Brain Fog is a new phrase to me. Remarkably, three weeks after I stopped eating gluten/wheat, I noticed that my brain was different. I was thinking clearly and able to read through paragraphs with ease. I used to feel pressure in the front of my head when I had to "think." This was gone! Each day got brighter and brighter. The sun was starting to burn off the fog. Summers in Maine can produce a solid week of murky weather: boats are "socked in" and vacationers are grumbling. Well, I've spent 44 years feeling "socked in" and trying to cover up for my brain fog.
Now, I proudly read the New York Times each morning. I’ve read more books in the last months than I’ve read in my entire life. All those years in school trying to get by and reading just the cliff notes (sorry to all my teachers). I don’t know how I survived academia.....I truly slipped through the cracks and got by on being nice. I felt like the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz ..... If I Only Had a Brain....well, now I do! It is one of the greatest gifts.
Brain Fog is a common symptom of celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Studies have shown there is a lack of blood flow to the frontal portion of the brain. That certainly explains how my brain used to feel. I always wondered if I had a learning disability that was never uncovered. Actually, I did, and it was caused by gluten. I love foggy Maine weather but not Brain Fog.
What are your experiences with gluten and brain fog? Leave a comment below to share with us.