Natural Remedies for Brain Health and Focus

Ever forget why you walked into a room or struggle to focus? Occasional brain fog is normal, but if it persists, your brain may need extra support. Or better yet—nourishing our noggins before we feel depleted feeds a brain that can sustain us for the long haul.

In this post, we’ll explore simple, natural ways to boost brain health: nourishing foods, helpful herbs, key nutrients, and easy habits for lasting clarity and focus.

Foundations for Brain Health

Move your body. Moving our bodies boosts brain power and helps defend against age-related illnesses. Simple walks around the block, yoga, and dancing in the living room are excellent ways to keep things moving. Consistency is more important than intensity. (13)

Move your brain. “Use it or lose it” applies just as much to our brain as it does to our body. Doing puzzles, playing games, reading, and learning new skills all help keep our brains strong and clear. (13)

Prioritize sleep. During sleep, our brains repair in ways they can’t while we’re awake, preparing us for a clear day ahead and protecting us from age-related mental decline. (13) If sleep is a struggle for you, our Secret to a Good Night’s Sleep guide or Sleepy Time tincture are here to help.

Hydrate. We need clean water and electrolytes for clear minds, balanced moods, energy, and healthy aging. (15)

Eat brain food. Whole, unrefined, nutrient-rich foods help bolster our brains, especially certain foods like blueberries, leafy greens, and whole grains. The Omega-3 Fatty Acids in fish make it a super food for our brains and Cod Liver Oil can be a fantastic way to get this important nutrient into our diets. (17)

Support gut Health. A balanced microbiome boosts mood and focus. (16) Our Gut Health Oil and Digest Support are great helpers for a healthy gut.

Connect socially. Interaction with people (or pets) strengthens mental health. (13)

Herbs for Brain Health and Focus

We’re so blessed to have nature’s medicine growing right outside our doors. Some of our brain-friendly favorites are:

Rosemary. The scent alone helps wake up a sluggish brain, and the effect is only enhanced by steeping its leaves into tea. Rosemary helps energize us, uplift us from heavy emotions, and manage aging-related mental challenges. (3) Our Rosemary Mini Guide shares lots of information, recipes, and activities to get the whole family making the most of this important herb. And you’ll find it in our Vitality Oil, Castor Detox, and many of our natural body care offerings.

Lemon Balm is a lemony, minty kid-friendly garden favorite that can lift a low mood and soothe anxious feelings. (4) We blend it with other calming herbs in our Relax & Unwind Tea and include it in our nourishing, energizing Greens Powder.

Gotu Kola is one of our brain’s best friends. It supports healthy brain function when we’re dealing with stress, injury or illness, and promotes memory and learning. (5)

Ginkgo Biloba is another herb that supports memory and mental sharpness. It is also known to help with a healthy stress response and stabilize emotional ups and downs. (6)

Mushrooms. They're all the rage for giving us a nutritious morning boost without the downsides of caffeine. Although their popularity may be recent, they have been used medicinally for centuries. Some of the brain-friendliest mushrooms we know are:

Lion’s Mane is popular for clearing mental clouds, helping us remember better, and supporting healthy stress and inflammatory responses. It may be supportive in cases of age-related brain illnesses.

Reishi is known for helping our brains focus and learn. You’ll find it in our Mushroom Tincture, along with Lion’s Mane.

Chaga is especially popular for supporting memory and a healthy inflammatory response in the brain.

Cordyceps is known to help cut through brain fog and support learning, memory and focus.

(7)

All four of these powerful mushroom allies can be found in our 5 Mushroom Super Blend, and all of them are adaptogens, meaning they help us adapt to stress. Instead of giving us a quick boost like caffeine, they work behind the scenes to keep our energy, mood, and focus steady—even when life gets hectic.

Some other Adaptogens that are our brain’s good friends:

Brahmi (aka Bacopa) has been used in Ayurveda for centuries to clear mental fog and keep our thinking sharp. This powerful herb also supports stress resilience and hormonal stability. Brahmi has even been used to help people bounce back from chronic fatigue and other brain-related challenges. (2) We’ve included it in our Calm & Clarity and Thyroid Support formulas.

Ashwagandha has been a go-to brain booster in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. It’s known for helping with memory and focus, and it really shines when life gets overwhelming and stress starts piling up. (8) (9) It’s one of the team players in our Master Tonic and Natural Balance tinctures.

