OVERVIEW
While the brain does indeed act as the organizing authority of the body, it does not operate within a vacuum. Optimal brain health and whole-body health have a two-way reciprocal relationship, as they both support and depend on each other. The human body seeks harmony and homeostasis across all bodily systems, including the endocrine, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and immune systems, just to name a few.
Acute neurological injuries such as TBI (traumatic brain injury), stroke, and concussion, as well as chronic conditions including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, often impact the entire gamut of bodily systems, not only the nervous system. These imbalances that result from brain injuries will often prevent the brain from healing itself.
It is absolutely imperative that one undergoes thorough blood chemistry analysis to identify these disruptions.
With the increasing fragmentation and specialization of the medical industry, neurologists tend to only look at the brain and nervous system rather than the body as a whole, harmonious unit. Treating the brain without addressing imbalances or disease in other bodily systems will never yield the lasting results that the patient desires. We know now that a holistic (simply meaning whole-body and mind) approach is not only preferable, it is in fact the only way to truly recover.
BRAIN INJURIES CREATE IMBALANCES IN OTHER BODILY SYSTEMS
When looking at a patient’s bloodwork, we often see issues that have arisen as a result of the brain injury. This can include hormonal dysfunction such as aromatization, for example, which causes a man’s testosterone to be converted to estrogen, and vice versa for women. This, as one can imagine, creates significant downstream effects for men such as lower energy levels and increased emotionality with less emotional stability, often leading to severe depression and sometimes even suicidal ideation.
With women who are aromatizing, they find themselves aggressive, combative, and sometimes unable to cope with emotional stressors. While these are intense experiences for the patient, we can identify this process quite simply through looking at their blood, and treat it with a high degree of success.
As mentioned above, brain injuries can create a wide range of downstream negative effects on other systems in the body. These resulting imbalances and issues can actually prevent the brain from healing fully, as the brain and body are interconnected in many ways. Even if the brain sees some short-term improvements during neurological rehabilitation sessions, an unhealthy gastrointestinal system, for example, would cause the brain to revert back to its previous state over the coming weeks and months.
It is imperative that all systems are brought back to harmony as close to simultaneously as possible. Though, sometimes certain conditions do take priority and must be addressed first. One of these situations would be when an autoimmune condition is involved.
BRAIN INJURIES TRIGGER UNDERLYING CONDITIONS
Brain injuries can actually trigger underlying conditions that were previously dormant, such as autoimmune conditions, that must be addressed. A relatively common example is when Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition that results in hypothyroidism, flares up after a concussion or TBI.
Sometimes the patient wasn’t even aware they had this condition until the brain injury set it off. In this way, a concussion can be a blessing in disguise for patients who had previously been suffering in silence from the symptoms of Hashimoto’s. Now that “the scale has been tipped” so to speak from the head injury, the patient has a full picture of why they were experiencing issues before the concussion. We often see our patients feel even better than they did before the brain injury because of this.
Another common example of this involves Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), which can be difficult to diagnose due to its symptoms resembling many other flu-like illnesses. EBV often lies relatively dormant until an event sets it off, such as a TBI, concussion, or stroke, and can create some delays and challenges in neurological recovery if not diagnosed and addressed.
As you can see, brain injuries can create different problems for different people beyond just the neurological symptoms. Looking at blood work allows our doctors to create treatment plans that are unique to each patient, and that address any underlying conditions that are preventing the brain from healing.
For more information about how we utilize blood chemistry analysis to inform our treatment protocols for TBI, stroke, concussion, and PTSD, please fill out this contact form.
As you’ve begun the journey of healing your brain after an injury, it’s likely that you’ve come across the term “neuroplasticity.” It is truly remarkable and a cornerstone of the work we do in functional neurology, so we want to make sure neuroplasticity is understood in its fullness. Many of our patients come in still a bit confused by this important concept, so let’s break it down simply, but without watering it down.
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s amazing ability to repair itself, change neural networks, grow new pathways and connections, and adapt to stimuli.
This occurs through consistently repeated activities or tasks, which, over time form new connections between neurons (brain cells) and develop new pathways. With each repetition of this activity or action, such as learning a language, playing an instrument, or meditating, this neural pathway becomes more efficient and more solidified in our nervous system. Essentially, the more we perform a certain task, the better we are at that task because of the brain’s adaptations of the neural pathways involved in performing the task.
