Lately I’ve been in a slight mental fog. I’m thinking/hoping maybe it’s just because of the lull after the storm called ‘the holidays’; maybe it’s the fact that a year has come and gone and the beginning of a new one is upon us? Whatever the cause may be, I need to – I want to get out of it!

Some simple common causes of mental fog, aka brain fog are things like stress, physical/mental fatigue, and depression, lack of sleep, nutrient deficiency, dehydration and allergy to certain foods. More intense causes range widely from heavy metal toxicity to poor gut health. If you don’t feel better after trying to eliminate common causes associated with brain fog, you might want to opt to have your blood screened for a more in depth diagnosis.

Now that you know what might be causing your mental fog and lack motivation, here are a few simple things you can do to improve your brain health.

Daily steps to calm your thoughts:

– Sitting quietly letting your mind wander and let it go – meditation

– Take a 10-minute walk, just a short walk alone can decompress and clear your mind

– “Fun 15”, take 15 minutes all for yourself every day, sound too easy? Try it anyway!

Drink enough water – half your body weight in ounces every day! (150 pounds = 75 ounces etc.)

Eat nutrient dense foods:

– Citrus, greens and other vegetables for vitamins C, E, & B, & rich in zinc

– Essential fatty acids – fish, avocados, flax and olive oils, other nut and seed oils, whole nuts & seeds.

Try the tips listed above and see if your fogginess improves.

Being in a mental fog isn’t normal nor healthy. Some people have felt this way for so long that it feels normal to them, yet uncomfortable. Temporary fogginess has become somewhat natural in the toils of daily life, but it should never last; the body should have ways of adjusting out of it, not to it. As we find gadgets intended to simplify our lives, we often find ourselves more stressed by these little distractions; it shouldn’t be that way – it doesn’t have to be that way.

If you feel like you’ve been constantly foggy for a while or even if it happens occasionally on and off, you can benefit from learning what foods and lifestyle choices influence how you feel or function through working with me.