CAUSES OF BRAIN FOG - YOU'LL WANT A COFFEE FOR THIS.

Ugh, I have brain fog just trying to write this and I'm going to assume it's because it's almost 1:00pm on a hot ass Sunday

and all I've had is a protein bar and a latte and all I can think about is getting out my boogie boards and frolicking in the ocean for a hot minute. 

But on a serious note...you know how some days you just feel ON? You're awake, alert, happy. witty, smart, and just all around fabulous and then other days you feel like you developed 20 forehead wrinkles over night, your eyes feel like they're about to fall out of your face, your body hurts, and you don't know what time or day it is? 

Can I get an "I" for every girl who is SO FUCKING OVER the latter?

Personally I feel like I have a pretty good idea as to why some days I feel like Chrissy Teigen and other days I feel like Lindsey Lohan circa 2007, no offense.

For me I feel like the most common things are lack of QUALITY sleep with a splash of stress or anxiety so that's fun. 

BUT I wanted to do some more research and really figure out what could be causing it on such a consistent basis and HOLY SHIT, there's a lot that could be contributing to it.

I feel like all of the reasons make sense but it's interesting to read through it and ask yourself if you're really taking as good of care of yourself as you think you are. I learned so many more reasons as to why some days I may not feel my best and now I'm excited to obviously share them with you and also apply them to my own life to see how much better I feel. 
 

Also - I learned that fish oil is really helpful! SO let's get into what brain fog is, causes brain fog and then talk about what we can do to check in with ourselves and start to fix it.

What Brain Fog IS:

I mean, unfortunately, I feel like we're all WAY too familiar with what it is BUT just in case you're not...brain fog is a broad term that's used to describe feelings of fuzzy thinking, lack of focus and dimmed mental clarity. 

It feels difficult to remember simple things like where you put your keys, names of people and places and even memories. Or it could be a difficulty with quickly processing information which also takes away from our understanding and focus. 

It could look like a hard time navigating, calculating, problem solving, planning and organizing. 

And then to top it off, if your having brain fog you're likely having a lost of second guessing plus a lack of focus and pretty much horrible mental clarity. 

Safe to say we've probably all been here a time or two, ay?

Causes of Brain Fog:

Typically it's going to be due to poor life style choices, the side effect of a medication or the result of a medical condition. 

Diet:

SUGAR -

Refined carbs and sugary snacks or drinks metabolize too quickly which causes our blood sugar levels to go up, up upppp. Our brains love glucose aka blood sugar SO we immediately feel energized and happy but, insulin comes in and removes the excess glucose in an attempt to bring our levels back to normal. 

This decrease in blood sugar causes us to experience mood swings, irritability, brain fog an tiredness. If you are insulin resistant then brain fog may also be an issue because your brain is most likely not getting enough glucose so consider eating a diet high in fiber, protein, meats, fish and nuts. 

LOW FAT DIETS -

Fat plays a big role in the quality of our brain so jumping on the band wagon of low fat diets may not be a great idea if brain fog is something that you're experiencing or wanting to avoid.

The other day I was reading Max Lugavere's Genius Foods Book and he explained that most of us are consuming a diet VERY high in Omega 6's and VERY low in Omega-3's. Like 25 TIMES more Omega 6's than 3's. NO BUENO. 

Omegs - 6's are an underlying cause of inflammation which may be triggering brain fog, as well as ADHD and Anxiety. I personally just started taking 2,000mg of fish oil a day to help with my anxiety and I am SO excited to see how it nourishes me over the next month at least. 

FOOD ALLERGIES -

I think it's fair to wonder that if a certain food has such a negative effect on your body, what kind of effect could it have on your brain?

Common food allergies include dairy, shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts but some of the MOST popular food allergies in the U.S. are Corn, Soy and Gluten.

According to Max Lugavere's Book as well as Michael Pollen's "Debunks Food Myths", "the average American gets 2/3 of their calories from wheat, corn and soy." (STUDY)

So looking further into the effects on Brain Fog when removing those foods from your diet could be really beneficial if you ask me!

