By Setareh Kiumarsi
Home Remedies
Is there a history of Alzheimer’s or forgetfulness in your family? Do you occasionally forget where you put your things? Or has a loved one been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s?
In Ayurveda, Alzheimer’s is considered a condition of coldness in the brain, where both the Vata and Kapha doshas become imbalanced in the head. It’s as if a fog forms around the brain. In other words, when the fire element in the brain decreases, the mind becomes dull and loses its clarity and freshness.
Step one in preventing or slowing the progression of this condition is to reduce or eliminate foods that are cold in nature and cool the head:
Cheese, yogurt, cream, ice cream, sugar and sugary foods, white flour (like bread, pasta, lasagna, pastries), fast food and fried foods, beef and veal, raw cold vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, celery, cilantro, and so on (you can eat these cooked and seasoned with warming spices like saffron, turmeric, cumin, fennel, thyme, rosemary, etc.), legumes, and potatoes.
Step two is to quit mind-altering substances that damage brain cells over time, such as cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, LSD, etc.
Step three, and the most important, is to adopt healthy eating habits and make lifestyle changes:
Use more warming spices in your cooking: turmeric, basil, fennel seeds, sage, saffron, and rosemary.
Take one Ginkgo Biloba tablet per day (available at pharmacies).
Before bedtime, massage the soles of your feet and crown of your head with sesame oil.
Take deep, slow breaths. Proper breathing improves blood circulation to the brain.
Start your mornings with carrot, beet, spinach juice, this increases the fire element in your brain.
Memory Boosting
Home Remedies
Drink the following herbal tea several times a day. It boosts memory and is also an antidepressant:
Dried basil (2) + rosemary (1) + gotu kola (1) + rose petals (1/2). Add 1 teaspoon of this blend to a cup of boiling water. Add a pinch of saffron and let it steep. After it brews, add a few drops of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey, and a pinch of salt. Drink this 3–4 times a day.
Use a face mask daily. Applying a face mask increases the fire element in the head, which helps keep your mind sharp and alert.
Clove (3) + cinnamon (1) + Neem (3) + myrtle (1) (you can substitute with the Ananda face mask).
Mix 1–2 teaspoons of this powdered blend with a bit of warm water to form a loose paste. Apply to your face and leave it on for 20 minutes, then rinse. Afterward, dab your face with a cotton pad soaked in rosewater. If you don’t like the scent, use fresh aloe vera gel instead.
Mix equal parts black seed oil and sweet almond oil and apply inside your nostrils once or twice a day.
Eat dinner early and keep it light. Before bed, drink a glass of turmeric milk:
In one glass of milk, add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon cardamom, and 1/2 teaspoon rose petals. Boil it, let it cool to warm, then add honey and drink.
Eat plenty of peeled soaked almonds—they warm the brain. After lunch or dinner, eat 10 almonds topped with honey, cardamom, and rose petals… or make yourself an Ojas drink.
Be full of health
Please mention the author’s name, Setareh Kiumarsi, when republishing this content, which was written with hope for everyone’s well-being.
