By Deborah Zelinsky, O.D., Executive Research Director at The Mind-Eye Institute Healthy brains are able to interpret and respond to the environment at many different levels almost instantaneously. So, it is not surprising that patients who have sustained a traumatic head injury or concussion, which oftentimes damages or scrambles brain circuitry, ...
Read moreby Kelly Harrigan TBI, concussions, and whiplash all affect the normal functioning of the vagus nerve, significantly impacting our digestive motility, resulting in some uncomfortable and gut-wrenching side effects. The vagus nerve is the key protagonist of our parasympathetic nervous system, which pops us into "rest and digest” mode. This ...
Read moreDr. Ayla Wolf DAOM, L.Ac. Brain fog is one of many cognitive symptoms commonly experienced people report following a TBI. Traumatic brain injuries are highly complex injuries, and brain fog, as a symptom, is equally complex. Many factors can contribute to brain fog including decreased cerebral blood flow; dysfunctional cerebral ...
Read moreBy Jeffrey M. Heller, Esq. To wear … or not wear … a helmet, that is the question. The answer to that question is easy: wear one. But in the eyes of the law, are the question and answer always as easy? Everyone knows that every state in America requires ...
Read moreBy Ian Hebeisen When discussing changes in her life after receiving her traumatic brain injury, my mom mentions all sorts of physical symptoms: vision problems, nerve spasms, the whole nine yards. One of the most dramatic changes she describes is her lack of emotions. My girlfriend and I recently adopted ...
Read moreby James Heuer After a Traumatic Brain Injury, metabolic changes affect the brain’s recovery. It is not uncommon for inflammation, changes in energy, gastrointestinal tract function, and insulin resistance to occur within a TBI patient’s brain. It is crucial for the victim of a TBI to treat with enteral nutrition, ...
Read moreby Ian Hebeisen In September 2012, celebrity nutrition and fitness expert JJ Virgin answered a phone call that no parent should ever receive. Her 16-year-old son, Grant, had been the victim of a hit and run car accident that left him with incredibly severe injuries. At the hospital, JJ found ...
Read moreCan you believe summer is half over already? As we slowly begin to return to our first sense of normalcy since the pandemic began, it’s important to acknowledge the fact we all managed to survive a year and a half of isolation and disrupted life — Way to be resilient! ...
Read moreby 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, ...
Read moreby 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 ...
Read moreBy 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