WHEAT - 

Wheat deserves it's own section haha. Remember, we're talking about foods within our diet that may be linked to some kind of brain fog right? Well schizophrenia, autism, and epilepsy are all BRAIN DISORDERS that show strong associations with the consumption of gluten. 

OBVIOUSLY gluten isn't the primary factor that causes any of those issues but studies DO suggest that they may be a contributing factor. (STUDY 1) (STUDY 2) (STUDY 3) (STUDY 4) 

Going gluten free also won't be the cure all for all health problems (even though everyone in LA seems to think so haha) but it is something that I think is worth experimenting with because I think our society is SO addicted to carbs in general that if we could learn to replace those calories and carbs with fiber and protein rich foods, everyone would see a reduction in their weight. 

I don't personally have an issue with gluten but that's not because I went and did any kind of fancy test with my doctor. I simply did the Elimination technique that's in my Total Reset Two Week Cleanse, and I was able to enjoy a lot of healthy, un processed foods while not consuming any of the foods that people are typically sensitive to. 

This might be a good place for you to start as well if you feel like your diet could be cleaned up and if you want to try and pin point the foods that irritate you personally. 

What I DID notice though when I went on a very low carb diet for 30 days (50g of carbs or less) was that I consumed less calories, felt more full, and looked leaner! 

DEHYDRATION -

So when I was going to the Academy at Show Up Fitness in West Hollywood to become a personal trainer, I LEARNED SO MUCH! But! One thing that really stuck with me was when my coach said "it only takes 2% dehydration to affect your attention, memory, and other cognitive skills". (STUDY)

WHAT! That's insane to me. To think that if you're feeling a little off, it could simply be that you are the slightest bit dehydrated and all you need is more water. But most of us think we need coffee or a nap or that our life is just too hectic. Next time you're not feeling 100, ask yourself, have I had enough water today?

Dehydration can result in fatigue, light headedness, confusion, anxiety, dizziness, and could be causing your brain fog. 

CAFFEINE AND ALCOHOL WITH DRAWL - 

These are clearly 2 things that are known to be so addicting that people feel inclined to take a coffee or alch detox for days, weeks, or even months at a time. This is great but don't be surprised by the headaches, brain fog, mood swings, and fatigue that shows up after about 1 day of detoxing. 

Nutritional Deficiencies 

YEEEUP. Go figure. Being less than satisfactory in any of the nutrients below could be what's causing your brain fog. 

- Vitamin B12

(Read about the top 10 Vitamin B-12 Rich Foods)

- Vitamin D

(Here's 9 Healthy Foods that are High In Vitamin D)

- Omega 3's

(Know 12 Foods that are VERY High in Omega - 3's)

- Magnesium 

(10 Magnesium Rich Foods That Are Also Healthy)

Lack Of Quality Sleep

Ouf. This was a rough one for me when I was getting 4-6 hours of sleep almost nightly due to working like a psycho person and going to school and training and health coaching, let me tell ya. 

Lack of sleep causes memory issues, mood changes, and trouble with thinking and concentration. Your brain function is completely altered and I think it effects more of us than we even realize. I know a lot of people get romantic with the idea of "grinding" and "hustling" and just being super fucking busy but honestly, it's not cool IF you are not able to take care of yourself along the way. 

When I was really busy it was interesting to see how many people were saying, "Well you're doing so well and working so hard!", "You're killing it!!" And I was like, "I feel like I'm killing myself lolz". 

But really. I didn't feel cool. I didn't feel like I was being the best version of myself or feel like I was actually even doing that great of a job because I was SO exhausted all the time that I was just a boring person to be around. 

We actually form connections during sleep that help us process and remember new information so a lack of sleep can impact both short and long term memory. 

Chronic sleep loss can lead to anxiety and depression which I think explains why I had my first panic attack during those busy months. PLUS concentration, creativity, and problem solving skills all decline. 

