'What is brain fog, really?'

I'm sharing a few words (and image) from an article titled ...

What causes brain fog? The metabolic health connection

Understanding brain fog, its causes, and relation to blood sugar can help reveal why you feel more cloudy than clear-headed—and offer solutions.

Do you ever have days where you feel a little foggy? We’ve all been there—say, after drinking too much alcohol or getting a terrible night of sleep. If you’re feeling more cloudy than clear-headed and can’t pinpoint a likely culprit, you may have what’s commonly called brain fog, and poor metabolic health could be part of the problem.

What is Brain Fog?

What Causes Brain Fog?

The Link Between Metabolic Health and Brain Fog.

How to Avoid Brain Fog

While there’s still a lot to learn about brain fog and its many causes, there are several steps you can take to combat the processes that lead to cognitive impairment:

Eat for stable blood sugar.

Research suggests that high glycemic variability has a poor outcome for cognition in people with and without diabetes, including young, middle-aged, and older adults. The good news is that the flip side is also true: More stable glucose may improve cognitive function—even in people with diabetes. The basic tenets of eating for stable blood sugar: Avoid foods high in carbs and sugar and choose whole foods rich in micronutrients, including lots of vegetables, healthy fats, and lean protein.

Avoid alcohol and drugs. 

These substances impair cognitive function, and a growing body of research explains how. One recent study indicates that even moderate drinking is associated with shrinkage in the hippocampus, the area of the brain involved in cognition and learning. Similar findings show brain volume shrinks in proportion to alcohol consumed—and atrophy (read: shrinkage) was greater even in light and moderate drinkers than in teetotallers. Research also shows that cannabis may impair cognitive functions on several levels, from executive function tasks (such as the ability to plan, organize, solve problems, make decisions, and remember things) to basic motor coordination. If you’re in the habit of using these or other substances and are experiencing brain fog, try taking a break for a week or more to see how you feel.

Try intermittent fasting.

Limiting the number of hours you spend eating each day has many proven health benefits, and it may help ease brain fog by improving metabolic flexibility. Research suggests that both time-restricted eating and extended fasts can help your cells take in glucose more efficiently due to improved insulin sensitivity after fasting, which has cognitive benefits such as better learning, thinking, reasoning, remembering, problem-solving, decision making, and attention. If your brain fog tends to set in after you eat lunch, you’re not alone: Task performance decreases following a lunch meal, whereas lack of a meal doesn’t elicit the same effect. Aim for meals that promote stable glucose to avoid a blood sugar spike and crash.

Address other possible causes.

Take a look at other factors that may be contributing to brain fog, such as insufficient sleep or lack of exercise, and consider reviewing your medication list with your doctor.

The above is a snippet from the full article which can be read with all relevant research links here

h/t Marks Daily Apple Site here

Please note articles within this blog are provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider.

~ enjoy your day ~

A variety of articles and recipe ideas are found within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan