TBI, lingering PCS, and diet
 

Hello all, I posted a few weeks ago about lingering head sensitivity ( I see many people have this problem) 6 months out from my latest concussion. I've been making steady, slow, positive progress in the last few months but have been hampered by a handful of setbacks related to shaking my head.

In my previous post someone linked me to an anti-inflammatory diet. I studied it a little bit but never jumped into it. A week or so later, my coworker was been touting the benefits of a ketogenic diet (high fat/moderate protein/low carbs). I didn't give it much thought, then a few days later had a bad diet period where I consumed a large amount of carbs, every meal really(which I rarely do. I noticed that my head felt a lot worse in the next 2 days, and different than the normal PCS that I normally get (major head fog). Given this information I decided to give the ketogenic diet a try. I've been 7 days w/ hardly any carbohydrates and my head feels much better! I don't want to test this theory, but I feel like my head is much less sensitive to shaking than previously. I know there's plenty of information about the harm of sugars and brain health but has anyone had a similar experience with carbs? Any other diet tips out there for a quicker recovery?

Soo how did you hit your head??

For most, a ketogenic diet consist of MCTs (medium chain triglycerides like coconut oil) for most of the fats. A modified version would be using more animal fats, too. If it works for you, you should stay with it.

Have you read the Vitamins sticky ?

Pork is a good source of Branched Chain Amino Acids. The brain needs them.

Are you getting quality sleep ?

btw, Age can make a difference in sensitivity to head movement. The older, the more sensitive.

I was cleaning my shower and stood up full speed into a ceramic shelf.

Yeah I did read the sticky, Mark. Good stuff. Currently I'm on a Omega-3s, 5000IU D3, food based multi, magnesium (but according to that thread I need a different source). Currently it's working very well for me, I'm gonna keep riding this for a while.

I'll have to work some more pork into the mix, bacon is there already but maybe something a little more substantial.

Sleep hasn't really been a problem for me for the most part. I've learned the value of 8 hours of sleep a night even before this injury, but now it's imperative that I get enough sleep or I go downhill fast!

What about the B vitamins ? They are the most important.

Only what is in the multi, which is 6 and 12 I think, but I'm guessing I need to supplement those as well.

Has adjusting to the diet been difficult? I'm considering trying this, as I don't see the harm, other than giving up my love of carbohydrates and fruits... no oatmeal or kiwis or pears!

Found this article which does a good job explaining the evidence out there as of 3 years ago.
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/...-advantageous/

I've only just started looking into this, would this be a life-long sort of thing for a PCS sufferer, if it did seem to help? Or after a certain period could one reap the healing benefits and then resume a normal diet?

16 years of TBI has also been 16 years of getting older. I don't know if diet can have much effect on TBI but it is crucial for overall health and aging well. We eat fresh food simply prepared at home, chicken, salmon, shrimp, pork, a little beef. A green vegetable or sweet potato, a green salad dressed with almond oil, fresh squeezed citrus, and herbs. No flour, no sugar, very little salt. After a few years on this diet you will be amazed at how foul fast food is, how poorly prepared most restaurant food is, how dreadful anything from a can or freezer is, and what great flavors there are in simple foods that are ordinarily masked by too much salt and sugar. And how good desert is when you only eat it once a month!

The B-6 and B-12 in a multi will be sorely inadequate except for a very few super/mega multis. Even they could use some supplementing. Most multis will have the RDA of B's, just enough to prevent malnutrition. B-12 should be the methyl version. 1000 mcgs would be a good start. A B-50 Complex will give a broad base of all the B's.

For those on low or no salt diets, be sure you are getting appropriate levels of iodine. It is added to most table salt because most diets tend to be deficient.

A broad based multi should have some.

Unless there is an issue with high blood pressure, moderate use of salt is not bad. Many live long healthy lives with a salt shake used liberally at most meals. My father was one.

There are plenty of frozen vegetables that have high levels of nutrition and good flavor.

Not everyone has the opportunity to eat a fresh food only diet.

There are a few substances that can be problematic. Fermented soy or even excessive soy, artificial sweeteners, MSG ( a natural substance) and naturally occurring in some fruits and vegetables.
Deodorants that have an antipersirant effect often have aluminum, a neuro-toxin.

There are plenty of online resources for anti-inflammatory diets. They can be helpful.