Nutrition and health

Thursday, August 15, 2024

Brain Fog- From Nutritious life studio

Brain Fog Is Real—Here’s How To Bounce Back Sharper

BY KARLA WALSH

Many of us have been there, felt that: A fuzzy brain feeling in which you struggle to recall seemingly familiar facts or names, can’t focus, or simply feel “off.” You likely can’t pin down exactly how or why it started, but the brain fog symptoms are majorly disorienting—so you want to clear them up fast.

Read on to discover the possible brain fog causes that might be making your world feel cloudy, plus what might help you feel sharp again.

What Is Brain Fog?

Much like a growling stomach might be a sign that your body is hungry, brain fog is actually a symptom of something else rather than a medical condition itself. Brain fog, cognitive fog or “cog fog” refers to a shift in mental functioning that occurs over a set time. Scientists believe brain fog may be related to high levels of inflammation inside the brain, as well as perhaps due to shifts in hormone levels that impact mood, focus and energy levels.

This temporary fuzzy brain feeling is different from cognitive decline associated with older age (and possibly dementia or Alzheimer’s disease) because it can happen to humans at any age and often clears up within hours or days.

So how do you know if you might be caught amidst a thick cloud of brain fog? Brain fog symptoms include challenges with:

Focus and concentration

Mental clarity

Memory

Word selection

Alertness

Confusion

Less often, but still occasionally, a fuzzy brain also comes packaged with additional symptoms such as headaches, anxiety, lack of energy, emotional distance, and trouble sleeping.

As you might guess, brain fog can most definitely interfere with daily life.

7 of the Most Common Brain Fog Causes

Brain fog causes can vary as much as those aforementioned brain fog symptoms. That said, we’re diving into the most common causes of brain fog below.

“Adequate intake of calories, healthy fats, iron, and vitamin B-12 are especially important to prevent brain fog.”

Diet

Think of how your energy levels feel after you miss a meal, or even when a meeting runs long and you’re forced to eat an hour or two later than usual. You’re dragging, right? Same holds true for your brain; its cells need enough nourishment to stay sharp. Adequate intake of calories, healthy fats, iron, and vitamin B-12 are especially important to prevent brain fog. Food allergies and sensitivities to ingredients such as dairy, peanuts, and certain artificial sweeteners can also lead to a fuzzy brain.

Physical Activity

The brain is connected to all of the other organs in your body. So when your activity levels dip, your brain activity can follow suit. In this case, a quick yoga flow or walk around the block might be the only Rx required.

Stress

Persistent stress is exhausting for the brain to sort through. (Have you ever tried to focus during a phone call when you are ruminating about a challenge at home? It’s almost impossible to feel clear.) Over time, high levels of stress can lead to anxiety or depression, sleep issues, a weaker immune system and more.

Sleep Deprivation

When you don’t get enough sleep, you may feel a little bewildered and have trouble concentrating. Poor sleep can also make the brain tired, which can make thinking clearly difficult. Sleep protects your brain. Studies suggest that sleep flushes out toxins that build up in your brain throughout the day, and that process can benefit executive functions such as reasoning and memory over the long-term. As an added bonus, getting enough sleep gives you the energy to engage in other healthy activities proven to protect your brain, such as exercising and making healthy food choices.

Hormones

Any woman who has gone through a pregnancy or menopause can vouch for the fact that these massive hormonal waves can do a number on mood, memory and more. Estrogen and progesterone are both related to the ability to think clearly, so anything (a change in lifestyle or a new medication, for example) that impacts hormones may also trigger brain fog.

Medications

Pay attention to how your body responds after starting any new medication. Adjusting the dosage or switching to a different drug may be all the brain fog treatment required to clear things up.*

Other Medical Conditions

Any condition that’s related to inflammation, affects energy levels or even blood sugar can trigger brain fog. Some common medical conditions that might be related to foggy brain feelings include:

Anemia

Autoimmune diseases (arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, or Sjögren syndrome)

Depression

Dehydration

Diabetes

Fibromyalgia

Hypothyroidism

Migraines

How Brain Fog Is Diagnosed

While there’s not a specific medical test that can diagnose brain fog, your doctor can help pinpoint the potential brain fog cause—since that’s the actual medical condition that the fuzzy brain feeling is a symptom of—and suggest a treatment plan that can help you get back on track. If you notice that your brain fog symptoms last for several weeks at a time or drastically impact quality of life, contact your medical provider.

