ULTIMATE GUIDE TO A MORE FOCUSED MIND By Dr. D. LeGrand Peterson, ND LABS What Labs To Run If You Have Focus Issues IRON DEFICIENCY Iron deficiency is very common to having symptoms of brain fog and trouble with focusing If you deal with brain fog, fatigue or spacing out, checking your iron levels with your PCP can be really helpful. MALNUTRITION Many people who have issues with focus and brain fog will have digestive issues and can cause malnutrition, which can cause the brain to not function properly. If you have digestive issues it is important to get proper testing. FOOD ALLERGY TEST Food allergies can cause brain fog, digestive complaints and even trouble focusing. If you suspect you have any of these common allergy symptoms, it does not hurt to run a full food allergy test. I recommend IgE testing and not IgG! LEAD POISONING One of the most common type of metal poisoning today is lead poisoning. This is so because older homes used lead in their paint. If you have lived in a house that was built before 1978 chances are it had lead-based paint and should get yourself checked out. DYSFUNCTIONAL THYROID When we think of thyroid issues we think of only people with fatigue. But thyroid issues can also present with symptoms of brain fog and trouble focusing as well. If you have constipation, low energy and spacey then check for thyroid. NEUROTRANSMITTER TESTS Testing for Neurotransmitters can help you really identify why you have trouble with focus, energy, mood, ADHD, sleep issues etc. Because most likely it is a brain chemistry imbalance. When you can identify which neurotransmitters are out of balance this can help solve your focus problem from a bio-physiological standpoint BRAIN NUTRITION Foods You Should Avoid For Better Focus FOOD COLORING'S Some research has found there to be a connection between food coloring and causing brain fog. It can also cause digestive issues. So when your in the store, make sure to check for labels that have these harmful food dyes. FOOD ADDITIVES Researchers found that when food dyes where combined with preservative sodium benzoate, hyperactivity increased. Example of these harmful additives would be: BHA, BHT, sodium nitrate and TBHQ. STIMULANTS Any kind of stimulant such as caffiene, energy drinks, coffee, soda pop with caffiene over time can lead to adrenal burnout which leads to lack of focus and energy If you are consuming any of these, cut back or take out completely from your diet. REFINED SUGARS Both refined sugars and simple carbs are are inflammatory and can cause brain fog, headaches and trouble with focus. Asses your sugar consumption and start cutting back to help improve your brain health. COMMON FOOD ALLERGIES Food allergies have been known to cause brain fog, digestive issues and focus issues. Some of the most common allergies would be milk, eggs, nuts and wheat. You can do a food elimination diet for a month to see if your symptoms improve. JUICE AND SODA Both juice and soda have high amounts of sugar. Which can cause focus, energy and mood swings, as a result, from having high and low blood sugar levels. Also, a great deal of sodas and juices have many other harmful additives. As was discussed, these can have a negative impact on your brain! BRAIN NUTRITION Nutrients And Exercise For The Brain COMPLEX CARBS Complex carbs such as veggies, whole fruits (not juice), whole grains and legumes are all great food sources for your brain. Complex carbs help keep sugar levels balanced and also have very vital nutrients for the brain. HEALTHY FATS The brain is made up of mostly fat and water and is important for your brain to get healthy fats in daily. Healthy fats can consist of, avocados, whole fat yogurt, organic butter, fish, flaxseed oil, nut butters etc. FISH OILS Studies have shown fish oils can help with minor brain fog and focus problems. Fish oils are a great source of Omega3's. They help reduce inflammation in the body and can help improve mental skills. HEALTHY PROTEINS Proteins are essential for our body's daily amino acid intake. Especially tryptophan and tyrosine, which help influence neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Both are very important for better focus and mood. You need 30% of your plate filled with a healthy protein every meal. DAILY WATER INTAKE The body is made up of about 6570% of water and the brain is mostly water. So you can imagine, water intake is very important. Make sure to drink filtered water and not tap because of the chemicals that are in some tap waters. EXERCISE One of the best things you can do to help balance your mood and improve brain health is exercise! Exercise can increase endorphins and other hormones that help us feel happy and more in balance with our mental health which in return helps us to be more focused! ADHD NUTRITION Vitamins Essential For Better Focus VITAMIN B B vitamins, especially vitamin B6 and B12, are important for the brain B vitamins can increase alertness, energy and dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter important to help with your motivation and focus. VITAMIN C Most people think vitamin C is only for boosting your immune system, but it is also a key vitamin for making neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters, like dopamine and serotonin, are important to have a healthy balanced mood and alert brain. IRON A study showed that 84% of people with ADHD compared to 18% of people without ADHD had low Ferritin levels. (AKA low iron levels). If you have low iron levels make sure to add iron liquid and iron foods on a daily basis. ZINC Zinc is an important mineral for regulating neurotransmitters and help improve low levels of dopamine which an unfocused brains have. They have found low levels of zinc can lead to inattention. MAGNESIUM Magnesium is an important electrolyte that is essential for the brain to function along with the rest of the body. VITAMIN Magnesium can help with brain fog, focus, inattention, constipation and muscle spasms. Many people can have low levels of vitamin D, which has been linked to low cognitive function and mood imbalance. D Vitamin D can help improve cognitive function, balance mood and improve energy and focus. SUPPLEMENTS Supplements That Can Help With Focus **All Supplements should be checked with your doctor first before implementing them into your treatment plan** PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE Phosphatidylserine is an important supplement that can help increase levels of dopamine. Increased levels of dopamine will help improve alertness, attention, focus and mood PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE Phosphatidylcholine is also another important supplement for the brain's function. Phosphatidylcholine helps improve memory, focus, and muscle control GINKGO BILOBA Ginkgo biloba is a great herb that helps increase blood flow to the brain. Increased blood flow to the brain can help with memory, attention and being focused on tasks. GOTU ROSEMARY Rosemary, just like Ginkgo, increases blood flow to the brain This herb is great to use as an essential oil in a diffuser while studying. It can help you retain what you are learning. KOLA Gotu kola is a great herb to help with mental health. It can help improve cognitive function, reduce stress and improve sleep. Sleep problems are very common among people who also suffer with focus issues. 5-HTP 5-HTP is an important chemical precursor to many neurotransmitters in the brain. 5-HTP can help improve serotonin and dopamine levels, which will help improve sleep, anxiety, depression and attention.
