Combat Memory Loss, Preserve Cognitive Strength

Finding safe, effective ways to stay mentally sharp and maintain cognitive function is extremely important to healthy aging. Greek mountain tea (Sideritis scardica) and bacopa (Bacopa monnieri) are two botanicals that are clinically proven to improve focus, mental resilience, and emotional balance.

Greek mountain tea has been a favorite beverage in the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean for generations. This hardy botanical thrives in harsh conditions, and in fact, those very challenges are what helps the plant create its protective, beneficial compounds.

Greek mountain tea has an invigorating effect on the mind and body. Shepherds in the Mediterranean drank it to stay warm, alert, focused, and resilient while tending to their flocks. The beverage is even commonly known as “shepherd’s tea” due to its association with the trade.

While Greek mountain tea has multiple actions well beyond its strengths for concentration, mood, and cognition, those particular benefits are the ones I’d like to focus on here. Clinical research has shown that this specific botanical does an amazing job of helping the mind work at its best.

The longstanding traditional use of Greek mountain tea attracted the attention of researchers who wanted to see what kind of results participants would see in placebo-controlled clinical trials, especially for cognitive health.

One study in particular tested two dosages of a Greek mountain tea supplement (475 mg and 950 mg) against an active control of Ginkgo biloba (240 mg) for comparison’s sake, and a placebo.

After this month-long, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel groups trial, there were some pretty significant findings. First, individuals taking Greek mountain tea (at both dosage levels) scored much higher in tests of accuracy while processing visual information at a rapid pace and under pressure.

Secondly, those in the higher dosage group felt less anxiety, which, as anyone who has had difficulty with final exams or presentations at work knows firsthand, can really interfere with focus and concentration.

Third, those in the Greek mountain tea group also showed improved oxygenated red blood cells in the prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain involved in impulse control, learning, plasticity, and working memory. Overall, these results seem to indicate that this herb helps the brain operate at a better speed and efficiency.

It should be noted, too, that while ginkgo also showed some positive effects on accuracy under pressure, the results weren’t as strong as they were for Greek mountain tea, nor did ginkgo help participants feel the state of calm alertness that characterized those in the Greek mountain tea group.

While more clinical work needs to be done to verify its actions, scientific research shows that Greek mountain tea appears to inhibit the reuptake of serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine, making it a contender for treating symptoms of depression and attention-deficit conditions.

Other scientific work shows that Greek mountain tea may help protect against the development of Alzheimer’s disease by decreasing amyloid beta formation (the plaques and tangles that can interfere with brain signals) and reducing physical paralysis symptoms associated with the disease.

Greek mountain tea is also an excellent herbal adaptogen, promoting physical stamina and energy without causing jitteriness. Unlike green tea, it is not caffeinated. It has also been traditionally recommended in cases of anemia as it doesn’t deplete iron levels.

While Greek mountain tea is well established as a brain-boosting herbal on its own, it has also shown great results when paired with another botanical, Bacopa monnieri. Used for generations 
in Ayurvedic practice, bacopa has long been associated with improving cognitive abilities and enhancing memory. Like Greek mountain tea, the herb’s success as a traditional medicine led to it being closely studied in both scientific and clinical research.

As a result, bacopa has acquired a great track record for boosting accuracy and working memory, and for helping people perform repetitive tasks while under pressure. How? Some findings show bacopa may help generate newer, more efficient neural connections in the brain.

In clinical research, this Ayurvedic medicinal herb has been shown to strengthen attention, speed, and retention of new information. It has also been shown to enhance performance on working memory by reducing “false positives” in rapid visual processing, alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improve memory in cases of mild cognitive impairment. And in the case of that last study, the positive effects were maintained for four weeks after stopping the bacopa supplementation!

For children and adolescents, bacopa has been found to enhance focus and attention, reduce impulsivity, and improve behavior, so it works for a wide range of age groups and cognitive-related circumstances.

Like Greek mountain tea, bacopa is free of caffeine and greatly enhances focus, memory, and mood. These attributes make bacopa an excellent partner to Greek mountain tea. As it happens, clinical research has proven this to be the case.

In individuals with mild cognitive impairment, a combination of bacopa and Greek mountain tea was found to work incredibly well together. It was shown to enhance beta wave activity in the brain, which is associated with memory and focus, and can be diminished in individuals with cognitive impairment. Those taking the combination also scored better in memory, math, and attention tests, including the d2 test, a standardized assessment for measuring concentration.

The test tracks the scanning speed and accuracy of individuals as they cross out any letter “d” with two dashes around it. That sounds easy until you realize that each letter d is surrounded by similar letters, like p and b, as well as other “d’s” with different numbers of dashes, and the test is timed. But individuals in the Greek mountain tea and bacopa group improved their scores over the duration of the study, and showed better brain wave activity, too. I think that it’s remarkable how well the two herbs worked together and helped those with what might otherwise be seen as an inevitable and unstoppable condition.

Greek mountain tea and bacopa can re-energize your focus, mental acuity, and emotional resilience. While each botanical is incredibly valuable and effective, I believe that the combination of the two can help your mind live up to its fullest potential.