resilience can be endangered by factors like chronic stress, trauma, and aging, impacting cognitive abilities like memory and attention. Proactive brain health strategies, including balanced nutrition, physical activity, mental exercises, and stress management, are crucial for maintaining cognitive resilience and potentially mitigating age-related decline.
As we age, prioritizing brain health becomes increasingly important, particularly for those with a genetic predisposition to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. In consideration of these potential risks, what can be done to naturally enhance our own cognitive resilience? The answer may lie in adopting a holistic approach that includes balanced meals, regular movement, mental exercises, and stress management techniques. Likewise, incorporating nutrient-dense foods, staying hydrated, and getting adequate sleep are all crucial for maintaining optimal brain function.
Fortunately, adopting brain-friendly habits early on can significantly enhance our chances at longevity when it comes to mental strength and performance. Studies have confirmed that engaging in activities that stimulate the brain, such as reading, puzzles and learning new skills, may support long-term brain vitality as we strive to prioritize our mental health—while also battling overstimulation, overworked minds and bodies, and countless other complications in today’s world.
Brain Health, Degenerative Changes + Other Risks
The brain is the control center of the body, responsible for processing sensory information, regulating vital functions, and facilitating cognitive processes such as thinking, memory, and decision-making. Its billions of neurons communicate through both electrical and chemical signals. These neurons form complex networks that enable the brain to perform countless awe-inspiringly diverse functions.
To maintain optimal mental performance, it is essential to adopt healthy habits and avoid detrimental behaviors. DO practice regular physical activity, engage in mental exercises, and manage stress through techniques like meditation and mindfulness. DON’T neglect sleep, allow chronic stress to go unchecked (this is different from ‘positive stress’, according to the APA), consume excessive alcohol or caffeine (try an herbal coffee alternative), get overexposed to environmental toxins (choose less toxic alternatives for things like household cleaners and beauty products where possible), or rely on processed foods and added sugars (limit or avoid altogether).
Numerous scientific studies highlight the importance of these practices for maintaining cognitive function and mental well-being. Here are three things you can do right now to improve brain health:
- Incorporate Brain-Boosting Herbs and Foods: Start adding herbs like Turmeric, Ginkgo Biloba, and green tea to your daily routine (for more on this, keep reading below).
- Practice Stress Management Techniques: Engage in mindfulness practices, meditation, or yoga to reduce stress and enhance mental clarity.
- Stay Physically Active: Regular exercise improves circulation, reduces inflammation, and supports overall brain health.
By integrating these practices into your daily life, you can enhance your mental resilience and support long-term brain vitality. Paying attention to your diet, lifestyle, and how you work with trusted plant allies to enhance the brain boosting benefits of ritualizing these practices can provide a powerful foundation for strong cognitive function and overall mental well-being.
Natural Brain Tonics for Daily Fortitude
Herbs for Common Brain and Mental Health Challenges
To address common mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline, many herbs have shown great potential to offer effective support. For example, Lemon Balm and Ashwagandha are renowned for their stress-relieving properties and mood enhancing benefits, while Gotu Kola promotes neural regeneration, aiding cognitive function and emotional balance.
Herbs to Reduce Stress, Mental Fatigue, and Brain Fog
Adaptogenic herbs like Reishi, Tulsi (Holy Basil), and Ashwagandha have been studied for the crucial role they play in combating stress, mental fatigue, and brain fog. These herbs support the body's resilience to stressors, enhance mental clarity, and promote overall cognitive well-being by balancing stress hormones and supporting adrenal health.
Herbs to Repair Brain Damage and Activate Neural Regeneration
Key herbs like Lion's Mane and Gotu Kola are believed to possess neuroprotective properties that stimulate nerve growth factors, crucial for repairing brain damage and enhancing neural plasticity. These herbs promote cognitive function, memory retention, and overall brain health by facilitating the growth and repair of neurons.
Herbs for Circulation, Oxidation, and Inflammation
Improving circulation and reducing oxidative stress and inflammation are vital for maintaining brain health. Herbs such as Ginkgo Biloba, Rosemary, and Turmeric offer potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, enhancing blood flow to the brain and protecting against cellular damage, thereby supporting cognitive function and mental clarity.
Medicinal Foods and Spices for Stronger Brain and Mental Health
Incorporating medicinal foods into the diet provides essential nutrients that nourish brain health. Turmeric, rich in curcumin, offers powerful anti-inflammatory properties that protect against brain aging. Green tea, rich in catechins and L-theanine, can improve focus, memory, and overall cognitive function, whereas Ashwagandha and Reishi support stress reduction and overall brain health through their adaptogenic and immune-modulating effects.
