Brain Fog: Is Your Brain "Cold?"

Written by: Jessica Starnes, Coastal Rebel Wellness

Brain fog is becoming more and more common as trauma, life stressors, and environmental toxins increase in our modern world. While brain fog can be multifaceted, something important to focus on is thyroid function and metabolism (the theme of my health approach). 

A majority of us are walking around with some level of hypothyroidism - whether blatantly diagnosed or subclinical (struggling with the plethora of low thyroid symptoms but being dismissed because the wrong labs are run and results are "normal" - a topic for another day.) 

With hypothyroidism, energy isn't utilized well (energy being glucose/fuel) and the brain requires loads of fuel (as well as the liver and muscles). With this lack of energy production, body temp lowers and then we develop what was coined by Dr. Ray Peat as "cold brain syndrome."

We are warm-blooded animals and our body temp is meant to be somewhere between 97.8-99.0°F so that our organs function optimally. When our temps drop, the metabolism slows, and preservation becomes the name of the game. Think of it as an internal winter. What happens in winter? A natural slow down. A hibernation. 

At certain stages of hypothyroidism, stress hormones are high and can artificially raise body temp. This can promote mental clarity for a time since the breakdown of tissues (proteins) is happening to create glucose for fuel and this has a thermogenic effect. This is what happens with low-carb diets as the body has to then create its own fuel (glucose) because it's not being provided with food. Often folks "feel better" and may even "test better" on this type of diet but when they incorporate carbs again, they feel foggy and lethargic often because sugars lower the stress response and then they don't have the short-lived anti-inflammatory effects of the stress hormones any longer. Then they feel their true state... At least for a time as healing occurs.

We can test how our metabolism is working by paying attention to symptoms and checking our temps and pulses everyday at specific times. As mentioned above, we want to see temps within 97.8-99°F rising to the warmest temp as the day goes on and then lowering before bed. We also want to see resting pulses between 70-85... even 90 can be alright. Despite what you've been told, athletes low pulse is an adaptation to stress (intense training) and not a sign of health.  Details on tracking these can come in another post. 

Things to do to improve body temperature and therefore thyroid, metabolic, and brain function:

- Balance blood sugar by consuming carbs + protein/fat together at every meal and snack and eating at regular intervals - not skipping meals and not going too long (over 4 hours) between meals/snacks. 

- Eat carbs! In order to think well, we must provide the brain plenty of glucose. Focus on fruits, root veggies, and properly prepared oats, rice, and sourdough. 

- Eat enough food. Too many people undereat throughout their busy days. Tracking (when you can invest the time/energy) to make sure you're actually consuming enough food and your macros aren't disproportionately skewed is a good idea. 

-Reduce stress hormones by balancing blood sugar, addressing external stressors, ditching excessive cardio/overtraining, and sleeping more. 

-Reduce excess estrogen by all of the above and supporting liver and gut health (more info to come!). 

-Reduce endotoxin in the gut by reducing thyroid suppressive veggies and consuming a daily raw carrot or two (more info to come!).

-Avoid PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) especially canola, sun/safflower, soybean, and any other industrial seed oils. Minimize nut/seed consumption.

-Consume saturated fats. Animals fats and coconut oil are where it's at. Quality dairy if your digestion allows. 

- Get enough sunlight and red light exposure. 

- Incorporate organ meats into your diet whatever way you can. Whether cooked into meats, patés, frozen shots, or desiccated capsules. These are crucial for retinol Vit A, B vitamins, and minerals like copper.

- Focus on minerals (from food!) like zinc, copper, magnesium, potassium, selenium, iodine, manganese. Oysters, seafood, fruits, fruit juices, roots, and seaweed are some of your best sources. 

To get temps and brain function up, we must focus on T3 production and utilization in the cells. The above will help support the body to do just that. 

Cheers to mental clarity!

Mindful & Metabolic: Bedtime Snacks

By: Jessica Starnes, Holistic Health Educator

Sleep is a pillar of overall health. But what happens when you can't fall asleep, wake frequently through the night, and/or too early in the morning?

The best thing we can do for our sleep at night is think about how we live throughout the day and adjust accordingly. I know - not a quick fix.

Blood sugar regulation is key! When we ride the blood sugar roller coaster throughout the day it puts immense stress on our bodily systems. (Helloooooo, elevated cortisol and adrenaline!) Eating at regular intervals, not skipping meals, combining macros (carb, protein, fat) in appropriate portions, and eating ENOUGH food will help stabilize blood sugar all day long and greatly reduce stress on our system.

Efficient sunlight (especially morning) exposure to eyes and skin, incorporating gentle movement, and moments of stillness throughout our days can also have a very positive impact on our sleep at night.

Sleep hygiene tips like reducing blue light/screens after sun-down, calming herbal teas before bed, blackout curtains, having a routine, cool temperature, limiting late day caffeine, etc are very helpful but all the sleep hacks in the world can't touch the problem if we don't get to the root cause. We must support our body with the appropriate fuel and stress management throughout our days if we want to see lasting improvement in our sleep.

Our bodies crave consistency. Eating at regular intervals throughout the day translates safety and abundance to our nervous system which will reduce stress hormones and help balance thyroid and sex hormones that can be thrown out of whack from under-nourishing, skipping meals, and flying by the seat of our pants day in and day out.

Making sure we are consuming enough of all 3 macronutrients allows us to get the nutrients we need that support sleep like glucose, protein, vitamin rich healthy fats, minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. None of our bodily systems function on thin air and that includes the work done during sleep.

Incorporate a bedtime snack! After making sure you're fueling appropriately through the day consistently, adding in a bedtime snack can really help support sleep. Our livers need plenty of stored glycogen (sugar!) to get us through the night without food. If we have a hard time falling asleep or wake frequently, it can be elevated stress hormones, blood sugar dysregulation, and/or liver congestion. Providing the liver with some carbs, fat, and light protein before bed can really help!

