Foods to Help Heal a Brain Injury

Transcript:

Britni: Welcome to Dishing Up Nutrition, brought to you by Nutritional Weight & Wellness. Today's discussion is about how to heal after a traumatic brain injury, which does include a concussion. And if you've had a brain injury or you've supported someone who has, have you ever been told there's just not much you can do? You just rest and you wait it out.

Well, that is not the full story because the food that you're eating and your daily habits make a huge impact in how your brain is going to heal. So we are here today to give you some guidance so you're not feeling stuck or powerless. My name is Britni Vincent. I'm a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, and with me today is Brandy Buro. And thanks for joining me, Brandy.

Brandy: Yeah, thanks for having me, Britni. And it's true. What you eat and what you avoid eating can make a huge difference in your recovery after a brain injury. We know that now. We're not just talking about the very short-term healing immediately after the incident, but the right support can even set you up for long-term success when it comes to your brain health.

It can impact your memory, it can impact your mood. It can even impact your risk for developing a neurodegenerative neurodegenerative disease down the line. And I think it is an important conversation to start having because when somebody has a brain injury, I think a lot of time the advice that they're given is take it easy. Rest. Maybe limit screen time.

And I know that was for the, that was the case for me when I had a concussion, I would think, I think I was 17. I was just kind of told to take it easy. Don't jog for two weeks. I got out of gym class for two weeks. But that was really it. And then I never really thought about it much until now, honestly.

Britni: Yeah, yeah.

Brandy: But nutrition is really important. I wish that I knew then what I know now. We know that food matters. We know that the brain needs raw materials from food to heal. We know that food can help reduce inflammation. It can help stabilize blood sugar. We know that the choices that you make every single day can either support your recovery or slow it down.

What happens in the brain after an injury?

Britni: So before we dive into some specific recommendations, let's talk about what actually happens in the brain after an injury. Right after trauma to the brain, there's an immune response, which leads to what's called a metabolic crisis, where all of a sudden the brain doesn't have enough energy. The brain suddenly needs more energy, but its ability to utilize glucose sufficiently is impaired, so it just can't get enough glucose…

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: …or energy to the brain. So it's kind of like your brain is running on empty while trying to repair itself, which does not go well. And that cascades into inflammation that can continue for weeks, months, and even years sometimes in the case of post-concussion syndrome. So that inflammation, it's a sign of the immune system trying to repair damage. But if that inflammation sticks around too long, it really can slow down the healing process.

Brandy: Yeah.

Britni: Some more immediate signs of inflammation after a brain injury might be nausea. Some people have anger or depression, maybe light sensitivity, bowel problems, or any variety of those symptoms. And sometimes people will just have a persistent headache.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: And so basically it's systemic inflammation that can manifest in many different ways throughout your body.

Brandy: Right. I know one client I worked with, she actually started seeing me because she was experiencing some pretty significant constipation. And the more we talked, I found out she had had three concussions within the last nine months. And once we started treating the gut and supporting, you know, aftercare from a concussion, things eventually did improve.

Britni: Wow.

Brandy: But who would've thought that constipation could be a side effect after a concussion? And on top of all those symptoms that you just mentioned, Britni, we see an increase in free radicals. We can see neurotransmitter imbalances, disruption of blood flow to the brain, and that is why nutrition is so critical during this time.

Nutrition is critical for brain repair & inflammation reduction

So we need to give the brain the raw materials that it needs to repair itself. Big picture, real food is going to provide those nutrients. Real food is what is going to help calm the inflammation. And we'll talk about this later, but it's also really important in stabilizing blood sugar and giving our brain that steady supply of glucose.

Britni: Mm-hmm. And so you mentioned this with your clients, but I don't think a lot of people realize that after a brain injury, it's not just the brain that takes a hit. Your gut does too.

The gut can become compromised after a brain injury

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: And you know that gut-brain connection is very much a real thing, and brain injury can disrupt the gut within hours. Brain injury can disrupt the gut, you know, for the short term, or it, it can cause some long-term imbalances.

Brandy: Yeah.

Britni: It can throw off the balance of good bacteria. Your gut lining may become more irritated, damaged, which also is going to ramp up inflammation in the body. And again, because your gut and your brain, they're constantly talking to each other so that extra inflammation can actually make symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, mood swings even worse, and again, slow down that healing process.

