Here's How to End Brain Fog

By Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

According to Chinese Medicine theory, your Kidneys store your essential energy, or Essence, known as Jing Qi. We are all born with a finite amount of Jing Qi and therefore it’s important to safe-guard this valuable resource. In fact, Jing Qi is our most important commodity as it relates to your cellular DNA and your body’s hormonal reserves required to support healthy aging.

The Kidneys are more than just an individual organ in Chinese Medicine as they correspond to a complex system of organs and structures including the reproductive system, the adrenal glands, the ears (auditory system), the entire skeletal structure and the brain. Important hormones that support your body’s ability to regenerate, such as DHEA, testosterone, progesterone and estrogen all relate to your Kidneys health.

The brain is an extension of your Kidney system and considered the seat of your Jing Qi. Maintaining the health of your Kidneys is therefore vital to support your overall health and the health of your brain.

The Adrenal Glands & Brain Health

The adrenal glands sit on top of each kidney and produce a number of different steroid hormones that regulate many functions to maintain healthy metabolism and brain function.

The adrenals are commonly known as the “stress” glands because they respond to acute stress.

If these episodes of stress become chronic, long lasting recurring events, they can drive the body into metabolic crises.

Cortisol is a primary steroid hormone produced and released by the adrenal glands during periods of stress. Short-term, cortisol is our friend, but over long sustained periods, cortisol can create elevated blood sugar and induce a state known as insulin resistance that can lead to weight gain with increased belly fat and high blood pressure. The occurrence of all these factors can lead to the development of Syndrome X, a metabolic disorder that leads to heart disease and diabetes.

Furthermore, having too much sugar floating around the blood with cells that are impaired to utilize it can lead to sticky blood causing blood stagnation and an excessively fungal internal environment referred to in Chinese Medicine as Dampness.

Too much dampness can cause this excessive moisture to dampen the activity of the brain’s neurons, leading to impaired function and symptoms including brain fatigue, brain fog, poor memory, dizziness, and balance disorders — which is why sustained high levels of cortisol coursing through the bloodstream can lead to the suppression of brain function.

When the body has too much moisture, it may inherently try to dry up this dampness by generating heat. Heat is an inflammatory event and when Dampness and Heat combine a congealing effect occurs and this can lead to the development of an advanced pathological condition called Phlegm.

The Brain is a Curious Organ

Lack of clarity in the mind is often due to excessive accumulation of dampness.

Lack of clarity in the mind is often due to excessive accumulation of dampness.

According to Chinese Medicine, the Brain, Marrow, Blood Vessels, Bone, Spine and the Uterus/Genitalia comprise the six Curious Organs. In Chinese terminology, “curious” denotes the idea of “extraordinary” as these organ systems relate to the evolution of your body, mind and spirit.

All of the Curious Organs contain hollow spaces and it’s within these spaces that too much moisture can accumulate leading to excessive dampness and eventually the creation of phlegm which can become dense like a tumor.

Managing Dampness is thus fundamental to maintaining the health of your Curious Organs.

In the brain, the creation of Phlegm relates to tumors and more commonly plaque buildup in the brain. These plaques, called amyloid plaques, form between brain nerve cells and cause neuronal death. Phlegm-based amyloid plaques are the basis of more severe brain pathology such as dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. 

Often described as Type 3 Diabetes, Alzheimer’s in particular has a high correlation with elevated blood sugar and therefore the accumulation of excess Dampness in the body.

Dampness Can Be a Response To Internal Heat (Inflammation)

As heat is generated within the body, the system becomes more and more inflamed. In response, the body may begin to retain more moisture (dampness) to suppress the heat, causing excess Heat and excess Dampness occurring simultaneously.

Excessive internal heat is an inflammatory condition relating to a very acidic internal environment which sugar and processed foods will exacerbate.

A diet that’s overly acidic with refined, processed foods and too high in protein, coffee, tea or alcohol will generate excessive internal heat. 

So if you have a lot of heat, it may be appropriate to have a more vegetarian diet for a period of time to reduce this heat.

