STRESS SOS
Right now, many of us are understandably
feeling more worried and anxious than usual.
But heightened anxiety can lead to increased
levels of a stress hormone called cortisol in
our bodies. Having some cortisol in our
systems is perfectly normal, but stress causes
those levels to spike. And while cortisol is vital
for dealing with certain situations, when levels
are too high for too long, this hormone can
hurt you more than it helps.
HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS CAN:
● increase blood pressure
● increase appetite, leading to weight gain
and Type 2 diabetes
● hamper the immune system
● disrupt sleep patterns
● cause a condition known as
“brain fog”
“Do you sometimes forget where
you’ve left your phone? Or email
the wrong person because you
thought of someone else, or
wake up in the night for no
obvious reason?” asks
neuroscientist Dr Julia Gottwald.
“That’s what we call brain fog.
It’s not a medical diagnosis but
it’s a very accurate description of something
that can lead to bigger problems.”
So what can we do to clear the fog? Firstly,
make a conscious effort to relax. “That isn’t
always easy, so you may need to learn how
to cope with stress better with therapy, by
talking things through or lightening your load,”
says Dr Gottwald.
It also helps to get into a routine of going to
bed and waking at the same time. Try to get
a full seven to eight hours’ sleep – many
people report snatching fewer than five hours
a night. Taking exercise or a gentle hobby that
gets you outside, such as gardening, can also
relax you or try an easy-to-use meditation app
like Calm or Headspace.A survey found that more than half
of us worry more about declining
memory and mind function than
physical illnesses. Luckily, there are
many things you can do to halt – or
even reverse – mental decline
BOOST
YOUR BRAIN
POWER!
FEED YOUR BRAIN
Our brains need a wide range of
vitamins and minerals to function
well. These include omega-3 fatty
acids (found in foods such as fish
oils, nuts and flaxseeds) and
polyphenols, which are in fruits
including grapes, apples, berries
and plums.
Sadly, data collected by the
Government-backed National
Dietary and Nutrition Survey shows
a worrying fall in our average
nutrient intake over the last
nine years.
“It’s horrific,” says GP Dr Gill
Jenkins. “It’s [due to] processed foods,
faddy diets, which encourage people to cut
out food groups, plus other factors including
stress and medication, which we might take
for various health conditions.”
A survey for food supplement
manufacturer Neubria (neubria.com) found
that 65 per cent of people have never
thought about the impact of diet on brain
health – 62 per cent don’t eat the
recommended two portions of fish (one