This month's newsletter is about your brain (and my brain and all of our brains) and how mental function can be positively affected by both acupuncture and Chinese herbs.  

So, enjoy it, and as always, I welcome any questions or comments you may have.

Feel free to forward this to any interested parties, and be well and happy!

Best to You All,

Beth  

And PS, although the photographic theme of this newsletter is of the head and the meridians that run through it, the majority of points used to treat mental function issues are on the arms, legs, and back, and the treatments do not involve just needles to the head!   

Chinese Medicine and Mental Function          

Who of us does not value a clear head, a good memory, and the ability to focus, concentrate, and perform effectively on the mental tasks we are asked to complete?

All of us do, of course, but unfortunately for some, mental processes can sometimes be a bit slow or otherwise compromised. Oftentimes clients and other folks I encounter with these issues accept them as part of their makeup or as part of the process of aging. Declining mental function is seen in Chinese Medicine, however, not as just related to aging, but as a metabolic issue as well, and it is often dependent on diet, amount and quality of sleep, emotional state, and physical condition, and it can certainly be addressed and improved.

Chinese Medicine is the ultimate Holistic medicine and all of its treatments simultaneously address body, mind, and spirit. It can be then, of great service to those with issues of mental functioning, and it has a long understanding in the diagnosis and treatment of these concerns.

Both acupuncture and herbs are good therapies for mental function complaints. Addressing contributing lifestyle issues is important as well, and nutrition and the practices of meditation or qi gong and tai chi can also be significantly helpful here.

Of course the less serious and run of the mill stuff is always easier to treat in any kind of medicine.  With the more serious issues of dementia, and Alzheimer's for example, or with conditions involving organic brain damage, these will obviously be more difficult. As with most things, however, there is always room for improvement, and it is sometimes possible to at least slow a progression and/or improve a prognosis.

If you want to know more here are three articles:  Boost Your Brain Power With Acupuncture,    Brain Fog - The Fog That Never Lifts, and Acupuncture Affects Attention Brainwaves.

The traditional Chinese herbal formulas listed below are among those more commonly used for various issues of mental function. As with all Chinese formulas, an individual's diagnostic pattern needs to match the function of the formula. See your local neighborhood acupuncturist for more info.

Bu Nao Wan (Cerebral Tonic Pills)  is a common formula used for memory problems related to weakness in the Kidney system.  It is calming and can help with focus as well.

Gui Pi Tang (Restore the Spleen Tea)  is given to patients for whom anxiety or over-thinking leads to concentration and/or memory problems.

Tian Wan Bu Xin Dan (Heavenly Emperor's Tea) is generally prescribed for poor concentration with restlessness, anxiety and poor sleep.

Ban Xia Bai Zhu Hou Po Tang  (Ginseng, Poria and Atracylodis Pills)  is a good choice for people who suffer from cloudy mind due to poor fluid metabolism, mucus production and "damp."   

There are also many individual herbs that are indicated for issues of memory and focus. The following are a few of the more well-known. Most of these are also considered "adaptogens," which are medicinals that have wide-ranging physiological benefits that lend an overall enhancement to the body's ability to respond to various stressors.

Ginko Biloba  is known to increase blood flow to the brain and thus improve memory and mental clarity.

Salvia is part of the sage family, and has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries to increase blood flow.  According to a 2003 UK study, young people who received an extract of Salvia essential oil showed improvement in word recall.

Acorus  is a Chinese herb known to "transforms damp" and works well for people suffering from a heavy head and a cloudy mind.

Reishi mushrooms are powerful adaptogens and have been prized for thousands of years throughout Asia for their ability to bring calm and help concentration.

Ginseng, another well-known adaptogen with several different indications, helps to increase the body's resistance to stress and relieve physical and emotional fatigue. In addition, it improves alertness, and the ability to concentrate.

Ashwaganda, yet another adaptogen, this time from the Ayurvedic tradition in India, has been used to treat cerebral disorders in the elderly, such as senility and memory loss. Studies suggest that ashwaganda may have positive effects on neurotransmitters that are responsible for the processing of memory.

Gotu Kola carries a long reputation as a brain enhancer in Ayurvedic medicine. It is widely taken to increase physical and mental energy levels, and improve memory and concentration.

And the Other Stuff:

Get Some Acupuncture  Acupuncture is a great way to reduce stress, improve sleep, and allow the body to enter deep relaxation which enhances health overall. There are also certain acupuncture points and point combinations which can impact the brain and its functions directly, as well as scalp acupuncture which targets specific areas of the brain.

Drop Some Bad Habits  Smoking, drinking alcohol, and taking recreational drugs all affect memory.

Pay Attention to Diet  Diet of course plays an important role in health overall which certainly includes brain health as well.  For example the nutrient luteolin, found in vegetables and herbs such as carrots, peppers, celery, rosemary, peppermint and olive oil, has been found to decrease inflammation in the brain which can be responsible for decreased memory and cognitive function. A Finnish study found that seniors with higher levels of B12 in the body had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's. Certain foods are also considered to be brain tonics, such as walnuts, blueberries, kiwi, and kidney beans, and the nutrients vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids are as well, which can be found in salmon, tuna, halibut as well as some nuts and plant sources.

Hydrate  The brain like the rest of your body is mostly made up of water, so dehydration is an often overlooked cause of poor brain function.

Exercise   Exercise is known to prevent dementia and to improve brain function. Any kind of exercise- aerobics, strength training or stretching programs like yoga improves brain function.

Push yourself to learn  Mental exercise may have less effect than physical exercise, but it is still important.There is a correlation between being more verbal, and being bilingual and lower Alzheimer's rates.  Learning may become more difficult as we age, but we can increase brain pathways and stimulate the brain with different types of methods.  

As I am featuring mental function in this month's newsletter, I thought I would include a bit about Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as they have been topics of much discussion and even controversy in recent years.

Surely most of us are familiar with the ADD and ADHD designations. They are usually applied to young boys who are unable or unwilling to concentrate and focus on the tasks in front of them whether they be in a classroom setting or otherwise. Girls are diagnosed with these syndromes too, and it is a phenomenon that often continues into adulthood.

While there is no diagnostic category in Chinese Medicine of ADD or ADHD per se, it is a syndrome that can be diagnosed and treated nonetheless. Chinese Medicine does not treat a western disease or syndrome designation, but treats an individual with their unique constellation of signs and symptoms. Thus, two individuals diagnosed in western terms with ADD or ADHD may receive different treatment and herbs depending on other constitutional and diagnostic factors.

There is much potential for Chinese Medicine to be helpful in this realm, and all of it gentle and natural without the potential side effects and stigma of pharmaceutical medications.

For a more thorough discussion of this topic, please click here.