Heat can also be generated from sustained periods of stress such as long-term emotional and mental anguish and strain. Combined with a high-stress lifestyle with a diet high in protein, sugar, coffee, alcohol, and processed foods creates a recipe for excessive systemic inflammation. 

Just as in nature, heat rises, so excessive inflammation in the body will rise up and cause a brain that’s “on fire,” which can be the root of brain degeneration.

Keep in mind that excessive internal Heat can also be rooted in Dryness within the body, and in this case increasing your diet in healthy fats especially Omega 3 fatty acids will help dampen an inflamed brain and nourish back your brain’s neurons. In cases of Dryness, which Chinese Medicine calls a Deficiency of Yin Fluids, then the tongue body will tend to be small and abnormally red without much of a coating at all.

Fish and Krill Oil are high in two key Omega 3 oils called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which are very nourishing for optimal brain function. If you don’t have a shellfish allergy, Krill oil has been found to have a stronger anti-inflammatory effect if there is a lot of internal heat.

In cases where there’s excess Dampness, however, the tongue body will be swollen and usually with a scalloped edge due to the pressure against the teeth and the tongue coating will be excessively coated with a thick, pasty coat. In these cases, it may be best to avoid taking too much oil in general until this gets cleared up.

Other causes of a Damp fungal terrain in the body is due to the excessive use of medications such as antibiotics, steroids and birth control pills or a diet high in greasy, fried food and nuts. In addition, the regular consumption of cheese, yoghurt and other dairy foods such as milk are often included in the diet of patients with excessive Dampness and a fungal body terrain.

4 Steps to Support Your Brain Health

Here are a 4 key steps to support your daily well-being and the health of your brain, adrenal glands and Kidneys.

  • Step 1: Get more rest and sleep. Taking time to rest is the primary way to regenerate your Kidney Qi and restore the health of your adrenal glands, which, when hyper-activate, can contribute to the decline in brain function and brain degeneration.

    Relaxation is the first stage of meditation, and simply taking a little time to meditate goes a long way to help calm an adrenal system in overdrive.  If you find that you’re too tired to meditate, it’s best to simply take a short nap to rest more deeply. 

    Wintertime is the season that corresponds to the Kidneys. Shorter days and longer nights make it a more conducive time for rest to help recuperate this valuable organ system and prepare for the active season of Spring that follows.

    So more rest and deep sleep are the best ways to tone down your hyped-up adrenal glands that can be creating a whole host of metabolic conditions that lead to the decline in brain function and brain degeneration.

  • Step 2: Regulate your blood sugar. Reducing your blood sugar if it tends to be elevated is critical to reduce the damp, fungal terrain in the body that literally dampens your brain function and energy levels too.

    Sustained elevated levels of blood sugar down-regulate the insulin receptors found on all of your cells inhibiting them from absorbing sugar efficiently to create energy. This can lead to fatigue and low energy. The signaling of sugar deprivation by your cells triggers further cortisol release, creating a vicious cycle that can lead to a lowered immunity due to increased cortisol levels also down-regulating your immune system.

  • Step 3: Reduce inflammation if you tend to be overheated. Generally maintaining an alkaline diet rich in vegetables and low in sugar and processed foods will quickly help you reduce internal heat. In addition, healthy fats, especially Omega 3 oils that support brain health can also help cool your body’s inflammation.

    Other categories of food that can wind up an inflammatory response are nuts, dairy and eggs as they stimulate the body’s Wei Qi and are very warming foods to stimulate heat in the body. The popular daily ritual of drinking celery juice these days is very useful to reduce heat and clear inflammation, however, if your body tends to have internal cold, too much celery juice can weaken your Qi and be counter productive to your health especially in the cold winter months when you need to keep your Yang Qi warm and vital.

    If you feel the need for celery juice, try adding an ounce or so of ginger juice to your morning concoction to reduce the excessively cold property of celery juice and protect your Spleen Qi and digestive power.

    Clinical Tip: If your stool is too soft, then you know your Spleen Qi is weak and digestive power needs to be warmed up rather than cooled down.

