Anything to help mental focus? | FerrariChat

Anything to help mental focus?

Discussion in 'Health & Fitness' started by TexasF355F1, Sep 30, 2011.

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  1. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    Feb 2, 2004
    69,176
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    Jason
    Is there anything out there to help increase mental focus thats OTC or natural?

    The older I get the harder it's becoming for me to focus. I've always had an issue, but it's really becoming difficult.

    I had an EEG done earlier this year for other reasons, but was hoping it would show I was ADD. But I'm just below what the minimum is to be considered ADD/ADHD.

    Any help/advice would be great.

    Thanks.
     
  2. PRS

    PRS Formula Junior

    Jun 1, 2011
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    Pete S
    Get a full blood panel done. Everything including hormones. Could be a simple vitamin deficiency or something more. Expensive, but worth it.
     
  3. Huskerbill

    Huskerbill F1 Rookie

    Sep 6, 2004
    4,126
    Oconomowoc, WI
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    Bill
    Your testosterone levels are probably that of a 12 year old boy. Maybe less. Have it checked. Worked for my 80 year old dad (who could bench 200lbs still) who told me "You know, my workouts have really been terrible lately. I just don't have the mental or physical stamina like I used to."

    Now he feels like a million bucks again.
     
  4. Mrpbody44

    Mrpbody44 F1 Veteran

    Jul 5, 2007
    7,899
    St Augustine Florida
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    Steve Metz
    Get your testosterone checked. Also check vitamin A & D levels. I had this problem and that cleared it up.
     
  5. billyfitness

    billyfitness Formula Junior

    Feb 14, 2006
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    Overland Park, KS
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    Bill Leavitt
    Maybe someone could fill me in on the relationship between ADD and hormones.

    -Billy
     
  6. PRS

    PRS Formula Junior

    Jun 1, 2011
    715
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    Pete S
    I think ADD is more of a catch all in this case for, "I can't focus very well." Lack of focus is a symptom of low testosterone in men, however, it could be a symptom of something else being out of whack which is why I suggested a full blood panel that covers everything. No sense in guessing or spending hundreds of $$$ on supplements that won't/don't work.

    I don't believe in taking anything until I know what it is I need to be taking :)
     
  7. Schatten

    Schatten F1 World Champ
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    Apr 3, 2001
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    Randy
    There was a time I was trying DMAE (I think that's what it was), which is OTC stuff. Worked well, and I don't think it was a placebo effect. Come to think of it... I should try to get back on something like that now. Focus is difficult and the internet age, even beyond the timeouts of age-old prime time tv commercials are absent and void. Our breaks of information overload are minimal. It could be the times. Try to focus on one task at a time, becoming a non-multitasker. http://lifehacker.com/5646560/the-one-task-at-a-time-method-increased-efficiency-in-a-multitasking-world
     
  8. finnerty

    finnerty F1 World Champ

    May 18, 2004
    10,406
    #8 finnerty, Oct 3, 2011
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2011
    Try starting your day with the following (assuming that you are not diabetic and have no other significant metabolic disorders)....


    A banana ---- the potassium is very beneficial to concentration and mental focus, and the phosphorus is good too

    An egg ---- for the protein energy

    A cup of green tea, w/o caffeine, but with a teaspoon or two of raw (avoid the processed / "refined" crap) sugar ---- the brain is entirely a glucose engine

    And, if you are not averse to taking minor supplements ---- add an RDA dosage of a high-quality multi-B-complex vitamin for a "non-stimulant" boost :)


    All of the above is harmless, unless you have a serious (and unusual) underlying condition, which I highly doubt because you had the EEG, and you would have also had to have had an accompanying full work-up near the same time ---- EEG's don't get performed "just for the hell of it" or without ruling out / covering all the basics.
     
  9. finnerty

    finnerty F1 World Champ

    May 18, 2004
    10,406
    #9 finnerty, Oct 3, 2011
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2011
    Ditto on the Vitamin D ----

    Recent thought is that Vitamin D levels play much more of an important role than was previous believed. Much of the medical community now believes that the body needs to get much higher intakes of V-D to maintain proper levels, and many recommend adding (remarkably) high daily dosages of a high-quality V-D supplement.

    Remember --- with ALL vitamin supplements, quality is IMPORTANT and varies widely.....spend the extra money for the "good stuff", the cheap stuff is worthless garbage in most cases :).
     
  10. drjohngober

    drjohngober Formula 3

    Jul 23, 2006
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    In the mornings, I mix the following n a blender ( about to have one now)

    1) Boathouse Carrot juice
    2) 1 pack frozen Acai Berries
    3) 1 pack Advocare Fibercare
    4) 1 can Verve http://www.vemma.com/verve/
    5) 1 pack of FRS http://www.frs.com/
    6) 1 scoop of Advocare Sparks

    Much better than Starbucks. During the day (Sometimes I am sitting in the operating room for 8-10 hours) I usually start to catch my mind wandering. I take a pack of FRS and just shake it up in water. It really helps me focus.
     
