PART II • STRATEGIES 08–17

Diet & Metabolism

What you eat changes brain inflammation within days. Dietary shifts show measurable cognitive improvement in 2–4 weeks.

If you only do one thing from this chapter:

Eat protein within 1 hour of waking

At least 25g. Eggs, Greek yogurt, protein shake — anything. This stabilizes blood sugar for the entire morning and prevents the mid-morning crash that most people mistake for "just being tired."

Too foggy to read this section? Start here:

  • • Eliminate added sugar and seed oils for 14 days — this is diagnostic, not a diet
  • • Eat protein within 1 hour of waking (≥25g) to stabilize blood sugar
  • • Switch from plain water to water + electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium)
The Gut-Brain Axis Your gut microbiome directly controls brain inflammation via the vagus nerve and immune signalling. Brain Microglia - Prefrontal cortex - Hippocampus Vagus nerve — bidirectional highway Gut Microbiome 100 trillion organisms - 95% of serotonin produced here DYSBIOSIS LPS leaks into blood → systemic inflammation → BBB breakdown → fog BALANCED FLORA Butyrate produced → gut barrier sealed → inflammation ↓ → clarity WhatIsBrainFog.com
The Spike-Crash Cycle How blood sugar instability creates the most common form of reversible brain fog. BLOOD GLUCOSE High Low Normal Spike High-carb meal Crash Brain fog hits here The Fix 25g+ protein within 1hr of waking Walk 15 min after largest meal Cut added sugar for 14 days Request HbA1c from your GP Results visible within 48 hours. WhatIsBrainFog.com
The 21-Day Elimination Protocol A diagnostic tool. You keep everything that doesn't trigger fog. DAYS 1-7 Remove Gluten - Dairy - Sugar - Alcohol - Processed foods Hardest week. DAYS 8-14 Stabilise Anti-inflammatory whole foods. Track fog score daily. Improvement by Day 10-12. DAYS 15-21 Reintroduce One food group every 3 days. Score fog after each. Fog returns? That's your trigger. This is not a permanent diet. It's an investigation. WhatIsBrainFog.com

Four Pathways: How Food Causes Brain Fog

Gut Dysbiosis

Bad bacteria overgrow → LPS leaks → systemic inflammation → crosses BBB

Leaky Gut

Gluten → zonulin → tight junctions open → food particles enter blood → immune activation

Blood Sugar

Refined carbs → spike → insulin surge → reactive crash → fog

Histamine

Histamine-rich foods → exceeds DAO capacity → neuroinflammation → fog

Diet Strategies

Filter by Evidence Tier

All Strategies (10 strategies)

Choline Deficit

90% of Americans don't meet adequate intake for the brain's primary memory neurotransmitter.

US adults below AI
90%

Best food sources: eggs (147mg/egg), liver, salmon. Supplement: CDP-choline or Alpha-GPC.

15:1 vs 2:1

Modern diets run a 15:1 to 20:1 Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio. The ideal is 2:1 to 4:1. Omega-6 fatty acids (concentrated in seed oils) are pro-inflammatory and compete with Omega-3 for the same enzymatic pathways.

PART III

Supplements

Omega-3, B vitamins, magnesium protocols

ROOT CAUSES

All Causes

Gut dysbiosis, blood sugar, food sensitivities
← Part I: Sleep Part III: Supplements →

This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional.