No wonder the herb sage shares its meaning with a wise saint! Sage, a herb now available at most gourmet stores in India, is proven to help patients recover from memory loss and sharpen the memory of healthy individuals. Actually the brain never loses memory. The memories are ‘lost’ because we do not retrieve them often. However with right nutrients like sage, you can increase the power of your memory.

Studies [1] have proven that sage works effectively as a memory enhancer. In fact, there are people researching on the potential of sage as a probable treatment for Alzheimer’s or Dementia.

A study [2] was conducted by Medicinal Plant Research Centre (MPRC) at the Universities of Newcastle and Northumbria, on 44 young adults between the ages of 18 to 37. Some were given sage oil capsules while others placebo. Upon trials during a word recall test, those administered with sage oil capsules showed improved memory and were able to recall more words.

Current drugs for memory enhancement and treatment of Alzheimer’s and Dementia have several side effects. Sage being a natural herb has not shown any side effects in the trials. Sage, however, should not be administered to pregnant women.

Besides being memory enhancers, did you know sage leaves have several other benefits such as managing symptoms of cold, bronchitis, congestion, asthma and reducing fever.

How to use?

Sage oil capsules are the most effective. However, you can even sip on some sage tea every day or use sage oil for scalp massage. You can also add sage to flavor your soups and pizza or pasta sauces.

Active ingredients:

Sage contains flavonoids such as apigenin and luteolin, carotenoids, volatile oil and phenolic acids of which the most common one is rosmarinic acid and vitamin K.

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References:
1. Johnston, G. A. R., & Beart, P. M. (2004). Flavonoids: some of the wisdom of sage?. British journal of pharmacology142(5), 809-810.
2. University Of Newcastle Upon Tyne. (2003, September 1). Sage Improves Memory, Study Shows.

Source: ScienceDaily