From the Editor
By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief As I sat down to write this issue's "From the Editor" section, I took some time to reflect back on my own journey, and how my memory was so severely impacted by my injury. In...
Brain Function
A Brain That Went to War and Back
By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief Andrew Marr was an athlete his entire life. Having played all-conference football in college, he was used to performing at a high level. "I was never classified as having a concussion, but I probably had...
Memory and TBI: The Brain is a Muscle
By James Heuer, PA After suffering a TBI it is common to experience trouble with your memory. Whether your TBI was moderate or severe, you will have difficulty remembering things, finding the right words when speaking, and getting organized....
The Memory of an Ego: Transforming Memory and Identity with TBI
by Sam Black Memory is something that I did not give much thought to in my “before the accident” life. I relied on it in my career as a social worker. I cherished it in my pastime of creating...
3 Ways to Support Memory
By Dr. Shane Steadman, DC, DACNB, DCBCN, CNS As we age, becoming forgetful and losing memory is a major fear for most people. When we watch family members and friends struggle with remembering events, names, and places, it can...
The Real Reason 2020 Wasn’t So Memorable
By Ed Roth “I’ve learned two important lessons in life. I can’t recall the first one, but the second one is that I need to start writing stuff down.” – Anonymous Your memory used to be like a steel...
The Vestibular System and Memory Loss: A Hidden Connection
By Jonathan Chung, DC When we think about disorders of the vestibular system we are usually concerned with inner-ear disorders leading to problems with vertigo or imbalance. While the vestibular system is a critical part of our sense of...
Control Blood Sugar for Good Brain Health
by Sierra Fawn Guay, MS, RDN, LDN, CBIS The foods that we eat affect the health of our brains in many ways. Diet is one of the primary factors in blood sugar control and can have both short- and...
Domestic Violence: Not Just a Mental Disorder
Dr. Shane Steadman, DC, DACNB, DCBCN, CNS As the world around us is stressful with a pandemic and stay-at-home orders, the incidence of domestic violence (DV) has increased. An article titled, “Alarming trends in US domestic violence during the...
Domestic Violence and the Invisible Injuries
by Dr. Sana Khan Because of inadequate screening and identification, brain injuries and brain damage in survivors of domestic violence too often remain unrecognized and untreated. Victims of domestic violence who suffer the lasting effects of traumatic brain damage...
BLOG
Life Lessons Learned From a TBI
by Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief I first became a Citizen’s Advocate with the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance (MNBIA) during the 2016 Legislative session. All the noise and stimulation at the Capitol was a little overwhelming for me at first, but by 2017, I became a regular fixture for “Tuesdays at the Capitol.” During one of our […]
Sleep & TBI
by James Heuer Most traumatic brain injury patients suffer from sleep disturbances following their accidents. The brain directs sleep by putting your body to rest, but injuring your brain causes changes in sleep. The chemicals in our body help us to know when to sleep and, when you’ve become injured, those chemicals are affected. Taking […]
Where and When Do I Contact a Lawyer for My TBI?
by Jeffrey M. Heller Soon after an accident that causes a TBI, a hundred things will be thrown at you almost immediately. Medical bills will start coming in, and after a couple months, possibly even collections notices. Letters from insurance companies asking you to sign forms will start flooding your inbox. Your car or other […]
Essential Oils: Peace & Calming
By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief Essential oils are a complementary tool that can help you achieve a healthy lifestyle. They are easy to use, versatile, and smell great. All oils are not created equal. Young Living is the only brand I personally trust because I know they have complete control over their product from seed to […]
The Climb: Post-Covid Long Haulers
by Toni Popkin April 2020. That was about a year ago when I was diagnosed with COVID-19. Little did I know what a roller-coaster, foggy ride I’d have. Little did I know how similar it would feel to experiencing my Climb following my TBIs. I started a diary 35 days after my diagnosis. My intention […]
Yoga: Warrior III
by Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief Yoga is a powerful tool for recovery after brain injury. Contrary to some beliefs, everyone can do yoga — you don’t need to be super flexible, have great balance, or even be able to stand up. The beauty of yoga is that every pose can be modified to accommodate anyone. An […]
The Powerful Way Sleep Cleans Your Brain and Protects You from Dementia
by Jonathan Chung, DC Sleep is arguably the most powerful and least expensive treatment we have in our arsenal to help support brain health. We all know this intrinsically, and most of us really do want to get more sleep. For most of us, getting a good night’s sleep helps us feel better throughout the […]
Medication Management of Sleep Disorders after TBI
by Shauna Hahn It is estimated sleep disturbances occur in 30-70% of all individuals who have suffered a TBI.[1] Unfortunately, insomnia, fatigue, and daytime sleepiness are all common problems associated with brain injuries. Interestingly, those with mild TBIs are more likely to report sleep problems than those with severe brain injuries (although that may be […]
Tapping into Angelite for Sleep
By Kristen Brown Sleep can be elusive or we can sleep too much. Sleep can recharge us or it can drain us. The fine balancing act in finding the right sleep schedule, routine, and timing can be tricky business indeed. But many crystals can help us find peaceful, healing, and restful sleep. One awesome stone […]