Five Great Ayurvedic Herbs for the Mind and Memory
As our population ages, declining mental faculties can take first
place on the list of one’s health concerns. Alzheimer's disease and
other forms of senile dementia affect some 25 percent of all people over
80.1 Research, though, is revealing Ayurvedic approaches in helping to support the natural strength of the mental faculties.
Mental Rejuvenation with Ayurveda
Medhya is an Ayurvedic concept that implies intellect, or wisdom.
Medhya remedies promote mental development and act as mental
rejuvenatives, and they also suggest a mind that is mighty, vigorous and
pure.
There are many ways to bring medhya into play in the mind. Anything
that promotes the sattva guna can help in our quest, and the yamas and
niyamas of Patanjali are aimed at this. Ayurvedic herbal medicines also
play a role. They engender and summon intelligence, memory and mental
perception. They make the mind worthy of sacrifice to higher
consciousness.
Bitter taste is made from air and space energies, and these forces
predominate in the mind. Bitter foods and herbs open the mind, increase
sensitivity, awareness and mental functioning. Since bitter herbs are
cooling and calming they combat mental dullness, allowing us to reach
our full potential, becoming radiant and elevated.
Mind supplements include a large array of herbs and foods recommended to rebuild body tissues and restore lubricating juices.2 Five of these mind-nourishing herbs stand out as pillars of an Ayurvedic lifestyle.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha, sometimes named “winter cherry” or “Withania”, is a top
mental rejuvenator. Ayurvedic herbalists use the herb to reestablish
long-term sleep rhythms. Ayurvedic herbalism also uses ashwagandha for
general strength for support in times of occasional fatigue and
exhaustion; and to support healthy memory and a strong nervous system.
This tonic herb, a relative of tomatoes and potatoes, is not
stimulating, but rather relaxing. That allows one to use this in larger
amounts on a regular basis without concern for overstimulation, so this
root is a superb remedy for nervous system support.
Study after study continues to confirm the benefits of this herb on stress tolerance, performance and endurance.3,4,5 One study indicated that the herb supported the brain in times of stress.6 In another, ashwagandha was shown to support strength and physical working capacity.7,8
Ayurveda considers it a “grounding” herb, one that nourishes and
regulates metabolic processes and supports a naturally balanced mood.
Ashwagandha also supports memory, helping those such as students for
whom learning and testing are priorities.9 One recent study looked at sleep and stress. Ashwagandha was effective in supporting naturally healthy sleep patterns.10
As well as being a slow-acting tonic herb, ashwagandha is a superb
herb for balancing elevated vata, a common problem as age advances. It
takes about a week to work up to an appropriate amount, and about
another week for the herb to reach maximum effectiveness. Since
ashwagandha is a slow-acting herb, you may take your daily serving at
any time during the day.
A typical serving of ashwagandha is about a gram per day, taken over
long periods, up to many years, as a rejuvenator, but, since ashwaganda
is very safe, larger quantities are often used short term. In India,
Withania is given with pungent, heating herbs (ginger, pepper, etc.) to
ensure that it gets sufficiently digested.
Calamus
Conscious communication is the essence of yoga. From your chakras to
your nervous system to the words you speak, your very molecules are
vibrating with the energy of your being, and transmitting that energy to
all the other parts of our bodies and to people in your life.
Yoga exercises, pranayama and lifestyle practices all support
conscious communication, and there is one special herb that yoga reveres
above all others for clarifying and expanding that special spiritual
voice we all share.
Calamus root is a major herb for the mind and meditation, and is
highly revered by yogis. Though it is not clearly allowed for internal
consumption in the US, it can be used topically, either as a dry powder,
paste, or as part of an herbalized oil. As a historical and
international perspective, ancient yogis and seers used this herb, and
it was said to stimulate the power of self-expression and to enhance
intelligence. Calamus historically was used to promote a healthy brain,
sharpen memory, enhance awareness and increase communication and
self-expression. The yogic name, Vacha, means “speech”, referring to its
action on the fifth chakra and is propensity to help you speak from
your highest consciousness.
