Tag: Liver Health

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Your Liver is Vital to Your Health: Here’s How to Support It

Your liver is the largest organ in your body, and it plays a vital role in your overall health. Many people assume liver problems only develop in people with alcohol dependencies, but the incidence of liver problems like nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rising rapidly, particularly among younger people. Alarmingly, up to 30% of the population in North America and Europe are affected by a fatty liver. It’s important not to neglect your liver health, because it performs many important functions in your body – over 500 bodily processes involve your liver!

Primary Functions of The Liver

On the surface, the liver’s job sounds straightforward. The digestive system delivers blood to the liver through the portal vein. Once that blood arrives, cells in your liver called hepatocytes act as a filtration system to remove toxins and create energy. The detoxification process helps your body rid itself of harmful substances like excess hormones, harmful food additives, and environmental pollutants. Behind that simple explanation, however, lies a complex network of processes that include:

  • Producing gamma globulin, which is essential for immunity
  • Manufacturing hormones
  • Creating the proteins necessary for blood clotting
  • Producing cholesterol
  • Regulating blood sugar
  • Metabolizing carbohydrates, fat, and protein to deliver energy
  • Storing vitamins and minerals, and releasing them as needed
  • Filtering toxins
  • Breaking down waste products and delivering them back to the digestive system for elimination
  • Producing bile to break down fat

With so many functions in its wheelhouse, it’s not surprising that liver problems can have a deep impact on your health. One of the most common is NAFLD, in which fatty tissues build up in your liver. Left untreated, this can develop into cirrhosis and even liver cancer.

Warning Signs of a Sluggish Liver

One of the most common and debilitating symptoms of liver problems is overwhelming, unexplained fatigue. One study found that patients with a fatty liver frequently experience extreme fatigue during the day no matter how much they slept the previous night. Pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen is another symptom. Other possible indicators of liver problems include:

  • Swelling in the stomach and legs
  • Mysterious rashes
  • Jaundice, or a yellowing of the skin and the eyes
  • Muscle aches
  • Mood swings
  • Headaches
  • Fuzzy thinking
  • Hormonal imbalances leading to problems like severe PMS and low libido

6 Ways to Support Liver Health

The good news is that your liver is amazingly resilient. It’s one of the few organs that can regenerate under the right conditions, so healthy lifestyle changes can go a long way to restoring liver health. Below are some strategies to support your liver.

1.         A liver-friendly diet. Focus on a well-rounded, whole foods diet. The “Mediterranean Diet” with its emphasis on fresh produce, seafood, and healthy fats is often recommended for liver health.

Because of the tight interconnection between your liver and your digestive system, maintaining healthy gut health is important. High-fiber complex carbohydrates like beans and oatmeal have been proven effective in fighting NAFLD, as have leafy green vegetables like spinach.

At the same time, reduce or eliminate processed sugar and white flour intake. These foods not only lead to weight gain, but they can also raise your blood sugar, which taxes your liver. Similarly, choose unsaturated fats like olive oil over saturated fats like butter, as saturated fats increase the amount of fat in your liver.

2.         Exercise. One of the biggest risk factors for NAFLD is being obese, so steps towards weight management are important. Work with a healthcare provider to determine the safest, most sustainable approach for you. A sedentary lifestyle is also linked to a higher prevalence of NAFLD, and it’s important to note that this risk is separate from the obesity risk – even people within a healthy weight range are at risk if they’re not moving enough. Exercise also stimulates another powerful detoxification process: sweating!

3.         Eliminate alcohol and cigarettes While NAFLD is different from liver disease caused by excessive alcohol, it’s still wise to give your liver a break. A liver that is already sluggish is more vulnerable to damage from alcohol than a healthy liver.

4.         Stay hydrated. Water is an important part of the liver’s detoxifying mechanisms and helps to dissolve fat and fiber.

5.         Supplement wisely. A number of supplements can bolster liver health, including:

  • Turmeric: The curcumin in turmeric has been found to reduce fat in the liver.
  • Garlic: Studies have linked garlic to lower liver fat, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol.
  • Ginger: The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger reduce inflammation in the liver.
  • Ginseng: Although ginseng has been shown to improve liver function, it can also interact with some medications and damage the liver, so always use under supervision of a healthcare practitioner.
  • Licorice. Chinese medicine has used licorice root to treat liver ailments for centuries.
  • Milk thistle: As a powerful antioxidant, milk thistle may help reduce liver inflammation.    

6.         Detoxify your environment. Pesticides, fungicides, household cleaners, food additives, pollution… your liver faces a lot of toxins every day. Although it’s difficult to eliminate many environmental toxins, try to make conscious choices about the things that you surround yourself with, including toiletries, cleaning products, and household items. That includes things that affect your psychological health – studies have linked excess stress with liver disease.

If you’d like to learn more about protecting your liver, we can help you put together a workable plan!

Sources:

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adolescents and young adults: The next frontier in the epidemic, Iliana Doycheva,Kymberly D. Watt,Naim Alkhouri, First published: 19 January 2017 https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.29068

Lonardo A, Nascimbeni F, Maurantonio M, Marrazzo A, Rinaldi L, Adinolfi LE. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Evolving paradigms. World J Gastroenterol. 2017 Sep 28;23(36):6571-6592. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i36.6571. PMID: 29085206; PMCID: PMC5643282

Newton JL, Jones DE, Henderson E, Kane L, Wilton K, Burt AD, Day CP. Fatigue in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is significant and associates with inactivity and excessive daytime sleepiness but not with liver disease severity or insulin resistance. Gut. 2008 Jun;57(6):807-13. doi: 10.1136/gut.2007.139303. Epub 2008 Feb 12. PMID: 18270241.

Mokhtari E, Farhadnejad H, Salehi-Sahlabadi A, et al. Spinach consumption and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease among adults: a case-control study. BMC Gastroenterol. 2021;21(1):196. Published 2021 May 1. doi:10.1186/s12876-021-01784-8

Bahrami, A., Teymoori, F., Eslamparast, T. et al. Legume intake and risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Indian J Gastroenterol 38, 55–60 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12664-019-00937-8

Anania C, Perla FM, Olivero F, Pacifico L, Chiesa C. Mediterranean diet and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. World J Gastroenterol. 2018;24(19):2083-2094. doi:10.3748/wjg.v24.i19.2083

van der Windt DJ, Sud V, Zhang H, Tsung A, Huang H. The Effects of Physical Exercise on Fatty Liver Disease. Gene Expr. 2018;18(2):89-101. doi:10.3727/105221617X15124844266408

Rahmani S, Asgary S, Askari G, Keshvari M, Hatamipour M, Feizi A, Sahebkar A. Treatment of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease with Curcumin: A Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial. Phytother Res. 2016 Sep;30(9):1540-8. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5659. Epub 2016 Jun 8. PMID: 27270872.

Soleimani D, Paknahad Z, Rouhani MH. Therapeutic Effects of Garlic on Hepatic Steatosis in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2020;13:2389-2397. Published 2020 Jul 7. doi:10.2147/DMSO.S254555

Murray MT. Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice). Textbook of Natural Medicine. 2020;641-647.e3. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-43044-9.00085-6

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Symptoms and Solutions for Detoxing

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We frequently receive questions about detoxing like what symptoms mean you need to detox, how to detox, how long to detox, how to know if it’s working, etc. In this week’s show, we’ll discuss symptoms and solutions for detoxing, including what supplements and diet changes are beneficial during a detox, some of the different detoxification pathways, and how different detoxes can target different organs.

Products Mentioned in Today’s Show

Vital Detox – This advanced blend of green plant concentrates and enzymes helps protect the body against chemicals ingested in the daily diet and through everyday environmental exposure. This formulation is rich in chlorophylls from Chlorella and contains a unique broccoli extract with glucosinolates. The chlorophylls in Chlorella form tight molecular complexes with a wide variety of everyday toxic chemical compounds, reducing their absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. A high-strength enzyme blend also breaks down dietary antigens and may support assimilation of beneficial constituents of Chlorella.†

Kidney Essentials – Champex®, a patented extract from Agaricus bisporus, the common white button mushroom, has been shown to help the body maintain a healthy ratio of creatinine in the blood versus the urine. Red ginseng, a specially processed form of Panax ginseng, also supports healthy kidney function and displays kidney-protective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. Astragalus provides support for healthy fasting glucose levels, along with healthy albumin levels in the urine.

Reduced L-Glutathione – Glutathione is the master antioxidant in the body and is heavily concentrated in tissues such as the liver, spleen and heart. Therefore, it plays a crucial role in immune function, detoxification capacity and protection against oxidative stress. This formulation is preformed, reduced glutathione (GSH) and provides a 250 mg dose in a one-capsule serving.

You can also listen to Symptoms and Solutions for Detoxing on our YouTube channel here.

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How Physical Health Affects Emotions

Woman running; how physical health affects emotions.

This year has been one of the most stressful years of many people’s lives, and depression and anxiety has become much more common all across the U.S. and much of the world. Now that the holidays are approaching and stress levels are rising even higher, some people are trying to cope in unhealthy ways by drinking more alcohol and/or making poorer food choices like eating more sugar and processed foods. While you may think drinking more alcohol or eating whatever you want will help you deal with these negative emotions, it can actually make them worse. Your physical health affects your emotions in several ways, and it’s so important to keep yourself as healthy as you can both physically and emotionally during this time.

Liver and Kidneys

The health of your liver and kidneys could play a role in your emotional health. In traditional Chinese medicine, each organ is connected to different emotions. So, it is believed that if your liver is diseased or not functioning optimally, you may experience feelings of anger, frustration, bitterness, irritability, and/or resentment. If your kidneys are not functioning optimally, you may experience feelings of fear, isolation, and insecurity. So, if you begin consuming too much alcohol (especially if you are also dehydrated), it could put a strain on your liver and kidneys, and could contribute to feelings of anger, fear and isolation. Poor liver or kidney function could also affect sleep patterns and energy levels, potentially worsening any negative emotions you’re already experiencing.

Gut Health

Poor gut health is incredibly common, and a majority of the American population deals with at least one digestive issue on a regular basis. Things like food allergies/intolerances, irritable bowel syndrome, poor digestion, diarrhea, constipation, and more serious conditions like Crohn’s disease have all become much more common over the last few decades. The rise in these conditions is mostly attributed to the processed foods we eat that can wreak havoc on our digestive systems and the rest of our bodies. While this can greatly affect our physical health, it can also have an affect on your emotions. Most of our neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and GABA are produced in the gut by the bacteria found there. These neurotransmitters are critical for healthy mood and sleep regulation, and feelings of happiness and well-being. This is believed to be one of the reasons some studies have linked probiotic consumption with decreased cases of depression and anxiety.

What Can You Do?

Fortunately there are several things you can do to help support your physical and emotional health. Be careful about the amount of alcohol you consume and how often you drink it. Studies have shown that chronic and excessive consumption of alcohol can contribute to weight gain, and the development of insulin resistance, liver disease, dehydration, and alcoholism. Be sure to drink plenty of water each day, especially on any days that you consume alcohol, or engage in activities that make you sweat. You can also take a product like Liver Support & Detox to help provide some of the nutrients your liver needs to function optimally. Try to cut out processed foods and beverages as much as you can, as well as foods high in refined carbohydrates like breads, pasta and pastries. You can also take a probiotic to help support the good bacteria in your gut. It’s time we start viewing the human body as a whole, connected unit.

You can listen to our Emotional Health Takes Physical Effort podcast episode here. You can also listen on our YouTube channel here.

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Happy Liver Makes a Happy Life

Microphone and computer; hanging on to anxiety and stress

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The average American encounters so many different environental toxins each day. Some experts estimate that we are exposed to hundreds of different chemicals every day, and some experts believe it could be as high as tens of thousands of differenct chemicals. They can be found in our air, food, water, cosmetics, soaps, cleaners, clothes, etc., and can cause a myriad of health issues over time. Our liver has many functions in the body, but one of its most important functions is the filtering of toxins. The liver works constantly along with other organs like the kidneys to rid our body of the different toxins we consume. However, if the liver is not functioning properly, its ability to filter things can be inhibited, this is why it’s so important to support the liver. In this week’s show we’ll discuss some things you can do to help support the liver, and why a happy liver makes a happy life.

Products Mentioned in Today’s Show

Reduced L-Glutathione – Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant and detoxifying compound consisting of three amino acids: cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine.† Produced in the liver, glutathione assists with detoxifying xenobiotics and heavy metals, neutralizes hydrogen peroxide, maintains the integrity of blood cells, and helps transport amino acids across cell membranes.† It aids in the breakdown of oxidized fats and is necessary for carbohydrate metabolism.† Glutathione is also involved in metabolizing insulin and regulating blood glucose levels.† This hypoallergenic formulation has been specifically designed using the active, reduced form of glutathione for maximum benefit.

