Got Brain Fog?

Feeling a bit fuzzy, lethargic and like you’re just not going full throttle, cognitively? While memory loss is common, it is not a “given” sign of aging, and often times can be prevented.

There are several lifehacks that may be worth trying, before you start worrying about your cognitive health:

? Better Hydration

? Optimal sleep

? Stress reduction

? An active lifestyle

? Alcohol Reduction

? Less sugar/ Better diet/ Food sensitivity tests

….

But if you still have concerns, there are many underlying causes for Brain Fog that might be worth exploring with a functional medicine practitioner:

• Mold Exposure/toxicity (Have you had water damage?)

• Mercury exposure (Too much sushi?)

• Food intolerances (Even foods that are considered to be healthy can be triggers.)

• Hormonal Imbalances (Hormones can have a big impact on our cognitive function, energy and drive.)

• Chronic fatigue (There are many underlying issues to explore here.)

• Depression (Same. So many potential biological/ chemical/ nutritional reasons that may be causing depression. It is worth checking out with a Functional Medicine provider.)

• Alzheimer’s disease (While it is reported that there is “no known cure”, there are many lifestyle measures we can take for potential early prevention.)

• Autoimmune diseases (Hashimoto’s? Chronic inflammation, etc? If your body is inflamed, your brain may be too. These may be treatable if you can discover the underlying cause and address it. I have experienced (and overcome) this firsthand. I can tell you that it was so worth the exploration, and lifestyle changes I took to address it.)

• Anemia (Yes, something that simple to address.)

• Diabetes (Blood sugar has a big impact on brain function.)

• Hypothyroidism (Same)

• Dehydration (Even 2% dehydration can make a difference!)

• Fibromyalgia (Again…inflammation in your body can mean inflammation in the brain.)

• Migraine (Anyone who has had one knows… we cannot think/function well when this is acute.)

• Sjögren syndrome (Impairment in functions such as thinking, memory, and reasoning in a way that can affect daily activities. It is a common complaint among people with Sjogren’s syndrome.)

• Side-Effects of Medications and Treatments …. (Can have a huge impact)

…to name just a handful

One of the things I appreciate about functional medicine is that FM practitioners aim to  discover the root cause of conditions vs. automatically prescribing lifelong medication / band-aid treatments that merely address the side effects of chronic conditions.  For a patient, this may mean a process of elimination and a discovery period as underlying causes get ruled out. The outcome can be life altering: avoiding lifelong prescriptions; more vitality; less pain; a better quality of life!

For those tired of dealing with chronic conditions: I know you are tired. (Been there. It was exhausting.) But do not give up.

There is hope,

there are people who listen

and there are answers!

If you are seeking a Functional Medicine practitioner, one resource you might try is the Institute of Functional Medicine’s (IFM’s) practitioner search tool: https://www.ifm.org/find-a-practitioner/

And if you need a coach to help implement their prescribed protocol, well, that is what I am here for: to help keep clients keep themselves on track, support them in their recovery and in their implementation process. Sometimes we just need that extra support and our own personal cheering section. 🙂

I invite you to schedule a coaching session if you would like to discuss further and would appreciate some guidance.