Your physician will likely complete a physical exam and ask about your exercise and eating habits, sleep routine, mental health, supplement intake (if any) and any medications you’re taking. Be honest with your responses, and be sure to bring up all potentially-related symptoms, including weight gain or loss, skin, nail or hair changes, and energy levels.

Your answers might spark your doctor to run additional tests, such as a sleep study or allergy test. They may suggest keeping a food journal to help determine any intolerances, a stress rating journal to keep tabs on how brain fog relates to the amount of stress you experience each day, or a hormonal journal to see if your brain fog tends to pop up around the same time each month.

How to Treat Brain Fog

As we mentioned, the treatment plan for brain fog depends on the brain fog cause. Many times, lifestyle habit changes can make a huge difference. These home remedies for brain fog certainly can’t hurt if you’re trying to clear up your fuzzy brain quickly. If you see your medical provider, your doctor might also recommend that you:

Adjust your diet. Aim to consume more brain-healthy foods and water (and less processed foods and drinks).

Move more. Exercise 30 minutes per day, ideally outside, if possible. A November 2021 study in Preventative Medicine found that those who spend more time outside—and more time exercising—experience lower levels of anxiety and depression

Limit screen time. Invest less time on your computer or phone if you can, take breaks often and put down all technology at least 90 minutes before bed.

Prioritize sleep. Shoot for 7 to 8 hours per day. Set a “sleep reminder” alarm 30 minutes before bed if you could use a prompt to begin to wind down. Here’s how to calculate your best bedtime.

Calm down your afternoons. Avoid coffee and alcohol after 6 p.m., or earlier if you notice they impact your sleep. Steer clear of excessive intake of either throughout the day, too, of course.

Practice puzzles. Train your brain with board games, number challenges (like sudoku), or word puzzles (like a crossword) to stay engaged.

Sometimes, the most effective brain fog treatment might involve adjusting your prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, or supplements.

* Always speak with your doctor before making any changes to any of the above.

Belly pooch

Feeling Bloated

The quickest way to ditch the pooch is to improve your gut.

Being in my late 50’s I have been down that road of belly pooch, the uncomfortable feeling of my pants fitting tight in the waist. Uggh. The shift in body weight or the feeling of my skin not being as tight as I would like it could be. We all at times fall behind on our goals and habits, so how do you get those habits back on track? There are many ideas and books that have great information about how to do this. The best thing is to start small, have a trigger that will help you to be reminded of that new habit you want to create as mentioned in Atomic Habits. Try your best to allocate a time that you are going to do this new habit on a daily basis and mentally tell yourself that you are going to do this everyday (if that is the intention of your new habit). In regards to the belly pooch, you can start with something simple, like having warm water with lemon every morning after you rise and before you do any type of morning exercise or stretching. By doing this you are stimulating your digestive track for elimination. FYI: know your limits on fluid intake before heading out for your walk, if that is part of your morning routine :-). After you have established consistency with that new habit, move on to the next habit of finishing 40 oz -60oz of water before 2pm each day. This will allow your body to flush your system and keep things moving. You can later progress to drinking a minimum of half your body weight in water, caffeinated drinks or shakes are not included. Then you move onto a bigger habit of getting rid of things that can cause bloating such as sugar substitutes like sorbitol, xylitol, and mannitol found in sugar-free products which can be difficult to digest, leading to bloating. Be sure to read your labels on items that are sugar free, I also want to mention that sugar substitutes can also increase your desire to have sugar because many times they are actually more sweet than regular cane sugar. Be mindful of that : “do I really need it sweet”. I have been using natural fruit drinks in my tea to make them taste sweet, or a slice of pineapple. If you do need a sweetener try monk fruit sweetener, maple syrup or agave where you will use less and not get the bloated feeling.

There are many other things that can cause bloating issues and they can begin with your digestive system. Consuming large portions of food in one sitting can put a strain on your digestive system and lead to bloating. This is where having small meals in your day can benefit your digestive tract. Buildup of gas in your digestive system, often caused by swallowing air, certain foods, or bacterial fermentation, can result in bloating. Slowing your eating and being mindful of chewing with your mouth closed may help.