But if you're supporting your gut and your brain through eating real food, getting nutrient dense foods, you're also lowering that overall inflammation and just creating a lot better environment for, for your brain to recover.

Foods to incorporate to help recover after a brain injury

Brandy: That’s right. So let's get practical about this and just talk about what foods we need to start incorporating to help recover after a brain injury. So if somebody is listening and wants a really simple takeaway, I would say that every meal needs to include some quality protein, some natural healthy fat and carbohydrates that are coming from colorful vegetables and fruit. So plants.

And we like to start with protein because that is foundational. Protein provides amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks for tissues and neurotransmitters. So basically it's going to help repair damaged tissue and support a rebalancing of the, our neurotransmitter levels, our brain chemicals.

Animal proteins are proteins that our bodies readily absorb and utilize very well. It's just a very efficient way to get those amino acids. So choosing things like grass fed poultry, wild caught fish, pasture raised eggs, grass fed dairy, if you tolerate dairy, those would all be good examples of animal-based proteins to get our amino acids in.

Britni: And, you know, during a time of recovery and healing, your protein needs are actually higher right than they normally are. So that protein is, is extra important during, during this time of stress that your body is in. And we also want to include healthy fats. This is a main focus when healing the brain. Because a large percentage of our brain is fat. Like 60%. Which pretty crazy to think about.

Brandy: Yeah.

Britni: So we want to make sure we are nourishing that fatty brain with healthy fat. I especially want to call out omega-3 fatty acids. They are essential, meaning we need to get them from food or supplementation. And part of our brain is made of DHA, which is one of the therapeutic forms of, of omega-threes, so it's going to help to support flexibility and repair.

And then the other therapeutic form of omega three's, EPA, is really going to just help to reduce the inflammation systemically. So good food sources of omega-threes would be fatty fish, salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring. Those would all be great choices.

Brandy: Yeah. The SMASH fish.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: It’s the acronym to remember which fish I need to be eating. So those fatty fish are going to be a great source of omega-3, both the EPA and DHA. I recommend trying to incorporate fatty fish three or four times a week. That's ideal. I know that can be a tall order for a lot of people to be consistent with that. So this is one of those times where we are really encouraging supplementation here.

Because the omega-3 is so crucial for repairing the brain and dropping inflammation. So we have a little protocol, particularly for brain injuries when it comes to omega-3. It's going to sound like a lot, but this is really what the brain needs to, to heal. So we like to start out with a really high dose of omega-3.

We're talking about 10 grams of omega-3 every day for about a week. So three grams, three times a day for a whole week, and then the following week, a little less. We're tapering down. We're doing about six grams of omega-3 for the next week. So three grams twice a day, and then for the maintenance phase, three grams a day ongoing. So quite a bit higher first starting, but temporary. And that's really just to, to give your brain the support it needs in those early phases of recovery.

Britni: Yeah. And I've done that with many clients over the years. And again, even if you're somebody that had a concussion years ago, but you're still struggling, you can still do it.

Brandy: Absolutely.

Britni: I would say the only contraindication would be is if you're on a blood thinner.

Brandy: Yep. Or if you have a fish allergy, I suppose.

Britni: Then that would not be a good idea.

Brandy: Yeah.

Britni: Outside of those omega-threes, we still want to get other healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, maybe butter, avocado oil, and all of these foods, again, are going to help to nourish our brain, lower that inflammation, support energy, and help to stabilize our blood sugar.

Brandy: Mm-hmm. Yeah, it plays a big role there. When we're thinking about carbohydrates, we do want to focus on color. So thinking about our plants, our vegetables, our fruit. Every time we eat, we are getting some really powerful antioxidants from plants. We're also getting minerals. We get some fiber that supports our gut.

Altogether this is an important part of our anti-inflammatory meal plan, so I'm thinking, I'm going deeply pigmented plants, berries, leafy greens, broccoli, red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, peppers, carrots, you know, we're shooting for color here. The more color you get, the more the antioxidants you're getting, the variety of nutrients you're getting, and while you're recovering from a brain injury, we want to keep things simple.

Britni: Yeah absolutely.

Brandy: Veggie prep can feel overwhelming. So my little hack is go for frozen, go for like the frozen mixed vegetables, the frozen berries. They're, you know, basically ready to cook or throw in a smoothie.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: You know, don't overcomplicate it.

