Springtime is a tired time. Everyone slows down a bit. We feel like it is getting harder to get out of bed, and we cannot always get the most out of ourselves at work either.

Brain fog can be a symptom of a nutrient deficiency, sleep disorder, bacterial overgrowth from overconsumption of sugar, depression, or even a thyroid condition. Other common brain fog causes include eating too much and too often, inactivity, not getting enough sleep, chronic stress, and a poor diet. Brain fog involves feelings of confusion and disorientation. Brain fog can make a person feel as if the processes of thinking, understanding, and remembering are not working as they should.

Whether you are looking to improve focus and concentration, enhance memory or protect your brain from decline, herbal medicine has a lot to offer. These are herbs or nutraceutical agents that help to improve memory, concentration, focus and learning while mitigating and protecting against cognitive decline.

It is widely known that GINKGO BILOBA has been used for thousands of years to improve cognitive function or GOTU KOLA (Centella asiatica) which has a long history of use in Ayurveda and is considered to be a rejuvenating tonic for vitality and memory. Also, RHODIOLA ROSEA is believed to be especially helpful in improving mind and body performance during times of stress or when feeling burned out. Not to mention GINSENG (Panax ginseng), the adaptogenic herb, known to help your mind and body cope with stress and to boost all around mental function.

HOWEVER, this time I would like to introduce spices which we use in the kitchen and that stimulate brain function. Several herbs and spices which look promising with respect to brain health based on the existing research are black pepper, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, lemon balm, nutmeg, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, saffron, sage, tea leaves, turmeric, thyme and the list continues.

Here is for first black pepper that may help improve brain function and you can begin adding it to your diet today:

BLACK PEPPER (Piper nigrum, family Piperaceae)

Parts Used: dried peppercorns

Black pepper contains moderate amounts of vitamin K, iron and manganese with trace amounts of other essential nutrients, protein, volatile essential oil containing the alkaloid piperine and dietary fibre.

Black pepper is regarded as “King of spices” but can also be considered as part of the kingdom of medicinal agents. It has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anticonvulsant, and neuroprotective effects.

Black pepper may have health benefits, particularly in enhancing digestive tract function.

There is suggestive evidence that black pepper piperine may have nervous system benefits

and may have quite a few brain-boosting effects. Studies have shown that piperine, the primary component in black pepper, can help improve brain function and also lower depression symptoms.

Use it with confidence and enjoy!

by Helena Szollosy, Naturopath, Phyto-therapist