Ever feel like your brain is in a cloud? Like your thought processes are fuzzy or foggy? Ever have a difficult time concentrating or remembering something that should be easy to remember? Well, you’re not alone. Millions of people worldwide are complaining too. Some just think it’s fatigue, others blame it on depression, others walk around in a fog without a clue why. In a world of cloudy thinking, some concrete answers can be a welcome relief.
There are many reasons for brain fog, poor memory and lack of concentration today. In this two part series, we will elucidate 3 main causes: Toxicity, mental/psychological and health.
Toxic substances permeate our environment and our bodies on a very regular basis. Some are chemicals, some come from our own bodies, and some are electromagnetic in nature.
Unless you are eating completely organically, your foods are most likely laden with chemicals. Starting at the ground level, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, synthetic fertilizers, ripeners and many other substances infiltrate our foods. After harvesting they may be gassed or chemicals added to prevent early spoilage. Processed foods contain artificial flavorings, colorings, emulisfiers, fillers, conditioners, anti-caking, bulking and color retention agents, preservatives, glazes, stabilizers and many more. Need I say more?
Medications and even most nutritional supplements fall into this category as well. Medications contain many chemicals that can have deleterious effects in the body while attempting to control some symptom. Many vitamins on the market are counterfeits, made up of chemicals in a laboratory, or glazed with a chemical coating of artificially flavored and colored varnish, or varnish-like substance. Not what I want in my body!
Our own organs create toxins. Every metabolic process in our body releases toxins – metabolic wastes – as part of normal physiological function. If our health is not good, we generate more wastes than our kidneys, liver and bowels can keep up with. That load can make us feel weighed down and sluggish in body and in mind. Parasites in the brain or body can contribute to fatigue, as can excessive microbes of any kind – bacteria, fungi, spirochetes, viruses, etc. The more we have, the less the organs can keep up with it, the more likely we are to have brain fog, poor memory or lack of focus.
Electromagnetic frequencies (EMF’s) can also contribute to less than desirable brain function. Many people have found relief simply by moving their alarm clock across the bedroom. The EMF’s exposure alarm clocks poised right at head level, bombards the brain with EMF’s all night. With remote control alarms and other gadgets, this is a simple move.
We have EMF’s all around us, some natural, most not. Cell phones, computers (especially laptops, tablets and e-readers), “smart meters” (control appliances, A/C and home security systems), and even personal care items (such as hair dryers and electric shavers) are the biggest contributors. Obviously, we depend highly on these items today, and I for one am not willing to give them up, but they are sources of toxic exposure. Fortunately, there are devices to help shield us from some of the negative effects of EMF’s if so desired.
The second category of causes of brain fog, poor memory and lack of concentration is mental and emotional causes. Any kind of mental or emotional conflict, unresolved traumas, poor self-esteem, negative self-talk, or inability to let go of negative programming can lead to fuzziness of thought. Dyslexia and learning disabilities can also contribute, as can emotional conditions such as obsessive compulsiveness or mental fixations, paranoia or other neuroses. Lack of grounding – the opposite of the go-go-go person, can also be blamed.
In Part II of “Fuzziness of Thought” we will illuminate health conditions that can make you feel mentally “not home”.
Millions of people the world over feel like their brain is on vacation. They can’t remember simple things, they have a difficult time remaining focused on thoughts or projects and their brain feels like it’s stuffed with cotton. In Part I of “Fuzziness of Thought” we discussed the first two of three causes of brain fog, poor memory and lack of concentration.
In a nutshell, Part I covered the toxic causes: chemicals in our foods, medications, chemicalized vitamins, toxins made by our own bodies that are in excess of what our bodies are designed to manage easily, excess pathogenic microbes in the body, electromagnetic frequencies. Part I also discussed mental and emotional challenges that may contribute to fuzzy thinking.
This article will elucidate the 3rd category of causes: Our health. Probably the most profound effect on our brain health is our general health. If you have allergies, it is important that you discover what they are. Simply eliminating allergens from the diet can clear your head. Elimination diets are the easiest way to discover them. Hint: check your most frequently consumed foods first!
Nutrient deficiencies are a huge contributor. Imbalanced electrolytes and mineral deficiencies (especially zinc, chromium, selenium, iodine, calcium and magnesium), inadequate quality protein (especially the amino acids L-glutamine and L-taurine), not getting enough quality fats (a primary contributor to brain energy – need both animal and plant fats/oils) and several vitamins (especially the B Vitamins) can make a big difference in the clarity of thought.
Chronic illnesses or infections, especially when medicated for them can slow down brain function, creating a sensation of fuzzy thinking. You may have a hidden infection such as a dental abscess or sinus infection that just slowly grinds away at your immune system. Weakened endocrine function such as hypothyroidism, blood sugar abnormalities (such as hypoglycemia or diabetes), adrenal insufficiency, sex hormone imbalance, menopause and many other hormone related imbalances can contribute to this frustrating state of mind. Fatigue in general can make your brain feel foggy.
Other health concerns such as visual problems, poor blood circulation or oxygen levels to the brain, vertebral subluxations (misalignments in the spinal column best adjusted by Chiropractors), or any organ dysfunction can make a profound impact on the thinking process.
As illustrated above and in the previous article, there can be many, many causes of brain fog, poor memory and a lack of concentration, and these are just beginning points! Most of the time it is not a single cause, but a combination of factors that can diminish thinking. Taking one or more of these points annotated in these articles and changing them could make a big difference. For example, moving your alarm clock, taking some mineral supplements and clearing up a dental abscess could help. Getting enough protein in the diet, which would help with blood sugar imbalances, and getting a good chiropractic adjustment would more than likely help.
Getting acupuncture treatments to help with fatigue, hormonal imbalances, pain (eliminating the need for medications for it), strengthening immune function, and helping with overall organ health is a wonderful way to get mental clarity.
©2015 Holly A. Carling, O.M.D., L.Ac., Ph.D.
