• Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Archives
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
The Brain Health Magazine
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Archives
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Brain Health Magazine
No Result
View All Result

Balance and Nutrition

Healthy Living | Nutrition

in balance, Nutrition
July 24, 2020
0
Balance and Your Diet

African girl feeding dad in kitchen, giving him cherry tomato while cooking salad, copy space

by Dr. Lori Jokinen

A balance disorder can present in a variety of ways. It is often described as feeling unsteady, or like you are on the brink of falling. It can make you feel dizzy, like you are spinning, even though you are not moving at all. It may be hard to move your legs. You may have trouble walking in a smooth coordinated pattern, which is known as a gait disorder. Whatever the presentation, balance disorders can be extremely debilitating, not to mention dangerous if you are at increased risk of falling.

Doctors have different therapies they can use depending on the cause of the disorder. But can your diet also be a therapy? Can what you put in your mouth every day affect dizziness, balance, and gait?

Diet can definitely play a role in affecting the brain, which then affects your movement patterns. This occurs through the effects of different foods on the part of the brain called the cerebellum. The cerebellum is responsible for coordinating balance and posture. Damage to the cerebellum can cause ataxia, which is seen as uncoordinated movements. How this is connected to diet lies in your sensitivity to certain foods.

Gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and oats, has been found to damage the cerebellum in sensitive individuals. This is an autoimmune condition that makes your body produce antibodies in response to gluten consumption. The antibodies can then mistakenly attack the cerebellum, leading to balance and gait disorders, known as gluten ataxia.

Gluten ataxia can cause physical changes to the brain. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of patients with gluten ataxia show shrinkage of the cerebellum, or bright white spots that indicate damage.

Diagnosis of gluten sensitivity and autoimmunity is done via a blood test. Two different antibodies that create autoimmunity to neural tissue must be identified in patients with balance disorders. High levels of antibodies against an enzyme known as tissue Tranglutaminase-6 (tTG-6) may present with gluten ataxia. These antibodies may actually appear in serum years before the clinical onset of symptoms. Glutamate decarboxylase 65 (GAD-65) antibodies have also been found to be high in patients with gluten ataxia. GAD-65 antibodies indicate that the body may be attacking the cerebellum.

Patients with these antibodies must adhere to a strict gluten-free diet, avoiding the obvious sources such as breads, pastas, and crackers containing wheat. But those who need to be strictly gluten-free must also be very particular about reading labels because sauces, dressings, and many packaged foods contain wheat, barley, or rye. Soy sauce, breaded foods, and desserts are other common sources of gluten.

But what about other foods? Does it stop at gluten? Unfortunately, there are other foods that look similar in structure to gluten that your body may “think” are gluten. This is due to something called molecular mimicry. For example, if gluten’s molecular makeup is ABCDE and the molecular makeup of dairy products is ABCDF, the similarity of the two foods, only differing by one letter, makes your body think you are eating gluten when you are not. Such foods are known as gluten cross-reactive foods.

If a patient reacts to gluten, goes gluten-free, but doesn’t notice an improvement in their symptoms, it may be due to consumption of foods that are similar in structure to gluten. These foods create the same symptoms as when gluten is consumed. So even though the patient has gone gluten-free, their body is still reacting as if they are eating it. Foods that have molecular mimicry to gluten include dairy, yeast, oats, millet, rice, and corn, and can be identified with a test called Cyrex Array 4.

Studies have shown that patients with balance disorders related to gluten ataxia can have dramatic improvements just by changing their diet. Addressing the autoimmune component of gluten ataxia by working with a functional medicine provider can also provide great benefits. Consult with yours today if you continue to struggle with a balance disorder.

