Anti-Aging, Memory and Sleep Improving Herbs and Foods

This book is solely devoted to simple natural methods to slow down human aging process, to improve wellbeing and health during aging, to improve persons memory and to prevent memory decay due to aging and diseases and to improve the ability to sleep well. The book shows over 330 natural methods, based mostly on natural foods, food components, drinks and medicinal herbs, which have been shown to have anti-aging, memory improving or sleep quality improving properties. Aging, decaying memory and deteriorating sleep quality are all linked together. During aging both memory and sleep quality normally go down but it is also known, that lack of sleep and excess stress will accelerate aging process. Also great many different diseases will decrease the life span of individuals. Especially obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, smoking, alcoholism, narcotics and lack of exercise and physical work will each decrease individual life span by 5-15 years, whereas exercise, and certain natural compounds, food factors, caloric restriction, intermittent fasting and medicinal herbs can increase life span by 5-15 years. Caloric restriction is the most researched method to slow down aging process. With caloric restriction the life span of rodents, such as mice and rats, can be increased over 50%, compared to control groups. But this is not a new science: The Chinese writer Zhang Hua of the Jin Dynasty (265-420) wrote in his book “Records of Investigation of Things” (Bo Wu Zhi): “The less one eats, the broader his mind, and the longer his life span; the more one eats, the narrower his mind, and the shorter his life span”. Zhu Danxi (1281-1385), who was a Chinese medical scientist of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), advised in his book “Benefits of Plain Food on Health “(Ru Dan Lun) to follow mainly a vegetarian diet and to eat meat and vegetables in appropriate proportions. He advocated eating mainly “grains, beans, vegetables and fruits” and only a limited amount of meat, cautioning that one should not eat more meat than vegetables. Too much meat regularly impairs and shortens life span. The ancient Chinese writer Sun Simiao wrote in the book “Maxims for Preserving Life” (Bao Sheng Ming): “Food that is too salty shortens the life span. Do not show preference to such food”. The ancient Chinese book “Notes on Preserving Life” (Yang Sheng Fu Yu) also talks about Daoist priests in Zhongnan Mountain who lived ages between 100 and 200 years. The main reason for their longevity was digging up edible medicinal roots of Sealwort (Polygonatum Sibiricum), the rhizome of Chinese Atractylodes (Atractylodes Lancea) and the rhizome of Chinese Large-Headed Atractylodes (Atractylodes Macrocephala) for use as food. Wang Lie, a native of Handan of the Jin Dynasty (265-420), often ate Sealwort and looked young in his old age. He reportedly lived over 300 years. The Japanese monk Ei Si (1141-1245) of the Song Dynasty wrote a book “Drinking Tea to Maintain Health”. The book indicates, that drinking tea is “Miraculous way to prolong life span”. So the art of longevity by using some healthy foods, drinks and edible medicinal plants but not using too much meat, fat and salt, has been well known all ready for thousands of years.