Quite Often Mother Nature Knows Best (BioForce Ginkgo Biloba)

Member Name: Sarahjh

Product:	BioForce Ginkgo Biloba
Date:	20/11/08 (227 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A calming useful herbal tincture

Disadvantages: none

In March 2007 my partner suffered what the medical experts called a `Brain attack`. This attack presented itself as an unbearable episode of migraine, that left him incapacitated for many months afterwards. The term `Brain attack` was something new to us and obviously we wanted to know the implications. Google and Ask Jeeves were both helpful, telling us that often those words were used to describe a minor stroke. Our G.P. was more than helpful offering support and advice.
The Consultant Neurologist that we had to visit regularly was far less helpful, offering little or no information or advice in a brusque and business like manner.

~~Nature and healing~~

Both of us are great believers in homeopathic remedies and would always try natural healing if it was possible, before prescribed medication. Often time combined with nature can be a way to regain strength and health.

~~A little about the Ginkgo Tree~~

The Ginkgo tree is unique, also referred to as the Maidenhair Tree, a very large tree often growing to height of up to 115 feet.
Ginkgo has been cultivated in China for hundreds of years, some of the trees that grow on the sites of the temples are believed to be in excess of 1,500 years old.
Ginkgo trees are popular among Bonsai growers, because they can be kept artificially small and live for many years.
In 1945 when the Atom bomb destroyed virtually every plant and animal for miles, the Ginkgo trees survived and are still flourishing to this day.

~~The Culinary uses of Ginkgo~~

The Chinese firmly believe that the Ginkgo nut has health benefits, many Chinese also consider the nuts are an aphrodisiac. The nuts are incorporated in Chinese recipes that are served at weddings and New Years celebrations.
The seeds can be bought canned (sold as White Nuts) and are found on sale in Western Asian food stores.

~~The Medicinal uses of Ginkgo~~

Ginkgo Biloba may be of help to the following symptoms:
Raynaud`s Disease
Poor circulation
Prevention and recovery from Strokes
Poor short term memory
Senile dementia
Tinnitus/dizziness

Ginkgo Biloba works in the following way:
Substances found in Ginkgo can increase arterial supply, especially to the brain, helping tissues utilise oxygen and glucose.
For our brains to work to their full potential it is vital to have a constant supply of oxygen and glucose, when this flow is obstructed then cell and tissue damage may well occur.
There has recently been some evidence that Ginkgo is helpful to asthmatics.
Ginkgo has an Antioxidant activity, it is a free radical scrounger that protects cells from damage.

~~How Ginkgo Biloba is administered~~

So having covered the basics of how Ginkgo works and what it strives to help with we will now move on.
I bought a 50ml tincture bottle for £8.49 from Holland and Barrett, then after reading the enclosed instruction leaflet my husband took 15 drops (the bottle has a dropper included) of Ginkgo Biloba in a small amount of water three times a day before meals. You can use this tincture as a long term remedy, you need to take it for 3 to 4 weeks before any benefit can be noticed. Sometimes it can cause side effects which I will tell you about in a while, but my husband was lucky, he had nothing but a slight bitter aftertaste, which amounted to nothing really. The tincture was gentle on his digestive system too.
As the months have passed by he has grown stronger, not only physically but mentally too. He has continued to take the Ginkgo Biloba, as he points out his overall health and well being has improved considerably, so because it is safe to use long term, he sees no reason to stop taking it.

~~Those who cannot take Ginkgo Biloba~~

With most natural remedies there will always be some people who shouldn`t take them, this one is no different and it should be avoided by:
Pregnant women or nursing mothers.
Anyone taking warfarin or a daily dispersible aspirin.
Anyone who is using Anti- depressants
Anyone with a blood clotting disorder
If you are taking any other medication, herbs, or health supplements you may want to check it before you start to use Gingko.
If you have all allergy it would need to be checked out first.

~~Possible side effects~~

Possible side effects include:
An irregular heartbeat
Allergic reaction
Cramp
Seizures
Fainting
Just remember to consult with your health care provider, Doctor or Pharmacist if you feel unsure about anything, no matter how small.

~~Summary~~

Of course not everyone is going to benefit or even believe that there would be a benefit attached to taking Gingko Biloba, I understand that.
But apart from the slight aftertaste of the tincture, there has been nothing else to suggest that Gingko doesn`t suit him.
Plenty of rest has certainly improved his health, but he feels that the daily use of the tincture has made him more alert and less anxious. As long as he is happy to keep taking Gingko and believes that it is helping him then We both feel that he is doing the right thing.

Anyone wishing to read more about Gingko Boloba should visit Wilkepedia.

Summary: A herbal tincture that is fine to take long term.