A very intelligent, well-educated, professional woman came to see me recently – because her brain fog is paralysing her. She also has tons of experience in her field of work, yet her career has come to a standstill because, in interviews “It feels like I’m wading through sand.” So she is really struggling to get that next job.
She either clams up, unable to find the answer, or rambles incoherently knowing she isn’t really answering the question: “I can’t remember what I’m good at…I just can’t think of anything to say.”
This is not once-in-a-blue-moon, “I just put my keys down, where are they?!” kind of brain fog. This is life-changing, confidence-crippling, career-halting, “What’s happening to me!?” kind of mental smog – and if you have Hashimoto’s, you know what I’m talking about.
Brain fog is a very common symptom of Hashi’s: difficulty following a train of thought; not being able to focus on one task; forgetting words and names; problems processing information – these are all the way brain fog has been described to me (are you still with me?).
So what causes it and what can you do about it?
In previous blogs I’ve talked about four major causes of brain fog common to Hashimoto’s patients:
- lack of sleep (the foundation of good health)
- the physiological impact of stress on our thyroid hormones
- the inflammation to our nervous system caused by heavy metal toxicity
- candida which suppresses the immune system and leads to leaky gut
One more, which I think is really important – and happily within your power to resolve – is dehydration.
Can I get a drink round here?
Dehydration is signalled by thirst. Simple. If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Recent research indicates people experience negative effects on cognitive performance even during mild dehydration, in areas like problem-solving, vigilance, mood, headache, and increased task difficulty.
So how much is enough? Very simply we’re generally advised to drink about 2 litres per day (or 64oz in the States). But according to more recent guidelines issued from international health organisations, this is actually not enough and it should be nearer 2.8l (93oz) for an adult woman. But remember that 20-30% of your intake will come from solid food the 2.8l includes all beverages – like tea, coffee and juice. But the upshot is, I know very few people who drink this much per day, and those who suffer from brain fog should be more conscious of dehydration.
Personally I love a glass of lemon water. The lemons balance sodium levels in the blood which activate electrolytes and improve neurotransmitter activity that cause neurological symptoms. But there’s more! Squeezing half a lemon into your glass of water is not only great for rehydration to clear the fog, but also helps detoxification as it latches onto toxins in your body and helps flush them out. Win-win.
But is a glass of lemon water a day going to enable you to follow your dreams and get that job. Nope. But homeopathy can. I can’t wait to see my patient at her next follow-up appointment. I’ll keep you posted.
Book a FREE 15 minute discovery call with me here to find out how you can reverse your Hashimoto’s, clear the fog and get your life back on track.