This herb was often combined with gotu kola, which is cooling and
mild. The complementary energetics made the combination suitable for a
wide variety of people. To support attention and focus, it was combined
with gotu kola, shankpushpi and licorice. Over the long term, calamus
warms the body and pacifies the mind. Vacha was also combined with
triphala as a general rejuvenative that bestows intelligence, longevity
and good memory.11
Vacha has a long and very special history in Ayurveda. For meditating yogis, it was quite a boost.
Brahmi (Gotu Kola)
Thinking about thinking? Feel like you’re about to max out your
personal hard drive? Gotu kola is an herb with a long history of brain
support. Gotu kola, also called Mandukaparni, is a mainstay of herbal
medicine in Ayurveda. Widely considered a superior herb for the nervous
system, gotu kola has a host of benefits.12
In Ayurvedic medicine, this herb is called “brahmi”, which means
“godlike”, a reference to its support of graceful aging and to its use
as an aid to meditation. It has a bitter taste and is cooling to the
body.
Gotu kola supports healthy memory, concentration and intelligence, as well as the voice, physical strength and the complexion.
Gotu kola is a jungle creeper that grows in hot moist climates. After
all, it’s the food of the elephants, and we all know about their
memories! Fresh, it’s a delicious salad vegetable. The juice of the
fresh leaves is available at some juice bars.
More recently, a study out of Korea shows that components in gotu
kola show potential for supporting healthy memory, a very promising
direction.13
Since gotu kola is basically a mild salad vegetable, the serving can
be a larger quantity. Try one to four teaspoonfuls of fresh juice every
morning. Many people use a modest amount of 1 gram per day in capsules
or tablets for daily rejuvenation. Try a cup of gotu kola tea with honey
before meditation.
Brahmi (Bacopa)
Water hyssop (Bacopa monniera), also refered to as brahmi in certain
parts of India, is a steadfast mainstay of traditional Ayurvedic
medicine. An indication of the respect for this herb is the name:
“brahmi” means “god-like”. It’s used in Asia for support of the nervous
system, mental energy, and healthy memory—it’s a powerful brain food.
Meditators use it to increase comprehension, concentration and
recollection. Because it traditionally supports a person’s natural
ability to solve problems effectively, it is often found in Ayurvedic
formulas to cope with stress.
With nearly 300 studies in the scientific literature, it has built up a solid base of scientific support for its many functions.
In support of the traditional use for promoting healthy memory,
Australian researchers recently gave Bacopa to seventy-six adults, aged
40 to 65 years, in a double-blind randomized, placebo control study in
which various memory functions were tested. Numerous memory tests before
and after taking the brahmi showed that the herb significantly
supported the learning process.14
Brahmi has traditionally been used for children as well. Indian
schoolchildren take it at home. In 1987, Indian scientists gave brahmi
to 40 schoolchildren aged 6-8 in a single-blind trial. The study showed
support of learning, memory and perception. The dose was 1 gram per day
for three months, of the dried plant extracted into a syrup form, and no
side effects were recorded.15
The traditional serving can be up to two grams of the whole herb, in capsules, tablets or tea, twice a day with warm water.
Shankhapushpi
When we need mental peace and sleep, we may call upon shankhapushi to
help restore clear quality of the mind and relaxation. Its flowers
resemble the shankha or conch shell, thus the name. It usually is a foot
tall plant, with dome of flowers, in open fields in North India.
This herb is an outstanding rejuvenative tonic for the mind and nerve
tissue. The plant is said to have profound mystical properties, with an
affinity for the heart, throat, third eye and crown chakras.
The herb is especially effective for mental peace and tranquility.
Often taken with or prepared in ghee, it promotes serenity without
dulling the mind. As it is balancing, its effect can be both uplifting
and calming. Students traditionally use it to support a calm mind during
exams. For support of focus and attention, it combines well with brahmi
and licorice. For support of healthy sleep patterns, use shankpushpi at
bedtime (traditional use allows for up to 6 grams). According to the
Astanga Hridyam, ghee, cooked three times with shankpushpi juice and
milk, makes even the dullest mind sharp.
Ayurveda places special attention on the health of the mind, and
fundamentally teaches that, ultimately, all physical imbalances start in
the mind, so a healthy mind is at the forefront of Ayurvedic practices.
These five herbs form the core of a superb mental rejuvenative chest.
They are waiting to help us stay calm, centered, intelligent and
exalted, so now might just be the time to give this collection of herbs a
try.
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