A large portion of this refinement and efficiency occurs from increased myelination of those neural pathways.
Think of myelin like a conductor that allows the electrical impulses to travel quickly and masterfully between neurons (via the axons, which are essentially the outreaching arms of the neurons). At first, the new action is unfamiliar, so the electrical impulses don’t travel between neurons very cleanly and confidently. Over repeated practice, the connections between neurons become stronger, and the increased myelination improves the efficiency of this neuron-to-neuron communication.
Imagine that you are just starting to learn a new instrument. The hand movements are a bit rigid and unsure, and you must focus a lot of conscious attention on every aspect of it. It’s as if playing this instrument could be represented by a dirt road with a lot of potholes–difficult to maneuver quickly and a bit turbulent. As you spend hours, days, weeks, and months playing the instrument, however, you notice that it becomes easier and easier, more natural. Your hands move freely and it becomes second-nature as you can feel into the emotion of the instrument since your mind isn’t consumed by the technical components of playing. This dirt road that was previously rocky and difficult to drive on has slowly but consistently turned into a smoothly paved highway.
Outdated schools of thought previously told us that the brain is only “plastic” (i.e. exhibiting neuroplasticity) for the first portion of our lives as the brain develops, which made a stroke or brain injury seem like an irreversible, permanent condition. Research over the last few decades, however, has disproven this notion and shows that the brain continues to utilize neuroplasticity throughout our entire lives, even into our elder years.
This was a revolutionary breakthrough in the field of functional neurology, as it clearly demonstrated that the brain does in fact possess the ability to repair itself after a devastating injury.
Our therapies at Resiliency are well-researched in their ability to harness the brain’s power of neuroplasticity to affect positive, lasting changes in the brain after an injury. Whether it’s the electromagnetic impulses from rTMS (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation) or eye movement exercises specific to each patient’s treatment plan, the combinations of therapies can produce powerful results.
Our doctors understand the methodology of applying certain stimuli at the right times and having patients consistently perform the correct tasks to help the brain heal and develop resiliency.
To become a patient at Resiliency, please fill out this contact form.
Research:
When it comes to successful neurological recoveries, nutrition is a key factor–a cornerstone that cannot be overlooked. In this article, we will explain the benefits of eating brain-friendly foods, the detriments associated with eating certain neuroinflammatory foods, and a bit of background information about why proper nutrition is exponentially more important after a brain injury or stroke.
LEAKY GUT SYNDROME AND NEUROINFLAMMATION
A typical human body is designed to take in a variety of foods, which are sent through different parts of the gastrointestinal system (i.e. digestive system) to be processed and converted into energy. Beneficial nutrients are absorbed and sent to the rest of the body for nourishment, while harmful components (toxins) are filtered out and excreted.
But what happens if the lining of the gastrointestinal tract or stomach is damaged, causing harmful toxins to enter the bloodstream? This is what we call Leaky Gut Syndrome (or intestinal permeability), and it is quite common after brain injuries.
With Leaky Gut Syndrome, undigested food particles cross into the bloodstream, resulting in inflammation and impaired nutrient absorption.
These undigested particles trigger a severe immune reaction, as the immune system sends signaling molecules and cytokines to the area, resulting in inflammation. Perhaps the most troubling part of Leaky Gut is that these cytokines are even capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, which can cause inflammation in the brain–what we call neuroinflammation.
When the brain becomes inflamed, there is a drastic reduction in brain activity and this can majorly limit one’s ability to recover from a TBI, stroke, or concussion. This even has an impact on the gut-brain connection, which can create further issues in digestion. Basically, it is a loop of inflammation that needs to be broken.
Healing the gut lining becomes a top priority in this case, and resources like Cavin Balaster’s How To Feed A Brain can help along with your doctor’s recommendations.
FOODS TO EXCLUDE
While all brains are unique and all injuries are unique, there are some basic guidelines that will be beneficial across the board. The following foods should be drastically reduced, or removed altogether, from your diet as they are inflammatory and create significant setbacks in neurological recovery:
While it may seem difficult to cut these items out of your daily diet, we remind you that it is very, very important for your recovery.
Cutting sugar, dairy, and gluten out of your diet right now may be the most important decision in your recovery.