Dr. Lori Jokinen is a Doctor of Chiropractic specializing in functional medicine, nutrition, sports rehabilitation, auto accident injuries, and acupuncture. She incorporates nutrition into all of her patients’ care plans. www.functionalhealthunlimited.com

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare Via EmailPinterest
Next Post
August Tarot Reading: The Secret Keeper

August Tarot Reading: The Secret Keeper

SIGN UP

BLOG

Yoga: Seated Cobra Pose

Yoga: Seated Cobra Pose

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief Yoga is a powerful tool for neuroplasticity. Contrary to some beliefs, everyone can do yoga — you don’t need to be super flexible, be able to balance, or even be able to stand up. The beauty of yoga is every pose can be modified to accommodate anyone. An important aspect of […]

Read more
Resilience After a Brain Injury

Resilience After a Brain Injury

By Dr. Shane Steadman, DC, DACNB, DCBCN, CNS Recovery after a brain injury can be a long journey. Working hard and hoping to get back to baseline often can be frustrating, and for some, unattainable. With the many doctor visits, exercises, rehab appointments, medications, and supplements, goals can become lost. However, amid recovering from a […]

Read more
The Resiliency of the Human Brain and Body

The Resiliency of the Human Brain and Body

By James A. Heuer, PA As a personal injury attorney for over 45 years, I have witnessed many of my clients successfully recover from a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Whether the TBI occurs from a car crash, a slip and fall, or blow to the head, the resiliency of the human body and brain is […]

Read more
Resiliency: Is It Just Personal or Part of Brain Chemistry?

Resiliency: Is It Just Personal or Part of Brain Chemistry?

By Deborah Zelinsky, O.D. The term resiliency encompasses “the range of personal protective factors, environmental supports, and resources, as well as self-regulatory processes, engaged in response to adversity,” according to investigators writing about recovery from traumatic brain injury (TBI) for the publication Disability and Rehabilitation. Indeed, author Mike Norton  said it best when he wrote, […]

Read more
Stress Away Essential Oil

Stress Away Essential Oil

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief A complementary tool that can help you achieve a healthy lifestyle, essential oils are easy to use and smell great, with a variety of uses. All oils are not created equal. I personally only trust the Young Living brand because I know they maintain complete control over their product from seed […]

Read more
Resiliency and the Courtroom

Resiliency and the Courtroom

By Jeff Heller Resiliency is one of the greatest attributes anyone can have. From an early age, parents teach their children, “if you get knocked down, you get back up.” Coaches teach their players, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” And one of the cornerstones of the underdog mentality is to “never […]

Read more
The Quality of Resilience

The Quality of Resilience

by Shauna Hahn Sometime in 2019, in the weekly “Healing and Recovery” therapy group I lead, we discussed the topic of the quality of “resilience.” When it came time for a patient to contribute, he said, “I don’t want to be resilient. I get tired of being resilient all the f**king time.” And I heard […]

Read more
Peanut Butter Protein Fluff

Peanut Butter Protein Fluff

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief What You Need: 1 cup (250g) full-fat Greek yogurt 2 tbsp. peanut butter or almond butter 2 tsp. stevia Favorite garnish (banana, granola, blueberries) Add the yogurt, nut butter and stevia into a small mixing bowl and whisk together using a hand mixer, until fluffy. Transfer the mix into a bowl […]

Read more
Arizona Man Overcomes Three Traumatic Brain Injuries and Gives Back By Building Adaptive Recreation & Socialization Program for Survivors

Arizona Man Overcomes Three Traumatic Brain Injuries and Gives Back By Building Adaptive Recreation & Socialization Program for Survivors

By Ed Roth Randy Elston is finally living his best life, which may be an odd thing to say about a Marine Corps veteran with three traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Recently named as the Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona’s new Adaptive Recreation & Activities Coordinator, Randy’s tours of duty in Iraq left him with a […]

Read more

INSTAGRAM

Follow Us!

  • It was such a pleasure to keynote at the @biaofms NeuroTrauma Symposium last Friday. What an amazing group of professionals and survivors. I found some new resources I didn’t even know existed out there!! 

#bia #braininjury #concussion #tbi #pcs #keynote #brainhealth #neuroplasticity
  • Neuro fatigue is beyond tired, it’s when you’re brain says “I’ve had enough” and shuts down everything. It often a sneaks up on you when you least expect it, making it hard to manage. 

