Have you ever felt a cloud of fog envelop your brain such that you couldn't focus on tasks or concentrate on anything? Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten why you went there, almost forgotten to pick your child up at school, or forgotten why you turned on your laptop?
A SIGN OF THYROID DISEASE
Brain fog is one of the many and severe symptoms that your thyroid may be imbalanced. Are you losing your mind?
In a sense, yes, since brain fog is due to brain inflammation, which leads to brain degeneration.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT
10-15% of all brain cells are microglial cells. When these cells get disturbed by inflammation from a thyroid imbalance, they carry out a potent attack on the brain and create that foggy feeling.
It's all connected- and you need a lifestyle change
To reverse a thyroid condition, we need to work on multiple body systems simultaneously. Here are some tips to help you with this.
Five ways to eliminate brain fog
1. Heal your gut
The gut-brain connection is real. If there's a problem in your gut, it may affect your brain. Here's how to have a happier gut and brain.
BONE BROTH
Boiling the bones, skin, and tendons to make bone broth releases many useful vitamins and minerals.
For instance, bone broth contains proline, glycine, collagen, and glutamine that promote good health. It also has minerals like sulfur, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, etc. that boost the immune system, reduce inflammation, and heal allergies and other disorders.
PROBIOTICS
Potent probiotics will help replenish the good bacteria which help with digestion. Here are two excellent examples:
- Bio-Kult – This is a dairy-free way to encourage healthy gut bacteria. It comprises 14 strains of live bacteria.
- Coco-biotic – This is another non-dairy probiotic. It's a naturally-fermented drink made from wild, young, green coconuts to maintain healthy digestion.
SUPPORT YOUR DIGESTIVE JUICES.
Do you frequently suffer from heartburn? It might be due to an underlying problem of reduced digestive enzyme activity. Then Betaine HCL + Pepsin supplement can help boost stomach acid and enzyme activity.
CAUTION: Don't use it for so long that your body doesn't use its natural stomach acid. Use it under the supervision of a knowledgeable practitioner.
2. Gluten-free
Gluten molecules resemble thyroid tissue and are highly inflammatory in the brain and the gut. If you have leaky gut or gluten sensitivity, your body will mistakenly attack the thyroid, believing it's attacking the gluten molecules.
WHY GIVING UP GLUTEN IS A MUST
Medical professionals and thyroid researchers insist that if you want to halt the destruction of the brain and the thyroid, you must eliminate gluten.
CHEER UP, THERE ARE OPTIONS!
You might be worried about giving up pasta, bread, or pizza for good. However, there are several delicious, natural, gluten-free foods out there.
Think of a gluten-free life as an act of self-love. You're gaining your health, a clear mind, and an energized body back.
3. Sleep
People with thyroid disorders typically have poor sleep patterns. Instead of accepting it as something you'll have to live with, look for a way to cure insomnia- this allows your endocrine system to recover and heal.
HERE'S WHY IT'S VITAL TO HAVE GOOD SLEEP:
- Lack of sleep ages your skin quickly.
- Lack of sleep can bring feelings of depression.
- Sleep deprivation can cause serious health problems like cardiac problems, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes.
- Lack of sleep affects libido.
- Sleep loss can cause excessive weight gain.
- Sleepiness interferes with judgment and makes you prone to accidents.
- Sleep loss affects intellect and memory.
If you're having trouble sleeping well, try these simple tricks:
- Maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule
- Avoid alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and other chemicals that interfere with sleep
- Create a comfortable sleep environment in your bedroom
- Establish a calming pre-sleep routine
- Go to sleep when you're tired
- Keep lights low in the evening
- Don't nap close to bedtime
4. Dry brushing
Dry brushing stimulates your lymphatic system and your brain too. The best part? It takes only about 5 minutes. Here are the top benefits of this practice:
WHY WE'RE DRY BRUSHING ADDICTS
- It boosts circulation and smooths your skin by exfoliating.
- It calms the nervous system.
- It helps with nutrient absorption and removal of impurities, improving your overall health.
SIMPLE STEPS TO DRY BRUSHING AT HOME:
- Use a soft, dry brush before bathing then rinse off after you're done.
- Working from your toes going up, use circular motions while moving your strokes toward the heart. When you reach the midsection, start at the neck and brush downwards, using circular motions.
- When brushing over the stomach, go left to right—this follows the natural flow of digestion.
Note: Be careful with sensitive skin and never brush over shingles, sores, scars, sunburned areas, or cuts.
At the end of the process, your skin should be a little red, but not painful. Finish up with a natural moisturizer like our Rosehip & Calendula Triple Cream, and your skin will be nourished and radiant!
5. Exercise
Physical activity provides much-needed oxygen and blood flow to the brain. Apart from lifting your moods, working out creates Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which grows new neurons and helps them survive. BDNF also protects your mature neurons from damage due to stress, environmental factors, and traumatic brain injury.
A FUN WAY TO EXERCISE?
Working out doesn't have to be hard and painful. That's why we love rebounding- it's exercise that doesn't feel like it. Rebounding involves bouncing on a trampoline or rebounder.
Rebounding is gentle enough for people who suffer from thyroid disorders, yet powerful enough to increase circulation. Also, it stimulates the lymphatic system and sweating, thus helps your body detoxify.
Bonus strategy — reduce sugar!
Processed sugar leads to weight gain and belly fat, creates inflammation in your body and brain, turns off your body's appetite-control function (so you eat more), feeds candida, and causes lots of other problems.
Many people with thyroid issues seem to be particularly sensitive to refined sugars or consuming excess natural sugars. When you regularly consume sugar, you overwork your adrenal and thyroid glands and inflame the brain.
There is also the risk of permanently damaging the thyroid.
SUGAR AND YOUR MOOD
Try eliminating sugar from your diet for a short time- this will allow your body to learn how to regulate your blood sugar levels. Other benefits: it increases your immune system's ability to fight off illness, you get a better sense of when you're hungry, warding off candida infections, and improving your brain function.
With love,
The Sole Toscana Beauty Team