  11. billyfitness

    billyfitness Formula Junior

    Feb 14, 2006
    581
    Overland Park, KS
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    Bill Leavitt
    Be careful with those 'Multi-Level Marketing' Products from Advocare, Verve, Monavie, etc..Fully laden with chemicals, sugars, (fake and otherwise) and food colorings.
    That's unless you're making $100K plus a year selling the stuff! :)

    -Billy
     
  12. billyfitness

    billyfitness Formula Junior

    Feb 14, 2006
    581
    Overland Park, KS
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    Bill Leavitt
    My ADD seems to stem from having 50 things on my mind at any given time.
    Supposedly 90% of your thoughts are subconscious. No supplement is going to help with it, just mental sorting and prioritization.

    Too bad there's not a spyware or phishing pill we can take to knock the unwanted thoughts out!

    -Billy
     
  13. Schatten

    Schatten F1 World Champ
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    Apr 3, 2001
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    There is! It's called Nyquil.
     
  14. Chupacabra

    Chupacabra F1 Rookie
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    Sep 30, 2005
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    You know what? That crap keeps me awake, believe it or not. I just get into this weird sleepy state where my mind is going a million miles an hour and won't let me actually fall asleep. Argh! Tylenol PM, etc...same story. I just don't take anything if I get a cold, except for (reluctantly) Motrin.
     
  15. Jimmilew

    Jimmilew Formula Junior

    Apr 13, 2011
    355
    "Your focus needs more focus" -Jackie Chan

    Sorry, I though that was funny. All of the above advice looks right to me!

    JL
     
  16. Paul Vincent

    Paul Vincent Formula Junior

    Apr 3, 2004
    478
    "Is there anything out there to help increase mental focus thats OTC or natural?" Not what you were looking for, but my answer is competition.
     
  17. 166&456

    166&456 Formula 3

    Jul 13, 2010
    1,723
    Amsterdam
    Driving your 355 on the limit is bound to increase your focus :D

    Jokes aside, in my experience it is important to keep up the mental spirit. Work your body, physically and mentally. If you do not regularly sport, go out and do some as bloodflow is extremely important for your brain. Make sure you sleep regularly and enough. If you drink alcohol or smoke, stop doing that as it kills braincells and obstructs bloodflow.

    If your focus issue is getting worse and not directly caused by external distractions, a bad diet, lack of structure in your actions, or a lack of exercise or sleep, I would totally agree on the blood analysis. You need to have a plan to tackle this, and to have a good plan you first need good information. Investment in proper diagnosis is always worth it. Talk to a dietician, it could be they find a food intolerance you never knew about or some other metabolism issue. Good luck and let us know of the outcome.

    Of course it is possible that nothing is found and your harddrive is a bit full and not functioning on the potential it once had, and may never do again. You may need to lower your expectations of life and things you can do in parallel. We all have to eventually.
     
  18. 76Steel

    76Steel Formula 3

    Sep 8, 2007
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    On another side, you can also try meditation. Perfect for quieting the clutter that pollutes our brain. We have so much in our minds, that our brains feel like we do not have our thoughts anymore.

    If you want, check out One Minute Mediatation/Stacey Mayo on You Tube. Definitely worth a shot and it is very easy. Good luck and best wishes!!
     
  19. Schatten

    Schatten F1 World Champ
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    Apr 3, 2001
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    Funny! Just watched this with my gf the other night. And quite true!
     
  20. Mrpbody44

    Mrpbody44 F1 Veteran

    Jul 5, 2007
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    Steve Metz
    I take cod liver oil for vitamin D cleared up 80% of my ADD which I suffered with for years.
     
  21. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    That's precisely my issue. May not be all of it, but part of it.

    There is "brain training" tests I can do with the therapist. Like everything it costs money. Maybe in the future, but right now it's not feasible for me.

    The therapist was amazed at my testing results. When in "sleep mode" my brain is highly active when it should be very limited. It reminded me of one of the spirl-o-graphs we had as kids. My normal brain function is already elevated quite high and why I can be emotional and get happy/sad/ticked off immediately instead of gradually.

    I did ask her about smoking weed (which I haven't done in years). I always felt I had an easier time focusing when i was high. She said it's a good possibility that it helped.

    Thanks Steve. Where have you found specific cod liver oil......vitamin shoppe?

    Thanks again everyone for all your help.
     
  22. Mrpbody44

    Mrpbody44 F1 Veteran

    Jul 5, 2007
    7,899
    St Augustine Florida
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    Cod liver oil caps at Publix $4 for 100
     
  23. WCporsche

    WCporsche Karting

    Feb 19, 2012
    102
    Thornton, PA
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    Connor Sherman
    Nootropics seem to fit the bill.

    Look into racetams, DMAE, DHEA and 5-HTP.
     

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