Holy Basil (aka Tulsi) can lift the fog from tired brains and help ease emotional ups and downs. When we need support with learning and remembering, this adaptogenic ally is here for us. (8) (10) You’ll find it in our Adaptogenic Immunity and Relax & Renew Oil.

Eleuthero (aka Siberian ginseng) can help clear our heads when exhaustion has a hold on us, and it can lift some of the weight when we’re feeling stressed. (11) It’s another important member of our Adaptogenic Immunity team.

Key Nutrients for Brain Health

Magnesium helps keep our nervous system calm, supports learning and memory, and even plays a role in managing stress. When you aren’t getting enough, you may notice more brain fog or trouble focusing. (12) The good news? You can boost your intake through foods like leafy greens, nuts, and seeds—or give your body an extra helping hand with something like our Magnesium Lotion for easy absorption.

Omega-3 fatty acids help keep our memory sharp, support mood balance, and even protect against age-related decline. You’ll find them in foods like salmon, sardines, chia seeds, and walnuts. If you’re not getting enough from your plate, our Cod Liver Oil is an easy way to give your brain what it needs to thrive.

B vitamins help turn food into fuel, keep our moods steady, and support healthy nerve function. When you’re low on B vitamins, you might feel tired, foggy, or stressed. Eat plenty of foods like eggs, leafy greens, whole grains, and legumes—and our Nourish Her Naturally gives a convenient boost.

Antioxidants help keep brain cells healthy and energy flowing. You’ll find antioxidants in colorful foods like berries, dark chocolate, and leafy greens—and in herbs and spices too! Want an easy boost? Our Super Foods Powder packs a punch of antioxidant-rich goodness to keep our brains feeling their best.

Habits that Improve Focus

There are some simple daily ways we can help our brains feel clear and strong.

Morning Sunlight for 10-15 minutes may be the easiest and most effective way to set our brains up for a clear, uplifted, and focused day. Start where you are. Even a few minutes through a window can do wonders. (18) (19)

Movement. Walking; stretching; yoga; patting, tapping, and shaking; dancing. It doesn’t have to be a major effort. What feels good that gets you moving? Anything that gets our blood flowing is great for our brains.

Breaks throughout the day. Step away from the screens, loves. Our brains need us to change it up, and they need oxygen! Breathing, stretching, shaking out our body parts. If it feels hard to remember to pause, set alarms for breathing breaks a few times a day.

Protein and fat at breakfast. Protein gives our brains the building blocks for focus and energy that sustains us through the day. (20)

Use lists to reduce mental load. Instead of trying to remember all the things, declutter your brain by unloading information onto lists.

Professional support. Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and talk therapy can all give our brains a break from trying to do it all ourselves and can give us tools for ongoing support.

The Bottom Line

Our precious brains work so hard to keep every single part of us thriving, and they can’t do it all without the support of nourishing food, healthy habits, and a little help from our herbal allies. And remember—a little goes a long way. It's not about perfection. Start by breathing a little extra oxygen into your sweet noggin and go from there. You've got this, and we’ve got your back!

Disclaimer - This blog post is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services and its statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider regarding a specific medical condition.

Sources:

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0262407922010247?via%3Dihub
2. https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/brahmi/
3. https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/rosemary/
4. https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/lemon-balm/
5. https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/gotu-kola/
6. https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/ginkgo/
7. https://bodybio.com/blogs/blog/mushrooms-brain-health
8. https://pediatricbrainfoundation.org/adaptogens-for-brain-health/
9. https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/ashwagandha/
10. https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/tulsi/
11. https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/siberian-ginseng/
12. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2024.1406455/full
13. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/brain-health
14. https://www.health.com/condition/alzheimers/brain-fog-causes
15. https://fayazneurosurgery.com/how-dehydration-affects-your-brain/
16. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/the-gut-brain-connection
17. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/mind-diet-boost-memory
18. https://www.bannerhealth.com/healthcareblog/teach-me/sun-gating-and-morning-light-for-better-sleep
19. https://ahead-app.com/blog/procrastination/the-science-of-morning-light-how-early-sun-exposure-rewires-your-brain-for-better-days-20250128-205058
20. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3649463/