  • Step 4: Practice Yoga and Qi Gong. Chinese Medicine has established a sophisticated system to strengthen your Kidney system and improve brain function through the use of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Nutrition, and Qi Gong.

    Qi Gong and Yoga are very closely related practices as these Eastern forms of exercise focus on slow movements coordinated with deep breathing, allowing the Kidneys to become recharged with vital Qi energy. Furthermore, deepening your ability to twist and release tension in your shoulders and hips frees the Gallbladder meridian system, which supports the detoxification of all your Curious Organs.

You can practice Triple Energizer Qi Gong at our Dharma Studio with Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. in Santa Clara, California. Click here to see his schedule of classes.


Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. is the Founder and Co-Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine & Japanese Meridian Therapy, a rare non-insertion form of Acupuncture. Salvador is also the co-host of The Natural Healing Podcast with his wife and partner, Dr. Setareh Moafi.

Is It Time for a Brain Detox?

By Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

While we've all heard of or experienced a colon or liver detox, we rarely hear about detoxifying the brain. A decline in brain function is a common complaint many people have and the multitude of related symptoms can be due to both brain weakness and brain toxicity.

Abnormal brain function symptoms can vary between hyper and hypo-activity. Both conditions can be rooted in the accumulation of excess toxicity in the brain or a deficiency of adequate nutrition to properly feed the brain's neurons. When the brain’s neurons are overstimulated, symptoms such as epileptic seizures or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can develop. When the brain is under active, symptoms such as brain fog, brain fatigue, poor memory and weakness in critical thinking can develop.  

Brain dysfunction can arise from the condition of systemic inflammation and systemic inflammation is often rooted in poor gut health. In addition, poor brain nutrition is not just the result of a poor diet but also due to poor digestion and poor assimilation of nutrients.

Anything that involves the function of the gut and digestion in Chinese Medicine relates to the Earth element organs, the Spleen and Stomach. Restoring balance in our Earth organs is always going to be a fundamental issue to restore function in our brain.

From the point of view of Western medicine, as we age, the production of hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes declines significantly, making it more difficult to properly break down and assimilate the nutrients we consume. Furthermore, the combination of toxic food, toxic medications and toxic thoughts all contribute to inflammation of the gut.

Toxicity that brews in the gut due to imbalances in the microbiome, or gut flora, can lead to 'leaky gut syndrome.' A 'leaky gut' causes improperly digested proteins and unwanted microbial agents to pass through the intestinal wall and enter the blood stream. This dysfunctional process can then trigger a cascade of inflammatory responses throughout the body. This is one of the main causes underlying the degenerative process of systemic inflammation which can create a "brain on fire" and lead to many of the brain disorders we commonly see today.

Treatment of degenerative brain disorders therefore requires the restoration of healthy digestion and elimination so the brain can be properly nourished and detoxified.

 

A Classical Chinese Perspective on the Brain

In Classical Chinese Medicine (CCM), the brain is considered one of the six Extraordinary Organs and also called the “Sea of Marrow.” The Jing, or Essence, corresponds to the body’s constitution and relates to our genetic material. The Kidney system stores the Jing which supports the brain, so maintaining the health of our Kidneys is fundamental in Chinese Medicine to establishing a healthy, long life. It is the Marrow that comes from the transmutation of Jing Essence which creates the substance to form the brain, the spinal cord, as well as the bone marrow. 

As we age, Jing declines, so there is naturally a decline in brain function with aging resulting in shrinkage of brain mass and decline of memory and other mental functions as well as sensory decline such as hearing, taste and vision. This process relates to our cells dying off with aging and the decline of our genes' ability to replicate and rebuild tissue as efficiently as they did in youth. In Chinese Medicine, this reflects the natural decline of our Water element.

The brain needs blood to function properly as blood brings oxygen and nutrients to support its structure and function. Some of the nutrients transported from blood comes from water. As we seeing clearly in the elderly, a lack of proper hydration through water consumption has a dramatic impact on reducing brain function.