More Medicinal Foods for Supporting Cognitive Function:
- Sage, celebrated for its aromatic properties, offers potential cognitive benefits and may aid in Alzheimer's treatment, supported by research highlighting its compounds’ numerous neurological-enhancing abilities.
- Saffron, derived from the pistil of Crocus sativus, may improve brain health with potential benefits ranging from memory support and focus to mood, further underscored by its historical use in ancient medical traditions and recent modern scientific findings.
- Cinnamon, celebrated for its culinary and medicinal uses, has shown promise in protecting cognitive function and potentially benefiting those with Parkinson's disease, while also supporting circulation and possibly regulating blood sugar levels.
- Rosemary enhances memory and concentration by increasing blood flow to the brain.
Even More About Evidence-Backed Herbs for Brain Boosting
- Known for its calming effects, Lemon Balm can reduce anxiety and improve cognitive performance.
- A traditional herb used in Ayurvedic medicine, Gotu Kola promotes neural regeneration and reduces anxiety.
- Widely used for its ability to improve circulation and protect against oxidative damage, Ginkgo Biloba enhances memory and cognitive function.
- Another Ayurvedic herb, Bacopa monnieri is known for its neuroprotective properties and its ability to improve memory and learning.
- Reishi, a medicinal mushroom, supports the immune system and reduces inflammation, promoting overall brain health.
- Known for its adaptogenic properties, Ashwagandha helps reduce stress and improve cognitive function.
- Lion's Mane mushroom promotes neural growth and enhances cognitive function.
- Mucuna (a.k.a. “The Dopamine Bean”) contains L-DOPA, a precursor to dopamine, which supports mood and cognitive function.
- Also known as Holy Basil, Tulsi reduces stress and enhances mental clarity.
- Schisandra is an adaptogenic berry that improves mental performance and reduces fatigue.
Traditional Medicine Perspectives on Neuroprotective Herbs
Ancient medical traditions have long recognized herbs as integral to optimizing brain health and cognitive function. For instance, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the interconnectedness of Qi (vital energy) flow and blood circulation is considered pivotal for optimal cognitive function and mental clarity. Herbs like Ginkgo Biloba are revered for their ability to enhance cerebral circulation, supporting memory and cognitive performance. Gotu Kola, another TCM staple, is valued for its neuroprotective properties and role in reducing anxiety while improving cognitive function. For stress management and enhancing mental performance, TCM recognizes Schisandra as an invaluable adaptogen that helps balance neurotransmitter activity.
Similarly, Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) has a centuries-old tradition of using herbs, documented in texts like the Canon of Medicine. Saffron is esteemed for its mood-enhancing and cognitive benefits, while Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties are recognized for supporting brain health. Herbs such as Rosemary and Sage are valued for memory enhancement, and Ginkgo Biloba improves cerebral circulation and cognitive function. Ashwagandha, an adaptogen used in TPM and many other ancient healing modalities, helps manage stress, while Rhodiola rosea enhances mental performance. Bacopa monnieri is celebrated for its memory-boosting effects, and Nigella sativa (black seed) is recognized for its neuroprotective properties.
Furthermore, indigenous tribes throughout the Amazon have utilized herbs like Guayusa and Catuaba for centuries to enhance mental acuity and overall brain health. Guayusa, known for its stimulating effects due to caffeine and L-theanine content, supports sustained cognitive function without typical caffeine-related jitters. Catuaba, valued for its aphrodisiac properties, also offers cognitive benefits, improving memory and mental performance.
To maintain overall health (including brain function), India's ancient healing system of Ayurveda focuses on balancing the doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Herbs like Ashwagandha adaptogenically support stress management and cognitive function. Bacopa monnieri enhances memory and concentration, while Turmeric reduces inflammation and protects against cognitive decline. These herbs are integrated into holistic Ayurvedic practices that emphasize the unity of mind, body, and spirit, offering comprehensive approaches to nurturing cognitive wellness and vitality.
These traditions underscore the deep-rooted connections between plant allies and cognitive enhancement, providing valuable insights for future scientific inquiry. Modern research continues to validate the efficacy of these (and many other) herbs and rituals. Combining ancient wisdom with innovative integrations holds great promise for advancing brain health therapies, as well as enhancing our overall quality of life. Embracing these holistic approaches not only supports our cognitive function, it also fosters a deeper understanding of the intricate relationships that are constantly evolving all around us. Like the root networks of trees, there exists a sacred and eternal link between our minds, our bodies, and the natural world we inhabit.
