Foggy Brain

[sak]

Do you guys ever have those days where it's like you're walking in jello? Like you can't make your mind think sharply enough, your body cant move quickly or especially accurately, you can't put quite the right words together?

Not from sleep deprivation or a medication or anything obvious like that. It's just like your body cannot get going. What causes that? What improves that? Diet?

[mapleme]

Sugar causes that big time for me (and that's the reason that I don't eat sugar). It's like the video in my brain keeps skipping frames.

The fix for that for me (besides not eating high glycemic foods in the first place) is 1) exercise 2) eating proteins and fats (which help slow the absorption of sugars).

Other diet possibilities are low electrolytes (calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium) or just low nutrients in general. I feel like eating a salad helps with that.

Low vitamin D is another possibility. Most people who live in northern climates have low D and it causes a whole host of problems. It's worth it for most people to test their Vitamin D levels.

[mapleme]

May 24, 2017 6:37:59 GMT -6 Jackaroe said:

I just read an article recently that attributed low magnesium levels to numerous things, what you are describing was one of issues. Apparently just as most people are low in vitamin d they are also low in magnesium.

That's right, and they work in conjunction. I think that vitamin D pills often have magnesium in them for that reason. Magnesium also plays a role in the regulation of sodium and potassium (which together control your cellular hydration levels). Fun fact: Magnesium can be found in chocolate (leafy greens, nuts/seeds and fish are other sources).

[freezorburn]

You just described the last 5 years of my life.

Another one to look at is B12.

I don't know if this is real or placebo effect, but last winter I got a B12 shot OTC, just to try it out. And the next couple of days, holy crap it was the most normal my brain had felt in ages. I had been having a lot of trouble stringing smaller steps together to complete
larger tasks. Things like, print form, fill it out, scan and email back -- for some reason this was a big challenge. It felt awesome to finally feel normal and get some stuff done.

So I'm trying to be better about that one, and D, and my multivitamin in general.

[mapleme]

Sorry, I'm not trying to chime in about everything, but a big yes to B12. B12 deficiency is a big problem that can be caused by several things. Celiac disease is one, as is pernicious anemia and there are others. A lot of these cause a malabsorption of dietary B12. Chronic B12 shortages (especially pernicious anemia) often start showing up around age 30 but don't get diagnosed until 60+ after permanent nerve damage has happened. Other B12 deficiency symptoms include insomnia and limbs falling asleep more often than usual (due to nerve sheathing damage).

If you have a B12 deficiency due to malabsorption (instead of a dietary shortage), you'll want to get a shot or use sublingual pills (they dissolve under the tongue to be absorbed through the mucus membrane instead of being absorbed in the stomach). The upside is that B12 is super cheap and you basically can't overdose on it (since it's a water soluble vitamin). Dietary B12 comes from meat.

[Dramaphile]

I need to look into this stuff, and get better about actually taking a multivitamin. I did it for like a month and then it went by the wayside. Maybe I'll get one of those weekly pill thingies. Or not.

[mrsweasley]

My hands fall alseep/get tingly often, usually at night but sometimes during the say too. I was tested for carpal tunnel but it was negative and we moved so I didn't pursue it further. Nobody mentioned a B12 shortage and I'm going to look into that. Thanks mapleme

[sak]

Thanks guys. That's a lot of good stuff to consider. I'll pick up some vitamins and read up on those other tidbits. Those grounding exercises sound very helpful too MrTerrible. For even more than just dissociation.

[mapleme]

May 24, 2017 11:36:19 GMT -6 mrsweasley said:

My hands fall alseep/get tingly often, usually at night but sometimes during the say too. I was tested for carpal tunnel but it was negative and we moved so I didn't pursue it further. Nobody mentioned a B12 shortage and I'm going to look into that. Thanks mapleme

If you do get tested it's valuable to know the number itself since there seem to be different thresholds for "normal" in different places. My number would have come up just barely into normal by US standards but was very low for U.K. standards. My life improvements were immense when I started taking B12, so I'm glad that my doctor didn't just say, "you're fine."

[freezorburn]

Jackaroe!!!! Long time no see!

[sak]

May 24, 2017 12:43:55 GMT -6 Jackaroe said:

May 24, 2017 11:46:50 GMT -6 sak said:

Thanks guys. That's a lot of good stuff to consider. I'll pick up some vitamins and read up on those other tidbits. Those grounding exercises sound very helpful too MrTerrible. For even more than just dissociation.

If you end up getting some magnesium the powder that you mix with water to drink, I use calm brand, is more effective than a tablet form. Also I have heard good things about the cream/ spray as well. Those methods are easier for your body to absorb and use, it's also great to take at night if you need help with sleeping or restless legs.

I appreciate the advice.