Liver Detox & Support – This formula contains nutrients known to enhance intracellular levels of glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase (SOD)—crucial antioxidants that protect hepatocytes and help detoxify everyday foreign substances.† The balance of supportive nutrients makes this product suitable to help strengthen the liver against everyday challenges to liver function.†

N-Acetyl Cysteine – This derivative of the amino acid cysteine is often used as the preferred substrate for intracellular glutathione synthesis. It also assists detoxification, provides cellular antioxidant protection, and is much safer than cysteine.†

You can also listen to Happy Liver Makes a Happy Life on our YouTube channel here.

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Signs Your Liver Might Be Toxic

Microphone and computer; early warning signs of a thyroid problem.

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The average person can be exposed to hundred or thousands of different chemicals each day though our air, water, food, cleaning products, make up, lotion, medications, etc. The liver is largely responsible for filtering through most of these chemicals, as well as the other many bodily processes the liver plays a role in. Having to filter through the large amounts of chemicals each day can be hard on the liver, and over time it may no longer function optimally. In this week’s episode, we’ll go over some signs that your liver might be toxic, and discuss some things you can do to help support the health of your liver.

Products Mentioned in This Week’s Show

Liver Support – Help support liver health and your body’s vital detoxification processes with Liver Support, a combination of nutrients and herbs designed to support the liver’s role in these processes.* Liver Support combines milk thistle extract with a unique herb-enzyme blend to create a balanced botanical formula for the support of healthy liver function.* N-acetyl-cysteine, methionine and other nutrients are included to support the production of glutathione, a potent free radical scavenger that also plays a critical role in maintaining the body’s normal elimination pathways.*

Vital Detox – This formulation is rich in chlorophylls from Chlorella and contains a unique broccoli extract with glucosinolates. The chlorophylls in Chlorella form tight molecular complexes with a wide variety of everyday toxic chemical compounds, reducing their absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. A high-strength enzyme blend also breaks down dietary antigens and may support assimilation of beneficial constituents of Chlorella.† Glucosinolate compounds in broccoli are powerful inducers of natural phase 2 detoxification processes in the liver. Most substances detoxified by the liver are released into the bile for excretion through the intestinal tract. Chlorella helps trap these toxins to reduce reabsorption.†

EZ Relax – We’ve teamed nature’s greatest stress management ingredients to create a uniquely effective combination. Formulated with Ashwagandha, valerian extract, L-theanine, and GABA.

You can also listen to Signs Your Liver Might Be Toxic on our YouTube channel here.

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Simple Health Habits to Have

Green vegetables; simple health habits to have.

The last few weeks have caused increased stress and anxiety for many people, and many have been consuming more alcohol and eating more unhealthy foods to deal with these feelings. Many people have also had a loss of daily structure due to job losses and businesses closing, which can increase stress and may contribute to depression. Unfortunately, these things can take a toll on your mental and physical health. Having a few simple health habits to follow each day can help keep you on track, and help ensure your body is getting what it needs to feel its best.

Eating Healthy

What you eat is one of the biggest factors in your health. Stress and depression often cause people to reach for high-carbohydrate foods and snacks, which can displace healthier foods in your diet. Most of your diet should include fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats and meats, with the occasional healthy treat like dark chocolate. Try to avoid processed foods when possible as they usually contain multiple artificial preservatives, sweeteners, flavors, and/or colors. However, some people are not able to purchase healthier foods right now, so just do your best with what you are able to get.

You should also watch your alcohol intake as excessive alcohol consumption can put a strain on your liver, lead to dehydration, and some research has found that it can accelerate brain aging. There is also the potential for the development of an addiction, so be careful not to overconsume alcohol, and try to include healthy habits like exercise for stress-relief.

Support Your Liver

Your liver is so important to your health because it’s responsible for filtering toxins out of your blood, producing bile for digestion, and hundreds of other vital functions. Habitual alcohol consumption has led to a large increase in liver cancers and diseases over the last couple decades. Researchers have also found that exposure to glyphosate and other chemicals most people encounter everyday can contribute to liver problems, even at doses much lower than regulatory agencies have deemed safe. This is why eating organic produce and staying away from processed, chemical-laden foods is so important. Since it’s impossible to avoid all environmental toxins, it’s a good idea to take a supplement to help support your liver. Liver Support is a great option, and includes milk thistle which is one of the best liver-supporting herbs, along with other ingredients to help support detoxification.

