Chinese herbal medicines are creating new hope for dementia treatment. Clinical trials to treat the symptoms of vascular dementia are underway. A key ingredient is Ginseng: ‘the king of the herbs for cognitive function’. Ginseng also has anti-inflammatory effects, it increases energy, boosts immunity, improves sex drive, and more.

A researcher leading one trial stated that current pharmaceutical drug treatments for vascular dementia are ineffective because they don’t address the multiple factors associated with the disease. But they didn’t clarify what these multiple factors are – because it’s way beyond the bounds of Western medicine.

In Chinese medicine dementia symptoms are connected to your organ health, your lifestyle (bodyclock connection here), and even whether you are pursuing purpose in life. Your organs support both brain and body health, and Chinese herbal formulas are multi-functional in that they work across all these levels to treat dementia / brain fog / poor memory etc. You can amplify the beneficial effects by living in a way that supports your organ health.

Circadian misalignment

Your organs are set to perform specific functions in sequence. This was once an alien concept for Western medicine but it is no longer so ‘out there’. The understanding that what you do when matters to your health, is growing daily. Circadian biology, which looks at time and your organs, has identified ‘circadian misalignment’ and sleep loss as a contributor to lifestyle disease. Numerous individual studies, for example, have found that when you eat impacts on your ability to manage your weight, and that when you sleep impacts on your mental health.

I believe that dementia diagnoses are now increasing in younger people because lifestyle factors, such as lethargic mornings and overactive nights, the exact opposite of what your organs need, are ‘uncoupling organ clocks’ (as circadian biologists would put it) and this contributes to internal imbalances that escalate to dementia symptoms. Get your lifestyle aligned to the natural rhythm, and you’ll be actively preventing the development of dementia.

Key preventative strategies for dementia

Work hardest mentally between 9am – 1pm. This strengthens cognitive function which helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Sleep between 10pm – 5am Poor sleep is a major contributing factor to dementia — it’s become normal to work late, binge-watch entertainment into the night, and wake up during the night to check the phone. Avoid doing all these things (read Clock On To Health if you want to get the full picture on all the amazing things – from anti-ageing to weight-loss – that happen if you sleep).

Take herbal sleep formulas. I use a Peony herbal sleep formula for my clients. I’ve treated numerous people who haven’t slept for years, literally, who get immediate relief. Chinese herbal formulas are an art form, the magic is in the synergies of the plant mix, and they are multi-active so all your organs and your whole life benefits. And they never stop working. Peony creates a sensation that i describe as velvety smooth, soft and pillowy, you just drift into it.