Ginkgo - Is It Safe? And Can This Strange Exercise Replace It?

Is Ginkgo the marvellous herbal remedy for loss of memory that we have all been led to believe? First used for medicinal purposes by the Chinese over 5,000 years ago, Ginkgo has long been considered to be of vital importance in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease and circulatory problems.

But press reports of late February 2008 have questioned the value of Ginkgo biloba by suggesting it has limited effect on those with memory problems, whilst at the same time maintaining it increases the risk of a stroke.

In this article we're going to briefly review the pros and cons of these recent findings, and look at an unusual exercise that can help you reap the benefits Ginkgo offers, without actually having to take it.

What set off this press speculation was a research study published by Oregon State University. It reported that of 59 volunteers given three Ginkgo tablets a day over a three year trial, seven suffered a stroke or mini-stroke, whereas of the 59 who were not given Ginkgo, but a placebo instead, none suffered strokes.

On the face of it this seems to establish that taking Ginkgo tablets or supplements does indeed increase the risk of a stroke. But the defenders of this well-known herb argue that strokes are caused by blood clots, which are not a known side effect of taking Ginkgo. It is known for sometimes causing excessive bleeding, but that in itself is not connected to strokes.

As to the herb's effect on memory, 21 of the men and women aged 85 and over who comprised the volunteers developed memory problems over the three year period, but only 7 of them were in the group that were taking the genuine Ginkgo tablets. And here there is a question mark, apparently, over whether all the volunteers remembered to take all the tablets as instructed.

So the only thing most commentators, whether pro or anti herbal remedies, can agree upon is that further tests should be carried out. After all, it's no good taking Ginkgo biloba to improve your memory or prevent Alzheimer's disease if you're thereby increasing the risk of a stroke coming along and blasting all your memory improvement out of the water.

Although a stroke doesn't necessarily affect memory, it doesn't do much for your mental (or physical) health either.

Are there any other herbs that can improve your memory apart from Ginkgo biloba? There are three other main herbs that have been known to have beneficial effects, and they are Bacopa Monniera (known as water hyssop), Club Moss and Siberian Ginseng. There's also Lecithin, an extract of soya beans, which can help prevent age-related memory disorders, as can large doses of vitamins C and E.

No recent studies appear to have been done on any of these, so it may be unfair on Ginkgo to highlight its possible defects when similar studies on any of the alternative treatments could well throw up disadvantages just as serious.

Be that as it may, there is an alternative method for fighting memory loss and preventing diseases such as Alzheimer's. It involves nothing more than a few very simple exercises you can do almost anywhere. One of these can improve your memory over time, help dissolve headaches, and even relieve arthritic pain that in itself often impedes concentration.

Locate the two hollows at the base of your skull on either side of the very top of your spine. They're usually two to three inches apart, depending on the size of your head. With your fingers spread upwards towards the top of your head, press with your thumbs into these hollows for one minute.

All the while breathe deeply through the nose and relax. You can close your eyes if it helps, but the important thing is to relax and breathe deeply, using your full lung capacity. If you do this once or twice a day you should find that it's not long before you experience all the benefits of a better memory, easier concentration and a distinct lack of headaches. All the things that Ginkgo promises, in fact.

Philip Gegan is a writer and practitioner of Acupressure. He challenges you to read his advice and NOT be able to press away at least 10 kinds of pain, including headaches, colds, flu, hangovers, asthma, heartburn, and even... acne(!) at... http://www.pressawaypain.com

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You could take a colon cleanse by purchasing an enema kit, or you could go to a colon irrigation specialist where you lie for half an hour and you go through a colon irrigation service. Or you could take a herbal bowel cleansing juice, it's usually a liquid and herbal and it doesn't contain any chemicals or any preservatives. Within seven days of taking your bowel cleanse, you will notice that your skin starts to change. And that's because you'll get rid of all the acidity in your body. There's no point in taking a laxative; a laxative doesn't work. You need to take a proper bowel cleanse. A good bowel cleanse will reduce the toxic loads in your body. And if your bowel cleanse is sulfur rich, which contains loads of compounds, compounds that you could find in cabbages and onions and garlic, it will be extremely cleansing for you.

The number two thing I suggest that you do is then, after your bowel cleanse is to take a liver cleanse. The liver is another big organ that causes eczema in the system. If your liver is malfunctioning, it cannot metabolize the toxins or the pesticides or the chemicals or the waste residue that you've taken into your body.

By the way, did you know there was a research study done on a pregnant mother. When her delivered, her child was suffering from eczema? And they did some tests on her umbilical cord, and they found 3,000 chemicals in her umbilical cord. And that's why a lot of children suffer from eczema from birth. They're lying in a sea of chemical waste.

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