There are a few more healthy habits you should have to be as healthy as you can be. Exercising several times a week, even if it’s just going for a walk is a great habit to get into. You should also do your best to get at least seven hours of sleep each night, and do things that help reduce stress like taking a warm bath, doing yoga, meditating, etc. Focusing on the positive things in your life is another great way to reduce stress and improve your mood. Remember that you can’t choose your circumstances, but you can choose how you react to them.

You can listen to our Time to Reset Your Health podcast episode here. You can also listen on our YouTube channel here.

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Time to Reset Your Health

Microphone and computer; early warning signs of a thyroid problem.

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Many people have experienced an increase in stress, anxiety, and depression over the last few weeks. There have also been reports of increases in the consumption of alcohol and unhealthy foods. These things can all take a toll on your health, and it’s important to give your body the support it needs to recover. Stress affects nearly every part of your body, but especially the adrenal glands. Alcohol consumption can decrease liver function, as well as affect the brain and increase your risk of developing depression. Eating unhealthy foods can affect your energy levels, gut health, immune health, and could lead to nutrient deficiencies. So, this week we will discuss what you can do to start supporting your liver and adrenals, and we’ll also discuss the importance of having lab work done. It’s time to reset your health, and we want to help show you how.

Products Mentioned in Today’s Show

Iodine Forte – Iodine is an essential element. Although its main function is in the production of thyroid hormones T3 and T4, other organs in the body have a need for iodine in order to function normally.

Active Selenium – Active Selenium uses L-selenomethionine, a highly bioavailable, yeast-free form of organically bound selenium chelated with methionine to support glutathione activity. Unlike inorganic forms of selenium, Active Selenium is not adversely affected by vitamin C.

Vital Detox – This formulation is rich in chlorophylls from Chlorella and contains a unique broccoli extract with glucosinolates. The chlorophylls in Chlorella form tight molecular complexes with a wide variety of everyday toxic chemical compounds, reducing their absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. A high-strength enzyme blend also breaks down dietary antigens and may support assimilation of beneficial constituents of Chlorella.† Glucosinolate compounds in broccoli are powerful inducers of natural phase 2 detoxification processes in the liver. Most substances detoxified by the liver are released into the bile for excretion through the intestinal tract. Chlorella helps trap these toxins to reduce reabsorption.†

You can also listen to Time to Reset Your Health podcast episode on our YouTube channel here.

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When Should You Detox?

Detoxing is a popular topic with detox drinks, foods, and supplements being found in almost every health food store, but how important is it? Detoxing is actually very important, but many people don’t know when or how they should detox. We encounter hundreds to thousands of different chemicals every day in our air, food, water, beauty products, and workplaces, and helping your body rid itself of those chemicals can make a big difference.

Toxic Burden

Toxic burden refers to the amount of toxins your body is currently dealing with, and everyone’s burden is different. Certain professions that expose you to chemicals – like welding and cosmetology – can increase your toxic burden, as well as the kinds of beauty and cleaning products you use, the water you drink, and the food you eat. Decreasing your toxic burden can make a big difference in your overall health and the way you feel. Start by eating only organic produce to reduce pesticide consumption, and switching to all natural products whenever possible. Switch to natural makeup, soap, and cleaning products by making some things yourself with natural ingredients, and/or buying from a company that’s committed to non-toxic products. Decreasing your toxic burden can benefit your entire body, but it can especially ease the burden on your liver.

Liver Function

The liver plays a role in over 500 critical functions in the body. One of its main functions is to filter the blood and rid it of drugs, alcohol, and other toxins. Keeping your liver healthy and functioning at optimal levels is critical for proper detoxification, but many people have a sluggish liver and most don’t realize it. A sluggish liver usually doesn’t have noticeable symptoms until liver function becomes severely impaired, this is why routine blood work is important because it allows you to see your liver enzyme levels which can show a sluggish liver before symptoms become apparent.

Detoxing

Detoxing is very important, but it needs to be done the right way so you can reap the most benefits. People often need to fix deficiencies like anemia before beginning a detox. You should also take some time to increase your nutrient intake through vitamin and mineral supplements, and organic whole foods before attempting a detox. You want your body to be nourished and strong enough to effectively handle it, especially if it’s an intensive detox protocol.