There are some people who are sensitive or have issues with certain foods, such as lactose or gluten such as powdered butter and powdered milk can even cause an issue. Even a small amount may cause bloating and other digestive discomfort. Remember to read labels thoroughly since things can be hidden in the ingredients. You also may want to limit the amount of fizzy drinks, because they can introduce air into your digestive system, leading to bloating. Fun fact they should also be avoided when flying for a long period of time: “Avoid carbonated beverages in flight. The bubbles in your club soda are carbon dioxide gas. This too may expand in the digestive tract during flight, causing more discomfort and distension than usual. Stick to flat drinks if in-flight bloating is an issue for you.” (By Tamara Duker Freuman, MS, RD, CDN Jan. 17, 2019.

A final note, hormonal changes can also affect your gut/pooch, so it is important to get your estrogen and progesterone levels checked with your doctor annually to be sure that you're in the right range. Along with hormones a few other tests I recommend are gut health and food sensitivity tests. This will help weed out any allergies to food or microbiome concerns.

I hope you found this article helpful, if your interested in finding out more about how you can fix your gut health, see the links below for my website and DM .

References:https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/articles/2019-01-17/why-do-airplanes-make-me-gassy-and-bloated

Why do we need carbohydrates

Giovanna N. Mason

December 12, 2011

It is sad that Americans are fed the misconception of carbohydrates being bad. If more Americans more were physically active or involved in an athletic sport at some point in there life they would know that carbohydrate's are a necessity to their performance. Yes carbohydrates can make you fat when taken in abundance or in the wrong state or even type. French fries come from a potato but my track coach told us sorry that is not what you eat the night before a track meet! Though we did try to our own reasoning. I am fascinated by carbohydrates; they do so much for the human body, yet are not consumed as they should be because we are afraid we will get fat. The benefits of carbohydrates range from having a healthy colon, to providing energy to the body(muscles), allowing our brains to work correctly and most of all keeping us full satiety. When we avoid carbohydrates both of the plant form and grain form our bodies are missing out on important “vitamins,minerals, and phytochemicals” (Sizer & Whitney, 2011, p.113). Fiber is also necessary for our diets because it provides a means of I like to visual think of as scraping our colon clean of things that may get trapped on them. Fiber does just that, the skin of an apple, strains from celery and the husks from corn, roughage as mom always reminds me is necessary. I prefer a large glass of water and an apple in the morning to get “things going” as opposed to some over the counter fiber drink. “The American Dietetic Association suggests 20-30 grams of daily fiber”, “without the distinction between the two types of fiber” (p.118). Dietary fiber also gives a person a sense of being full, it is also for that reason you will see psyllium husk in some diet drinks or as supplement to provide fiber to a persons diet without the added calories of eat fruit. The diet and supplement companies see the money inn this market and persuade individuals to purchase in terms of weight-loss. The market is carbs make you fat, well no, but yet Americans have been getting fatter and still consuming relatively the same intake of carbohydrate since 1970 (p.143). Yet we can see from figure C4-4 on page 145 our text that the sugar portion of carbohydrate intake has gone up. This increase of sugar has cause the increase of diabetes, and obesity. So our bodies muscles in particular use 2/3 of the total glycogen to use for physical activity, the muscles and adipose tissue take up the execess glucose but if we don't become physically active what happens to all this stored energy? The body stores it in our blood stream and it gets picked up by the fatty tissue and gets stored there causing those lovely indents in our skin! When we consume carbohydrates in the proper form from the most benefical sources and use the energy we wont become fat or cause issues to our bodies systems, but when we sit around and eat and not move well we know what happens. Every nutrient has a purpose to our bodies, hey we may even get smarter if we snack on the right carbs :-).

Reference:
Sizer, F.S., & Whitney, E.N. (2011). Nutrition:Concepts and Controversies(12th ed.). Cengage Learning: Belmont, Ca

Low "T" count

Low Testosterone in women, is that even a thing! Yes! When your testosterone is low it can contribute to a myriad of problems. Which can cause dry eyes, fat accumulation at the hips and/or waistline, loss of strength, low sex drive, hair thinning and more. So what are the doctors doing about this? Unfortunately most of the knowledge of testosterone is geared towards men. Women actually have a higher count of testosterone than the other female hormones estrogen and progesterone. We do know that testosterone does diminish as we age. On the flip side some women can have too much testosterone which results in PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)

Can diet and your lifestyle help? There are many articles and books that support the fact that a Keto diet can help.

Will dive more into that another day, cliff hanger!

Do yourself a favor and get your hormones checked, no where you stand.