According to Chinese Medicine, building and storing blood in the body is a function of the Spleen, Heart, Lung and Liver. Supporting the brain is therefore a function of all five primary organ systems found in the Five Element Theory of Chinese Medicine. The Spleen and Heart combine to produce the substance of blood, the Lung’s provide the Qi or oxygenation to complete the blood production, and the Liver stores the blood and helps send it up into the brain to support proper neurological function.  

 

The Brain's Built-in Detoxification System

We learned only five years ago through a major medical discovery that the brain’s waste disposal system is far greater than what had ever been known.

It was discovered that the brain has an independent and unique drainage system, called the Glymphatic System that's far more efficient and powerful than the cerebrospinal fluid system we had previously thought was the only drainage system in the brain. The reason for such a late discovery of the Glymphatic System is that technology just recently developed the capacity to study the living brain in action. Prior research was done on dead brains and the Glymphatic System works through live cellular action and not through a structure of its own.

The glymphatic drainage system was actually discovered in the process of researching amyloid protein circulation and its abnormal accumulation in the brain in the form of brain plaques thought to be associated with Alzheimer's disease. 

The Glymphatic System is, in fact, much more proficient in moving nutrients and waste in and out of the brain than the cerebrospinal fluid system. It is like comparing a system that works on a drip process versus a system that is activated by the powerful pumping force under the pressure of blood flow. 

To make a theoretical correspondence to Chinese Medicine, I would say the Glymphatic System is under the functional domain of the Liver and Gallbladder systems.

The Liver meridian ascends blood into the brain for nourishment and the Gallbladder meridian is the main drainage system of the brain to support detoxification. 

Both the Liver and Gallbladder are Wood element organs established in Five Element Theory. According to Five Element Theory, the Wood energy is strengthened by the Water element and this makes the connection how the Kidneys (Water) support the Liver (Wood) for healthy brain function, especially in memory retrieval.

More specifically, long term memory is supported by the Liver and short term memory is supported by the Spleen which brings us back to the Earth element and gut health. If you find yourself having difficulty with memorization, than this is a weakness of the Spleen often due to dampness from excessive sugar in the diet. Dampness or a fungal terrain can also be attributed to excessive use of antibiotics, birth control pills or corticosteroid medications. So any of these medications can impact one's brain health in a negative way.

You may notice that your brain gets fuzzy, lazy and tired after eating too many sweets. This is often due to blood sugar quickly dropping with the consumption of simple sugars and the resulting dampness that impedes brain function. A damp terrain is a fungal terrain. Just as chronic sinusitis is now recognized to be associated with fungus, the same fungal pathology can seep into the brain to down-regulate brain neuron function.

Sugar in any form feeds fungus in the body so it's easy to see why the condition of dampness is a very sticky, stubborn pathology to clear up.

Dampness therefore, according to Chinese Medicine, essentially needs to be dried up or drained out of the brain to support proper function and impede the disease process that leads to brain disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s.

It is imperative for those suffering from these disorders to eat a very low carbohydrate and low sugar diet. If you've known anyone with these disorders, their diet is usually heavy on carbs, sugar and dairy -- the exact foods that feed the fungus in their brain.

 

Inflammation, Inflammation, Inflammation

You may find you can't recall things as well as before, or perhaps you easily get tired while reading. These everyday occurrences that people brush off as aging can be early stage signs of a brain inflamed with toxicity. 

Inflammation is associated with most chronic degenerative conditions and what we have now realized in modern medicine is that systemic inflammation is often rooted in poor gut health. The problem is that Western medicine protocols are not addressing this fundamental issue and rely on toxic drugs to try and ameliorate symptoms without addressing the underlying problems. All the while, the medications are tearing apart the very system that is already inflamed and deteriorating.

 

Chinese Medicine Offers Clues to Evaluate Subtle Indications of a "Brain on Fire"

Based on the associations of the organ systems and brain function as outlined above, we can make some direct correlations you may find helpful to evaluate your own brain health.

If you're suffering from inflamed joints not due to an injury, then it’s time to consider healing your digestive system in order to cool down inflammation that's likely also occurring in your brain. Hip inflammatory problems relate to the Gallbladder system and knee inflammation relates to the Kidneys. Since these systems are directly related to healthy brain function, if you are suffering from any systemic inflammation or, specifically, these large joints are chronically painful and stiff, your brain is also likely inflamed. 

