People believe that creativity arises out of natural talent or general ability. A creative person is special or unique. Musicians, artists, and writers are a few people who are thought of as being creative. However, creativity does not limit itself to only a few people. Everyone creativity power in one way or another, as it is essential for all.
According to various researches, there are numerous health benefits of engaging in creative activities. Some of the benefits are stress reduction, immune function improvement, reducing anxiety and depression, and improving cognitive functions.
Many types of herbs increase the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit information from one nerve cell to another. People these days depend on caffeine to improve the functioning of their minds. However, they forget that it over-stimulates the adrenal glands and depletes the body of essential nourishment. We should keep in mind to track our caffeine intake. Also, it would be much better to switch to other sources like medicinal herbs.
WHAT ARE MEDICINAL HERBS?
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These herbs are useful for medicinal purposes and cover a wide range of plants. People use leaves, flowers, roots, seed, or barks as medicine. Nowadays, any part of a plant is a herb, but previously, only the non-woody plants had this term, including those that came from trees and shrubs. These plants are also used as food, flavonoids, medicine, or perfume, and even in some spiritual activities.
The healing powers present in herbs puts them together in one category. Humans and animals have used these herbs as medicine for hundreds of years. These herbs also have a rich history associated with them. Apart from their cultural significance, they are also economically valuable.
Ancient scholars believed that herbs were the cure for several diseases. They conducted thorough studies and experimented to come to conclusions about the effectiveness and medicinal value of different herbs. Most of the medicines made using herbs were free of any side-effects or reactions, which became the reason for its growing popularity across the world.
HERBS TO creativity power
ASHWAGANDHA
Also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry, this herb grows in India, part of Africa, and The Middle East. Its medicinal use made it famous for hundreds of years. Its name describes the smell of the root, which is like a horse. It is one of the most important herbs used in the Ayurvedic medicine system. In the Indian medicine system, it is a Rasayana, which means a herb that helps to maintain both physical and mental youth.
It is one of the most studied adaptogens and a natural nootropic that helps with creative thinking. Known for its ability to reduce stress, it also has many other health benefits. A research conducted by prestigious universities across the USA, in its report, shows that ashwagandha blocks the stress pathway in the brains of rats by regulating the nervous system’s chemical signaling. Test tube and animal studies suggest that it mitigates brain function and memory problems caused by disease or injuries.
It promotes antioxidant activities, protecting nerve cells from harmful free radicals.
Prospective research conducted at the Department of Neuropsychiatry and Geriatric Psychiatry, India, showed a 69% reduction in insomnia and anxiety in humans. It also showed a reduction in the serum cortisol levels. It states that ashwagandha improves a person’s resistance to stress and helps increase focus and concentration, both of which are important for doing any type of creative work.
An eight-week study conducted by two institutes in India, showed that 50 adults who took 300mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily, highly improved task performance, attention, and general memory. It also enhanced their mood by reducing stress, which leads to increased motivation.
LAVENDER
Native to the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean and northern Africa, the cultivation of this plant is primarily for the production of essential oils that manufacturers extract from the flower spikes of particular lavender species. It has numerous cosmetic and medicinal uses. The lavender essential oil is toxic when consumed.
The smell of lavender is very relaxing, and this directly influences creative power. Research conducted by specialists in Germany and Iran performed a cognitive assessment to test the olfactory effect of lavender oil on cognitive performance and mood in a few volunteers. It highlighted that smelling lavender essential oil increases alertness, reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. It also creates the perfect environment for your mental ability to expand.
A reaction in the Pineal gland stimulates the release of melatonin, which signals the body to relax, leading to increased creative skills.
A single-blind randomized study conducted on a few healthy students at the Baika Women’s University, Osaka, shows that lavender may help improve sleep too.
Reducing your caffeine intake and exercising can induce sleep, but if this fails, lavender can be your go-to treatment. You can put a few drops of lavender essential oil on your pillow before you go to sleep. Make sure not to ingest it, as it’s for external use only.
ROSEMARY
A common herb used in cooking, native to the Mediterranian, rosemary is an evergreen shrub that has needle-like leaves and a woody smell. Though it is popular as a food seasoning, it has many other beneficial properties too. It is a good source of calcium, iron, and vitamin B-6. Typically, it is a dried herb or powdered extract, but tea and other liquid extracts made from fresh or dried leaves are also available. Despite its fame as an essential oil, it is not a pure oil as it does not contain fat.
A study conducted at the Tottori University, Yonago, Japan, tested the effect of aromatherapy on patients with Alzheimer’s. They evaluated the patients using the Japanese version of the GBSS-J scale (Gottfries, Brane, Steen scale), FAST (Functional Assessment Staging of Alzheimer’s disease), a revised version of HDS-R (Hasegawa’s Dementia Scale), and TDAS (Touch Panel-type Dementia Assessment Scale), four times mostly, before the control phase, after the control phase, after aromatherapy, and after the washout phase. They took a control period of 28 days, performed aromatherapy for the next 28 days, and concluded with a washout period of 28 days.
