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Struggling with brain fog? Here's how to fix it

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  What is brain fog?   **Understanding Brain Fog** Brain fog is a commonly used term that encapsulates a range of cognitive difficulties that many people face in their daily lives. It can often feel elusive and challenging to describe, especially when you're grappling with its effects. Unlike mere fatigue that dissipates with rest, brain fog manifests as a persistent cloudiness in one’s mental faculties, making it difficult to think clearly and act decisively. Individuals experiencing brain fog may struggle with key cognitive functions such as attention, concentration, memory, speech, and overall organization. This lack of mental clarity can transform even simple daily tasks into arduous challenges. While some individuals might find ways to push through and continue functioning, for others, brain fog can be an overwhelming barrier to productivity and well-being. ### Causes of Brain Fog Brain fog can arise from a myriad of factors, and more often than not, it results from a com...

Six easy swaps to help you avoid ultra-processed foods

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Melissa Hogenboom Stephen Parker (Credit: Stephen Parker)   Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are in more foods you might realise. These tasty recipes will help you avoid them. When we buy ice cream, we tend to expect a delicious, fat-rich base – such as cream or milk – and some kind of flavouring, such as chocolate. But many of the versions for sale in my local supermarket also contain ingredients I would never add myself, and certainly don't have in my kitchen cupboards: guar gum, carrageenan, sunflower lecithin, carotenes.  These are typical ingredients found in ultra-processed foods (UPFs) – products which have been through more processing than usual, often on an industrial scale. Today it's widely known that diets rich in UPFs are bad for our health. They have been linked to a range of adverse health conditions, including obesity, cancer and type 2 diabetes, all of  which can lead to an early death . And yet, they are not easy to avoid. From supermarket bread to readymade...