Here I will cover two things that we can do to increase out health, and they are simple. First, smelling the herb rosemary can improve memory:
http://www.askaprepper.com/scientists-find-smelling-rosemary-can-increase-memory-by-75/
“In 1987 the journal Planta Medica published the first study discussed here on the impact of rosemary on mice. This study was carried out by four scientists, and found that levels of the 1,8-cineole found in blood, and locomotion capabilities, were both elevated after the mice inhaled rosemary oil. Cineole is also known as eucalyptol, which is the compound making up most eucalyptus oils. Next came a study performed in 1998, conducted by the International Journal of Neuroscience. In this study, nine researchers from the University of Miami School of Medicine applied their curiosity to humans, rather than rats. They exposed 40 adults to several minutes of aromatherapy, some receiving rosemary, while the others received lavender, all while they worked on math equations. They discovered that those who received the lavender therapy were relaxed, but drowsy. And even though they did better with the math problems with the therapy, those with the rosemary therapy performed markedly better. They were far more alert and less anxious, as well as finished solving the problems much quicker.
But, are scientists ever content? Thankfully, no. The International Journal of Neuroscience was soon at it again, and published the results of their next study in January of 2003. This time they increased the number of participants to 144, and divided them into 3 groups:
• Group 1 – received nothing
• Group 2 – received lavender
• Group 3 – received rosemary
The participants were not told what the precise purpose of this particular study was about, out of concern about jeopardizing the placebo effect. A total of six varied aspects of mental function were assessed through a Cognitive Drug Research. The group that was breathing in the rosemary experienced a big boost in memory performance over both the other groups. In a more recent paper by The National Center for Biotechnology, a study by Lorraine Oliver and Mark Ross was performed in 2012. The objective was to see if eucalyptol, which has been medicinally utilized through ingestion for years, increased cognitive abilities for daily tasks as a result of 1,8-cineole being absorbed. The results showed that inhaled rosemary could indeed positively alter cognitive tasks.”
Hence, unless you are allergic to it, stopping to smell the rosemary, while smelling the roses will be good for your brain. Let’s not leave the heart out of this, where numerous studies have shown that drinking pomegranate juice acts like a pipe cleaner, lowering blood pressure, and reducing cardiovascular risks:
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/worried-about-clogged-arteries-drink?utm_source=Daily+Greenmmedinfo.com+Email+List&utm_campaign=eb568dfb6c-Why+Pomegranate+Juice+is+%27Roto-Rooter%27&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_193c8492fb-eb568dfb6c-92590645&ct=t()&mc_cid=eb568dfb6c&mc_eid=6d4b8642c2
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15158307
The abstract is as follows:
“Dietary supplementation with polyphenolic antioxidants to animals was shown to be associated with inhibition of LDL oxidation and macrophage foam cell formation, and attenuation of atherosclerosis development. We investigated the effects of pomegranate juice (PJ, which contains potent tannins and anthocyanins) consumption by atherosclerotic patients with carotid artery stenosis (CAS) on the progression of carotid lesions and changes in oxidative stress and blood pressure. Ten patients were supplemented with PJ for 1 year and five of them continued for up to 3 years. Blood samples were collected before treatment and during PJ consumption. In the control group that did not consume PJ, common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) increased by 9% during 1 year, whereas, PJ consumption resulted in a significant IMT reduction, by up to 30%, after 1 year. The patients' serum paraoxonase 1 (PON 1) activity was increased by 83%, whereas serum LDL basal oxidative state and LDL susceptibility to copper ion-induced oxidation were both significantly reduced, by 90% and 59%, respectively, after 12 months of PJ consumption, compared to values obtained before PJ consumption.
Furthermore, serum levels of antibodies against oxidized LDL were decreased by 19%, and in parallel serum total antioxidant status (TAS) was increased by 130% after 1 year of PJ consumption. Systolic blood pressure was reduced after 1 year of PJ consumption by 12% [corrected] and was not further reduced along 3 years of PJ consumption. For all studied parameters, the maximal effects were observed after 1 year of PJ consumption. Further consumption of PJ, for up to 3 years, had no additional beneficial effects on IMT and serum PON1 activity, whereas serum lipid peroxidation was further reduced by up to 16% after 3 years of PJ consumption. The results of the present study thus suggest that PJ consumption by patients with CAS decreases carotid IMT and systolic blood pressure and these effects could be related to the potent antioxidant characteristics of PJ polyphenols.”
Apparently, all one needs is about a glass a day. Pomegranate juice is available at Coles for about $ 6.48, with no added sugar, and is far preferable to wine. There are also other benefits of this magic juice, such as helping with brain function as well:
https://www.alzheimers.net/9-15-14-pomegranate-and-alzheimers/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736548/
Well, that is one thing that is easy.