Brain fog natural herbs solutions and other healthy lifestyle tips right now: What are the symptoms of brain fog? Many people have heard about burnout syndrome, which is caused by chronic accumulated stress at work. This can eventually take over a person’s life, severely affecting their mental state. It often results in the sufferer resigning from his or her job or career. Another term, however, known as brain fog, is less familiar to many of us. It occurs when the brain is overworked or under strain due to factors such as: Insufficient rest resulting in fatigue; Lack of good dietary nutrition; Accumulation of toxic heavy metals in the body or consumption of foods containing pesticide poisons; Build-up of stress; Presence of free radicals in the body; Latent inflammation; Lack of exercise; Various hormonal imbalances; Dehydration or insufficient intake of water; Psychological disorders or other chronic health conditions. Discover many more details on Fog on the brain: Clearing the Haze.

Scientists hypothesize that these lingering viral reservoirs in the brain might cause persistent inflammation in the brain among long COVID patients as their immune systems continue to fight off the virus. Studies have found similar patterns of inflammation in chronic fatigue syndrome, post orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, and chemo fog. Brain fog and the leaky blood-brain barrier – More insight into brain fog came in a study published in Nature in February 2024. In the study, Colin Doherty, a neurologist at Trinity College Dublin Medical School, and his team scanned the brains of long COVID patients. In addition to systemic inflammation, they found that patients with brain fog had leaky blood-brain barriers, the highly selective membrane that protects the brain from toxins, viruses, and other harmful molecules.

The Definition of Insulin Resistance – Insulin is an important hormone produced by the pancreas, which is secreted during certain points of the day, as well as immediately after eating. The main task of this hormone is to deliver glucose from the blood to the cells to maintain blood sugar at acceptable levels. However, certain people suffer from conditions where blood glucose isn’t recognized by the cells, which makes blood sugar levels rise and causes the cells to not receive all the nutrients they need to function properly. Basically, insulin resistance means that the body isn’t able to respond to insulin the way it should, which means blood glucose levels are not regulated properly. Cells become less sensitive to the natural insulin, thus a person experiences blood sugar spikes. This condition may develop due to various factors, starting with genetic predisposition and ending with an unhealthy lifestyle.

Although research on ginkgo biloba has yielded mixed results, there’s some evidence that this herb may enhance cognitive function in people with Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment. Furthermore, a research review published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in 2015 suggests that a ginkgo biloba extract called EGb761 may be especially helpful in slowing the decline in cognition among patients experiencing neuropsychiatric symptoms in addition to cognitive impairment and dementia. A core feature of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, neuropsychiatric symptoms include depression and other non-cognitive disturbances.

Lemon balm contains rosmarinic acid (RA), a compound known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which may have neuroprotective effects. One 2023 study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that the administration of 500 mg of Melissa officinalis extract (aka lemon balm extract) may help prevent cognitive decline in older adults who do not have hypertension. Other research has found that 500 mg per day of lemon balm is safe and well-tolerated and may help prevent the worsening of neuropsychiatric symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

As we said, there are no diagnostic criteria for brain fog because it’s not an official clinical condition, so diagnosing it is hard. Because of individual differences in how brain fog manifests, it could be six cups of coffee for you to wake up, while for someone else, it could be snacking every few hours to prevent brain fuzziness. And although there may not be a clinical diagnosis, there are several factors that can contribute to a lack of mental clarity. What Causes Brain Fog? Without proper diagnostic criteria, pinpointing the exact cause of brain fog can be challenging. But when you dig into what’s going on behind the scenes, you find there are a few culprits that can leave your head in the clouds more often than you’d like. Read many more info on How to clear brain fog?.