Jun 4, 2020
Get Clear On Brain Fog Signs, Symptoms, Causes, Test and
Treatments and be sure to grab the Free
Transcript
What have I got to do to beat
this brain fog?
Whether you...
Experience low mental
energy?
Feel like your living behind
glass?
That lack of clarity.
The difficulty in
focusing.
Everyone’s experience is
different.
So, if you’re wondering how to
bust out of this brain funk-feeling in your head, or you want to
help someone who is suffering from these symptoms, then today’s
podcast is just for you.
In today’s Brain Fog: Symptoms
to Treatment episode I address:
- What Does
Brain Fog Feel Like
- What Are 5
Brain Fog Symptoms
- 12 Causes of
Brain Fog
- Lack of Sleep
Makes A Fuzzy Mind
- Chronic
#Stress And A Tired Brain
- Hormone
Changes Lead To Bad Memory
- Depression And
Brain Fog
- Food and
Nutrition Affects Brain Health
- Medication Can
Make You Fuzzy
- Neurological
Conditions Impact Clarity
- Poor Gut
Health Means Poor Mental Clarity
- Fatigue Makes
You Too Tired To Focus
- Toxins Are
Toxic To Your Brain
- Alcohol
Flooding Your Brain?
- Genetics May
Up Your Brain Fog Risks
- Brain Fog
Testing: What Do You Need To Do?
- Get Some Brain
Clarity with #Treatments
- Recovery Is
Possible
- The Biggest
Takeaway About Brain Fog And Stress
How's your
concentration?
Pfft! Out the door and into
the….uh. What was I thinking again?
Maybe you find yourself getting
lost in a conversation and not in a good way.
You have to read things over and
over.
How do you turn up in your life
and for your family when everything feels like you’re living behind
a pane of glass?
Simple everyday words seem like
a struggle.
You might be experiencing the
cognitive changes people often refer to as “Brain Fog”
Brain fog isn’t a medical
condition.
But it is an experience lived by
people. And it impacts their quality of life.
There are symptoms, a cluster of
symptoms that indicate whether what you’re going through could be
brain fog- but that’s not really the area to focus on- more so-
what can you do about it.
The experience though varies
from person to person.
One person’s experience
of brain fog could be very different from
another.
It could be very light and
minor.
Or it could be so severe and
significant that it’s already an impairment to your
life.
How you are dealing with memory
problems, poor concentration, and lack of mental
clarity....
When it comes to your ability to
do things such as drive a car, manage your finances, pursue your
hobbies.
Have fun interactions and make
conversations.
Know this one important
thing.
Brain fog doesn’t have to
be a permanent fixture in your life.
There are tests that you can
do.
There are treatments
available.
You don’t have to live the rest
of your life behind that glass pane.
Life can become clear
again!
So make your move.
If you know the cluster of
symptoms associated with brain fog then you’ll know whether or not
you’re experiencing it.
The next step is to understand
what could be causing your brain fog.
Because when you know what’s
causing it then you know what to do next.
It is often that the
causes determine the action.
Address the things causing your
mental fogginess.
Take charge of your brain health
and get clear.
When your mental focus is taking
a dive, that’s the signal for you to dive in as
well.
Take things into your
hands.
Attack the causes associated
with it.
Because that’s what you have to
be. You have to stay vigilant and safeguard your cognitive fitness
for as long as possible.
So that you can get control and
live your life on your terms.
About Our Host
David Norris is
an occupational therapist who has been in this practice for 20
years.
He has dealt with a lot of
clients who seek help with their memory loss problems. David began
asking himself about how these people can get ahead of these
problems. It is then that he started teaching his clients how to
improve their brain health to prevent memory loss.
David Norris is also the
director and founder of Occupational Therapy Brisbane.
Brain Fog And Stress
What Does Brain Fog Feel Like
- Philosopher
Gilbert Ryle’s “Concept of Mind” is an argument against principles
that the mind and body are separate.
- Brain
fog is a cluster of different symptoms and
experiences.
- It is
a silent phenomenon. To others, the people who have it look
normal.
- For
those living with it, it is a pervasive experience. They have less
energy, retreat more, and are a bit depressed.
- Some
people feel hungover, some can’t think clearly, and others find
simple words become such tongue twisters.
- One
person’s experience of brain fog is entirely different from
another’s.
What Are 5 Brain Fog Symptoms
- Memory problems.
- Lack
of mental clarity or difficulty of putting things
together.
- Poor
concentration and attention.
- Inability to focus.
- Mental fatigue or an impairment to do things
that matter.
12 Causes Of Brain
Fog
Lack of Sleep Makes A
Fuzzy Mind
- A lot
of people aren’t sleeping properly. Broken, interrupted sleep means
you don’t get the brain flushing benefits.
- When
you get a deep nourishing sleep, your brain undergoes a wash and
rinse cycle associated with mental health.
Chronic Stress And A
Tired Brain
- Stress plays a role in impacting your immune
system.
- It
triggers a whole host of changes that ultimately lead to mental
fatigue.
