3 Ways to Shine Through Brain Fog
Foggy mornings seem to be few and far between in Vancouver, but I do remember my days driving through the Ontario country in thick and heavy fog. It took a ton of focus, attention and patience to navigate through the blurry greyness. Luckily however, the sun’s heat would eventually lift the fog and I would be surrounded by clear skies and sunshine.
Brain Fog feels like navigating through the day with that fog inside our head.
Our brains feel crowded, unreliable and spaced out. The ability to stay focused, present and in the moment becomes even more of a challenge than it already is. Not only does brain fog leave us feeling inadequate, it can also lead to further mental imbalances including anxiety and depression. For some of us, brain fog is so common that we often decide it must be normal. Either way it can be a frustrating and tiring experience.
Just as we rely on the sun to burn off the fog, there is a promising ray of light when it comes to lifting the fog in our own heads; it involves what we are eating. Let’s look at three foods you may be eating which are known to ‘de-spark’ our brains. For many people as soon as these foods are reduced access to those bright light bulbs becomes much more reliable.
Breads & Pastries & Pasta, Oh My!
The neurons in our brains are unable to store fuel and energy (glucose) the way our cells do. So when we get a hit of refined carbs in our bloodstream, our brains get an abrupt dose of fuel. When this surge of glucose has either been stored in the cells or used up, our neurons are left wondering what happened it all its fuel and their functions begin to falter. Complex carbs such as brown rice, whole grains and oatmeal, provide a slow release of glucose so our neurons can be fed constantly.
Liquid Energy
Too much stress over a period of time may be contributing to blurry brains. Our adrenal glands (a.k.a. stress glands) for many of us are already working overtime and adding coffee or energy drinks to the mix does not help. Caffeine contributes to the depletion of the overworked adrenals and overtime we become, tired, exhausted and our thinking, clarity and zest for life begins to suffer.
Sweet on the Outside, Sour on the Inside
If I had a chance to interview an intestine, I would. I am confident that it would say something along the lines of: No. More. Sugar. Sugar feeds the ‘bad’ bacteria in our small intestine leading to a myriad of problems for our brains. When this bacteria feeds on sugar, it creates an alcoholic by-product which our blood carries to our brains making us feel foggy and dull-headed.
It goes without saying we can’t control the weather that surrounds us, or the speed at which the sun decides to shine through the fog. Fortunately we have far more control when it comes to clearing our inner brain fog, thus allowing us to let our true brilliance and awareness to shine through.