If you’ve never experienced it, it’s truly hard to understand. But please believe us when we tell you we’re done and need to rest. And that rest may look different for everyone. Some may need a nap. Some may just need a quiet space. There’s no right or wrong way to rest. 

#braininjury #tbi #pcs #concussion #braininjuryawareness #braininjuryawarenessmonth #TBIsurvivor
  • A traumatic brain injury is the ultimate “invisible injury” as no one can see what’s happening inside your brain. Even imaging doesn’t show a TBI (unless you have bleeding or severe trauma). It’s impossible to explain to others, and even doctors don’t take us seriously or know how to help us. 

It is incredibly frustrating to go through life being told “there’s nothing we can do. You’ll just have to give it more time and see what happens” and even more frustrating when you find out that there are doctors out there who truly DO know how to help us!  Like @integratedbraincenters 

#braininjury #tbi #pcs #concussion #functionalneurology #braininjuryawareness
  • I remember how I would literally need to lay down after taking a shower because it was so exhausting. And something like going to the grocery store and bringing them in and putting them away would require me to do nothing else for the rest of the day. It was a one-chore kind of activity. 

These are normal, every day things we take for granted before brain injury, and afterwards they require soooo much energy and effort. It’s truly hard for someone who hasn’t experienced a brain injury to understand. 💚

#braininjury #tbi #concussion #pcs #braininjuryawareness #TBIsurvivor
  • You totally got this!! 
Is it gonna be easy? Nope. 
Is it gonna be worth it? Absolutely! 

#tbi #braininjury #concussion #pcs #TBIrecovery #TBIsurvivor
  • The Chair Yoga Pocket Guide is trending on Kickstarter! We’re over half-way to our goal! Can you help us get there by pre-ordering an autographed copy of the book?? 

LINK IN BIO 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brainhealthmag/the-chair-yoga-pocket-guide

#chairyoga #accessibleyoga #chairyogateacher #chairyogabook #chairyogaworkshop #accessibilityinyoga #kickstarter @kickstarter #chairyogaauthor #author #mnyoga
  • I remember folks would talk to me and my brain would take forever to process what they were saying. They would be into the next subject and I’d still be trying to decipher their first sentence. It was frustrating and exhausting. 

Friends would tell me to “try harder” and concentrate. But that’s not how it works with brain injury. 

It’s like if you drop your laptop and scramble it’s processor. 

#braininjury #concussion #tbi #pcs #braininjuryawareness #braininjuryawarenessmonth #TBIsurvivor
  • #Repost @integratedbraincenters
Recovery as defined in the dictionary is a return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength. 

Missing from this definition is that recovery is a continuum. We often hear in recovery post surgery that a patient is a percent recovered (Sue is 80% recovered post hip replacement) demonstrating that recovery is not an all or nothing situation but is rather a spectrum. 

Not everyone will make a 100% recovery but most people can move forward in their recovery in some way, even if it is only 10% or 70%. 

To say that recovery is not possible in any capacity is probably untrue. The more severe the injury the more likely you will never be the same person you were prior, but that does not mean that you can’t get back to doing the things you love and contribute to your family and community.

#beaininjury #concussion #tbi #pcs #neuroplasticity #resilience #resiliency #TBIsurvivor
  • No two brain injuries are the same, therefore, no two recoveries are the same. Don’t compare yours against someone else’s, as you never know what they’ve already gone through. 

Focus on YOU and your recovery. What could you try differently? What should you maybe give up? I personally gave up alcohol and gluten and that was huge for me and my inflammation. 

#braininjury #concussion #tbi #pcs #neuroplasticity #functionalneurology #funcneuro #neuronerd

© Copyright 2019 | The Brain Health Magazine

  • Advertise With Us
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Contact Us

DISCLAIMER: THIS MAGAZINE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE - View PDF

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Archives
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.