“Christmas Herb” Keeps Your Brain YOUNG
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted December 20, 2021
It sure would be nice to keep your brain in tip-top shape as you age, wouldn’t it?
That eight-pound lump of jelly in your head is a HUGELY important part of your health… not to mention your memory and your ability to take care of yourself.
The problem becomes, the longer you live, the more your brain can get gunked up with misshapen molecules called amyloid beta and tau proteins.
And the more gunk in your brain, the higher your odds are of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Now, however, researchers may have found a way to STOP your brain from collecting dangerous amyloid beta and tau proteins.
It’s a compound found in this “Christmas herb”… and it could be the key to keeping your brain YOUNG.
When you think of Christmas, your mind probably doesn’t go straight to basil.
But for many folks, holiday dinners wouldn’t be the same without a delicious dish of pasta with lots of herbs, including basil.
And that basil holds something truly spectacular for protecting your brain: fenchol.
You probably haven’t heard of fenchol, but it’s the good-smelling compound found in the basil plant.
And after scanning 144,000 natural compounds, a research team determined that fenchol was the best candidate for protecting the brain from accumulating amyloid beta and tau proteins.
The research study, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, found that the basil extract was the perfect solution for brain protection.
Surprisingly, the scientists found that fenchol interacted with the good and bad bacteria in your gut microbiome.
It has been known for a while that gut bacteria produce molecules called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The fatty acids travel from the gut, through the blood, and end up in the brain where they activate a cell receptor called free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2). Stimulating FFAR2 blocks toxic accumulation of the amyloid-beta proteins.
Not only did fenchol stop the toxic buildup of harmful proteins, it also helped remove senescent brain cells. This is important, because these are “zombie” cells, meaning they stop working, but don’t die like normal cells. Senescent cells tend to secrete harmful chemicals that scientists think add to the buildup of harmful proteins.
The amount of fenchol needed to make these changes is quite large, however, which means you will have to take it as a supplement. But since this is a breaking study, fenchol isn’t available as a supplement just yet… though I’m sure it will be soon.
In the meantime, why not start a new holiday tradition and feature basil in your Christmas dinner? One of the easiest ways to do so is with pesto sauce. You’ll get a good serving of healthy olive oil AND brain-boosting basil. You can find a recipe for homemade pesto right here.
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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