Growing Gardens

with Julia Hancock

Food for thought

Ginkgo biloba

Every day we hear statistics on how Australia's population is ageing, and despite recent breakthroughs in dementia research the sad fact is that many of us will have lost some, or all of our memory well before we die.

I like to think that there might be something I can do now to keep my brain ticking over and try to incorporate some of the memory enhancing herbs into my daily diet. I claim no medical qualification for promoting the use of these herbal remedies, but as a horticulturalist I am interested in the research that is being undertaken into some commonly-grown species.

Ginkgo biloba has long been regarded as good medicine for the brain as it improves the circulation of blood and oxygen and contains powerful antioxidants to keep the brain ticking over healthily. Some say that it wards off depression and this may be so, as people who enjoy sharp mental faculties are more likely to be confident and outgoing than those who flounder around in a mental fog. In the garden ginkgo is a beautiful tree whose lime green new leaves turn butter yellow in autumn before they fall.

Brahmi is a species of bacopa that can be grown outside in a container of water. It is composed of tiny leaves which form along a floating stem and rumour has it that eating two of these bitter-tasting leaves per day is good for the brain.

Rosemary has long been referred to as the herb of remembrance and like ginkgo, it contains the antioxidants that are essential for healthy brain cell function. Many memories are stimulated by smell and perhaps it is the pungence of the rosemary leaf that triggers the brain to recall past events.

Note: Echo readers for whom memory loss is a problem are strongly advised to consult their doctor.