As we age, the need to care of our brain health increases. Some of the changes we go through as our brain health declines include becoming slower in finding the right words and recalling names; having problems with multitasking; and a decrease in the ability to pay attention (1).

Fortunately, a number of lifestyle and health changes have been proven to help bolster brain health. These include physical and mental exercise, as well as good nutrition. Certain nutrients like ginkgo and brahmi also support brain function and mental alertness.

How to improve brain health

Here are some tips on how to improve brain health:

Mental stimulation

Like most other muscles in your body, regularly flexing and exercising, or in this case, stimulating your brain, can help maintain its health. Mental stimulation forms new connections between nerve cells and may even help the brain generate new cells, developing neurological "plasticity" and building up a functional reserve that provides a hedge against future cell loss (2).

Physical exercise

Regular physical activity reduces inflammation and the risk of insulin resistance. It also stimulates the release of growth factors—chemicals in the brain that affect the health of neurons, the growth of new blood vessels in the brain, and even the abundance and survival of new brain cells (3).

Exercise also improves your mood, sleep quality, stress reduction and mild anxiety. The release of endorphines during exercise is also why you can associate a feeling of good mood after a quality workout (3).

Maintaining basic health parameters

Monitoring the following health parameters can help keep your brain strong:

1. Blood pressure - Keep your blood pressure within normal values by staying lean, exercising regularly, limiting your alcohol to two drinks a day, reducing stress, and maintaining a healthy diet.
2. Blood sugar levels - Diabetes is a condition where your body isn’t able to effectively regulate blood sugar levels with the naturally-produced hormone insulin. It is recognised as a risk factor for psychological ailments (6).
3. Improve your cholesterol - High levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol are associated with an increased the risk of psychological ailments (4).

However, achieving this through our daily diet alone can easier said than done. With the current market filled with a range of brain health supplements, it is also increasingly difficult to make an informed choice.

Fortunately, Vitable Australia’s customisable vitamin packs have you covered. Vitable only uses high quality plant extracts, made using gentle solvents. The extraction is made to ensure that the supplement resembles the composition of the natural plant.

Ginkgo and brahmi as brain health supplements

The brain herb ginkgo and brahmi have been traditionally used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine to support and enhance brain health.

Wondering how to improve brain health with ginkgo and brahmi? Let’s take a look at their benefits:

Supports cognitive function (5)

This combination can help improve focus, as ginkgo has been shown to help with selective attention. Individuals with memory disorders were also found to display significant improvements in cognitive function after taking ginkgo (5). On the other hand, brahmi was seen to promote information processing and higher learning rate.

Supports memory and mental recall (5)

Ginkgo and brahmi can also improve memory and cognitive processing. Other studies have found that ginkgo improves memory compared to a placebo, with some suggesting that consistent ginkgo intake can help improve long term memory for both verbal and non-verbal material (5). Brahmi also plays a role in antioxidant activities in parts of the brain that are essential to memory, such as the frontal cortex and hippocampus (5).

The high dosage combination of 3,000 mg for both herbs in our Ginkgo and Brahmi blend makes it a powerful formula to enhance memory and recall in everyday life.

Do you want to have personal vitamins that cater to your brain health needs? Consider Vitable Australia! We offer a vitamin subscription box where you can create vitamin packs tailor-made for you. For your convenience, we also have a vitamin delivery service!

Find out more about other supplements that can support brain health:

Zinc | Iron | Astaxanthin | Ashwagandha | Magnesium | B complex | Acetyl L-carnitine | Vitamin C | Vitamin B12 | Ginkgo Brahmi | Fish oil | Vegan Omega

*Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional. Vitamin and/or mineral supplements should not replace a balanced diet.

References:

1. National Institute on Ageing. How the Aging Brain Affects Thinking. Published on https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/how-aging-brain-affects-thinking. Accessed on Dec 2, 2021.
2. Harvard Health Publishing. Regular Exercise Changes the Brain to Improve Memory Thinking Skills. Published April 9, 2014 on https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110. Accessed Dec 2, 2021.
3. Harvard Health Pubishing. 12 Ways to Keep Your Brain Young. Published on https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/12-ways-to-keep-your-brain-young. Accessed Dec 2, 2021.
4. Vitable. Gingko and Brahmi. Published n.d. on https://www.vitable.com.au/products/ginkgo-brahmi. Accessed Dec 2, 2021.
5. Vitable.Gingko and Brahmi. Vitable. Published n.d. on https://research.vitable.com.au/ginkgo-brahmi. Accessed Dec 19, 2021.
6. Healthdirect. Diabetes. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/diabetes . Accessed Jan 28, 2021