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Brain fog/difficulty concentrating

 
gardener
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What dietary or behavioral changes, herbal remedies, or other natural medicine stuff do you use to help with brain fog and difficulty concentrating?
 
pollinator
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All the usual stuff: reduce stress, exercise, try to get enough sleep, limit caffeine and alcohol.   If you have reason to believe hormonal changes are taking place, it may be worth getting hormone levels checked.
 
pollinator
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Number one, sleep.
More than 7 hours
Waking without an external cue (alarm, noise, light)
Avoiding sugar/alcohol/stimulant consumption "before bedtime"

During the lockdown, traffic on our busy street was minimal, and it was so nice to be able to sleep until waking.
This morning, I woke at 7:00 to traffic noises, before my alarm (which was already going to be a shorter sleep than I wanted...)

I definitely notice a change in problem-solving ability between days of chronic sleep deprivation, and after a night(s) of good sleep.

Number two, eat real meals with protein, not snacks and junk food.

Number three, abuse caffeine. Coffee and chocolate. Best together.
 
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EMF could be the problem, brain fog is a typical symptom. Many people are unaware that they are sensitive to electromagnetic pollution from wireless etc.
 
master pollinator
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Is this a new problem? Have you been bit by a tick?
 
steward
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Jennifer Richardson wrote:What dietary or behavioral changes.... help with brain fog and difficulty concentrating?



I'll offer some free advice not knowing your current dietary habits and what you eat. May I suggest eliminating food like products or crap masquerading as food. Things like fast food, convenience items such as anything frozen at the grocery store, processed lunch meats, processed things in bags and cardboard boxes, and those fizzy carbonated soda drinks - all of it depletes human health and none of it nourishes the body and mind. I recommend fresh fruits and vegetables grown organically, meats from the farmers market, and drinking water and tea. If you like things like bread, bake from scratch - it's fun and not difficult. If you do currently not eat well and decide to make positive changes, don't expect immediate glowing results. It takes time for the body to heal and cleanse itself with quality food after the onslaught of harmful foods. Stick with it, and as the weeks go by, improvement will be noticed and felt.

If you already eat wholesome nourishing foods and take care of yourself and are still feeling mentally foggy, may I suggest meditation.

 
Jennifer Kobernik
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I'm actually creating these threads as part of the PEP natural medicine stuff, so not an issue I'm personally experiencing--just looking to get conversations started about various ailments. Thanks!
 
pollinator
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It could be a good idea to keep a journal to try and discern what is causing this.  As Gray said, hormones may play a role. I was very "foggy" at certain points in pregnancy, and also get "foggy" on days I have menstrual migraines.

Also talk to your doctor, especially if you are currently on any sort of medication.

When I am under stress I sometimes find myself mentally escaping the hard slog of what needs to be done by jumping through various what-if scenarios. I try to be mindful when I find myself in this state, to remain immersed in the here and now of what I am doing, but I am not always successful.
 
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Seconding the sleep remedy.

Also the tick one! I got bit by a tick for the first time a couple years ago and I had brain fog so bad, I thought life was over! I don't know if it was because of the tick or simply cortisol overload due to stress, but it was bad.

I feel like I'm still recovering from it.
 
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Is it too late to post?  I've been researching fasting and recently did a 72 hour one and felt better. It is supposed to help with brain fog and concentration and many other things.  It could be due to the release of BDNF or perhaps ketones; IDK but it is touted to work.  Autophagy might even help kill cancer cells since the word means to eat oneself and the body is clearing house but IDK, I would be really interested in seeing much more research in this area.
 
steward
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Not too late at all.  Do you have a friend you can help with the problem:

This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEP Curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the straw badge in Natural Medicine.



Minimum requirements:
 - Help your friend with their Brain fog/difficulty concentrating problem

 - Refer to them by a number or pseudonym that you will continue to use for that friend throughout the Natural Medicine badge



https://permies.com/wiki/167455/pep-natural-medicine/Brain-Fog-Difficulty-Concentrating-PEP
 
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Lions mane. A dual extract tincture. Sourcing your own or going local is safer imo that just ordering a supplement that may have fillers.
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