Long-COVID patients suffer symptoms such as trouble concentrating, loss of memory, feeling tired and confused for weeks or months, which overall can be labeled as brain fog. To combat brain fog, author of “This Is Your Brain on Food” and nutritional psychiatrist, Uma Naidoo, MD, offers some nutritional tips.*

The Gut-Brain Connection

First, she explains that there is a gut-brain connection through the vagus nerve, which carries signals between both; this means that the food we eat can impact our mental health.

For example, eating pro-inflammatory foods like fast food will feed harmful microbes that cause inflammation, which can impact how we think and feel, according to Dr. Naidoo.

“What I want people with long COVID symptoms who have brain fog to feel is that they should adjust their diet and nutrition to see if it can potentially help,” she explained in a Today.com article.

Helpful Dietary Changes

Dietary interventions should focus on reducing inflammation that is seen in brain fog. Some dietary inventions that could be beneficial include:

• Incorporating Foods High in Luteolin – Luteolin is an antioxidant found in fresh peppermint, sage, thyme, hot and sweet peppers, radicchio, celery seeds, parsley, artichoke, and which is especially abundant in dried Mexican oregano. It also fights inflammation. 
• Choosing an Anti-Inflammatory Diet – By opting for meals high in fruits, vegetables, and omega 3 fatty acids such as fish, nuts, olive oil, and flaxseed, long COVID sufferers can keep inflammation at bay. 
• Adding More Vitamin C and Folate – Both of these nutrients are found to be low in people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Sources of vitamin C like citrus fruits, kiwi, and red bell peppers, as well as folate sources like dark leafy greens such as spinach or kale, can help to ward off fatigue.
• Eating Probiotics Daily – Fermented foods with live cultures like plain, unsweetened yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut or kefir (unsweetened or low in sugar) feed good microbes and can help improve our microbiome.
• Green Tea and Coffee are Beneficial – Researchers have also found that having one to two small or medium cups of coffee per day can fend off brain fog thanks to its polyphenols and antioxidative properties. “Green tea is also very helpful for focus and clarity,” she added.

Dr. Naidoo also mentions that experimenting with reducing gluten or alcohol intake could be helpful. Refined, white bread from the supermarket may affect a person differently than freshly baked sourdough bread at a local bakery. Additionally, it may be worth going dry [from alcohol] for a few weeks if you notice brain fog becomes worse after consumption.

It’s important to note that the positive effects from these changes take time; relief won’t happen immediately. So consider incorporating a few of these changes at a time as consistently as possible so their benefits can take effect sooner than later.

“People usually feel better within two weeks to a month of starting a consistent plan, Dr. Naidoo shares.

*Pawlowski, A. (2021, June 8). How to fight Covid brain fog with food: Tips from a psychiatrist. TODAY.com. https://www.today.com/health/how-fight-brain-fog-food-tips-psychiatrist-t221053

Much about the novel coronavirus, i.e., COVID-19, is still not fully understood. As research progresses and our knowledge of the virus increases, information can change rapidly. We strive to update all of our articles as quickly as possible, but there may occasionally be some lag between scientific developments and our revisions.