- Stress makes it harder for you to think and
rationalise things.
Hormone Changes Lead To
Bad Memory
- Thyroid dysfunction can manifest as brain
fog.
- It
can impact your sense of arousal, memory, and mood.
- Memory loss and hormonal changes are both
associated with menopause.
- Hypothyroidism or not having enough hormones
can lead to difficulty with concentration and also affects verbal
memory.
Depression And Brain
Fog
- People with depression experience a cognitive
dysfunction.
- Reaction times are slower. The ability to solve
complex problems and have a sense of clarity are
affected.
- Comparing 2005 with 2015, there’s been an 18%
increase in people living with depression.
- Older
people ages 65 and up are living with the profound impacts of
depression.
Food and Nutrition
Affects Brain Health
- Brain
fog can be a symptom of the lack of a nutrient rich and diverse
diet.
- A
healthy thriving brain needs vitamin Bs such as vitamin
B12.
- Allergies and your consumption of food with
preservatives or additives have been documented to be associated
with brain fog.
- A
MTHFR genetic mutation leads to low folate levels in the body and
impacts methylation, which is responsible for allowing people to
operate at high levels.
- Lifestyle factors set you up to experience
brain fog.
Medication Can Make You
Fuzzy
- I put
together some time ago a ‘Fuzzy 17’ list of medications associated
with brain fog.
- Blood
pressure lowering drugs have gained notoriety for that.
- Too
little, too much, or too much of a multitude of different vitamins
can be a factor for you to experience brain fog.
- People who undergo cancer treatments such as
chemotherapy and radiation report having a foggy brain.
Neurological Conditions
Impact Clarity
- Having anxiety impacts cognitive
dysfunction.
- Neurological disorders such as Multiple
Sclerosis and Dementia, autoimmune diseases like arthritis and
lupus, dehydration, and conditions such as Meniere’s, all
contribute to poor cognitive fitness.
Poor Gut Health Means
Poor Mental Clarity
- We’ve
already looked at the relationship between the gut-brain
access.
- Sensitivities in the gut and the immune system
response affects your cognitive well-being.
- Gut
health is an important variable contributing to your brain
fog.
Fatigue Makes You Too
Tired To Focus
- Fatigue can be due to too much physical
exertion or a lack of incidental movement
- Obesity and grief are both associated with
fatigue.
Toxins Are Toxic To Your
Brain
- Toxins are in our environment. Some mimic the
functions of hormones. Some block and mimic the activities
associated with sugar regulation.
Alcohol Flooding Your
Brain?
- Alcohol has after effects and your liver has to
deal with it.
- Sustained alcohol consumption and abuse will
impair your cognitive performance.
Genetics May Up Your
Brain Fog Risks
- The
MTHFR snip or single nucleotide polymorphism is a genetic variable
associated with cognitive dysfunction.
Brain Fog Testing: What
Do You Need To Do?
- How
is your mental health?
- What
is your diet like?
- Are
you getting enough physical activity? Or is it too
much?
- Are
you taking any medications or supplements? Are they doing the job
they need to do?
- Check
for symptoms such as hair loss, changes in skin moisture, weight
gain, or changes in your nail conditions.
- Get
some blood work done. Check your fasting glucose levels, any
underlying infections, or nutritional deficiencies.
- Test
your kidney, liver, and thyroid function.
- It
might be worthwhile to get an MRI or CT Scan.
- Investigate your allergies or consider getting
a sleep study.
- It
might be worthwhile to get an MRI or CT-scan.
- Start
a diary of your symptoms, the things happening in your life, your
stress, your mood can help you keep a track record that could be
the start of a relevant conversation later with your
GP.
Get Some Brain Clarity
with Treatments
- The
causes determine the actions needed to be taken.
- For
example, if low iron levels are causing your poor cognitive
function then add iron supplements or change your diet.
- For
medication problems, work with your GP to determine what’s best for
you.
- Get
some good quality sunlight exposure.
- Connect with others and find joy and pleasure
in the activities you do in your life.
Recovery Is
Possible
- Brain
fog does not need to be an ongoing life condition.
- You
can do something about it.
- Pay
attention to the signs and be vigilant about safeguarding your
cognitive fitness.
- You
can tackle this, cut your risks down, and gain control.
- Put
together the right team to develop a personalised action plan
relevant to your particular situation.
- Get
right to it now and cut down your experiences of memory health loss
and brain fog.
Previously Recommended Resources
3 Related Episodes You Might Like To Listen
To
The Biggest Takeaway
about Brain Fog and Stress
Let’s cut up our “wah, wah”
feeling and start to get more clarity in your
life.
Quotable “Rather than feeling
like a passenger to the symptoms, experiences, we can start to do
something about it.” -
David Norris
What was your BIGGEST takeaway
from this episode?
All the best
David
P.S. Did you get the free
guide? If not, here’s the link.
Disclaimer: Always seek the advice of your doctor or other
qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have
regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical
advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard
on the podcast or on my website.