Is Your Brain in a Fog? Your Gut Might Be to Blame
By Lynda Sherland, CRNP, FNP-C, IFMCP,
Amy Nutter, MSN, ACNP, BC, IFMCP,
Dr. Jennifer Patterson, DO, MMH, CHt and
Dr. Georgia Tetlow, MD, ABOIM, ABPMR, IFMCP
Are you dealing with brain fog, anxiety, poor focus, or nervous system imbalance?
If yes, keep reading. You’re not alone—and you’re not imagining it. These symptoms could be signs of brain inflammation, and more often than not, the root cause starts in the gut. In this blog, we’re diving into the powerful gut-brain connection and why healing your gut may be the secret to healing your brain.
When Brain Fog Isn’t “Just Stress”
Ever walk into a room and forget why you’re there? Or feel like your thoughts are moving through molasses? It happens more often than you think—and it’s not just “getting older” or “being overwhelmed.” That foggy, sluggish mental state could be a sign of brain inflammation.
But here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to be this way. With the right care and a root-cause approach, clarity and focus are absolutely within reach.
Brain Inflammation: When Your Mind Feels Like a Broken Web Browser
When your brain is inflamed, it’s like having too many tabs open—everything lags, crashes, and fails to load. Symptoms of brain inflammation include:
Brain fog (Wait, what were we talking about?)
Decreased memory and mental sharpness (Where did I put my phone again? Oh, in the fridge…)
Frequent headaches and migraines (think tension headaches, hormonal migraines, cluster headaches, or pressure behind the eyes)
Visual issues like sensitivity to light (such as blurred vision, seeing spots or flashes, difficulty focusing, or discomfort in bright environments)
Difficulty concentrating (Reading the same sentence over... and over.)
Exhaustion that feels like you ran a marathon in your sleep
Chronic inflammation is the underlying villain. It often starts in the body—sometimes from food sensitivities, gut infections, or toxin exposure—and soon enough, your brain joins the inflammatory party, uninvited.
The Gut-Brain Barrier: Why Fixing Your Gut Fixes Your Brain
Your gut and brain are in constant communication. When your gut lining is compromised—known as leaky gut—it allows toxins, bacteria, and inflammatory molecules into your bloodstream, triggering an immune response. And guess what? Whatever is absorbed in the intestine goes straight to the brain, so notice if brain fog is worse after eating. The brain has own barrier - a boundary to protect it - but when you get leaky gut, you can also get “leaky brain”. What is that?
When inflammation spreads, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) can become compromised—letting those same inflammatory molecules into the brain. This is called “leaky brain,” and yes, it’s as bad as it sounds. The result? More brain fog, more fatigue, and more difficulty thinking clearly.
Where to Start: How Do We Fix This?
If you have brain fog because of gut issues, then if you heal your gut, you will heal your brain. It’s that simple—and that powerful. Here’s how:
Remove inflammatory triggers can help - but be careful not to eliminate too many things - many of our new patients have been listening to podcasts that tell them to stop eating certain foods or groups of foods. They are on a very limited diet! Definitely consider eliminating one or more - gluten, dairy, and processed foods - but be aware that many diet eliminations are not healthy psychologically or physically. If you are eating a very limited diet, please come see us!
Identify and treat hidden gut infections (think candida or H. pylori). Parasites are often a significant initial cause for inflammatory bowel syndrome - and other bowel conditions - we prefer to use a DNA plus stool culture combined test that also has an element of microscopy - where the tech actually looks for and often find cysts, eggs, larvae …YUCK! It’s good to know if you have these and if so, to get rid of them. We use the safest least invasive, most natural and most effective treatments, then we follow up to make sure unwanted organisms are gone. And our stool study can tell us if certain medicines or herbals are effective - so you don’t have to be a guinea pig. Many gut organisms now have resistance to antibiotic and/or herbal supplements, including berberine!
Support gut healing with nutrients like glutamine, zinc, and targeted probiotics. We personalize each patient’s plan and don’t do cookie cutter.
Work with an integrative expert like Lynda Sherland, CRNP, FNP-C, IFMCP, Amy Nutter, MSN, ACNP, BC, IFMCP or Dr. Jennifer Patterson DO, MMH, CHt, our Integrative & Functional Medicine Osteopathic Physician, who all specialize in gut health.
