Brain Fog? The Surprising Link Between Your Diet and Mental Clarity

We’ve all heard them: momisms.
“Eat your vegetables.” “Go to bed early.” “Mind your manners.”

At first, they sound like simple reminders from childhood. But dig a little deeper, and you realize they’re not just “mom’s rules.” They’re wise words that have stood the test of time across families, cultures, and generations. Today, neuroscience is proving what our mothers, grandmothers, and elders always seemed to know: these sayings carry real truth about how humans can thrive.

Why Food Choices are Important for Leaders

Leadership is demanding. Every day, you make countless decisions, respond to stressors, and need to bring your best focus and presence to others. That hazy feeling of not being able to focus or think clearly—brain fog—can wreak havoc on your ability to lead well. While coffee and sugar seem like quick fixes to clear it up, over time those coping mechanisms will actually make it worse. 

Fortunately, there's a momism that can assist you to lead your best. Following the advice to "Eat your vegetables" can help you avoid brain fog. What you eat has a big impact on your brain’s ability to manage stress, regulate emotions, and stay sharp.

This isn’t about body size, diets, or rigid rules. It’s about giving your brain the steady fuel it needs to handle the challenges of leadership. Neuroscience shows that the gut and brain are deeply linked. The balance of what you eat can influence mood, focus, and even how calm or anxious you feel. Meals that include fibre, protein, and healthy fats tend to support steadier energy and clearer thinking. That doesn’t mean avoiding the foods you love—it means finding balance so your brain gets what it needs to perform at its best.

A recent study published in the European Journal of Nutrition has found that consuming magnesium-rich foods, like leafy greens and nuts, leads to larger brain volumes and better brain health.¹ And other studies have found that plant-based diets may improve cognition, executive function, and memory, possibly by reducing inflammation.² 

While changing your eating habits overnight can feel daunting, an easy way to eat for optimal brain function is to think of adding on, rather than subtracting. With each meal, simply add on more fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Over time, your brain will learn to crave these healthier foods, and unhealthy foods will naturally start to take up less room on your plate.³ 

How and When Leaders Eat Matters

While incorporating healthier foods into your daily meals is a game changer, it's not the only thing that matters. How and when you eat can be just as important. Skipping meals, working while eating, or relying on caffeine for energy can leave your brain in “survival mode,” which makes patience, perspective, and good decision-making harder. On the other hand, leaders who eat calmly and consistently are often steadier and more grounded under pressure—not because they have more willpower, but because their brains are better supported.

Lead by Healthy Example

Eating for optimal brain health and engaging in a good self-care routine isn't just good for you and your leadership abilities, it also sets the tone for those you lead. Whether it’s snacking on fresh veggies instead of candy, pausing for lunch instead of working through it, encouraging walking meetings instead of sitting, or normalizing healthy hydration instead of caffeination, you're showing others that well-being matters. Your choices don’t have to be perfect—they just need to reflect that caring for yourself is accepted and encouraged. When leaders normalize self-care at work, others are often inspired to follow. That leads to healthier, higher performing teams.

Practical Takeaways

• Notice how different foods affect your energy and focus—everyone’s body is different.
• Build in breaks to nourish yourself, just as you would schedule a meeting.
• Model balance, not perfection, for your team.

Reflection Question

What’s one small way you can fuel yourself this week—not to change your body, but to support your brain, your energy, and your leadership?

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This post is part of a blog series inspired by the book Your Mother Was Right, written by Sandra McDowell, CEO and Founder of eLeadership Academy. In the book, Sandra explores how timeless advice, once delivered at the kitchen table, is now backed by brain science—and how leaders can apply it to show up with greater clarity, resilience, and influence.

Sources: 

1 Alateeq K, Walsh E, Cherbuin N. Dietary magnesium intake is related to larger brain volumes and lower white matter lesions with notable sex differences. Eur J Nutr. Published online March 10, 2023. doi:10.1007/s00394-023-03123-x 

2 Ramey M, Shields G, Yonelinas A. Markers of a plant-based diet relate to memory and executive function in older adults. Nutr Neurosci. 2022;25(2):276-285. doi:10.1080/1028415X.2020.1751506 

3 Deckersbach T, Das SK, Urban LE, et al. Pilot randomization trial demonstrating reversal of obesity-related abnormalities in reward system responsivity to food cues with a behavioral intervention. Nutr Diabetes. Published online September 1, 2014.

About eLeadership Academy^®

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