Wheat has been shown in studies to lead to increased leaky gut in all humans, and there are countless studies concerning immune responses to wheat and gluten. The basic principle here is to avoid wheat, yeast, rye, oats (unless marked “gluten free”), and barley.
As we mentioned before, people with brain injuries, strokes, concussions, or mental health conditions are far more likely to have Leaky Gut. With Leaky Gut, wheat and dairy can be especially damaging. When wheat (gluten) and dairy proteins get into the bloodstream undigested, the intestine becomes even more permeable, allowing other foods that weren’t bothersome before to cross into the bloodstream and to also cause an immune response.
BONE BROTH
The research is unanimous here–along with countless patient anecdotes–that bone broth is a must. If you have Leaky Gut, your first priority is to heal the gut lining and reduce the permeability to reduce inflammation and improve nutrient absorption. Even if your gut is healthy and your gut lining is strong, bone broth provides incredible support for metabolic and physiological systems, and can accelerate neurological recovery.
Traditional bone broth (made from cooking bones) is densely packed with minerals which are necessary for healthy biology, including nervous system functions, neurotransmitter production, and muscle contraction. In addition to these minerals, bone broth contains collagen, gelatin, glycine, proline, and other nutrients that will help to shore up the gut lining and heal Leaky Gut.
Note: We’re not talking about your typical chicken stock you get at the grocery store, as that likely won’t contain the minerals we’re looking for. There are certainly some brands of bone broth that are significantly better than others, but we recommend making it at home. If making it at home isn’t an option, we can provide you with a list of brands that we recommend once you’re in our clinic.
For instructions and more information about making your own mineral-rich bone broth, we highly recommend Cavin Balaster’s website.
FOODS TO INCLUDE
Now that we’ve discussed foods to eliminate from your diet, as well as using bone broth to fix the gut and fuel the brain, we can offer some guidelines for what to eat regularly.
A simple recommendation that’s good for all brain injury recoveries is to eat whole foods.
A healthy balance of vegetables and high quality animal protein is a great methodology for proper nutrition. Since each patient is different, we like to provide more specific nutritional recommendations in clinic once you arrive and we’ve had time to analyze your blood chemistry.
With that being said, we’ve still included a few lists of vegetables, fats, and proteins we consider good across the board.
LEAFY GREENS
Leafy greens are excellent sources of nutrients such as vitamin B (energy, myelin), vitamin A (optic nerve, eye health), vitamin C (tissue health, immune health), and vitamin K (blood vessel health, myelin). **Note that too much vitamin K can be contraindicated with blood thinners, so check with your doctor before adding vitamin K-rich foods into your diet)
SULFUR-RICH VEGETABLES
Sulfur-rich vegetables are probably the most under-appreciated, yet hugely important foods that we will be adding to our diets. Sulfur is important for liver detoxification, the health of our blood vessels, and healthy skin, hair, and nails.
“HEALTHY” FATS
Since over 60% of the human brain is made of lipid (fatty acid), fats will be crucial to your neurological recovery. High quality animal fats (grass-fed, pasture raised) are key nutrition for a recovering brain. High quality fish oils containing DHA and EPA are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which support the brain in many ways.
Additional reminders:
A BOOK RECOMMENDATION
In order to grasp the true importance of proper nutrition for a brain recovering from a TBI or stroke, we invite you to purchase the book, How to Feed A Brain: Nutrition for Optimal Brain Health and Repair, written by one of Dr. Gaudet’s former patients. It has helped thousands of brain injury survivors find empowerment through nutrition, and has served as an invaluable resource for hundreds of Dr. Gaudet’s patients over the years.
Excerpt from the back of the book:
After sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury that left him comatose with less than a 10% chance of regaining consciousness beyond a vegetative state, Cavin has devoted years to researching and connecting with doctors, nutritionists, researchers, professors, practitioners, neuroscientists, and more. How To Feed A Brain is the culmination of the nutritional tools that he has learned through this journey.
How to Feed A Brain teaches you about specific brain-supporting nutrients, how these nutrients affect us, and what we can eat to support our brain function. Cavin also gives you real-life stories of how he used nutrition in his own brain recovery. The book includes downloads to printable charts, lists, and user-friendly handouts to take to the grocery store or put on the fridge so that readers can easily apply what they learn to optimally feed their brains.