Organs Involved in the Stress Response
The endocrine system and the nervous system are so closely related that they are often lumped into a single system: the neuroendocrine system. This system deals with chemical communication in the body via hormones, which work in conjunction with the nervous system. The goal of the nervous system is to bring homeostasis to all internal responses, which helps keep the body healthy and protected.
Within the endocrine system is the famed HPA axis, a complex set of interactions between the hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands. The hypothalamus (H) is the command center of the brain, often called our “god center”. This area of the brain communicates with the rest of the body through the autonomic nervous system and through influxes of hormones.
H oversees and assesses everything going on in the body, then informs its “personal assistant”, the pituitary (P) gland,what to do. The personal assistant informs the “general managers” (the target organs), which then enlist the “workers” (particular biochemical processes) in the relevant tissues or organs of the body. The enlisted or activated tissues include the visceral organs—heart, lungs, intestines, kidneys, liver, and pancreas—as well as many lesser-known parts of the body such as the gallbladder, spleen, blood vessels, and skeletal muscles.
When the natural stress response goes haywire
The body’s stress-response system is usually self-limiting. Once a perceived threat has passed, hormone levels return to normal. Adrenaline and cortisol levels drop, your heart rate and blood pressure return to baseline levels, and other systems resume their regular activities. But when stressors are always present and you constantly feel under attack, that fight-or-flight reaction stays turned on.
Overadaptation to stress and disruption of the HPA axis’s flow are at the core of many health issues. For example, when the HPA axis is strong,your body is usually able to handle even high levels of stress. A strong HPA axis is also helpful for pregnant women, women who have just given birth, and women in menopause.Over time, the repeated activation of stress hormones, a.k.a. the fight-or-flight response, can take a serious toll on the body. Research suggests that chronic stress contributes to high blood pressure, promotes the formation of artery-clogging deposits, and causes brain changes that may contribute to anxiety, depression, and addiction. Preliminary research suggests that chronic stress may also contribute to obesity, both directly (causing people to eat more) and indirectly (decreasing sleep and exercise). Chronic stress and the oversecretion of cortisol and other stress hormones can disrupt almost all of the body’s processes.
Overexposure to cortisol can cause numerous health problems. One well-known problem is adrenal fatigue. Adrenals produce and control the release of cortisol. When the adrenals chronically secrete cortisol and other stress hormones, your adrenals stop producing cortisol, leading to adrenal fatigue.Adrenal fatigue is a term often used by health professionals to describe the phenomenon of the adrenal glands running on empty and the resulting mental and physical state of those experiencing it. During stressful periods, our glands release high levels of cortisol, which is the most important hormone we have to help the body manage stress. Think of cortisol as our own built-in alarm system, alerting us when the body is in danger. It also works with certain parts of the brain to control mood, motivation, and fear. If too much cortisol is secreted, many bodily processes begin to underperform, potentially resulting in illness.
HPA Axis and Ancient Cultures
Ancient cultures extensively studied the mysterious functions of the glands forming the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) and how they collaborate to trigger meditative states and the perceived access to deeper realities. In Daoism, for example, the center of the brain has been referred to as the “Crystal Palace”, the “Upper Tan Tien”, the “original cavity of the spirit”, and the “ancestral cavity”. This part of the brain is said to be the place where the original “spirit principle” dwells. Sufism also locates the principle of spirit (Ruh) in the head-center. In Radha Soami’s teachings, which integrate Sufi, Tantric, and Vedantic ideas, the Ajna, or “brow center”, is considered the seat of the soul (Jiva) or spirit (Ruh). The Brahma Kumari movement likewise teaches that this center is the seat of the soul. The movement advises practitioners to meditate exclusively on it in order to attain liberation.
These herbs work directly with our consciousness and our perceptions of life. They essentially work with the organs that form our perception, providing essential nutrition that ultimately tunes the mind and body to a higher frequency. You might ask yourself, what is this “higher frequency”? Or, what is the point of achieving this so-called “higher consciousness”? This higher frequency is what mystics and ancient civilizations have come to see as the highest goal of everyday life. It’s been interpreted as a form of enlightenment, a freedom from suffering, and a freedom from the possibility of illness. Many people believe that these herbs are once again becoming popular within modern times to catalyze a shift and to act as tools to nourish and protect us during these times of constant change.
