What is brain fog?

Brain fog is not a medical condition per se, but rather the subjective feeling a person experiences when he or she cannot think clearly like they used to. People may complain of lacking mental clarity, forgetting things, and or feeling down or discouraged. Not surprisingly, these are common symptoms exhibited in various medical conditions.

Common factors that contribute to brain fog may include:

1.Thyroid dysfunction (e.g. subclinical hypothyroidism, or primary hypothyroidism)

2.Hypoglycemia

3.Perimenopause

4.Nutritional deficiencies (e.g. vitamin B 12, common after prolonged use of antacids)

5.Some food intolerances (e.g. gluten intolerance)

6.ADHD/ADD and other neurological disorders

7.Infections (e.g. Lyme Disease)

Seek medical attention from a qualified healthcare professional who can run blood work and other diagnostic tests. 

If medical tests come back “normal” you may wish to speak with a licensed naturopathic doctor about exploring other options such as further thyroid testing, vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels, zinc, assessment of adrenal gland steroids, etc., etc., etc.

Once a deficiency has been corrected, other therapies may be added (and these may include herbal remedies such as rhodiola, diet modification, counselling, and/or a combination thereof).