Fighting Brain Fog? Here’s A Beginner’s Guide to Biohacking Your Nutrition For Brain Health
Are you finding yourself flagging in energy, having a hard time concentrating, and feeling straight-up unmotivated when you’d rather be productive and killing it at work? Here’s an easy solution: “biohack” your brain by optimizing nutrition for brain function!
Yes, it sounds a lot like a sci-fi movie. But “biohacking” is definitely real, and can definitely help you get the most out of your most valuable organ if done correctly.
The best part? You don’t really need any special equipment or expensive specialty supplements to do it. You just need to eat the right foods for brain health!
Here’s your intro to the best nutrition for brain health, and how you can use it to reach that level of superhuman performance (not really, but you get the idea).
What is biohacking?
Biohacking refers to the practice of using nutrition and biological sciences as well as technology to optimize your performance — in other words, “hack” your biology. Biohacking can be used in a variety of ways, from optimizing your fitness journey progress to being more productive in the workplace.
Biohacking is generally thought of as a complex process that involves the use of trackable technology that monitors your body’s biomarkers like blood sugar, cholesterol, and hormones. And while this can undoubtedly be effective for a variety of goals, it can also be as simple as changing your diet and exercise routines.
Ultimately, when it comes to increasing your productivity and alertness, you may just need to eat the right collection of food for brain function improvement!
How does nutrition affect brain function?
“Brain fog” gets the best of us at some point or another: you struggle to remember what someone just said to you, find yourself staring at your computer screen and not comprehending anything, or just straight up feel too foggy and motivated to get anything productive done.
Luckily, eating the right combination of foods for healthy brain development can make a huge difference in your brainpower.
Brain fog isn’t a medical condition, and there are plenty of different causes that could be behind it. However, scientists often link brain fog to chronic low-level inflammation and certain nutrient deficiencies.
So how does nutrition affect brain function, exactly? Just like all of the other systems in your body, your brain requires a huge amount of nutrients every day to develop and function normally. For example, it prefers carbohydrates for energy, needs protein to build hormones and neurochemicals, and requires plenty of healthy fats and antioxidants for fighting inflammation.
The foods you eat can also have a huge impact on your mental health, which can sometimes spill over into brain fog. The pinnacles of nutrition for mental health include getting enough of all of the essential nutrients like protein, vitamins (especially Vitamin D), probiotics, and healthy fats.
Ultimately, eating a healthy brain diet requires eating plenty of foods for brain health and memory.
Nutrition for brain fog
Even though “biohacking” might be all the rage right now, not all biohacking methods are made the same. Plenty of “hacks” out there, like detox diets, are not well-researched and don’t have enough scientific backing.
On the other hand, there are several proven methods to “hack your brain,” and many of them come down to basic nutrition! Some of the best nutrients for brain health and food-related “brain hacks” include:
- Omega-3 fatty acids: If you aren’t already on the fish oil train, here’s some compelling evidence as to why you should: omega-3s are important healthy fats for your brain development and have anti-inflammatory effects, both of which are game changers if you struggle with brain fog. Omega-3 supplementation has even been linked to better cognitive performance. This makes foods that are rich in omega-3s, like fatty fish and walnuts, some of the best foods for healthy brain cells! This is also a big reason that pregnant women are suggested to get plenty of these omega-3 sources since they’re food for healthy brain development of fetus and contain plenty of the brain-developing omega-3 DHA.
- Load up on plant-based foods: You already know that fruits and vegetables are the name of the game when it comes to healthy eating, and it turns out that it’s also essential for your brain health. Plant-based foods contain compounds called phytochemicals, many of which have antioxidant effects that can fight off inflammation.
- Magnesium: If there’s any dietary supplement that is proven to help with brain fog and cognitive issues, it’s magnesium. This mineral is involved in a ton of biological functions in your body including helping your brain, and studies have linked magnesium to enhanced learning abilities and memory.
- Stay well-hydrated: Water is one of our most essential nutrients, and it can sometimes get overlooked. But dehydration can affect your cognitive abilities, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting plenty of it throughout the day especially when you’re feeling foggy. A filter water bottle should help you stay on track even when you’re on the go.
What about foods to avoid for brain health?
Remember, brain fog is often linked to low levels of chronic inflammation, and certain foods in the Western diet are often linked to this inflammatory response. Therefore, 5 foods to avoid for brain health include fried foods, simple sugars, red meats, refined/processed grains, and refined vegetable oils. Occasional consumption might be okay, but too much may lend itself to worsened inflammation.
The best nutrition for brain fog biohack of all
Finally, it’s important to note that the biggest “hack” for brain fog is not a hack at all: it’s making sure that you’re living a healthy lifestyle! This means eating the right healthy diet for brain health, exercising regularly, and sleeping well!
It’s no shortcut by any means, but at the end of the day, constant brain fog can sometimes be a sign that some of your fundamentals need to be addressed before taking any supplements for a quick fix (FYI: quick fixes are pretty much nonexistent in this case).
The bottom line
The best nutrition for brain health includes making sure that you’re getting all of the nutrients you need, and in the right amounts every day, to optimize your nutrition for brain health and cognitive performance. By getting plenty of healthy whole foods (and avoiding some less-healthy and inflammatory culprits like fried foods and simple sugars), you can give your brain all of the tools it needs to work at its sharpest.
