5 Non-Diet Ways To Address Brain Fog

If you’ve ever experienced brain fog, you just know how difficult it is to get anything done.

Is that feeling of going through your day half asleep and focusing or sustaining your attention seems nearly impossible.

Can you relate?

If you can’t, me and all foggy ladies over here are both thrilled and maybe a bit envious of you :D

Brain fog is one of the main brain symptoms women experience throughout peri/menopause.

Personally, I’ve experienced brain fog on and off since my early 30s due to undiagnosed thyroid issues (being undiagnosed made it difficult to address), as well as nutritional deficiencies resulting from extreme dieting (especially omega 3s). 

Oh, and burn out! That too.

Now at 45, I am no stranger to brain fog so when I start feeling those first signs, fortunately, I know what to do.

There are different reasons for experiencing brain fog. 

Usually, it's a combination of specific nutritional deficiencies, underlying health issues, hormonal fluctuations and lifestyle choices that may worsen the symptom. 

The good news though, is that there are things we can do to lessen brain fog and improve our quality of life. 

Today I’m sharing my top 5 recommendations: 

1.     Exposing yourself to 5-10 minutes of natural daylight upon waking: this micro change to your routine can make a big difference to your day not just for brain fog but for your overall mental health. If you are having challenges sleeping at night, exposing yourself to natural light will help regulate your circadian rhythm. Is not a miracle cure but it can make a significant difference.

2.     Pressing pause on gluten at least for a few days: gluten has been found to make brain fog worse but you don’t need to completely eliminate it from your life (unless you’re celiac). Swapping gluten containing food for gluten free options such as rice, quinoa, oats and others can bring relief. 

3.     Include daily gentle to moderate exercise: moving your body might be the last thing you want to do when you feel off but I simply cannot talk about health without stressing how necessary is to move our bodies regularly. From stimulating the lymphatic system and clear out toxins to maintaining a healthy metabolism, to preventing dementia, exercise is no longer a nice to have, is an absolute priority for all of us. 

4.     Identify what is the root cause of your brain fog: as I mentioned, there are different reasons why you may experience brain fog. Some of them include digestive issues such as dysbiosis, an underactive thyroid, hormonal shifts, etc. Knowing which one is causing yours, allows you to be strategic in your approach. I am a huge advocate of targeted supplementation to address brain fog symptoms. Be sure to work with a qualified health practitioner who can assist you in identifying the underlying health aspects and can assist you with a treatment plan. 

5.     Eat more whole foods (and yes, less processed foods): natural, whole, real food is packed with vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients we all need to thrive whereas processed foods don’t contain a lot of such needed nutrients. As you know, I am a proponent of balance in our choices so this isn’t about becoming obsessed about what we eat all times, it’s about including more of the nourishing stuff, most of the time.

I trust these will make a significate difference. If making all these changes sounds overwhelming, pick 1 and then next week try adding another one.

Which one will you try?

In health and balance,

Pamela