Most detox protocols usually last from a few days to a few weeks, but some people view it as a way of life. They eat detoxifying foods every day, and may take supplements designed for a mild detox daily. In general, you should complete one to three detoxes per year, with some people needing more or less. Someone who is exposed to more chemicals than the average person may need more per year, or may do better with a mild daily detox. Regardless of the detox you choose to do, you should eat plenty of organic produce, and good quality meats and fats every day.

How to Know You Need to Detox

Fortunately there are some easy ways to know if you need to detox. The most common signs that you need to detox include:

Fatigue and Brain Fog: Low physical and mental energy means something isn’t right. It may be something simple like sleep deprivation, or it could be a sluggish liver. Try getting more sleep and if the problem doesn’t improve, then a detox may improve your energy levels.

Allergies and Digestive Issues: Leaky Gut Syndrome is very common and often overlooked, but it can contribute to the development of several health issues including allergies and autoimmune disorders. If you have frequent heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, or food or seasonal allergies, you should look into a detox protocol that focuses on gut health.

Hormonal Issues and Stress: The liver plays a critical role in hormone regulation by producing certain hormones, and binding up excess estrogen for excretion. When the liver is not functioning properly, these functions may be reduced, leading to hormonal imbalances and elevated stress levels.

Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia: Mood disorders are often due to a hormonal imbalance, a gut microbiome imbalance, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and/or a high toxic burden. Detoxing may help some of these issues by reducing the toxic burden and helping to balance hormones.

Supplements

There are some supplements you can take to help your body detox, especially your liver. We listed the supplements designed for liver detoxification because the liver is so important and almost always needs to be detoxed.

PhytoCore – Contains dandelion root extract, milk thistle seed extract, and other ingredients that may increase the liver’s ability to detoxify. These ingredients work together to aid the liver during Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification.

Core Support – Powder designed to help the liver with Phase 2 detoxification. It contains magnesium, rice protein, taurine, l-glutamine, green tea leaf extract, and many other ingredients that may help heal the gut, and help the liver detoxify. Available in French Vanilla or Chocolate.

Detoxing may help you achieve your health goals, but you should listen to your body. Do not do more than your body can handle, and give your body time to get the nutrients it needs to handle a detox. You should also eat only organic produce, and switch to all-natural products whenever possible. Change is possible, but it’s up to you!

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Brain Fog, Anxiety and Memory

Brain fog, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and poor memory are all common problems today. Almost everyone is dealing with at least one of these issues, and many deal with more than one, but why are they so common? You may be surprised to know that most of these issues don’t originate in our minds, but are often due to stress, sleep deprivation, a sluggish liver, and inflammation. These issues often clear up when their root causes are addressed, so let’s dive into the causes and some potential natural remedies.

Causes

Brain fog, anxiety, depression, fatigue, poor memory, difficulty concentrating, and several other similar issues are usually traced back to the same few root problems. Not getting enough sleep is one of the most common causes, as sleep deprivation can lead to a number of short-term and long-term effects. (We have an article that discusses the effects of sleep deprivation more in-depth here.) Not getting enough sleep can cause brain fog, fatigue, impaired cognitive function including poor memory and difficulty concentrating, irritability, and anxiety. These problems often get worse as the sleep deprivation continues.

Stress is also a possible cause of these issues, likely due to elevated cortisol levels. Cortisol is also known as the “stress hormone” and is responsible for the fight-or-flight response. When cortisol levels are too high they can caues anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating, depression, and can lead to adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue refers to a condition in which cortisol levels were elevated for a long period of time, and the adrenal glands “burned-out” and cortisol bottomed out. This can lead to fatigue, depression, anxiety, brain fog, muscle weakness, and other issues. You can check your cortisol levels by getting blood work done, and see if your levels are where they should be.

Another common cause of brain fog and other issues is inflammation. Inflammation is a very common problem today, with many experts beginning to believe that inflammation is at the root of almost every chronic disorder. However, not all inflammation is bad, inflammation also occurs when their is a wound or infection that needs to be healed. The body could not properly heal itself without an immune response (inflammation), but chronic inflammation can be dangerous. Chronic, uncontrolled inflammation wreaks havoc on our bodies and affects all of our organs, our mood, and our cognitive function. There are many things that can contribute to inflammation, with our toxic burden and nutritional deficiencies likely being the biggest contributors. Toxic burden refers to the amount of toxins our bodies deal with on a daily basis, and everyone’s “burden” is different.

