Wednesday, 28ᵗʰ March 2023 | Dr. Clark Wright, Psychologist
Zeke's mom has been struggling with Alzheimer's for over a decade, and her memory has declined rapidly in recent years. She cannot remember her name, where she lives, or who her family members are. Zeke and his family have been doing everything to take care of her, but it's becoming increasingly difficult.
Zeke's mother tends to wander off on her own, she would go missing, again and again, this time though, it feels different. Zeke and his father fear the worst, as it's been three days since she went missing, and even the police haven't found any leads yet. As the days pass, Zeke and his family are filled with anxiety and fear. Suddenly, Zeke's mom finally came home with an intact memory of her past, present, and the family that loves her, thanks to a special fruit oil that kept the haze of her mind at bay.
According to the National Library of Medicine, some of the reasons for memory loss are mental health conditions like stress, depression, and anxiety. It could disrupt the absorption of nutrients and oxygen in the brain because the blood flow becomes irregular due to the narrowed pathways of blood vessels in the brain. Since there is insufficient oxygen supply and absorption of nutrients, the protein that builds up the nerve fibers starts to disengage causing the nerves to decay.
Figure: Image of a Nerve Fiber (blue) Losing Protein (pink) Causing it to Decay
Based on Science Daily’s data, the nerve fiber in our brain is approximately 500,000 kilometers in length. And memory loss starts when hundred to thousand of kilometers of nerve fibers start to decay. However, brain stimulation can loosen up these blood vessels in the brain to supply enough oxygen and nourishment to the nerve fibers to stop losing more nerve fiber connections.
Triggering the Olfactory system is a method of stimulating the brain with odor molecules to awaken it. When we inhale a scent, molecules from that odor stimulate specialized nerve cells in the nose called Olfactory receptors. These receptors then send signals to awaken the brain's nerve cells, which send commands to the limbic system responsible for emotions to release “feel-good hormones” when we are drawn by the scent.
Figure:: Brain Stimulated through Smell
These “feel-good hormones” triggers an effect on the Hypothalamus, a part of our brain responsible for memories. Because the Hypothalamus connects with neurons to form Synapses (storage of memories). Along with this chain reaction is another positive effect, the stimulation causes the blood vessels in the brain to loosen up.
In order to maintain memory storage intact, the body needs to pick up toxins and free radicals through the blood to avoid them from affecting the mind and for quick recovery. The brain just like other parts of the body relies heavily on a constant supply of oxygen, vitamins, and minerals which are delivered through the blood vessels. To do this, a healthy blood flow in the brain must be maintained so that it gets the right nourishment it needs to sustain memory activity and function properly. This can also heal any brain damage caused by an unhealthy lifestyle.
Figure: Blood Vessels Supplying Oxygen and Nutrients to the Brain Nerves
Additionally, a good blood flow can supply glucose to the brain efficiently, which is the primary source of fuel for the brain to maintain our focus and be mentally alert. This helps us to remember things quickly and to be able to learn easily by boosting our mental capacity.
From what you have read previously, we need an initiator to trigger all these processes in the brain to boost our memory. And based on data from Indigo Herbs, Bergamot fruit peels is one of the best conductors because they provide lots of benefit for mental health and not just for memory. Bergamot is a citrus fruit native to the Mediterranean, which is almost exclusively grown in the Calabria province of southern Italy. Italians have used Bergamot for years to reduce feelings of stress for mental clarity to avoid losing focus.
Figure: Hormones in the brain
Linalool is an organic compound in Bergamot that has been found to activate the neurotransmitter system or neurons which is responsible for the passing of information in the brain. It enhances the connection of neurons to the Hippocampus which is the central part of the brain that serves as a bridge for all of the memories and information stored. The more active the Hippocampus is, the brain’s memory capacity increases by up to tenfold.
Figure: Activated Neurotransmitter system
Limonene is another natural chemical found in most citrus fruits like Bergamot. Its effects can reduce stress and mood disorders. Because it releases Dopamine hormones and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) which have been reported to play an important role in modulating stress and anxiety to regulate activities in different parts of the brain. And these hormones are responsible for keeping our mind to be mentally focused and alert because they induce the feeling of awakeness and improve the blood flow in the brain.
Jasmine is a graduating college student and always struggles to catch up with her lessons. She was worried because her final exam is about 2 weeks before she graduates. Jasmine finds it difficult to remember all the lessons she reviewed. She gets easily distracted in class and couldn't follow the professor’s lectures. Her mother decided to follow her friend’s suggestion to try Bergamot essence while she studies her lesson. After the first day of using Bergamot, she felt relaxed and focused while studying.
After two weeks of using Bergamot essence, Jasmine could catch up to class discussions very well. She could maintain her focus even if there are disturbing noises from her classmates. Her memory has improved and she felt that the information she could remember is about four times better than before. Jasmine was well prepared for her final exam and finished it ahead of her classmates.
Just before the third week ended while she continued using Bergamot therapy, the results for the final exam were out. The good news is that Jasmine will be graduating with honors and was assigned to deliver a speech during the graduation ceremony. She memorized her speech and didn’t write it on paper. Yet, she was able to perfectly remember and deliver her 15-minute speech word by word.
“I was very thankful to my mom for showering me with all her love and support. And I will never forget this precious gift that she gave me. This Bergamot essence did more than what I expected from it and I was able to graduate with flying colors.”
Jasmine K., 22 NM