The brain booster

Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri) is a herb that’s attracting attention in health research circles as a smart choice for better brain power.

It’s long been a staple of Ayurveda — the traditional medicine practised in India — where it has been used to treat anxiety, depression, and mental illness.

According to a report in Alternative Medicine Review, bacopa contains compounds called bacosides that seem to improve nerve-impulse transmission, which in turn aids memory and speed of thinking. And recently, when researchers at the University of Wollongong gave a test group of adults either a placebo (dummy pill) or 300mg of bacopa extract daily, they noted significant improvement in attention span, learning speed, and fact recall, without any side effects.

Look for bacopa tablets or capsules in your healthfood store, or ask a natural therapist whether a tincture might suit your needs.

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