READ THIS:

"Moderate sleep deprivation produces impairments equivalent to those of alcohol intoxication. After 17-19 hours without sleep, performance was equivalent or worse than that of a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%. After longer periods with out sleep, performance reached levels equivalent to a blood alch concentration of 0.1%." (STUDY)

This is why sometimes when you're super tired and pull a weird night where you're in bed by like 5:00 am and up at 8:00am - you feel hungover. 

Stress:

Ohhh, I am all too familiar with this. Chronic stress leads to insomnia, memory loss, anxiety, weight gain, and depression AND it puts you at a greater risk for diseases that you want to avoid like dementia and Alzheimer's. So if you're stressed because of work for example, it makes it hard to sleep, which compounds into feeling massive brain fog. See how easy it is to feel like we're always a little off?

Being Physically Inactive: 

Lack of movement has so many negative effects on the brain. This research argues that physical exercise may be the single most important thing that you can do for your brain. When we exercise, we bring more oxygen to the brain and reduce cortisol all while stimulating new brain function. SO GO MOVE. Especially during those times where you feel like you're tired and don't know why, or when you just want to crawl into bed. 

I PROMISE YOU WILL FEEL SO MUCH BETTER. Just get that blood flowing!

AGH, okay so that's a lot right? I mean, for me I usually always assumed that it was stress or lack of sleep like I explained before but I came to realize that I haven't been eating much fat lately, and especially with how hot it's been I need to be drinking MORE water than usual. If you feel like you're suffering from Brain Fog, try going through the list of natural remedies below and seeing if anything could use more attention in your life. 

Tips For Getting Rid Of Brain Fog

+ Eliminate processed foods and if you consume any foods that you know irritate you, eliminate those all well. 

+ Start getting some more healthy fats in your diet. I LOVE THIS FISH OIL. And as always, be cautious that you're not trying a million new fatty snacks all at once because they can pack a lot of calories. Instead, just try adding a little olive oil or avocado to your next meal and take a fish oil supplement. We want to increase brain function, not gain weight. 

+ Get high quality sleep. Check out my blog (5 Sleeping Tips for Students and Women Who Are Busy AF!) to see how I managed to get the best sleep that i could even though my schedule was insane. 

+ EXERCISE!

+ Try meditating to reduce stress.

+ Get a check up to see if you have any unknown medical conditions.

If you guys have any more tips please leave them below!

X

MY DIET OVER THE LAST 2 WEEKS

So I feel like I've been keeping you guys a lot more updated with my workout schedule and results via insta and snap BUUUT although I've told you I've been strict with my diet, I haven't really broken it down yet.

First of all, these pictures were taken only 1 month apart. The one on the right was taken right when I got home from NY so I had been eating everything, drinking everything, I was dehydrated and swollen form traveling. The one on the right was taken a few days ago after 3 weeks of following this eating schedule and sticking to my workouts. 

(YIKES).

First lets quickly go over what my diet was like before because it didn't really seem that bad.

I would wake up in the morning, have a cup of bullet proof coffee and maybe a piece of whole wheat toast with 3 egg whites + sriracha. 

Then I would go to the gym, come home and have a plant based protein smoothie which usually included greens, a banana, almond milk and almond butter, flax seeds, and other super food powders. 

For lunch I might have my Curry cauliflower rice or as of lately I was having a can of tuna with vegan mayo, bread and butter pickles and whole wheat crackers. 

So far not too bad yeah?

So then I would go to work, and this is where I'm realizing the downfall was. 

I would run around for 4 hours then be starving without time to take a break so I would go sneak a piece of pretzel bread with butter like a freaking animal and stuff my face then go back to work. Cool right?

Then I would snack on the jalepeno olives, and then 9:30 pm rolls around and I would finally have time for a break. And I'm one of those people who like, LOVES dinner.

I feel like my day ins't complete until I have dinner. For some people they feel like they can't wake up until they have breakfast so, I get it. 

So I would end up eating work food on my break. Not a lot, but enough that it was messing up my diet. Not to mention the food there is all covered in grease and oil so even if I'm having small portions, it adds up over the week. 

