One of the best herbs you can use to protect your brain as you age is Bacopa Monniera. Research has shown that Bacopa helps you to remember newly acquired information--people's names, reading material, a new musical instrument, etc. This is significant since this is usually the first aspect of memory to decline. Other research confirming this has added that "B. monniera significantly improved speed of visual information processing...learning rate and memory consolidation...and state anxiety compared to placebo, with maximal effects evident after 12 weeks." It appears that this herb works its magic by acting as a potent antioxidant in the brain. Brain oxidation (that's right, your brain "rusts") is one of the most common causes of cognitive decline as we age. The effects of Bacopa are so powerful, that it has been shown to protect the brain against the ravages of cigarette smoking! Recent research on rats supplemented with Bacopa has shown significant protection against amyloid formation--a change associated with Alzheimer's. You may remember from my omega-3 paper that omega-3 supplementation decreases the risk of Alzheimer's by 60%! I believe that this risk can be cut even more by supplementing with Bacopa. Bacopa is available at my office--and will soon be available in my online store! Link to Bacopa and memory Link to Bacopa and learning, mamory, and anxiety Link to Bacopa as a brain antioxidant Link to Bacopa and ciggarrette smoke Link to Bacopa, amyloids, and Alzheimer's