Britni: Great advice because you're already probably feeling overwhelmed. And then adding food prep to it could just be a little too much.

Brandy: Yeah.

Britni: And you know, if you're somebody after a brain injury that is struggling with some nausea or maybe you don't have much of an appetite, you know, soup might be a great idea made with bone broth, which is rich in gut healing nutrients.

Scrambled eggs can be easy. Smoothies are a great idea because if you're just not having much of an appetite, generally it's easier to drink something than force yourself to chew something.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: And you can really pack a lot of nutrients into a smoothie. And we have tons of recipes on our website, weightandwellness.com. And then another key piece of this is not skipping meals.

Brandy: That's right.

Britni: It will exacerbate your symptoms. And then also we've all been there. We skip a meal and then we gravitate toward carbs at the end of the day.

Brandy: Yep.

Britni: And those more processed carbohydrates are not going to help to support healing your brain.

Eat often enough to support blood sugar balance

Brandy: Yeah, they're inflammatory. And our, our goal here is to calm inflammation. So the more we can avoid those processed foods, the better. And eating often enough is important to keep your blood sugar stable. So that is foundational for brain support.

So what does eating regularly enough mean for blood sugar control? For most people, that means they're having a meal or a snack every three to four hours. That's going to supply your body and brain with kind of a, a gentle stream of energy throughout the day, preventing blood sugar crashes, which can stress your brain.

And the best way to eat for blood sugar control is by combining all the things that we just talked about. We want protein with fat and some real food carbohydrates. So something like, maybe it's some grass-fed yogurt with berries and some walnuts. You know, that would be a really simple snack or breakfast.

Britni: Yeah. That sounds delicious.

Brandy: That combines all three components. And it's delicious.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: Easy.

Britni: So that kind of eating, you know, it's stabilizing your blood sugar and preventing you from being on a blood sugar rollercoaster. Which again, can, can exacerbate or cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, brain fog, all of that.

Brandy: That's right. And. This is really important when somebody is trying to manage their symptoms. Because if somebody's, you know, kind of complaining about fatigue or headaches, sometimes part of the picture really is the blood sugar piece.

Britni: I would absolutely agree with that. Yeah.

Brandy: It could be the blood sugar talking, or just making some of these symptoms crop up more often. So once we kind of eliminate the blood sugar issue as part of the picture, it's easier to kind of see where the dust settles and where to focus our attention.

Key supplements to consider

Britni: So true. So now that we've gone over the basics of how to eat to support brain recovery, I want to mention some key supplements I would add in too. Again, we always say food first, but in a time like this where your brain and body are in crisis mode to recover, it may be more supplement heavy for a short amount of time to help support your body's healing, reduce that inflammation, and basically get you feeling better faster.

Brandy: Mm-hmm. That's right. So we've already talked about omega-3, and the importance of having omega-3 as part of your supplement plan, your healing plan, like strong recommend there. But I think another important supplement you can consider for brain recovery; we don't always hear about it as much, is creatine.

So again, healing takes a lot of energy. Especially after a brain injury, your brain may have a harder time producing and using energy efficiently, which can just make you feel more tired. You might have trouble concentrating, but creatine is going to help by acting like a backup energy system for the brain. It supports the storage and quick recycling of energy. So when your brain needs that extra fuel, especially during the times where you just need to use your brain more, you have maybe a big task at hand, you're at work, that energy is available.

So if you've had a brain injury, creatine may be something you want to try, you know, for a few weeks, just to give yourself a little bit of a boost, prevent some of that mental crash that you might, might be feeling. It's kind of like a generator for your brain, you know, it's kind of a little backup system.

So I recommend about 10 grams a day. Most of the time one scoop will be five grams. So five grams twice a day. That would be a good starting point. You could probably back that down to five grams a day as a maintenance dose moving forward.

Britni: Well, it is already time for our break and when we return, we'll talk about some other foundational supplements that can help to support the healing process during this time, and we will be right back.

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Welcome back to Dishing Up Nutrition. Brandy and I have been talking about how to heal your brain after a traumatic brain injury. And if you're somebody that it's been years, but you're still struggling with post-concussion syndrome, all of this would apply to you as well.