They types of snacks I'm about to share may be shocking to you coming from a nutritionist because the sugar vilification and "clean eating" messaging is pretty rampant among the wellness industry. I've been there and am no longer about that type of messaging as it misses the foundation of metabolic and cellular health.

Some of my favorites snacks:

-Quality ice cream! Yes, I said ice cream. Bonus points if you make your own and add extra protein. Häagan Dazs vanilla has decent ingredients or if you can get your hands on Straus, their ingredients are even better.

-Hot cocoa with whole (raw, grass-fed, organic) milk, honey, collagen, and a pinch of sea salt (omit cocoa if you can't do the caffeine)

-Bone broth + fruit

-Cottage cheese/Greek yogurt + fruit with chamomile tea

-Cheese and quality orange juice + sea salt

Why these foods? Simple, easy to digest sugars and proteins provide nutrients conducive to sleep. Minerals like I mentioned above with amino acids like glycine from the collagen/broth are calming and nourishing to the nervous system, adrenal glands, and thyroid. We want to support cellular energy because, believe it or not, we need proper energy in order to sleep.

Sweet dreams!

From Summer to Fall and the Habits That Help Us Transition

By Jennifer Voorhaar, LCSW-C

Let me start by saying, if school has already started for you, and you’re already in the thick of back to school transitions….keep reading. Really! Keep reading. It is never too late to change things up, try something new or create a healthy habit. Now that you’re still reading, I’ll next say….well done! You survived summer. You’re kiddos are back to school. And, you did it! For those of us (myself included) who still have children at home living their best summer life, hold on my friend, they're going back soon! In all seriousness, I truly love summer. I enjoy having my kids home and hearing them hanging out with each other (teen boys) as well as friends and family who visit. I enjoy the ease (and the quiet) of the mornings and the chaos of summer sports in the evenings. I really, REALLY enjoy not having to monitor homework!

But, here we are just a few days away from the start of the new school year. What I offer to you today are a few tricks, tips and ideas to help make mornings smoother, homework less stressful, and meals more enjoyable. Try them all, or try a few but I ask that you at least try one. When one works, try another and maybe... just maybe… you’ll try them all. The best part is, we have a social media community where I’d love to hear your tricks and tips as well. So, after you’ve read this, hop back over to our Instagram or Facebook and leave your comments!

We want our kiddos to be smart about their choices and with their healthy habits so I’m going to break this down with an easy way to remember things….SMART.

S – Start Small – there is no need to go from summer ease to rigid school schedules. So, start small. Maybe you start with a slight adjustment with bedtimes which aids in the adjustment of wake up times. Start small. We’re not going from free range teens to 5 am risers. Ease back in over the next week or so. If your kids have already started school, and the bedtime and wake times are set, choose another place to start small. Maybe you chose to plan one meal a week rather than the whole week’s worth. Because here’s the deal… small things add up to larger things, and eventually you’ll have a week’s worth (if that’s the change you chose!)

M – Make it manageable – You’ve started small so hopefully it is manageable, right? Yes. But, another great way to make things manageable is the Habit Stack. This is my most favorite idea of habits. Habit stacking is when you pair two habits at once just like the old saying “two birds with one stone.” So, maybe you listen to an audible while you drive because you just don’t have time to sit down and read. Or, maybe you meal plan and make the grocery list at the same time. Maybe you drink water before making your coffee so you’re hydrating and enjoying your cup of joe. Maybe you take a walk while on the phone with a friend or better yet, invite that friend to walk with you. You get the idea. Two healthy habits done at the same time… saves time.

A – Always give yourself grace. If you make a meal plan and the week falls apart, and you don’t follow the meal plan… give grace. We’ve all had great ideas for a dinner and by mid day we remember the meat is still in the freezer. It’s ok! If you set a routine and it doesn’t happen one day, then do it tomorrow. Give yourself grace. It is ok to forget. It is ok to just not have time. But, try again tomorrow.

R – wRite it down. Ok, a little play on the letter there but you get the idea. Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University in California, did a study and found that people who write things down are 42% more likely to achieve their goals. Grab a notebook, an agenda, calendar, or use your phone and write it down. Plan out your day. For example, here’s what a day written down for me might look like on a school day:

5:15 am – wake up and get ready to work out

530-615am – work out (wake boys if not already awake)

615-630am – ready my bible and have coffee

630-6:55am – boys ready, prep my food for the day

6:55-7:10am – boys to bus

7:10am-7:45am – get ready

7:45- leave (yes, I write down what time I want to leave so I have my plan together)

8:30 – this is where the work schedules come in (and that’s a different list)

I sit down the night before and plan the next day so I know what time I need to get up and I know what my morning will look like. But, I give myself grace if it doesn’t look exactly like this. Sometimes, I’m drinking coffee and listening to a faith podcast in the car instead of sitting down in my favorite spot. But, it’s still getting done and I’m successful.

T – Totally Celebrate the wins! That’s right. Celebrate and honor your hard work to get into back to school/fall routines. A celebration looks different for everyone, but embrace it. Maybe it means Frozen Pizza Fridays (yes, that’s a thing in my house most weeks) because we’ve worked hard all week and it’s time to slow down. Or maybe it’s Sleep in Saturdays (if fall sports allow) or maybe it’s a just a delicious beverage on the porch enjoying the cooler weather.

There you are…SMARTy pants! Great job! Remember let us know how things work for you, and if you’re interested in digging a little deeper, grab a copy of “Atomic Habits” by James Clear to finish this month’s book club discussion on healthy, sustainable habits. Join us the rest of the month (August 2022) on Mondays at 11:30 am EST on IG for our weekly discussion of the book.