any one have any thoughts on this for helping the brain recover

I have done 36 hour fasts where I go 0 calories, but that was before the headaches, within the first month of my headaches when I didnt really know what was going on I did a 18 hour fast to see if it would help

if you are unfamiliar with fasting, you should watch this video, even if you are familiar watch this video,

http://www.collective-evolution.com/...wont-study-it/

I may not be able to watch the video with my awful bandwidth. Does it say fasting is good for a concussed brain?

I used to regularly do about 12 hours, that is, one big meal per day, with a little juice or soda pop or coffee in between. It's early, but so far everything I've learned recently suggests that fasting is a BAD idea for a brain that's trying to recover--in fact I'm moving to the opposite extreme now, where I keep 'free floating' calories in my blood all 24 hours. I'm pretty sure Mark is going to have a lot to say on this too, so stay tuned.

I'll give the video a try but I may not get all through it.

Rather than a complete fast, going on an anti-inflammatory diet would be worthwhile. The stress to the brain of a full, no calorie fast could be counter-productive.

If you are tempted to try a fast, I suggest you make it a water and coconut oil fast. The coconut oil will at least provide some ketones for brain energy. So, water plus a 1000 calories of coconut oil per day. 6 or 7 tablespoons of coconut oil would be about 1000 calories. Maybe a dash of salt with it or electrolyte water.

I've seen what a fast does to a PCS brain when I was involuntarily fasting due to surgery. I also experienced a 30 pounds in 6 weeks weight lost due to stomach issues and my brain was a mess. I don't recommend either.

Elimination fasts can be very good. You eliminate specific foods for a week or two. You should be able to find a lot of info online. Just remember these elimination fasts are not in a context of PCS. I did one under a doctor's care 30+ years ago.

A note on fasting, both intermittent and calorie reduction fasting are primarily studied with animals. The results in those animal studies are quite consistent. But, as they try to replicate those studies with humans, the results are sporadic.

Targeted or elimination fasts may fit better.

Actually it's an article so I was able to read it. Another two cents:

I buy what they say. This is some of the reason I've been on a restricted diet for many years now. My brain is probably loaded with BDNF.

But not only is what they're proposing a long-term kind of thing, it really is for healthy brains. If I manage to recover I may go back to my one meal per day . . but I would need to see a hell of a lot better brain performance first . . and I would not be surprised if it triggered a relapse, based on what I read here. I can hardly imagine nutrient and calorie denial to an organ trying to rebuild itself.

One of the studies suggests the optimum is the daily 8 hour fast. Eat 3 times in 16 hours then fast for 8. They see the neurological benefits from this fast format as just as beneficial as a 24 hour fast once a week or so.

I thought it was the other way around, intermittent fasting is eating during the 8 hour window than fast for 16

during a complete 0 calorie fast, I don't think it would help the symptoms directly, but being anti-inflammatory and with studies showing fasting increases HGH
and In animals has shown growth of new nerve cells

"It also increases levels of a brain hormone called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) a deficiency of which has been implicated in depression and various other brain problems"


I can say for sure that have a 36 hour fast of 0 calories just water, mentally you feel awesome,

as to affects with PCS, TBI, in theory it makes sense to me that it would help, all though I probably would not attempt a fast directly after an injury, all though if you have been dealing with issues for a while, I think it might be worth it to try a fast to see if it you gain any benefits, but the benefits would only be noticeable after the fast....your first fast will be a mental challenge

If you do go ahead and fast, make it the exception not the rule. Mark's suggestion looks the safest.

It may be that I am so skinny but my fasting periods hardly made me feel awesome . . cranky and prone to anxiety is more like it.