And so prior to the break, we are touching on some key supplements that can help to support the healing process. In addition to what we've recommended omega-threes and creatine, a B complex like our Methyl B Complex, or if you are really struggling with energy, there is a wonderful multivitamin called Mitocore.

Brandy: Mm-hmm. Love that.

Britni: And people notice a big difference with their energy. It has a lot of antioxidants. It's supporting your mitochondria. It also acts as, like I said, a multivitamin.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: And so if the energy piece is important for you, that might be a good one, otherwise, a B complex that is with methylated B vitamins, because those B vitamins are crucial for nerve function, energy production of neurotransmitters, and during this time, your body's going to need a little bit more of those.

Brandy: Absolutely. Yeah. I think that's a good foundational supplement for just about anybody's supplement plan, but especially post brain injury.

Britni: Yes.

Brandy: I think another foundational supplement is magnesium. It can make a huge difference if you're dealing with headaches or muscle tension. You know, magnesium is a relaxing mineral. It helps our muscles relax. It can help a lot with sleep, staying asleep, getting better quality sleep, which is so important for our brain recovery.

Britni: Yes.

Brandy: So if you're in this situation, I recommend starting with somewhere around 200 to 400 milligrams of magnesium a day. That can do a lot to help calm your nervous system, reduce some tension, support better sleep. Magnesium Glycinate is kind of my go-to type of magnesium.

Some people, I may have some people try Magnesium Threonate if they're not finding relief from the glycinate as much. That actually crosses the blood-brain barrier. So there's a little more direct action on the brain with the magnesium with the magnesium threonate.

Britni: Good suggestions. And we have to talk about vitamin D. Because it is just so important. It's a very powerful antioxidant. It's going to basically help with everything in your body.

Brandy: Yeah. It's like the WD 40 of supplements.

Britni: Oh, I love it. And you know, here's some startling research published by the NIH. Low levels of vitamin D are strongly linked to worse outcomes after brain injury, like slower recovery, worse cognition, worse suppression, and worse long-term outcomes. So I think that's just one more reason we want to make sure our levels are above 50.

Without having your level checked, I would say a pretty standard dose is 5,000 IU. I would recommend one with vitamin K to help with the absorption. And especially, you know that 5,000 if you're living in Minnesota like us, if you do get a lot of sun exposure during the middle of the day, then you might, you might need less.

Brandy: Yeah. Honestly, the only individuals I've worked with that maybe don't need that 5,000 IUs are folks that are like retired in, in California or Florida, and they're like going on a midday walk every day.

Britni: Totally. Yep. I would agree with that.

Support the gut microbiome

Brandy: It's like, I want that life, but it’s not reality. So we already talked a little bit about how the gut microbiome can be altered by a brain injury. So I want to touch on this just a little bit more. If you've noticed that you're experiencing some changes in your digestion or your bowel movements, maybe you're seeing more constipation like my client did, or maybe looser stools, just things are not quite right, we can work to rebalance that and get you back to a normal daily bowel movement.

Probiotics can be really helpful for a lot of people. Again, recognizing that this time can feel a little overwhelming and stressful. I generally recommend a very simple probiotic one a day. The one I really like is Biotic 7. It's a multi-strain probiotic. You just take one a day maybe before bed, and that can, that can be really good support at this time.

Britni: And you know, in some cases where the gut is really affected, L-glutamine, collagen powder, I may suggest for extra gut healing. Because oftentimes leaky gut does occur after a brain injury if, if somebody hadn't, hadn't already had leaky gut.

Brandy: Right. So yeah, both of those: collagen, l-glutamine can help the repair process. So we're throwing out a lot of ideas here, but this is a situation where the right plan for you really depends on your symptoms, depends on where you are with your diet, depends on what your digestion is doing, what medications you're taking. So this is where working with a dietitian can really help you figure out the best plan for you and take some of that overwhelm out of the picture.

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Client success stories

Britni: Yeah, and I, you know, I want to share a couple client stories just to provide some hope. You know, I've had two clients over the years that had really severe post-concussion syndrome, and both of them had multiple concussions in a short amount of time. One of them had to leave college temporarily because he just couldn't function. There was too much for the brain.

Brandy: Yeah.