Yes, we do need some fats.

Ahh fats they help keep us full and make food taste yummy! But most Americans are not consuming the correct amount or type of fat. Saturated fat carries the “maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms and no point of satuation; isn't this also the type of oil researchers have been trying to harness into fuel, collecting oils from fast food restaurants? Biofuel(Pirie,K. 2007). Then there is polyunsaturated fat that carries two points of saturation and lastly trans fats which contain “any number of unusual fatty acids” (Sizer & Whitney, p.GL-21). Basically trans fats are “created in an industrial process that add hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid,it is for this reason they are believed to be more harmful. I am so glad I don't eat margarine, so a company is adding air more air molecules to a liquid molecule to make it hard and what exactly does this do for the body? Obesity, heart attacks, strokes blood clotting well that all makes sense since the fat must go through a process of breakdown before they can go into the blood stream but I am sure some fat gets bypassed in the process if there is too much. The fats of choice are the ones that stay in liquid form at room temperature. Olive oil though a monounsatured fat has other properties that benefit the heart such as antioxidants but one must be warned that you should not fry with it because all the properties will be destroyed; “Research studies on the heat susceptibility of extra virgin olive oil tend to focus on higher heat ranges than we typically recommend at the World's Healthiest Foods. Heats between 320-374˚F (160-190˚C) are most often used to determine the changes that occur in extra virgin olive oil due to heating. Studies on this subject repeatedly show that heats as low as 320˚F (160˚C) can substantially damage the phenols in olive oil”(whfoods.com). So save the olive oil for sautee` dishes and if you must fry well Canola oil I supppose.

Cholesterol, our bodies already make it so why give it more? The harder the gallbladder has to work to send out bile to break down fat along with fat-digesting enzymes from the pancreas to help digest them. So if there is too much fat and it cant be digested it may form plaques on arteries and again the connection to health atherosclerosis(Sizer & Whitney, p.156)

Protein that is all we need to build muscle well no we learned carbohydrates and fats also help Protein helps with the “health of the whole body”(p.191). Amino are the building block of protein some they body has and some the body must get. Thus essential amino's and non-essential amino acids, that is why it is important to consume protein to obtain the the amino's that must be supplied by the diet. Proteins provide collagen,enzymes and hemoglobin, As a massage therapist I might add that this is the reason why massage is important, what massage is doing is stimulating muscle tissue which in turn benefits protein molecules :-).

The concept of “protein turnover” is one reason why bodybuilders and athletes possibly consume supplemental amino acids to speed up recovery of protein breakdown; interesting. Some consume food and then too much protein is present causing enlarged kidneys especially if one is not exerting the type of energy to warrant the excess food consumption. It is best to keep protein intake as recommended in the range of 10-35% of calories. I personally have my intake at about 20% of my caloric intake due to my energy expenditure and fitness goals. I am also sure to drink plenty of fluids.

Sizer, F. S., & Whitney, E.N.(2011). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, (12^th ed.).Cengage

Learning: Belmont, Ca

Why it's best not to cook with extra virgin olive oil. Retrieved from: www.whfoods.org

Pirie, K. (2007). How to run your car on chip oil. Retrieved from: www.news.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

The "best" cardio for fat loss=subjective

A topic that will forever change, due to research. The best form of cardio for fat loss is subjective and can vary depending on individual preferences, fitness level, and physical condition. However, certain types of cardio tend to be more effective for fat loss based on scientific research. Here are some popular forms of cardio along with references supporting their effectiveness for fat loss:

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief recovery periods. It has been shown to be highly effective for fat loss and improving cardiovascular health. Reference: Boutcher, S. H. (2011). High-intensity intermittent exercise and fat loss. Journal of Obesity, 2011.

Steady-State Cardio (SSC): Steady-state cardio involves maintaining a constant moderate intensity for an extended duration, such as jogging or cycling. While it may not burn calories as quickly as HIIT, it can still be effective for fat loss, especially for beginners or those with joint issues. Reference: Hunter, G. R., Byrne, N. M., Sirikul, B., Fernández, J. R., Zuckerman, P. A., Darnell, B. E., & Gower, B. A. (2008). Resistance training conserves fat-free mass and resting energy expenditure following weight loss. Obesity, 16(5), 1045-1051.

