13 replies to this topic

[Ghostrider]

If I want to stay away from substances which *may* pose significant long-term health risks, what ingredients produce the best mental cognative benefits in regards to enhancing mental alertness and problem solving ability? It seems to me that there are too many unknowns regarding substances like Huperzine-A and *racetams. What substances are safe and provide benefits that go beyond placebo (although I acknowledge that these benefits will be less significant compared to more potent *smart drugs*).

[JonesGuy]

Sleeping will help you solidify memories of that day.
Chewing gum will help improve reflexes

I don't know yet how to expand attention, to include more than ~4 concepts at once.

[ajnast4r]

sleep

exercise

mentally challenging games

meditation

ginko & bacopa

[Ghostrider]

I need more exercise and sleep. Chewing gum helps improve reflexes? Humm... I'll load up on the ginko and bacopa. Thanks!

sleep

exercise

mentally challenging games

meditation

ginko & bacopa

[Ghostrider]

coffe

Coffee is good, provides better focus, but can screw up the sleep cycle. I guess it's the small price to pay...

[jubai]

Freshly juiced juice from 6+ vegetables and fruits will give a buzz by itself. Add some spirulina, chlorella, wheat grass and barley grass for an organic brain smash that will keep you wired for a long time. :D

[systemicanomaly]

sleep
exercise
mentally challenging games
meditation
ginko & bacopa

These are all superb suggestions. How about adding B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, vinpocetine (periwinkle extract) & DMAE to the list? Since DMAE, related the the B vitamin family, is found naturally in fish (sardines, salmon, etc) as well being present in our own brains, I'd assume that you wouldn't have any reservations about this supplement (as long as you don't overdo it).

One nutrient cocktail that I particularly recommend is ProEndorphin (Nutraceutics). It's chock full of B vitamins (incl inositol), DMAE, amino acids (DLPA & Taurine), panax ginseng, and kola nut extract (naturally contains a very moderate amt of caffeine). This product ingested prior to sustained exercise is an excellent combination. I would start off with 10-20 minutes of aerobic activity before moving on to other types of exercise (such as your favorite sport). The combined effect can be quite striking.

Learned something new on the John Tesh radio program last night that also helps quite a bit. It can be used to relieve stress, re-invigorate the mind-body, or can be used as part of your exercise warmup. Vigorously swing your arms for a couple of minutes as if you were walking (in a manic manner). I've seen a number of Chinese athletes do this but didn't give it much thought til I heard it mentioned on the radio show. I incorporated a bit of an upper body turning action in addition to the vigorous arm swinging.

Edited by systemicanomaly, 07 April 2006 - 12:06 PM.

[systemicanomaly]

Sleeping will help you solidify memories of that day.
Chewing gum will help improve reflexes...

Cinnamon (& peppermint) gum, in particular, appear to be effective for alertness & other cognitive benefits:

Not only does consuming cinnamon improve the body’s ability to utilize blood sugar & control cholesterol levels, but chewing cinnamon gum, drinking cinnamon tea or smelling the odor (aromatherapy) of this spice is reported to improve RT & boost brain activity...

"Research led by Dr Phillip Zoladz and presented April 24, 2004, at the annual meeting of the Association for Chemoreception Sciences, in Sarasota, FL, found that chewing cinnamon flavored gum or just smelling cinnamon enhanced study participants’ cognitive processing. Specifically, cinnamon improved participants’ scores on tasks related to attentional processes, virtual recognition memory, working memory, and visual-motor speed while working on a computer-based program.

Participants were exposed to four odorant conditions: no odor, peppermint odor, jasmine, and cinnamon, with cinnamon emerging the clear winner in producing positive effects on brain function. Encouraged by the results of these studies, researchers will be evaluating cinnamon’s potential for enhancing cognition in the elderly, individuals with test-anxiety, and possibly even patients with diseases that lead to cognitive decline. (May 9, 2004)"


More on cinnamon & peppermint:

www.psichi.org/awards/winners/abstracts/allbac_04.asp
www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2004/1/2004434.shtml
www.webmd.com/content/article/105/107741.htm

[systemicanomaly]

Cinnamon gums:

My pref is sugar-less cinnamon gums so as to avoid the tooth-decay problem. My favorites include DragonFire gum (found at Trader Joe's). Lately, I've also been getting Altoids sugar-free cinnamon gum since the 1st ingredient is Xylitol, a sugar alcohol. Studies indicate that xylitol not only doesn't promote tooth decay, it very likely prevents it as well.

Cinnamon essentail oils:

Essential oils are used for aromatherapy. Note that cinnamon & cinnamon oils come in 2 main varieties. The variety that is most common in the US is Cassia (often from Viet Nam or China). This one has a stronger taste (and smell). The other primary variety is considered "true cinnamon"... Ceylon cinnamon (aka Sri Lankan cinnamon). It's taste (& smell) is milder & smoother. Both varieties have therapeutic value as far as I know. Not sure what variety was used in the various studies that I mentioned previously.

[guyledouche]

Lifting weights is very stimulating and helps focus. Do it early in the day so that you can put that increased focus to work. Cardio is relaxing and can also help concentration quite well but I would go with the weights if you want a better mental boost.

[JonesGuy]

I've been using my iPod to download podcasts on the topics that I am interested in. My ability to solve problems in an area is related to how much I know about the topic.