Britni: And another one, I mean, she was finding it very difficult to work and just do daily tasks. And so we really focused on all the things that Brandy, we've been talking about today, balancing blood sugar, real food. We added in some key supplements, really prioritizing that protein. And eating enough.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: And both of them, I mean, dramatic improvements, like even big improvements in a month, in a month's time. And so it's totally doable. I'm sure if you are struggling right now, it's extremely difficult and, and it's hard to know what to do to get yourself better. But these key things can really make a huge impact.

Brandy: Yeah. And having somebody to help you through that process I think can make all the difference because it is just taking some of the mental load off your plate.

Britni: Yeah. So true.

Avoid ultra processed foods

Brandy: And I think that can really, really help you get back on track. Now let's shift into what foods or things we should avoid at this time, because I think that could matter just as much as to focus on. So at the top of the list, of course, is going to be those ultra processed carbs and those ultra processed foods. So we already kind of hinted at this earlier in the show, but these are inflammatory foods for your body.

They're inflammatory for your brain. They can make your symptoms a lot worse. The worst thing that you can do from a nutrition standpoint after a brain injury is eat and drink a lot of sugar and refined carbs. What we really need to do is focus on those real foods, especially the protein and the fat. And as far as carbs go, we want to focus on plants, colorful vegetables and fruits. This is going to give you the nutrients that your brain needs to repair itself, but also keep your blood sugar stable and keep the stress in your brain low.

Britni: Even when you don't have a brain injury, those foods are inflammatory for your brain.

Brandy: That's so true.

Alcohol negatively impacts the brain

Britni: Another thing that can really negatively impact your brain is alcohol.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: Alcohol dehydrates the brain and interferes with brain chemistry, can worsen cravings, cause headaches. Just simply put, alcohol is inflammatory to the brain and will slow, possibly even reverse recovery. And so during this time of healing, I would just avoid alcohol.

Brandy: Yeah. Really important.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Consider limiting caffeine consumption

Brandy: You may even need to be careful about your caffeine consumption. You know, a little bit could be okay. Maybe a cup of coffee or a cup of tea, but caffeine is a stimulant. You know, it could overstimulate your nervous system and it could trigger or worsen some of the symptoms you're already dealing with, you know, and anxiety, trouble focusing.

For some people it could trigger a headache, so it could be something that you really need to be cautious around. If, if it's something that is normally part of your day, I would, I'd recommend just really introducing that slowly. And seeing how you feel.

Use caution with gluten

One other substance I suppose, that I would use caution around is gluten. That that could be something worth removing, especially during this time of recovery. It is inflammatory for many people and for some people it, it causes a lot of digestion issues.

And if you are noticing like digestion is off balance already following a brain injury, I, it doesn't hurt to remove gluten. Just take a break from it. Because our goal here is to calm inflammation and support our gut. And removing gluten is one simple thing that you can do to support that.

Britni: Yeah. And some people notice those big brain benefits by removing gluten.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: Less brain fog, less headaches, better mood. So you could notice all sorts of benefits from that.

Brandy: And didn't you say that was part of the plan that you had put together for one of your clients that you just, I remember you mentioning that before the show.

Britni: Both. Both of them actually. One of them was already gluten-free and then the other one that was part of my recommendation, which he did. And you know, it's hard to know how much of that was part of him feeling so much better.

Brandy: Didn't hurt anything.

Lifestyle recovery factors

Britni: Definitely doesn't hurt for sure. Let's, let's touch on the lifestyle side of, of recovery.

Brandy: Yeah.

Britni: We have to talk about sleep. You must prioritize sleep. That is the time where your brain is recovering. It's healing, it's restoring. And during this time of healing, you're probably going to need extra sleep.

Brandy: Yeah, totally normal.

Britni: So, maybe it's eight to 10 hours instead of your normal seven to eight.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: And then getting that sleep is just going to help to speed up that healing process.

Brandy: That's right. And enough sleep can go a long way in managing your stress.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: Which stress management is really important here too. You know, when they tell you to take it easy for a couple of weeks, I would, you know, pay heed to that advice, because it can feel so overwhelming to deal with the symptoms you might experience.

So make an effort to go easy on yourself. Don't overbook, don't overplan. Give yourself that time to sleep in. When it comes to meal prep, you know, that alone can be a stressor. So really trying to make it as easy, uncomplicated as you can, taking those shortcuts in your meal prep with, you know, pre-cut vegetables or frozen vegetables, I mean, that can take a lot off your plate, your figurative plate.

