Fog Alert - For Your Brain
Have you ever felt just totally out of it – you just can’t get your brain to work? Although brain fog is not a medical term it definitely has been experienced by many of us. When you have a foggy brain you feel confused, forgetful, suffer a lack of focus and mental clarity. There is a whole list of culprits when it comes to brain fog. See if any of these possibilities might account for your brain fog experience: lack of sleep; low blood sugar; seasonal allergies; food allergies; dehydration or electrolyte imbalance following heavy exercise. We lucky women might experience brain fog as a symptom of menopause. There are many medications that can cause you to have a fuzzy brain. And, there are medical conditions that fog your brain: depression; hormonal imbalance; fibromyalgia; thyroid conditions; or Lyme disease. Substance abuse messes with your brain too – it can be alcohol or drugs that make you fuzzy.
What happens to your brain during a brain fog event? Our brains are energy cannibals and in order to work efficiently it needs a sufficient energy supply. The brain does not make energy on its own. ATP is commonly used as an energy currency of cells. It is present in all cells where it is used to store and transport the energy needed for biochemical reactions. In the brain it functions as a co-transmitter. Other neurotransmitters will not work unless they are accompanied by a molecule of ATP. Improve ATP and all brain functions improve.
Brain fog is characterized by:
Poor short term memory
Difficulty learning new things
Poor mental stamina and concentration
Difficulty finding the right word
Thinking one word and saying another
How does all of this work? A normal nerve will pass a nerve impulse in 75 microseconds – FAST! The slower the time the more we lose brain function. Take alcohol for example – reaction times can be slowed down when drinking alcohol. If the reaction time extends to 140 microseconds – one has dementia – longer than that we are unconscious. So think of speed of processing as we get older – it slows down with aging. Add some lifestyle habits, like drinking alcohol, and you slow down nerve impulses even more and put yourself at a higher risk for dementia.
What is fuel for the brain? Your brain is 2-3 pounds in total weight yet it demands 25% of oxygen, carbohydrates, and blood from EVERY heartbeat. You get this fuel source through aerobic exercise. Then the carbohydrates and oxygen need to be converted into energy that the brain can use – ATP. There are not enough mitochondria (powerhouses in cells) in the brain. So there must be an additional energy generating source. Brain cells have a cell body (axon) and very long tails (dendrites) which communicate with other cells. The dendrite tails are very long yet too small to contain mitochondria. It has been suggested that energy comes directly from the myelin sheaths that cover the dendrites. They can produce ATP and supply the energy for neurotransmission. Myelin sheaths are primarily made up of fat and therefore making our brain one of the fattiest organs in our body. The brain is composed of 60% fat. There are certain fats that improve energy supplies to our brain.
The use of statins to lower cholesterol in our bodies has proven to be a conundrum for our brains. Statins may indeed reduce the cholesterol that our brain needs. There are specific essential oils (our bodies do not produce these oils) that are valuable to our brains. Omega-3 (cold water fatty fish), Omega-6 (evening primrose), and Omega-9 (olive oil) are fatty acids that provide essential brain function.
So let’s recap. Foggy brains are low in energy. Through exercise, good nutrition, and healthy lifestyle practices (good sleep, moderate alcohol, no smoking) we can supply the fuel and oxygen to be translated into ATP and have our brains functioning at a highly efficient rate.
Remember that the brain has a finite amount of energy to work with until you recharge it with oxygen and carbohydrates. If you are feeling mentally drained, fuzzy or foggy, take a brisk walk, stay hydrated, get good sleep, and eat nutritious food. Our brains are high functioning organs that need constant care.
Alban, D. Stop brain fog: causes, symptoms, and solutions. Retrieved May 11, 2015 from http://bebrainfit.com/stop-brain-fog-know-the-causes-symptoms-and-solutions/
Brain fog – poor memory, difficulty thinking clearly, etc. Retrieved May 11, 2015 from http://www.drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/brain_fog_poor_memory_difficulty_thinking_clearly_etc