8 Dead Simple, Science-Backed Ways To Improve Memory and Rid Brain Fog

Irrespective of age, often, we go to a place to pick something, then forget as to why we went there. I'm sure this has happened to many of you out there. But such incidents aren't always associated with memory loss.But concern may arise when they interfere with most of our daily activity. Unfortunately, we now live in a world where our attention span is less than a goldfish, but if a walk in the park or a vacation doesn’t seem to help your memory or focus, or people close to you begin to notice your inconsistencies, then consider speaking with your doctor to discern all potential causes.

The Causes of Brain Fog

Brain fog is not a medical term, though usually interpreted as forgetfulness, confusion, lack of mental clarity, and lack of focus, and may be due to a single or any combination of issues such as  hormonal imbalances, stress, poor diet, gut issues, blood sugar dysregulation, insomnia, thyroid issues, mood disorders, fatigue, medication, pregnancy, autoimmune diseases, and dementia, to name a few. 

Your knowledgeable healthcare professional will ask questions to help rule in or rule out certain conditions, may perform physical exams as appropriate, and potentially order certain blood work, imaging, or perhaps additional tests that may not be covered by insurance. A diagnosis certainly helps guide a treatment plan (then it addresses the cause of concern), however, regardless of the results there are many lifestyles and natural approaches that can improve function as well as overall health.

How To Prevent Brain Fog – Lifestyle Changes

New neuronal connections and ‘rewiring’ the brain is important for us both as a species, and throughout our daily life in order, to adapt to new scenarios. To strengthen these connections on a regular basis, ensure that you are, being social, and seek to play more brain games, switch up your routine (e.g. brushing your teeth with the opposite hand), and continuously learn new skills and knowledge to foster these attachments. 

Exercise (especially aerobic from walking to running) is also incredibly important in enhanced learning due to new hippocampal connections (responsible for learning and memory), as well as being able to help address post-stroke rehabilitation, stress, and depression. Consider working with a fitness professional if you’re starting a brand new regimen, or interested in increasing your fitness goals.

Sleep is critical to overall health as it helps solidify those new neuronal connections, encoding information, and memory, in addition to melatonin being our most potent endogenous (we make it ourselves) antioxidant. We can get the most value once asleep around 10/10:30 pm, as it’s made between 11pm-3am. It also varies inversely with cortisol, our stress hormone, which can actually impair memory formation. Outside our body, our potential constant exposure to environmental toxins such as like heavy metals and fragrance in our beauty and cleaning products can be an additional obstacle to overcome in achieving mental clarity.

How To Prevent Brain Fog – Dietary Changes

Nutritionally, decreasing sugar consumption (especially artificial sweeteners, as they have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease- also known as Type 3 Diabetes) is the most important step. This also includes simple carbohydrates (especially those from white flour), and alcohol as these two get metabolized quickly to turn into sugar and promote inflammation.

In addition to cutting back sugar, opt for  more Mediterranean based diet by increasing consumption of vegetables, especially dark leafy greens and cruciferous, as well as healthy fats (most of our brain is comprised of fat) like olive oil, fish (wild caught is best), avocado, and coconut oil; this can both preserve and boost brain function. 

Lastly, consider an elimination diet, diet diary, testing, or any other method that can also rule out a potential food allergy, sensitivity or intolerance  (e.g. gluten intolerance can commonly lead to ‘brain fog’). Poor gut health can affect absorption of important vitamins and minerals that not only affect brain health but overall health as well. Furthermore, the gut is now touted as the second brain, making the same neurotransmitters as our brain and uses the vagus nerve to ‘talk to’ the brain in what we need. There are strong links between our gut integrity and brain function .

How To Prevent Brain Fog – Therapeutic Supplements

Supplements are meant to supplement, not replace an unhealthy lifestyle, so as these changes are being implemented, it can be helpful to add in these brain boosting nutrients for extra support. Vinpocetine, for example, can help improve memory and concentration by increasing blood flow to the brain, uptake of glucose to neurons, and increase levels of the acetylcholine neurotransmitter, which is especially important to regions related to memory.
Vitamins C & E are potent antioxidants and studied to also have beneficial effects on memory (especially E) as the brain is a vulnerable organ to aging and oxidative stress. Acetyl-L-Carnitine is also noted to support cellular production and cognitive benefits especially as it can cross the blood brain barrier (participates in energy production within the brain). Additional therapeutics include CoQ10 (involved in cellular energy), alpha lipoic acid (great antioxidant, good for cell membranes), and fish oil (especially DHA).