Things that can contribute to a toxic burden include air and water pollution, pesticides, plastic usage (more on that here), a diet high in inflammatory foods like processed foods and factory-farmed meat and dairy, chemical exposure from working in chemical plants, welding, etc., and soap and beauty products that contain chemicals. Many people also have nutritional deficiencies, which can make it difficult for your body to get toxins out and fight inflammation. Add chronic stress and sleep deprivation to this, and you’ve got a recipe for brain fog, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and many other issues.

Solutions

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help reduce brain fog, anxiety, depression, etc., but the root causes must be dealt with. The problems will not fully go away until the cause is addressed, so let’s look at what we can do. First, we always recommend that you get blood work done, because it can reveal problems that need to be fixed, many of which have no symptoms. With blood work you can check your cortisol levels, liver enzymes, iron levels, homocysteine, C-Reactive Protein, potassium and calcium levels, vitamin D, and much more. This can make it much easier to know what supplements you do and don’t need.

Whether you get blood work done or not, everyone has inflammation that needs to be dealt with. We encounter toxins every day, so reducing your exposure as much as possible, and giving your body the right nutrients to help it detoxify is critical to our health. You should start by switching to natural products whenever possible. Just take a look at the ingredient label of your deoderant or shampoo and notice how many chemicals are in it, one or more of which is likely an endocrine (hormone) disruptor, carcinogen, or suspected carcinogen. Generally if you can’t pronounce it or you don’t recognize it, you shouldn’t consume it or put it on your skin. Try switching to natural deoderant, shampoo and conditioner, shaving cream/soap, makeup, household cleaners, laundry detergent, and lotion. There are many companies that have begun producing natural alternatives that don’t contain carcinogens and endocrine disruptors.

Getting enough sleep is another important step towards reducing brain fog and anxiety, and improving memory. Adequate sleep is crucial to our health, but many people struggle with insomnia and other sleep disorders. Blood work can help to identify the root cause of your insomnia, but it may be as simple as reducing stress. Stress and adrenal fatigue can keep you from falling asleep, so practicing stress-reducing techniques and taking a supplement to balance cortisol levels may help reduce insomnia. You can also try a natural sleep-aid like Kavinace.

Giving your liver some help is another great thing to do to combat the issues we’ve been discussing. The liver is responsible for over 300 different functions, so a sluggish liver can have a huge impact on your health and how you feel. Eating a diet high in organic (pesticides burden the liver and add to the toxic burden) fruits and vegetables and grass-fed meat helps provide the nutrients your liver needs to function optimally. Also, milk thistle, turmeric, artichoke leaf, dandelion root, taurine, choline, vitamin B12, etc. are all good for helping the liver detoxify and function more efficiently. We’ll discuss some specific supplements you can take below.

Supplements

Best-Rest Formula – Contains melatonin, GABA, l-theanine, chamomile extract, and several other ingredients that may help promote relaxation and sleep.

Adrenal Response Complete Care – Contains vitamin C, ashwagandha, holy basil leaf extract, and several other ingredients that may help combat adrenal fatigue and stress.

Daily Stress Formula – Contains vitamin B12, l-tyrosine, bacopa monnieri extract, chamomile extract, and many other ingredients that may help you relax and deal with daily stress.

Traumeric – Contains turmeric extract, bromelain, quercetin, and a few other ingredients that may help combat inflammation. Traumeric may also work well for joint pain.

Core Support – Powder that contains magnesium, rice protein, taurine, l-glutamine, green tea leaf extract, and many other ingredients that may help heal the gut and help the liver detoxify. May also help increase energy and alertness. Available in French Vanilla and Chocolate.

Membrin – Contains gingko biloba leaf extract, vinpocetine, and huperzine alkaloids which may help improve blood flow to the brain, and improve cognitive function and memory.

Brain fog, anxiety, depression, poor memory, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and other issues can be difficult to deal with, and they can have a big impact on your quality of life. We want to help you get better! Look into getting blood work done, add in lots of good fats, grass-fed meats, and organic fruits and vegetables to your diet, reduce your toxic burden by switching to natural products whenever possible, and try taking some of the supplements listed above. It’s often the little decisions and changes you make every day that make the biggest difference.

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