Brain fog is one of the most common and frustrating symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue (AF) and NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response issues, which are common problems caused by chronic stress. It’s also common in those with sleep problems, stressful life situations, mental health issues, unmanaged chronic conditions, and big hormonal changes. All of which can then contribute to Adrenal Fatigue and NEM dysregulation. In this article, we’ll discuss these issues and also look at how homeopathy for brain fog might help.
Brain fog is not just one symptom, nor is it a stand-alone condition. It’s a mix of different symptoms, all of which have a deeper cause. It’s usually a combination of memory loss, an inability to focus properly, lack of mental clarity, foggy or cloudy thinking, and difficulty concentrating. This is not only troublesome on its own. It can also create problems for you at work, with daily chores, and even in your relationships.
One major way Adrenal Fatigue and NEM dysregulation can cause brain fog is through the NEM’s circuits. Your NEM is your body’s global response to stress. It’s composed of six circuits of organs and systems that work together to fight stress. And although all of them are involved when your body is facing stress, the ones most related to brain fog are the Hormone, Inflammation, and Neuroaffect circuits.
The adrenal glands are part of the Hormone Circuit, along with the thyroid and reproductive organs. They are the first line of defense against stress, and are usually the ones to bear the biggest brunt of chronic stress. Symptoms of adrenal fatigue include fatigue, weight gain, sleep issues, brain fog, anxiety, mild depression, low libido, PMS, infertility, heart palpitations, hypoglycemia, salt and sugar cravings, lowered immunity, food and drug sensitivities, and an inability to handle stress.
With Adrenal Fatigue, and the Hormone Circuit at large, brain fog is more common when the ovaries are the most dysregulated component. That’s because reproductive hormone imbalance, especially estrogen dominance, is a direct cause of brain fog. That’s also why we see brain fog feature so prominently during pregnancy and menopause.
Besides hormonal changes, one of the major causes of brain fog has to do with chronic inflammation that reaches the nervous system.
The Neuroaffect Circuit of your NEM is composed of the autonomic nervous system, the brain, and the microbiome. The microbiome links the Neuroaffect Circuit with the Inflammation Circuit. And time and again, we’ve seen that chronic inflammation usually begins in the gut, where your gut microbiome resides, and then spreads elsewhere. If it spreads to your skin, you can get skin rashes. When it affects the joints, you can get pain and swelling there. And if it reaches the brain and nervous system, you can get psychiatric and neurological symptoms, such as brain fog.
One of the biggest culprits worth mentioning is food sensitivities such as to gluten. This and any other food you may be sensitive or intolerant to, can cause dysbiosis. That’s when the microbiome goes out of balance. And that can then lead to the tight junctions in your gut to loosen, creating leaks. These leaks allow substances into the bloodstream that shouldn’t be there, prompting an immune system attack and inflammation.
Unfortunately, many people have food and drug sensitivities they’re unaware of. So the leaks remain and the immune system keeps getting triggered. This makes the inflammation get more severe, at which point it begins to spread all over the body.
On top of that, because many neurotransmitters are made and stored in the gut, problems there can cause neurotransmitter disruption. And disruptions in neurotransmitters can cause psychological and neurological symptoms. These include anxiety, depression, panic attacks, insomnia, and brain fog. If norepinephrine is one of the neurotransmitters affected, you can also get heart palpitations.
There are a few things to understand about using homeopathy for brain fog. The first is that, unlike conventional medicine, homeopathy is prescribed based on your entire symptom picture. Not just one symptom. The homeopathic intake is usually quite long, and takes into consideration your physical, mental, and environmental conditions. So, even if we tell you this or that remedy is good for this specific symptom, you still need guidance. You need an expert to tell you which exact remedy is suitable, as well as dosage and potency.
The second thing is that, even if you do end up with the perfect remedy for you, if you don’t address the root causes of your Neuroaffect Dysregulation, your hormonal imbalance, or your chronic inflammation, that remedy can only go so far. If you keep eating the foods you are sensitive to, for example, the remedy won't help the inflammation much. If your brain fog is caused by lack of sleep, no remedy will clear your mind unless you also fix your sleep issues.
What homeopathy for brain fog can do, however, is give you a boost while you are addressing the root causes. And, indeed, that’s all any supplement or remedy can really do.
Still, even with the potential risks involved, homeopathy for brain fog can be one of the gentlest yet most effective ways to get an extra boost.
Now that you have a foundational understanding of the nature of brain fog, there are a few remedies we want to mention here that are widely used for brain fog:
The above are just a few remedies that could work. But it's important to keep in mind that they are all indicated for other issues as well. Your healthcare professional may suggest several of them, or other remedies entirely. Or your healthcare professional may decide to use remedies to address the causal factors rather than addressing the brain fog.
Adrenal fatigue recovery usually entails an individualized nutrition plan, a gentle supplements protocol, stress management, sleep hygiene practices, and very gentle forms of exercise. And, because your body is usually in a fragile state, with slowed detoxification and the likelihood of chronic inflammation, you might be extra sensitive to supplements at this time. This also goes for natural remedies, such as herbs, hormones, and glandulars, which we sometimes use with our clients. And, this goes for homeopathic remedies as well.
Just because something is natural or made with natural sources doesn’t mean it can’t add to the stress on your adrenals. That’s why you can sometimes get paradoxical reactions or even adrenal crashes if you’re not careful with supplements. And that’s why it’s imperative you only use these tools under the supervision of an experienced healthcare professional.
Also, as noted above, if you take homeopathic remedies but don't address the root issues that are causing the brain fog, inflammation, and other problems, the remedies will be of limited use.
However, homeopathic remedies can be a useful and gentle way of managing some of these symptoms.
If you have questions about homeopathy, chronic inflammation, Neuroaffect dysfunction, or Adrenal Fatigue, you can contact the Dr. Lam Coaching team. We can offer you a free** no-obligation phone consultation at +1 (626) 571-1234 where we will privately discuss your symptoms and what your options are. You can also send us a question through our Ask The Doctor system by clicking here.
Homeopathy for brain fog will only work if you meet two requirements. The first is that you have to address the root cause of the brain fog, like hormonal issues or sleep problems. The second is that the homeopathic remedy has to be suitable for you on a holistic level.