Brain Fog: Clear the Cobwebs

You arrive at work in a sharp suit and bedroom slippers. You lock yourself out of the house or car. You run upstairs to get the TV remote and by the time you get there you forget what you’re there for . . . again. Your thinking is muddled, you can’t focus, and generally feel as if someone poured syrup in your head. You have brain fog.

Brain fog is a relatively new malady, but it’s becoming so common that people have jokingly referred to it as having a senior moment except you’re nowhere near to being elderly.

There are many causes for memory problems. As we age the body produces fewer neurotransmitters and the brain becomes less sensitive to their effects. Concentration and memory suffer; however, supplying your brain with increased nutrients can protect it from the aging process.

Another cause of cognitive problems is medication, especially psychiatric medications for conditions such as ADHD or Bipolar Disorder. Some blood pressure drugs are known to cause memory problems too, and needless to say recreational drugs can wreck havoc on the brain.

Medical conditions such as allergies, head injuries, thyroid disorders, toxic metal buildup, candidiasis, and stress can all cause cognitive dysfunction.

Depending on your medical history, your doctor will order a variety of tests to rule out underlying medical conditions such as alcohol abuse, liver damage, infections, electrolyte imbalance, AIDS, etc.

Review the medications you’re taking with your doctor. Some psychiatric meds are known to cause brain fog type side effects. You made need to lower the dosage or quit taking it all together.

Diet

Eat a vegetable based diet high in fiber. Emphasize raw vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.

Drink at least 8 glasses of water in order to flush toxins from your body.

Eat five or six high protein meals a day and stay away from processed foods, refined sugar, and alcohol. Stay away from goitrogens — substances that decrease iodine uptake thereby affecting the thyroid gland. Common goitrogens are:

• Chlorine in pools
• Splenda
• Fluoride in water supplies
• Bromide in soft drinks (Mountain Dew & Gatorade)
• Radioactive testing

Brain Boosting Supplements

Phosphatidylserine, a type of lipid, can be helpful for memory problems. It often yields rapid and impressive improvement in memory and mental alertness, however it is relatively expensive.

Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant and helps deliver oxygen to cells.

Choline enhances the production of the important neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

Huperzine-A is a compound that inhibits the breakdown of acetylcholine and reduces the death of nerve cells.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone that has been shown to enhance memory. Ask your doctor for DHEA therapy.

Herbal Treatments

Ginkgo biloba is an oxygenating herb that increases the blood supply to the brain.

Gotu kola enhances choline production and helps improve mental function.

Remember, the most important thing you can do to improve brain function is to properly nourish it.

Reference: Brain Fog: Solve the mysteries of decreased mental capacity and keep your brain fit and functional throughout your life

So, what do you think?