Outsmart Cognitive Aging

Like gray hair and wrinkles, cognitive aging is an inevitable part of growing older. And it starts to happen sooner than you think. According to research, the brain reaches its peak functioning when people are in their late 20s to early 30s. After that, memory, reasoning, and spatial skills all begin to slip.

But there’s good news! Although getting older is a cold, hard fact of life, there are proven ways to preserve important brain functions such as focus and memory. Maintaining a healthy diet, exercising your body (and mind) regularly, and taking certain dietary supplements can help you sustain better brain health for years to come. In fact, there’s a new brain-supporting botanical called Greek mountain tea getting a lot of buzz these days for its powerful ability to support overall healthy aging—with an extra emphasis on cognitive function.

Greek Mountain Tea

Historically consumed as a beverage in some of the healthiest places in the world, Greek mountain tea has recently become available in the United States in supplement form. While a cup of tea delivers a wealth of amazing health benefits— including comfort in the ritual itself—a dietary supplement is often the most convenient way to get consistent results from this botanical.

Greek mountain tea delivers a multitude of benefits that promote overall health and longevity, and has an invigorating effect on both the body and mind. In recent years, this botanical has become the subject of clinical trials—especially for its ability to support cognitive health. In one month-long study, Greek mountain tea was tested against Ginkgo biloba, a botanical known for its ability to improve memory, as well as a placebo. Compared to ginkgo and the placebo, Greek mountain tea supported better accuracy for processing visual information, especially while under pressure, and improved circulation in the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain involved in impulse control, learning, and working memory. The participants taking the Greek mountain tea also reported experiencing less anxiety than those taking gingko or the placebo.

Other research suggests that the compounds in Greek mountain tea may protect against the development of Alzheimer’s disease by decreasing the plaques and tangles that can interfere with brain signals. It may also hold promise for reducing physical paralysis symptoms that people with Alzheimer’s sometimes experience.

Bacopa

Greek mountain tea has also shown impressive brain-boosting results when paired with another botanical called Bacopa monnieri. This Ayurvedic medicinal staple is popular for its ability to improve accuracy and working memory. It also helps people perform repetitive tasks better while under pressure. Some research shows bacopa may even help generate new and more efficient neural connections in the brain.

In individuals with mild cognitive impairment, a combination of bacopa and Greek mountain tea was shown to increase beta-wave activity in the brain, which is associated with memory and focus. Those taking the combination also scored better on memory, math, and attention tests.

Let’s face it, aging happens. But it’s comforting to know that, with the right botanicals, you can keep your mind and memory sharp well into your golden years.