Beating Brain Fog

Brain fog is a frustrating symptom we all feel from time to time but what happens when it becomes a more frequent problem?

It can leave you feeling confused, struggling to focus or put your thoughts into words, but why does it happen?

The answer is brain fog can actually be a symptom of many things including a nutrient deficiency, sleep disorder, bacterial overgrowth from over consumption of sugar, depression, or even a thyroid condition. Other common brain fog causes include eating too much and too often, inactivity, chronic stress, menopause and a poor diet.

Your brain works hard all day long, so feed it well and you can avoid many of these triggers. Reducing sugar in your diet prevents the highs and lows of a daily blood sugar roller coaster and making sure you drink plenty of water avoids fogginess due to dehydration

If you feel brain fog has become a real problem for you then you should adjust your diet to support your body and brain function. Aim for a diet of roughly 50% healthy fat from nuts, avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, wild salmon, organic eggs, and grass-fed meat.

As well as good fats, leafy greens also offer a plethora of fatigue-fighting benefits. They contain nitrates, which improve blood flow throughout the body and can reduce brain fog.

Most greens (like spinach, kale, and collard greens) contain high levels of vitamin C and some iron, so they can help fight fatigue caused by an iron deficiency — a common cause of tiredness and brain fog.

As well as changing your diet, try including regular exercise, reducing alcohol intake and working on good quality sleep. There are many different supplements that can be useful for treating brain fog but as a general rule choose a supplement with a high concentration of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Of all the omega-3s, DHA is the most beneficial for your brain.

If you have tried everything above and you are still struggling then it’s time to get some help. Blood testing for nutritional deficiencies and hormonal imbalances is recommended if the brain fog has been there more than 6 months. Time to ditch the fog and live life to the full again!