Brain fog aka memory loss and decreased attention span is a common complaint by many of my patients nowadays.
Brain fog is caused by a lack of blood flow to your brain called hypoperfusion. Hypoperfusion causes inflammation in the brain which then causes damage to the cells of the brain. Brain fog slows your reflexes and it slows your processing time. You may feel like you can’t focus and everything in life is dulled. It can feel like you are “stuck in the mud” of life and it is connected with anxiety and depression.
It’s not surprising that many of us are feeling low from the constant changes and restrictions in our lives but brain fog is not normal and is unfortunately very common.
Many medications can have a negative impact on your brain so take a look at what you’re taking and how it’s affecting your brain and talk with your doctor but most importantly consider different ways to support your brain by looking at what you eat or don’t eat regularly that may be contributing to this inflammation.
Here are some suggestions
Brain fog is caused by a lack of blood flow to your brain called hypoperfusion. Hypoperfusion causes inflammation in the brain which then causes damage to the cells of the brain. Brain fog slows your reflexes and it slows your processing time. You may feel like you can’t focus and everything in life is dulled. It can feel like you are “stuck in the mud” of life and it is connected with anxiety and depression.
It’s not surprising that many of us are feeling low from the constant changes and restrictions in our lives but brain fog is not normal and is unfortunately very common.
Many medications can have a negative impact on your brain so take a look at what you’re taking and how it’s affecting your brain and talk with your doctor but most importantly consider different ways to support your brain by looking at what you eat or don’t eat regularly that may be contributing to this inflammation.
Here are some suggestions
- Consider eliminating gluten and dairy products for a few weeks, then reintroduce them one at a time to see if they are triggers for you. Wheat and dairy products fall into the category of the most common food intolerances and food hypersensitivities but many don’t realize that signs of these intolerances are not always digestive in nature.
- Avoid excess sugar by eliminating refined carbohydrates and sweetened foods and drinks which turn quickly into sugar in the body causing crashes in mood and cravings not to mention increase inflammation.
- Include healthy fats with each meal to stay full longer, reduce cravings, and mindless eating. Some examples are nuts, seeds, eggs, avocado, fatty fish, and extra virgin olive oil
- Choose organic fruits and vegetables, especially for produce containing the most pesticides like strawberries, spinach, apples, and celery. See Dirty Dozen list- a shopper’s guide to pesticides in produce created yearly by the environmental working group EWG. https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php
If you are experiencing some brain fog or anxiety symptoms and want more guidance on how to change your diet to reduce inflammatory foods and increase intake of supportive nutrients please reach out.
Nadine Khoury MHSc RD
NAD Nutrition
www.nadnutrition.ca
Nadine Khoury
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