After eating and drinking my way through Thanksgiving I had one of those moments where I decided that i was going to really ACTUALLY get my ish together. 

I think I have pretty decent self control but I clearly lost all control as soon as I went to work, WHICH HAS BEEN A LOT LATELY BECAUSE WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED AND I COULD KILL SOMEONE, but that's off topic. 

The first thing I did ...

the next day on my way to work was stop at Whole Foods and I bought a large bag of raw UNSALTED almonds. 

Who knew how much these little guys would help. I kept them in my car and I would snack on them on the way to work, then I would just bring them inside with me and have some when I felt like I needed a little something. 

I felt like I wasn't having cravings and I wasn't as hungry for food by the end of the night. According to this blog, those feelings are pretttty on point. 

Almonds are actually beneficial when it comes to losing weight, despite their higher calorie content. One study even found that almonds consumed as snacks reduce hunger and desire to eat later in the day, and when dieters eat almonds daily they reduce their overall calorie intake. 

The second thing

I made sure to do was really re focus on my water intake. You will be SO surprised how you're cravings diminish and you eat smaller meals when you're drinking enough water. 

Third...

VERY MINIMAL DRINKING. Ugh I know, trust me, I'm the first to crave a glass of red wine or a whisky sour when it's cold outside or just a beer at lunch...soothes my soul. Haha, BUT I told myself only 2 drinks max one day a week.

I started shrinking FAST. All my clothes started feeling like they were fitting the way they were supposed to, I've been more in control of my eating (no drunchies) and I've stayed more hydrated. 

Alrighty, so those were the main changes I made, the main NEW RULES if you will. 

Now here's what my diet's been looking like throughout the day.

8:00 am - Wake up, have a small almond or peanut butter Perfect Bar.

I do this because I always hit the gym in the morning and before I do that I have my 3 favorite products from MRM - L Carnitine, Pre Workout, and BCAA's. These three things combined help with optimal fat burn, weight loss, and muscle retention BUT if you have them on an empty stomach, you're going to hate yourself.

Also when I take my pre workout and L Carnitine I have it in 1 glass of water so I'm also hydrating as soon as I wake up.

10:00 am - Post Gym Plant Protein Smoothie

Lately I've been keeping it really simple and doing this:

- 1 1/2 cups almond milk

- 1 large table spoon of flax seed peanut butter from Trader Joe's

- 1 Scoop Vanilla Plant Based Protein from MRM ( Remember, you can always go to their site and use my code CHELSEY at check out to get 40% off any product!)

- 1 TSP Cinnamon

- 3 Ice Cubes

- 1 Scoop Collagen Vital Protein (to help with hair, skin and nails!)

Or if I have berries, I loveeeeee this berry smoothie. 

1:00 pm - For lunch lately I've been having an organic soup (Annie's Soup) with a piece of whole wheat toast OR the Kale and Edamame salad from Trader Joe's because it's big, amazing and cheap, OR a juice with almonds and or a perfect bar. So I keep it fairly light, never letting myself get to the point that I feel SUPER full.

4:30 pm - On the way to work I munch on almonds pretty much the whole way and take either a juice with me or a chilled green tea. I like to do a caffeinated green tea with a peppermint tea for energy and a better taste. 

7:00 pm - Lately I've been brining my spaghetti squash bake with me to work and having that for dinner! I'm so obsessed with it and it's just a bunch of veggies so I never get too full from eating it but I'm definitely satisfied. I also like it because it can be served hot or cold. 

10:00 pm - I've been going for a hot tea around this time made of chamomile, fresh ginger juice, lemon juice, and honey. It's soooo good, it relaxes me, warms me up and makes me feel like I'm having a little treat before calling it a night. 

Notice how I end up eating something light about every 3 hours. That helps speed up your metabolism because you're body knows that it's going to be getting food so it feels like it's safe enough to quickly digest your food and dispose of it.

This is why when we don't eat for a long time and then have a meal, our body hangs on to as much of it as possible which promotes WEIGHT GAIN.

Get it? 

So I hope that helps clarify what I've been doing! Ask any questions below!