Mast Cells and Mold: The Hidden Triggers Behind Brain Inflammation
Mast cells are your body’s immune first responders—but when they overreact to mold, food, or stress, they flood your system with histamine and inflammatory chemicals.
One common trigger? Mold exposure. Mold toxins can fuel mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), leading to brain inflammation, fatigue, and relentless headaches. If you’ve felt foggy or anxious after time in a musty space—mold could be the culprit. Uncovering mold toxicity and calming mast cell overactivation is key to healing. We will soon be adding a stool histamine marker to our comprehensive diagnostic stool study!
Your Sinuses: The Surprising Link to Brain Inflammation
Your sinuses and brain are more connected than you think. Chronic sinus inflammation contributes to brain inflammation because they share immune and drainage pathways.
At Philadelphia Integrative Medicine, we use DNA-based sinus microbiome analysis to identify pathogens like fungi that disrupt this balance. With tailored antibiotic sinus rinses, we can restore your sinus health—without damaging your gut. This can be the way to break free of chronic sinusitis and chronic antibiotics!
Benefits of Rebalancing your Sinus Microbiome:
Fewer allergy and mast cell flare-ups
Relief from chronic sinus headaches
Clearer thinking and reduced brain fog
Osteopathic Manipulation: Detox, Align, and Reset
Your body’s detox network—including the lymphatic system—is crucial for clearing out brain inflammation. But when it’s stagnant, toxins build up—leading to more inflammation, especially in the brain.
Enter osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM)—a hands-on technique that helps clear that congestion and reboot your body’s natural detox systems.
Improve lymphatic flow and detoxification
Reset your nervous and immune systems
Shift your body into parasympathetic “rest and repair” mode
Dr. Jennifer Patterson, DO, CHt offers both OMM and functional medicine consultations—two powerful approaches to getting your brain and body back in balance.
The Stress-Inflammation Loop: Why Anxiety Is a Brain Barrier Problem
Ever felt more anxious when your gut is off? Chronic stress does more than wreck your mood. High cortisol breaks down the body’s immune barriers—including the gut membranes that keep the outside world out - and the blood-brain barrier. High cortisol makes it easier for toxins and inflammatory molecules to enter the gut/body, and the brain.
To break the cycle:
Regulate stress hormones with meditation, deep breathing, and adaptogens like ashwagandha, rhodiola, holy basil and eleuthero senticosus.
Strengthen brain resilience with omega-3s, magnesium, and brain-supporting herbs.
Address the root cause—gut infections, mast cell activation, and mold exposure often fuel this cycle.
Amy Nutter, MSN, ACNP, BC, IFMCP, Lynda Sherland, CRNP, FNP-C, IFMCP and Dr. Jennifer Patterson DO, MMH, CHt, our Integrative & Functional Medicine Osteopathic Physician assess your whole system—from gut to brain—to get you back in balance.
Ready to Exit Inflammation Mode? Let’s Go.
At Philadelphia Integrative Medicine, we don’t just mask symptoms—we uncover and treat the root cause so you can feel clear, calm, and energized again. Whether you’re struggling with brain fog, chronic headaches, anxiety, or fatigue, we’re here with answers that work.
If you’re ready to think clearly, feel sharp, and trust your own mind again—we’re ready to help you get there.
Schedule your appointment with Dr. Jennifer Patterson, DO, CHt, Lynda Sherland, CRNP, FNP-C, IFMCP, Amy Nutter, MSN, ACNP, BC, IFMCP, any one of our expert providers. Dr. Georgia Tetlow, MD, ABOIM, ABPMR, IFMCP meets daily with the Philadelphia Integrative Medicine provider team to support and inform care - and is impressed every day how much she learns from her own provider team. Dr. Tetlow is booking into November (that’s 8 months out) so is not accepting new patients in order to maintain adequate follow up for existing patients. We operate as a cohesive, unified provider team, and when you see one of us, you see all of us.
Your brain deserves clarity. Your nervous system deserves peace. We are here to partner with you. Let’s make it happen.