Brain fog

One of the most common signs of brain fog is difficulty focusing and concentrating. Brain fog can come about due to overconsumption of carbs where the body cannot process the carbs correctly.   

Hormones play a role again here, and the main one is the reduction of oestrogen as we go through menopause. Oestrogen is generally manufactured in our ovaries and locally in the brain. Its role is to increase blood flow to the brain and enhance brain metabolism – how the brain receives and uses chemicals and nutrients. Another function of oestrogen is to improve brain connectivity – this is how one part of the brain communicates and coordinates with another part of the brain. Oestrogen even helps to clear up the proteins that contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s.

Oestrogen also boosts serotonin activity, an important neurotransmitter involved in mood and signalling required for some aspects of memory and executive functioning. Our bodies would have used oestrogen in our reproduction years before menopause. It would have sent a signal in our brain to trigger ovulation and regulate our body’s temperature – ready for implantation of the fertilised egg. 

Another change that can impact our brain’s function during menopause is the rise in levels of inflammation with the increase of visceral fat – the deep fat that grows around our main organs – the deep fatty layer that shows up white in x-rays and scans. 

There are two types of body fat in our bodies, and one of these is subcutaneous fat, which is just beneath the skin and is the fat we can grab with our hands – this makes up around 90 to 95% of our body’s fat. Then there is visceral fat, which is fat deep inside the tummy, around the stomach, liver, and other primary organs, which makes up the rest of our body fat. Visceral fat is the one that is most concerning health-wise. It is metabolically active in harmful ways and associated with cardiovascular disease – heart attacks and strokes, fatty liver, type 2 diabetes, and arthritis.

The good news about brain fog is that it should only be a temporary change as we transition into menopause and disappear once the menopause transition is over. The transition period can last for a few years as your body changes. So, you have the peri-menopausal period where you still have periods, but the time between each one is getting greater –say one every 2 -3 months – and you are moving into menopause when you have not had a period for over one year. 

There are ways we can help ourselves through this transition period and the lack of oestrogen in our menopausal bodies, such as;

1. Going through meditation and relaxation techniques to reduce any anxiety and stress levels. There are many online here for you to follow. 
2. Get evaluated for health issues associated with memory loss – some of the ones to consider are sleep apnoea and underactive thyroid disease. To get these ruled out, ask your doctor for tests. 
3. Exercise – and I know exercise always comes up – but all you need is around 150 minutes a week – which divided by five days is 30 minutes a day – and this is from moderate exercise such as walking to HIIT, running, swimming – whatever you like doing– but you must keep active – our brains love activity 😊  
4. You can add oestrogen-rich food to restore your levels, but you need to add them daily and spread your intake throughout the day – one of the best is flaxseeds, which you can sprinkle on yogurt, then there are chickpeas, lentils, sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds too. 

Now I have a good note to end on which is, while oestrogen does matter, it is also only one piece of the puzzle of brain fog, and our brains can function without oestrogen. We can continue to achieve many things after our final period and as we enter the menopause.