The nervous system plays a vital role in carrying crucial data back and forth between the body and brain. An unhealthy nervous system can lead to several complications, such as meningitis, polio, carpal tunnel syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease.
You can support nervous system health by consuming the right vitamins and herbs. Moreover, maintaining optimal well-being for the nervous system reduces the risks of potential health issues.
Continue reading to know these vitamins and herbs for excellent nervous system health.
Vitamins for Healthy Nerves
- Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is one of the vitamins in the vitamin B group. Also, it’s the only vitamin B that stores in the body naturally.
The liver can store massive quantities of vitamin B12 for several months or years. Then, the organ releases this particular vitamin to the bloodstream when needed. Hence, the liver must maintain the right amount of vitamin B12 to ensure your body won't be at a high risk of neurological ailments.
Note that this vitamin plays a critical role in nerve fiber formation and regeneration. Also called myelin sheaths, these nerve fibers protect the nervous system from charge loss while ensuring the correct and efficient transmission of information to and from the body and the brain.
Other essential uses of vitamin B12 include:
- Maintain low homocysteine, an amino acid linked to heart disease
- Protecting the heart and blood
- Supports healthy cell division and blood formation
You can find more information about vitamin B12 and its health benefits by checking out Neuropathycure.org.
- Vitamin B1
Another B vitamin that may help maintain and improve nerves is vitamin B1. Also called thiamine, vitamin B1 might help improve the nervous system in specific individuals, particularly for people with diabetes.
Diabetes patients may have an increase in thiamine clearance in urine, which means the body expels this vitamin with pee. Improving a patient’s thiamine levels with the use of benfotiamine, a liquid soluble version of thiamine, may help prevent peripheral neuropathy by increasing vitamin B12 levels in the body.
- Vitamin C
Vitamin C may help protect your body in different ways, like protecting the immune system against deficiencies. This particular vitamin may also help prevent neurodegeneration. It circulates in the plasma to become readily recycled inside cells.
The central nervous system (CNS) has some of the highest concentrations of tissues in the body. Your system uses vitamin C in cells to reduce the risks of neurodegenerative diseases by improving:
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- Antioxidant protection
- Formation of myelin, a combination of phospholipids and proteins around nerve fibers
- Protection against glutamate toxicity
Herbs for Healthy Nerves
- Valerian Root
This particular herb can help improve several health concerns, including anxiety and insomnia. Its calming properties may also help calm a hyperactive nervous system.
Valerian root affects the neurotransmitters connected to rest and sleep. It interacts with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical messenger or transmitter known to help regulate nerve impulses in both the brain and nervous system. Low GABA levels might result in weak nervous systems while opening the doors to other health concerns.
You can consume this herb as a supplement. Consequently, you can mix it with beverages like tea. Remember to use Valerian root before bedtime as it may have some sedative-like effects.
- Milky Oat
Like Valerian root, Milky Oat can be an excellent addition to teas. Aside from its flavor, this herb is rich with essential nutrients to help calm, develop, and nourish the nervous system.
Milky Oat is excellent for individuals who have nervous exhaustion, which can be a common symptom if you have persistent work-related stress. If you’re a new parent or your boss recently bombarded you with projects, consider consuming this herb to help support your healthy nervous system.
- Skullcap
The Skullcap is a traditional herb for relaxation to help users gain mental clarity. Its extract can help improve various health issues. Like Valerian root, Skullcap can help improve ailments like anxiety and insomnia. Moreover, it can help prevent or treat conditions, such as:
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- High cholesterol
- Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
- Epilepsy
- Rabies
- Skin infections
- Inflammation
- Muscle spasms
- Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is a medicinal herb used in Ayurvedic medicine. Its properties help the nervous system achieve balance. In turn, this plant can assist in relaxing both the body and mind.
This plant also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, making it a practical solution for protecting the nerves against damage. Also, Ashwagandha may protect against Alzheimer's disease and dementia while boosting memory and cognitive function.
- Chamomile
Perhaps you know of Chamomile as a type of tea or because of its calming characteristics. This herb can help support or improve healthy nerves by interacting with the Enteric Nervous System (ENS) in the gut.
In turn, Chamomile can help soothe nerves, which can restore balance to an overstimulated body or mind. It’s a fitting solution for people who might have physical symptoms manifest in their guts because of stress.
For example, you might feel queasy because of anxiety. Consuming Chamomile may help relax the ENS in the gut, resulting in calmness in the digestive and nervous systems.
- Feverfew
Although Feverfew might be best known as fever and migraine solution, this herb may also help treat other conditions, such as chronic pain, inflammation, and asthma. It may also have uses to relieve neuropathic pain.
- Passionflower
Are you feeling desperate because you can’t sleep at night? If so, consider using passionflower.
This particular herb can help support the central nervous system for people who have difficulty sleeping because of overactive minds. Overthinking as you’re trying to get a good night’s rest may lead to desperation and exhaustion.
Passionflower calms the nervous system, which can give you that much-needed sleep at night. But note that this plant's calming properties can be quite powerful, so consider using it only at night.
Key Takeaway
Several vitamins and herbs exist to help support and improve the nerves. Consuming vitamins like vitamin B1, B12, and C, along with herbs like Chamomile, Valerian Root, and Passionflower, can deliver several benefits to their consumers. But always consider consulting the professional advice of a doctor first before consuming these items to avoid potential adverse effects.
