Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba has been used medicinally by the Chinese for many thousands of years. The species has been around for about 150 million years.

In the 1960s the leaves were used in tests on circulation, with excellent results. It appears that Ginkgo makes capillaries more stable and stops small arteries from going into spasm, making it easier for blood to reach the extremities – good news for people who suffer from cold hands and feet, or poor memory or concentration due to sluggish blood flow to the head.

Ginkgo also inhibits thickening of the blood which means it must not be used with anticoagulants such as Aspirin or Warfarin.  Of course, it is good for keeping the blood moving freely in people who are not on anticoagulants.

Elderly people feel the benefit of taking this herb as a food supplement, improving their mental clarity. It is also often taken by menopausal women to counteract the mental fog that tends to descend at this time of their lives.