Are you finding yourself flagging in energy, having a hard time concentrating, and feeling straight-up unmotivated when you’d rather be productive and killing it at work? Here’s an easy solution: “biohack” your brain by optimizing nutrition for brain function!
Yes, it sounds a lot like a sci-fi movie. But “biohacking” is definitely real, and can definitely help you get the most out of your most valuable organ if done correctly.
The best part? You don’t really need any special equipment or expensive specialty supplements to do it. You just need to eat the right foods for brain health!
Here’s your intro to the best nutrition for brain health, and how you can use it to reach that level of superhuman performance (not really, but you get the idea).
What is biohacking?
Biohacking refers to the practice of using nutrition and biological sciences as well as technology to optimize your performance — in other words, “hack” your biology. Biohacking can be used in a variety of ways, from optimizing your fitness journey progress to being more productive in the workplace.
Biohacking is generally thought of as a complex process that involves the use of trackable technology that monitors your body’s biomarkers like blood sugar, cholesterol, and hormones. And while this can undoubtedly be effective for a variety of goals, it can also be as simple as changing your diet and exercise routines.
Ultimately, when it comes to increasing your productivity and alertness, you may just need to eat the right collection of food for brain function improvement!
How does nutrition affect brain function?
“Brain fog” gets the best of us at some point or another: you struggle to remember what someone just said to you, find yourself staring at your computer screen and not comprehending anything, or just straight up feel too foggy and motivated to get anything productive done.
Luckily, eating the right combination of foods for healthy brain development can make a huge difference in your brainpower.
Brain fog isn’t a medical condition, and there are plenty of different causes that could be behind it. However, scientists often link brain fog to chronic low-level inflammation and certain nutrient deficiencies.
So how does nutrition affect brain function, exactly? Just like all of the other systems in your body, your brain requires a huge amount of nutrients every day to develop and function normally. For example, it prefers carbohydrates for energy, needs protein to build hormones and neurochemicals, and requires plenty of healthy fats and antioxidants for fighting inflammation.
The foods you eat can also have a huge impact on your mental health, which can sometimes spill over into brain fog. The pinnacles of nutrition for mental health include getting enough of all of the essential nutrients like protein, vitamins (especially Vitamin D), probiotics, and healthy fats.
Ultimately, eating a healthy brain diet requires eating plenty of foods for brain health and memory.
Nutrition for brain fog
Even though “biohacking” might be all the rage right now, not all biohacking methods are made the same. Plenty of “hacks” out there, like detox diets, are not well-researched and don’t have enough scientific backing.
On the other hand, there are several proven methods to “hack your brain,” and many of them come down to basic nutrition! Some of the best nutrients for brain health and food-related “brain hacks” include:
- Omega-3 fatty acids: If you aren’t already on the fish oil train, here’s some compelling evidence as to why you should: omega-3s are important healthy fats for your brain development and have anti-inflammatory effects, both of which are game changers if you struggle with brain fog. Omega-3 supplementation has even been linked to better cognitive performance. This makes foods that are rich in omega-3s, like fatty fish and walnuts, some of the best foods for healthy brain cells! This is also a big reason that pregnant women are suggested to get plenty of these omega-3 sources since they’re food for healthy brain development of fetus and contain plenty of the brain-developing omega-3 DHA.
- Load up on plant-based foods: You already know that fruits and vegetables are the name of the game when it comes to healthy eating, and it turns out that it’s also essential for your brain health. Plant-based foods contain compounds called phytochemicals, many of which have antioxidant effects that can fight off inflammation.
- Magnesium: If there’s any dietary supplement that is proven to help with brain fog and cognitive issues, it’s magnesium. This mineral is involved in a ton of biological functions in your body including helping your brain, and studies have linked magnesium to enhanced learning abilities and memory.
- Stay well-hydrated: Water is one of our most essential nutrients, and it can sometimes get overlooked. But dehydration can affect your cognitive abilities, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting plenty of it throughout the day especially when you’re feeling foggy. A filter water bottle should help you stay on track even when you’re on the go.
What about foods to avoid for brain health?
Remember, brain fog is often linked to low levels of chronic inflammation, and certain foods in the Western diet are often linked to this inflammatory response. Therefore, 5 foods to avoid for brain health include fried foods, simple sugars, red meats, refined/processed grains, and refined vegetable oils. Occasional consumption might be okay, but too much may lend itself to worsened inflammation.
The best nutrition for brain fog biohack of all
Finally, it’s important to note that the biggest “hack” for brain fog is not a hack at all: it’s making sure that you’re living a healthy lifestyle! This means eating the right healthy diet for brain health, exercising regularly, and sleeping well!
It’s no shortcut by any means, but at the end of the day, constant brain fog can sometimes be a sign that some of your fundamentals need to be addressed before taking any supplements for a quick fix (FYI: quick fixes are pretty much nonexistent in this case).
The bottom line
The best nutrition for brain health includes making sure that you’re getting all of the nutrients you need, and in the right amounts every day, to optimize your nutrition for brain health and cognitive performance. By getting plenty of healthy whole foods (and avoiding some less-healthy and inflammatory culprits like fried foods and simple sugars), you can give your brain all of the tools it needs to work at its sharpest.