In patients related to cognitive operations, there was a significant improvement in personal orientation after therapy. There were no side-effects of this aromatherapy. The test also showed increased blood flow to the brain leading to improved concentration and memory power. They hence concluded that rosemary has protective powers for the brain and can help to protect against diseases like Alzheimer’s. It is a powerful herb as it stimulates the brain and nervous system.
Research conducted at the Centre for Memory and Brain at Boston University indicates that rosemary prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine, which is a chemical in the brain responsible for thinking, memory, and concentration.
CANNABIS
Marijuana, weed, pot, etc., are different names for the same drug that comes from the cannabis plant. There are numerous ways to use it- smoke it, eat it, or vape it. Many people use cannabis for recreational purposes. But nowadays, various doctors prescribe it for different medical conditions as well.
Cannabis has mind-altering chemical compounds that affect both the brain and body. It can be addictive and harmful to some people’s health. However, the mind-altering, intoxicating chemical known as THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is different from CBD, also known as cannabidiol. CBD does not induce a high and is safe for medicinal purposes.
This magic herb has properties that deal with a lot of issues. Enhancing creative power is one of them. It enhances creative power when consumed in the right environment and the right amounts, or else it can have negative impacts too. Research conducted by experts at prestigious universities in the Netherlands investigated the effects of cannabis on creative power. The study concluded that in some situations, cannabis might make you less creative.
They recruited fifty-nine regular cannabis users in exchange for a small payment, and conducted individual tests using the-
- Shortened Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (a measure of intelligence),
- Alternate Uses Task (for divergent thinking),
- Remote Associates Task (for convergent thinking),
- Affect Grig (for a subjective measure of mood), and
- Visual Analogue Scales ( for a subjective measure of drug effects).
The findings from these tests demonstrate that a high dose of vaporized cannabis impairs divergent thinking in regular cannabis users, in comparison to a low dose and placebo cannabis preparation. However, a low dose of cannabis did not enhance divergent thinking in regular cannabis users. Also, people in the low-dose group did not outperform anyone in the placebo group. Moreover, convergent thinking was unaffected by either a low or high dose of cannabis.
The conclusion says that the use of a high amount of cannabis to enhance creative power is not required. A small amount of cannabis is enough to alter the actual performance. Moreover, excessive use may reduce creativity.
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To make the most of this herb, make sure to follow these tips:
- Begin with lower doses
It is best to start with smaller doses of cannabis to enhance creative power. Different projects require different levels of creativity and possibly higher doses of cannabis. For instance, painting requires a high dose of cannabis intake, and writing requires microdoses as it increases focus.
- Try to avoid highly sedative strains
You won’t feel motivated to work if you are sleepy. Try to opt for strains that give you enough stamina and clear-headedness to complete your work.
- Try to opt for strains with both THC and CBD
The presence of CBD will not let THC overpower, and will allow you less time to daydream and more time and motivation to finish your work on time.
BRAHMI
Known as the herb of grace, it is a staple plant in ayurvedic medicine. Brahmi grows in a wet, tropical environment. Ayurvedic medical professionals used this herb for centuries to improve memory, treat epilepsy, and reduce anxiety. Research shows that it may alleviate stress, and improve brain functions, among many other benefits. All these functions are essential for boosting creative power.
A study conducted on mice at the Department of Anatomy, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, India, showed that Brahmi increased their ability to retain information and spatial ability. The study conducted on two and a half-month-old Wistar rats divided them into treatment groups of 2, 4, and 6 weeks, according to their weights. Scientists subjected these rats to spatial learning (T-maze) and passive avoidance tests. Later their brains were removed.
Result
The results showed an improvement in memory retention and spatial learning in rats treated with Brahmi. The same study also showed an increase in dendritic length and branching. The dendrites have a strong effect on memory and learning.
A 12-week study conducted at the School of Biophysical Science and Electrical Engineering, Australia, examined the chronic effects of Brahmi on the cognitive functioning of healthy adults. Scientists conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled independent-group test and allocated a test each to the subjects. After 5 and 12 weeks of drug administration, they did a neuropsychological examination.
The adults taking 300 mg of Brahmi every day showed increased and improved learning rate, speed of processing visual information, and memory, with maximum effects visible after 12 weeks.
Another 12-week study conducted at Khon Kaen University, Thailand, concluded that the older adults taking 300 mg to 600 mg of Brahmi extract daily, improved their ability to process information, improved memory, and attention.
CONCLUSION
Now that you have your list of creativity-enhancing herbs make sure to indulge in creative activities like painting, making music, doodling, writing, etc. These herbs will also help you overcome lethargy, anxiety, lack of focus, and even the noise that comes into your mind during meditation. So, visit a reputed marijuana dispensary and reap the benefits of these herbs.
Consider the herbs provided above and choose what is correct for you by taking it daily. Choose the one which appeals and benefits you the most. You can also try taking a combination of these herbs as it has a synergizing effect on the mind and body. Also, don’t forget to consult a qualified herbalist or medical practitioner before trying any of the herbs or combinations.
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