Articles #brain fog

In the past two decades of practice, if I were to name one single factor that silently disturbs sleep, weight, mood, digestion, immunity, memory — and often goes unnoticed in our usual investigations — I would say it is this: Cortisol.

In every consultation room, I meet two kinds of people when it comes to sugar: those who fear it and those who ignore it. But the real story of sugar is not just about what we eat — it’s about a silent, tireless worker inside us called insulin.

As physicians, we often encounter patients who complain of “brain fog.” They describe it as a state where their mind feels cloudy, concentration becomes difficult, memory slips more frequently, and decision-making slows down. While this is not a medical diagnosis in itself, it is a symptom that warrants attention. Brain fog can be temporary, related to lifestyle factors, or it can point toward an underlying medical condition that requires evaluation and treatment.

For decades, the immune system was considered a self-sufficient defense force, separate from other body systems. Today, modern science has revealed a fascinating truth: the gut and its trillions of resident microbes are deeply intertwined with immune health. Nearly 70% of immune cells reside in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), making the intestine not just a digestive organ but a central hub of immunity.