There is no drug for a traumatic brain injury at any stage of healing.
Why not give the brain all it needs to help heal as fast and completely as possible? There are lots of ideas and treatment approaches available that the neurologists don’t talk about. Naturopathic medicine can be of assistance at any stage of brain injury. Just waiting around to heal is not good enough…..
Because little can be done to reverse the initial brain damage caused by trauma, the first thing that should happen after a head trauma is a thorough evaluation by a medical professional–the sooner the better.
An anti-inflammatory diet is a good place to start, and vital for the days and weeks following the brain injury since the patient still needs to eat and drink in their fragile state. The goal is to prevent brain swelling or–if it does occur–reduce it as fast as possible. Swelling comes from inflammation and simple food changes can be surprisingly powerful for healing. If the patient is recovering in a non-home environment, chances are the food quality and choices are less than par, so an anti-inflammatory diet may need to wait until at home.
There is lots of wisdom regarding an anti-inflammatory diet and most can agree on the benefits of avoiding sugar, wheat and gluten, dairy, nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants) and alcohol. No one should be consuming artificial sweeteners like sucralose, acesulfame K, or saccharin. At the same time, it is recommended to increase good fats (like wild-caught fish, flax and chia seeds, coconut oil, nuts and seeds.
In addition to healthy food choices, consider a multivitamin supplement to correct deficiencies, although you should make sure to select a capsule instead of a tablet and take with a meal that has some healthy fat in it. Do avoid a multivitamin supplement with iron in it as excess iron can hinder brain health and very few people actually need it beyond food choices. Consider supplementing your vitamin E intake; it has a powerful antioxidant effect for the nervous system. Everyone can use more magnesium, too.  Over 300 reactions in the body require magnesium and food choices are often devoid of this very important mineral. If you want to treat your brain kindly, eat more omega-fats, as found in fish oil. The brain comprises up to 60 percent fat from omega-3 and it’s almost impossible to get enough from food choices alone.
More Support For Brain!
Our herbal friends to the rescue. A favorite herb that can help heal TBI is ginkgo biloba, which has been shown to reduce brain inflammation, increase blood circulation and improve mood. Daily intake of 240 to 480mg of gingko will be required and chose a standardized formula for best success. Bacopa monniera, also known as Brahmi, has been traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine as a brain tonic to improve memory, learning and concentration, and also to treat anxiety and epilepsy.
Drink more organic green tea–a well-known and widely consumed herb with broad-spectrum antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Its neuroprotective properties can be attributed primarily to the power antioxidant molecule called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the amino acid L- theanine and caffeine to a lesser degree.
Homeopathic remedies can only be of assistance for any age or condition. Do seek the care of a qualified practitioner to help you find your exact remedy. No harm in trying arnica for any brain injury. Acupuncture treatments may improve a brain injury and common symptoms of depression, anxiety and agitation. The structures of the neck are often ignored when dealing with brain injuries. Physical medicine like chiropractic and/or cranial-sacral treatments can provide relief as well.
There is a lot that can and should be done at the onset of the injury and beyond. Do not just ‘watch and wait’ to heal from a brain injury. The brain will learn a new way to repattern and process information but this takes time and loving patience. Give the brain all it needs and stand back in awe as it heals itself; it beats the alternative.
The remainder of this article and more articles written by Dr. Hayduk can be found at ecoparent.ca.
