Everyone’s experienced brain fog at some point in their life. It can be a difficult experience and can affect mood, emotions and general wellbeing. Brain fog is essentially a poorly integrated nervous system - think of this as being a bit like a computer that slows down because it’s running old processes or needs a restart.
Brain fog is a symptom and as such, there are a lot of things that can be the cause. This can include;
Vitamin deficiency (normally B12 or D)
Reduced blood flow to the brain (often from injury to the neck or thorax)
Not getting enough deep sleep (can happen from sleep apnea or overstimulated sympathetic nervous system)
Overproduction of insulin (from a high carbohydrate or sugary diet)
Not eating enough good fats, normally the Omega fatty acids
Gluten sensitivity.
So it goes without saying, that if a foggy brain is a recurring symptom for you, something needs to change. This doesn’t need to be a huge change - you just need to work out the biggest factor for you. Small changes tend to add up over time - a bit like if you were to put $3 a day into your bank account - in a year you’d have over $1000. Our minds and bodies work the same way. Take tiny steps to make big changes over time.
The first step is to ensure you’re getting enough Omega fatty acids and vitamin B12 in your diet. If you drink alcohol, this can deplete your stores of vitamin B over time - vitamin B12 is stored in the liver and can take years to deplete but if you’ve been drinking for over 5 years there’s a good chance you’re deficient. Livers love healthy fats, these can be found in fish (also has B12), flax seeds, avocados and nuts. Again, this isn’t a quick fix but over the next couple of months you’ll find more clarity if you just include these ingredients on your shopping list.
Secondly, get your body moving. The blood flow around your body is a bit like a highway, you can get congestion and back flow of blood. This can mean you get reduced blood flow to the brain. As humans became upright, it takes a lot more effort for your heart to pump the blood around your body. If you sit at a desk or work upright - the pressure demand is obviously increased. I’m not telling you to work from bed - just the opposite. The more you move the more blood will get to your head - the muscles have a pump effect. So do some squats and push ups. The highways for your blood flow runs in front of your spine and is affected by pressure differences throughout your body so if you’re dealing with any old injuries that are changing this pressure it can have the effect of restricting blood flow to the brain. This is something that is ok in short term but over time, your body can have a hard time meeting the metabolic demands and a foggy brain will ensue.
I will often tell my clients that these changes are a bit like watching your plants grow - our minds and bodies respond in the same way. Wellness isn’t a destination but a journey. Learn more.