Brain Fog – The Bottom Line

To recap:

1. Stay social
2. Switch up your routine
3. Keep learning
4. Exercise
5. Sleep well
6. Swap sugar, carbs, and alcohol for healthy fats
7. Test for food sensitivities
8. consider supplements

The majority of conditions in current times have multiple risk factors and reasons for developing, so while a single supplement or pharmaceutical may help, it’s imperative to discern and treat the reason why dis-ease is present not only for relief but for prevention. Before beginning any therapies, best to discuss with your knowledgeable health care professional who is also aware of potential herb/drug/nutrient interaction, and quality of potential supplements. Fortunately, many of the strategies used to strengthen brain health can also cross over to enhancing overall health.

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9 Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency

The sunshine vitamin – vitamin D – helps boost bone and muscle growth and a lack of it can really mess with your health. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to heart disease, breast, colon, and prostate cancer, depression, weight gain, and so much more. Being low on this vitamin is quite a common predicament all over the world, though many fail to realize it. People tend to shirk sun exposure in the fear of getting a tan or feeling hot, without the knowledge that they are denying their bodies the daily dose of vitamin D. Even you may be doing the same.  Take a look at some of these vitamin D deficiency symptoms you might have overlooked. 

1. Muscle And Bone Weakness

Constant body pain is one of the primary signs of vitamin D deficiency. Your body stops building bone mass at around age 30, and a lack of vitamin D can speed up or worsen osteoporosis symptoms. The low vitamin D content in your body will hinder your system from putting calcium into your skeleton’s collagen matrix, resulting in throbbing aches and pains.

2. Feeling Blue Or Sad

Do you feel sad all the time for no particular reason? Depression and mood swings are often linked to Vitamin D shortage in your body. Serotonin, the brain hormone that is responsible for mood elevation gets stimulated depending on the amount vitamin D you are exposed to. Many studies have observed how a heightened exposure to sunlight can make you happier, and more content in life.

3. Chronic Gum Disease

Getting enough Vitamin D is important for your oral health. You may not have known it, but vitamin D is extremely important to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Periodontal disease is a chronic gum condition where bacteria cause the gums to swell and bleed. Some studies indicate a direct role of sunlight in reducing the risk of periodontal disease. 

4. High Blood Pressure

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure is another common sign that means your body is low on the D. Research shows that there is a link between vitamin D and hypertension. People with higher vitamin D levels tend to have lower blood pressure and are less likely to develop hypertension. Though more scientific backing is yet to be acquired, vitamin D does play a vital role in regulating your blood pressure levels.

5. Fatigue And Sleepiness

 If you are feeling tired for no reason in particular, then it could be because your body is less exposed to sunlight and other sources of vitamin D. Research links a deficiency of vitamin D to chronic fatigue syndrome. Low vitamin D levels in your body will make you feel extremely lethargic and drained. This symptom is known to be more prominent in older people.

 6. Mood Swings

Do you keep jumping from one mood to another even for the most trivial of reasons?  As mentioned earlier, Vitamin D receptors have been found in many parts of the brain that affects your moods and emotions. Studies show that lack of vitamin D is closely linked to mental diseases like stress, anxiety, and depression. You better get yourself checked if you are experiencing mood swings out of the blue.

7. Overweight

Research shows that vitamin D deficiency is associated with developing obesity as well as increasing the risk of obesity-related complications. Vitamin D supplementation helps obese and overweight patients to  lose weight. If you have gained some quick pounds even though you exercise regularly and refrain from overeating, the deficiency of the D could be one of the primary causes.

8. Gut Issues

 Vitamin D deficiency can also leave many people with digestive problems. Being a fat-soluble vitamin, the sunshine vitamin helps your digestive system absorb fat and break down foods properly. Vitamin D deficiency could result in numerous gut problems like gluten intolerance, inflammatory bowel disease, and Crohn’s disease.

9. Allergies

Research shows that vitamin D deficiency also has a role to play in the development of many allergic reactions. Vitamin D plays a vital role in keeping many allergies at bay by regulating your immune system. Some of the allergies tied to this predicament include asthma, food allergies, eczema, allergic rhinitis, and anaphylaxis.

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