 

Beginning the Process of Brain Detoxification 

Chinese Medicine offers some of the most potent medicine available today to restore brain function which has been damaged. 

Chinese Medicine is a comprehensive medical system that looks to restore healthy brain function in a holistic way by addressing the other supporting organ systems involved in the brain's function. 

The brain can be directly targeted therapeutically through Acupuncture and herbal medicine, which can provide nutrition and support the flow of nutrients into the brain. In addition, these modalities can stimulate the dissolution of brain plaque and the clearance of toxic debris. 

Acupuncture can stimulate the Gallbladder Meridian to detoxify the brain. 

The Gallbladder Meridian system offers direct access to drain toxicity from the brain and support the removal of debris such as denatured amyloid proteins that cause plaques that lead to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Acupuncture can essentially stimulate the Gallbladder system to flush the brain and help reduce toxicity leading to brain inflammation. Acupuncture as a form of manual therapy is a critical part of detoxification because it is very common for the body to form blockages internally which impair detoxification and interfere with the recovery process. These blockages can be efficiently released through Acupuncture, Cupping and Gua Sha (a type of scraping therapy).

It is imperative to note: for acupuncture and herbal medicine to work optimally, a person's diet must support the healing process that is being instigated by these modalities. Otherwise, you may be disappointed with your progress and blame the medicine for failing. You must clean up your habits for healing to take place, there is no way around this fact. We cannot continue the same lifestyle habits that created our problems. We must change in order for change to occur.

 

Chinese Herbal Medicine: An Important Component for Restoring Brain Function

Some Chinese herbs target the Gallbladder system to decongest and move the lymphatic circulation for detoxification. Some herbs are specific to break up amyloid tissue and plaques that block the brain neurons from functioning optimally. Other herbs support the nutritional aspect and provide nutrients for the brain to work better as well as the different organs involved in its function. There are herbs to strengthen the Qi energy of the Spleen to improve overall energy and others provide nourishment to help the Spleen build up the blood. These benefits support healthy brain function.

Other herbs specifically nourish the blood of the Liver to improve memory retrieval and vision. In addition, there are Chinese herbs used specifically to increase the Qi of the Lungs which improve oxygenation of the brain in order to quicken brain function and reduce brain fatigue. Perhaps most importantly, there are herbs to strengthen the energy of the Kidneys which as we now know has a direct correlation with the brain and is fundamental to maintaining the health of one's hearing and brain function overall. 

What is most exciting, is that many herbs have been shown to reduce brain inflammation and amyloid plaque deposition which interfere with brain circulation and neuron function.  And perhaps most importantly, herbs such as Turmeric, Gotu Kola and Bacopa Monnieri have been found to stimulate the regrowth of brain neurons to restore lost function as well. In fact, these three herbs support all of these critical actions for restoring brain health. There are a number of studies to support these claims, mostly international studies from China, Japan, Korea and India.

 

Healing the Brain Takes Time

Keep in mind, when working on the level of the constitution which includes anything related to the brain, it takes a minimum of three months of treatment before one can evaluate the progress of one's condition. Usually results are noticed right along, sometimes quickly, but studies show it takes a few months to regrow brain neurons to improve brain function. Older, weaker individuals and those with more serious brain dysfunction will require longer periods of time to restore brain health.

Healthy brain function allows us the awareness to experience a more full and meaningful life. Awareness is important to put us on the path of healing. My hope is that this information brings you awareness that there is always opportunity to heal and improve your health. Depending on your situation, the path may be easy or challenging, but if you persevere, you may find yourself living in greater health with an active, lively brain for many years ahead.


Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. is the Founder & Co-Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic run by he and his wife, Setareh Moafi, L.Ac. that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine. Salvador is a leading U.S. practitioner of Japanese Meridian Therapy, a rare form of non-insertion Acupuncture using Gold & Silver needles. More information at www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.