Is Sugar Giving You Brain Fog?

Have you ever noticed yourself having trouble thinking clearly after eating cookies, brownies, and other foods with refined sugars? That’s because sugar has toxic effects on your brain, especially if you’re recovering from a concussion, stroke, or other form of a brain injury. Get rid of your brain fog by first understanding the effects of refined sugar on your brain, and then taking steps to eliminate them from your diet!

The Effects of Sugar on Your Brain

We always hear about sugar being “bad” for us, but we think that it’s because sugar adds calories and makes us pack on the pounds. However, sugar has negative effects not only on our bodies, but also on our brains. It turns out that refined sugar (white or brown) is broken down in the body into toxic parts. Researchers have determined over the last 20 years that these toxic parts can cross the protective blood-brain barrier, getting into the brain and damaging brain cells.  The effects of sugar on your brain are magnified if you’ve had a brain injury of any kind. These toxins can make your post concussion symptoms (PCS) feel much worse, and also make it much more difficult for your brain to heal and strengthen.

Enjoy Sweets Without the Sugar

How horrible it is to find this out when we have all been very happily eating refined sugar-containing food items all of our lives. The good news is that you can eliminate refined sugars from your diet and still enjoy various sweet treats! Nutritionists know it is very simple to substitute RAW honey (easily available at local farm stands and many grocery stores), mashed fruit or dates, or softened dried prunes into recipes, and still have very sweet and wonderful things to eat. Recipes online abound now for using honey instead of table sugar. Our Brain Health Recipes are an excellent place to find healthy recipes that won’t give you brain fog, and include ingredients that actually help your brain repair itself! Please explore these recipes, have fun and let your brains heal!

Martha Lindsay  is located in the Greater Boston Area, but can Zoom or consult via telephone from anywhere. To schedule a consult or appointment with Martha, please call 978.352.6349 or contact us.