Circuit Training: Circuit training involves performing a series of exercises targeting different muscle groups with minimal rest in between. It can elevate heart rate and calorie burn while also building muscle. Reference: Murphy, M. H., & Hardman, A. E. (1998). Training effects of short bouts of stair climbing on cardiorespiratory fitness, blood lipids, and homocysteine in sedentary young women. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 32(1), 17-21.

Metabolic Resistance Training (MRT): MRT combines resistance training with high-intensity cardio intervals. It can enhance both muscle mass and fat loss. Reference: Schuenke, M. D., Mikat, R. P., & McBride, J. M. (2002). Effect of an acute period of resistance exercise on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption: implications for body mass management. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 86(5), 411-417.

Tabata Training: Tabata training consists of 20 seconds of ultra-intense exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for a total of 4 minutes. It has been shown to significantly increase both aerobic and anaerobic capacity. Reference: Tabata, I., Nishimura, K., Kouzaki, M., Hirai, Y., Ogita, F., Miyachi, M., & Yamamoto, K. (1996).

Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 28(10), 1327-1330. Remember, while these forms of cardio are effective for fat loss, combining them with a balanced diet and strength training will yield the best results. Always consult with a fitness professional before starting a new exercise regimen, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.

Taken from the article The best cardio for fat loss

Written By: Peter Fitschen, November 13, 2015. Updated: June 13, 2020

Should I Do Cardio in the Morning on an Empty Stomach? Many individuals perform cardio in the morning on an empty stomach because they believe it will result in more fat loss. Turns out this isn’t supported by research, just anecdotal evidence. Studies examining what is burned during fasted vs. fed-state cardio have shown that there are no differences in the amount of calories burned, but a higher percentage of fat is burned during fasted cardio.5,6

How hard should I be working during my cardio sessions?

It is common to see individuals doing lower intensity cardio to keep their heart rate in the “fat burning zone.” While it is true that a higher percentage of fat is burned during low-intensity cardio, there is no difference in the amount of fat burned over a 24hr period between cardio done in the “fat burning zone” and those training at a higher intensity.1,2 Additional fat loss does not occur with low-intensity cardio in the “fat burning zone.”

In addition, a recent meta-analysis on cardio found that lower intensity cardio negatively affected muscle size and strength gains more than higher intensity cardio.1 Based upon these results, it appears the optimal approach for fat loss is high-intensity cardio.

However, it should be noted that high intensity cardio can be more difficult to recover from, comes with a higher risk of injury, and may impact performance while lifting weights if the amount performed exceeds recovery ability. In addition, those with joint issues may want to limit high-intensity cardio to reduce impact.

As such, it may be best to perform high-intensity cardio if possible. But if doing so interferes with lifting performance and recovery, lower-intensity forms of cardio should also be incorporated.

While the information provided in this article is generally applicable to women over 40 as well. However, there are a few considerations to take into consideration:

Joint Health: As individuals age, they may be more prone to joint issues. Therefore, low-impact forms of cardio such as cycling, swimming, or using elliptical machines may be more suitable and less stressful on the joints.

Hormonal Changes: Women over 40 may experience hormonal changes, particularly during perimenopause and menopause, which can affect metabolism and body composition. Regular exercise, including cardio, can help mitigate some of these effects.

Muscle Mass Preservation: Resistance training, including circuit training and metabolic resistance training, becomes increasingly important as individuals age to preserve muscle mass, bone density, and metabolism.

Recovery: Recovery becomes more crucial with age. Older adults may require more time between workouts to allow for adequate recovery. Listening to one's body and incorporating rest days into the exercise routine is essential.

Consultation with Healthcare Professionals: Before beginning any new exercise program, especially for women over 40 or individuals with pre-existing health conditions, it's advisable to consult with a healthcare professional or a fitness expert to ensure safety and suitability.

In closing:

There is no “best” cardio protocol for fat loss. Find something you enjoy doing and incorporate variety to keep things fun.
Aim to do the least amount of cardio while still seeing appropriate rates of fat loss.
Perform high-intensity cardio if you can. If you are not able and/or doing so interferes with recovery from lifting weights, do lower-intensity cardio.
Perform cardio on an empty stomach or after a meal based on preference. If performing fasted cardio, it may be beneficial to have a protein shake or meal after your cardio sessions.
While the types of cardio mentioned earlier can be effective for women over 40, it's important to consider individual health status, fitness level, and goals. Modifications and adjustments may be necessary to accommodate the specific needs of this demographic.