Brain fog. Yep it’s a real thing!

Getting your words muddled up, losing your train of thought mid sentence, forgetting peoples names…sound familiar?

Maybe you worry there’s something more sinister going on – perhaps dementia or Alzheimers.

In reality, if you’re a woman of a certain age it’s more likely your brain fog is just another way of your body telling you it’s not getting what it needs in order to function well.

Brain fog, hot flushes, mood swings, anxiety, disrupted sleep are all signals your body’s changing and you need to change too in order to feel like yourself again.

The good news is if your mind is muddled and your decision making sluggish there’s plenty you can do to kickstart your brain.

Eating and Drinking

Your gut health is directly linked to your brain health; in fact your gut acts as a 2nd brain. So if your gut is unhappy your mental faculties will suffer too. Cutting back on the usual suspects like sugar, caffeine and alcohol will help clear your mind.

Have you got enough good fat in your diet? Your brain is around 60% fat so if you’re following a low fat diet no wonder you can’t think straight!

Lifestyle

Cortisol is your main stress hormone and if levels are too high too often you’ll be on permanent red alert and unable to make critical decisions. You can’t avoid stress in the 21st century but you can learn how to manage it and keep your cortisol levels balanced.

Can you find 10 minutes each day just for you to relax; and I’m not talking about red wine or Netflix type relaxing but the sort that really helps calm your mind. Try reading, listening to music or mediation.

Toxins

Beware of the big 4 heavy metals: mercury, lead, arsenic and cadmium. These metals are found naturally in the earth’s crust but they also find their way into our food chain and personal products.

One of the simplest changes your can make is to switch to an aluminum free deodorant.

Exercise

Regular exercise doesn’t have to be about smashing it out at the gym 5 times a week. Just getting out for a brisk walk each day will increase your oxygen levels and boost your brain power.