You’re not imagining it — the forgotten passwords, rereading the same email three times or walking into a room and forgetting why you’re there. Most women blame stress (because let’s face it, we’re balancing a lot), but brain fog isn’t just caused by stress. As a dietitian, I see another contributing factor that’s constantly overlooked. Yep, I’m talking about under-fueled brains.
Your brain is a high-performance organ. It uses about 20% of your body’s energy every day, and when it doesn’t get what it needs, it’ll let you know.
So, what are the most common nutrition gaps that sabotage our focus? Let’s break it down.
IRON: THE OXYGEN CARRIER
Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in women, especially in menstruating and highly active women. Iron helps carry oxygen to your brain, and low levels can show up as brain fog and fatigue — among other symptoms.
Examples of foods with iron:
- Red meat
- Oysters
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Spinach
VITAMIN B12: THE NERVE SUPPORTER
B12 plays a major role in nerve function and cognition. Low levels can lead to memory issues and difficulty concentrating. Who has time for that!?
Examples of foods with vitamin B12:
- Fortified breakfast cereal
- Salmon
- Beef
- Eggs
PROTEIN: THE NEUROTRANSMITTER BUILDER
Protein gets a lot of hype when it comes to building muscle, but it also plays a crucial role in building neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. These brain chemicals affect motivation, mood and focus.
Examples of protein sources:
- Meat
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Beans
- Nuts
HYDRATION: THE SNEAKY SABOTEUR
Warm weather is rolling in on the Coast, and it can be hard to keep up with your hydration needs. But girl, drink your water. Even mild dehydration can mess with your mental clarity.
CARBOHYDRATES (YES, CARBS!)
We’ve all seen the Ryan Gosling meme that says, “You need carbs! Your brain runs on glucose! For simple cognitive functions, you need them!” Turns out, he’s totally right. Your brain’s preferred source of energy is glucose. When people drastically cut carbs (I’m mean-mugging those fad diets out there), it can lead to mental fatigue, poor sleep, irritability and slower brain processing.
Examples of carbohydrate sources:
- Fruit
- Bread
- Legumes
- Rice
- Pasta
- Milk
- Yogurt
THE BIG PICTURE
For most of us, deficiencies in these nutrients aren’t dramatic. But if we can keep brain fog away with something as simple as including more nutrient-dense foods in our diet, why not? Because you are important, and you can’t change the world on an empty stomach.