1. Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo biloba is a sacred tree in China. Also known as the Maidenhair Tree, it is one of the oldest living species on the planet dating back at least 270 million years! It is believed to have been cultivated from the earliest time in human history and the extract from its leaves, seeds and roots were both a source of food and a key ingredient in ancient Chinese medicine.
Today, Ginkgo Biloba extract is used as a prescription medicine in Germany and France where it is known under the trade names Tebonin® and Tanakan®.
The most helpful components of Ginkgo are believed to be flavonoids, whose powerful antioxidant qualities and terpenoids help improve circulation by dilating blood vessels and reducing the ‘stickiness’ of platelets.
Ginkgo Biloba extract has been used to help relieve depression and anxiety, and in lowering blood pressure and the effect stress-related hormones in men. More importantly for women, a study of females aged 18-45 found that Ginkgo biloba extract helped reduce the symptoms of PMS.
2. B Vitamins
B vitamins are essential to the support of red blood cells and your nervous system. They play an important role in the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin while also regulating homocysteine (amino acid) levels, allowing the brain to function optimally. Despite this, B Vitamins are not produced by the body so they must be obtained through your diet.
As vitamin B12 is mainly found in meat, eggs and dairy; vegetarians and vegans must take particular care to consume enough B12. Without it vegans and vegetarians will develop a vitamin B12 deficiency.
3. Green Tea Extract
Green tea as a beverage has been used to promote relaxation, mental clarity and a healthy metabolism for thousands of years. Originating in China it is derived from the same plant as regular tea but without the withering and oxidation processes they require. Green Tea Extract is simply green tea leaves prepared as a supplement. It gives you a powerful dose of the same healthy compounds found in green tea. These include groups of anti-inflammatory compounds called catechins and polyphenols.
4. Lion's Mane Mushroom
Benefits for the human brain have been observed for centuries with recent clinical studies finding both short and long term effects. A natural and safe nootropic or ‘smart drug’, Lion’s Mane offers cognitive enhancement withnone of the downsides.
Among the most fascinating mushrooms in the medicinal mushroom group, Lion’s Mane Mushroom happily doesn’t contain any mane of the lion. (Rather, its name comes from its flowing form as it grows in the wild). It is a white mushroom that grows on trees, and is also delicious, often used as a meat substitute. Its botanical name is Hericium erinaceus.
