ThisNext Blog

I have a memory like an elephant, enabling me to dredge up the most mundane details of seemingly unremarkable events that took place years and years back, right down to what everybody was wearing and what song was playing on the radio. So it would seem that I’d have no use for ginkgo biloba, the supplement that’s usually touted as some kind of memory-boosting miracle herb. But turns out that ginkgo’s not just for keeping your memory sharp: The herb helps maintain the health of your blood vessels, which in turn increases blood flow to the brain. It’s also a powerful antioxidant, and benefits the nervous system by delivering oxygen and blood sugar to nerve cells. And a recent study from the Journal of Neuroscience suggests that taking ginkgo may protect against some of the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

ThisNexter ExLibris includes the supplement in her Writers Survival Kit list, recommending that we writerly types “keep ginkgo biloba around for when you’re low on brain cells. It’s better than coffee (though it doesn’t taste as good).”

I’m personally getting my daily fill of ginkgo with Green Vibrance, a supplement powder that I discovered with a little help from Jason and gordon. And for the record, I’m quite sure that ExLibris’s ginkgo capsules have got nothing on Green Vibrance in the not-tasting-as-good-as-coffee category. In fact, forcing down Green Vibrance is kind of like consuming dried seaweed all mixed up with mud and something even more vile - but it makes me feel invincible. That’s probably because it’s loaded with every good-for-you food, herb, and other substance on the planet, including but not limited to: wheatgrass, spirulina, chlorella, alfalfa grass, royal jelly, bee pollen, green tea extract, astralagus, several Chinese herbs, and a whole lotta antioxidants. Whoa, dude.

For brain-boosting herbal shot that’s far sweeter, gulp down a bottle of the Ginkgo variety of Carpe Diem carbonated teas. A favorite for Liz Oakes, Carpe Diem infuses their bubbly, ginkgo-infused teas with natural flavors to give you a “totally refreshing” feeling - and the Kombucha and Kefir products are fantastic, too.

If you take your tea the non-fizzy way, sip on a cup of the Yogi Tea Ginkgo IQ Formula recommended by I’m gonna be Free…I’m gonna be Brave. “I try to improve my brain and nervous system’s performance in any way I can,” says the blogger. “I’ve compared this tea with some other gingko-based brain teas and found Yogi’s to be more effective. In particular I have experienced improvements in flow of thought and speech.” Made with organic gingko, Ginkgo IQ also contains an ayurvedic herb blend said to support mental alertness and concentration, plus organic herbs like lemongrass, licorice root, peppermint, ginger, lemon myrtle, basil leaf, and spearmint.