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Friday 6 May 2022

'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

26 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

Fatigue certainly contributes to my foggy brain.

Tom said...

...this is something that I've never experienced.

eileeninmd said...

It seems like a healthy diet is good for many reasons.
Take care, enjoy your day and happy weekend.

My name is Erika. said...

Lack of sleep always gives me brain fog, as well as when I take a nap that lasts too long. This was interesting. Happy almost weekend.

Christine said...

Thanks for sharing

Jeanie said...

an interesting article. It's nice to know there are some practical things one can do.

Dewena said...

I read this with interest because I've noticed that I've been having much less brain fog type feelings after really working on keeping my blood sugar level and also going to bed earlier. If only I were as successful at exercising faithfully.

Pam said...

I can descript Brain Fog easy.....its PAM! haha....it goes along with the fibro. HAHA

happyone said...

I know of a few people who have brain fog due to Covid!

https://linsartyblobs.blogspot.com said...

Interesting.

Sondra said...

When I have too much going on in my life I get brain fog for sure...Have a good weekend.

Jenn Jilks said...

I just feel my age!

Magaly Guerrero said...

I never thought that intermittent fasting could affect brain fog in positive ways. How interesting. I shall pay closer attention.

J.P. Alexander said...

Uy no lo sabia gracias por los consejos. Te mando un beso.

Conniecrafter said...

I believe that soda pop does that for me, when I quit drinking it I felt so much better and not to long ago I had some because that was all that was offered me and I was so thirsty and it made my head all foggy again, that stuff is terrible, even though I do like the taste.

sandy said...

That's informative. I need to watch my sugar at times. Especially if there are a box of truffles around. That can go in a few hours and i definitely "feel" it.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

People hate eating with me, because I'm such a slow eater. But I only eat one meal a day, which some say is not healthy. So far, it's worked for me, and this study tends to support that.

Margaret D said...

Good read Jan.

Valerie-Jael said...

Interesting article! Have a great weekend, Valerie

Teresa said...

Tus artículos son muy buenos. Gracias y buen fin de semana.

Stefania said...

Grazie per avere voluto condividere con noi queste interessanti informazioni.
Una giusta alimentazione è sempre la base per una vita sana e "scattante".

William Kendall said...

Admittedly, not much of an issue for me unless I'm really tired.

♥ Łucja-Maria ♥ said...

A very interesting post. Thank you for all the information.
Greetings.

Sue said...

It seems to be a permanent state with me lately! Have a great weekend x

Carla from The River said...

Usually during my menstrual cycle, I can really feel the brain fog set in.

baili said...

to be honest being from country where carbs are basic and huge part of meals i knew nothing or pondered hardly over this dear Jan ,thank you for this article ,since sometime i am trying to reduce carbs in my diet which seems to work fine for me i am happy to have a light and clear mind thankfully