Sample day of eating

Britni: Great. Recommendations. Well, let's provide some ideas of what a practical, easy day of food could look like then.

Brandy: Yes. So here's one example. Let's start with breakfast. I think eggs are very easy. Simple. Yeah. You could do a few scrambled eggs with some leftover broccoli, some leftover roasted broccoli. We also have an egg bake recipe, a few egg bake recipes on our website. It might take 30 minutes to prepare, but then you can reheat that for the whole week.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: You know, that would be very simple. A protein shake, like you mentioned, is also very simple, but it's a great way to cram in a lot of nutrients in an easy to digest beverage: protein powder, some frozen berries, maybe throw in some kale and some coconut milk. You know, that would be a balanced smoothie for breakfast.

Britni: Great ideas. Lunch, I would just do leftovers.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: Heat up a leftover bowl of soup. Utilize your slow cooker during this time.

Brandy: Yeah.

Britni: It could also be something easy like canned salmon or canned tuna.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: You could whip up a very quick tuna or salmon salad that you just have with some pre-cut vegetables or greens. That would be a simple, nourishing, quick lunch option.

Brandy: I love that idea. And you're getting some omega-3 fats in that salmon. For dinner, you could do, I love sheet pan meals. They're so easy; very low effort. Again, you could incorporate some fatty fish like salmon here with some chopped up broccoli, maybe a sweet potato.

Use a little avocado oil as your healthy fat, sprinkle on a spice mix to add some flavor. Very easy. You'll have leftovers for tomorrow. So I love all these examples because they're simple. They're not complicated. But they're, we're working in all the nutrients that we need, our protein, our healthy fat, some colorful plants. With consistency, this is what's going to help you heal.

Britni: Absolutely. You know, another idea, you could throw a bunch of meat in a slow cooker.

Brandy: Oh yeah.

Britni: Purpose that meat in different ways throughout the week.

Brandy: Totally.

Britni: Usually protein takes the most effort.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: So that, that's an easy way to, you know, make a little bowl situation.

Brandy: Yeah.

Britni: Or salads or you know, lots of different options there.

Brandy: Rotisserie chicken is another backup plan for me. Low effort, but good quality protein.

Summary

Britni: Yep. So if we had to quickly summarize today's entire show and do a few simple takeaways, what would they be? Well, I think number one, food of course; build every meal around real food. Prioritize protein, healthy fats, especially those omega-3 fats, eat plenty of colorful vegetables, fruit at every meal, to get that antioxidant and that anti-inflammatory support. And this is going to help to keep your blood sugar stable throughout the as well.

Brandy: Yes. And foods to avoid. We need to avoid ultra processed foods, added sugar, alcohol, and all the things that come along with processed foods, the artificial ingredients, the food dyes, gluten. These are just going to fan the flames and increase inflammation. And some supplements to consider that can really help accelerate your healing: of course, a good quality omega-3 supplement. Strong recommend, but also the B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D, probiotics, and L-glutamine for that gut support.

All are going to help your body heal, recover, and reduce the inflammation. And a dietitian can be a tool in your toolbox to help you figure out a protocol that works for you.

Britni: Lastly, don't forget the basics. Sleep, hydration, stress reduction, rest; all of those things are not small. They are really foundational for, for this healing process.

Brandy: Mm-hmm. And maybe the biggest message of encouragement from all of this is that healing does not happen from just one perfectly balanced meal or taking your omega-3 once this week. It happens from consistent choices every day. If your recovery is feeling slow, just know that you are still giving your brain and your body everything that it needs to heal when you choose real food.

The body is very resilient. It wants to heal, but your job is to give it the tools to do that, the ingredients to heal, and the time to heal. Our job is to support you in doing that.

Britni: Thank you for listening today. If this topic resonated with you and you or someone you care about is recovering a brain injury including a concussion, know that nutrition can be a foundational piece of a recovery plan. To find out more about working with me or Brandy or one of the other dietitians at Nutritional Weight & Wellness, visit our website, weightandwellness.com, or give us a call: 651-699-3438. A variety of insurance providers do cover our appointments, which is wonderful.

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And as always, our goal at Nutritional Weight & Wellness is to help each and every person experience better health through eating real food. It's a simple yet powerful message. Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.