[As always, I am not professionally qualified to offer medical advice; my opinions (submitted without warranty) are not intended to replace the advice of professional doctors and nutritionists [though it's an open question whether a significant proportion of same are particularly capable of offering good advice, particularly on this medical subject]. I will commend various supplements not endorsed by the FDA for the treatment/alleviation of any disease. Ad nauseum.]
In order to appreciate the gravity and aims of my advice, let's consider first concussion's main mode of damage: when your brain rotates against its stem and/or collides with the skull, few of all neurons that are ultimately likely to die immediately perish in the trauma. Rather, many neurons become excited due to the release of glutamate in the brain: without intervention, some will literally burn themselves out and starve to death. Fortunately, even without the protocols outlined below, the victim usually recovers nearly perfectly from his/her first minor concussion, at least eventually (although he may be at increased risk of dementia in old age): for unknown reasons, however, the third and subsequent tend to be much more debilitating if not properly treated.
So, our aim is to get brain cells as much beneficial fuel over the duration of their elevated excitement, and cocomitantly reduce their excitation. Although generally maximizing health in accordance with the Paleo diet is clearly ideal, there are plenty of easy things injured just beginning to unplug from the Standard American Diet (SAD) can do to speed recovery.
1) Take every precaution to avoid reinjury (even bumping your head, etc.) for weeks after the injury. Doing so will only compound "excitotoxicity" whereby neurons are excited to death.
2) Consume lots of coconut oil. Coconut oil contains the highest proportion of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) of any natural oil: MCTs are so similar to the fats that make up cell membranes that they require no bile to digest and are very rapidly transported to the brain for fuel. I recommend "USDA Organic" not because of a differential in pesticide content between conventional and organic brands (neither has much pesticide residue) but rather on the basis of simple quality control: most conventional coconut oil is made with moldy, dried coconut and thus contains mold toxins that can give temporary brain fog. (Yes, it's 94% saturated fat by weight. As I'll discuss later, natural [not trans, which are artificial!] saturated fats are actually the healthiest fats whilst polyunsaturated fats [recommended by the medical establishment when it was bought off by the seed oil industry which couldn't find a market for its rancid oils when petroleum oils replaced seed oils for lubrication] are the least healthy. Why do you think your body stores energy as saturated fat rather than polyunsaturated fat?)
Nutiva coconut oil (available in bulk here: http://www.amazon.com/Nutiva-Organic-Coconut-54-Ounce-Containers/dp/B003QDRJXY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1355151907&sr=8-3&keywords=nutiva+coconut and here: http://www.vitacost.com/nutiva-extra-virgin-coconut-oil-organic-54-fl-oz-1/?NttSR=1) and Tropical Traditions' (http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil2.htm) are the finest I know [I am in no way affiliated with either producer, nor with Amazon & Vitacost]. House brands of your local health foods store are just as good as long as the oil is a pure white, not yellowish.
I recommend starting with at least 2 tablespoons per day and progressing to many more (if you're unused to a high-fat diet or have gallbladder problems, you might allow yourself a week to increase to the maximum "dosage" to avoid the runs). The oil is actually far superior to "vegetable" oils the mainstream pushes for cooking, and its taste is surprisingly compatible with most dishes. You should also eat some plain whenever you experience brain fog, and a tablespoon before bed is advised for brain protection and improved sleep alike.
3) Avoid food additives that promote excitotoxicity: MSG and aspartame. (Consuming these when not concussed is harmful enough to one's brain whilst aspartame is linked with pancreatic disorders and Type II diabetes).
Monosodium glutamate, commonly added to fat-free foods to mask their otherwise-bland tastes, goes by many names, unfortunately: anything-"glutamic" or "glutamate", "sodium caseinate", "autolyzed _______ protein", "hydrolyzed _______ protein", "yeast extract" are all simply code-words for this poison. In addition, most processes for producing protein powder (whether soy, whey, rice, etc.) produce excitotoxic free glutamate; only cold-processed, undenatured whey is suitable for the concussed (but this is fairly expensive albeit replete with health benefits). "Spice", "broth", "boullion", etc. on nutritional labels are often indicative of free MSG. In general, it's preferable to prepare one's own meals.
Aspartame, an artificial sweetener deleterious to health for many reasons, will likewise cause neurons to starve themselves. It's found in most "diet" sodas; not only will it be listed on ingredients lists, but it will also be uniquely accompanied by the warning "Phenylketonurics: contains phenylalanine".
4) Magnesium. Most Americans are severely deficient in this brain-health-promoting nutrient: although most multiviatimins contain some "magnesium", it's usually in cheap forms that are unavailable to your body. You need an amino-acid salt of magnesium, like mag. taurinate, malate, glycinate, gluconate, citrate, etc.; here are links:
http://www.amazon.com/Source-Naturals-Magnesium-Malate-Tablets/dp/B000GFJJKQ/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1355153734&sr=8-10&keywords=magnesium (probably best absorbed; malic acid has its own benefits)
http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-magnesium-400-mg-200-capsules-1
800mg/day in two doses, one immediately before bed, is recommended.
5) Improve gut health, so that nutrients are better absorbed and toxins like glutamate are better eliminated. Start by taking a probiotic on an empty stomach at least once a day and eliminating all wheat (eventually, your aim will be to avoid all grains with the possible exception of rice and all legumes [beans & peanuts] save perhaps raw cashews, but I appreciate this is difficult for those accustomed to the SAD). Good probiotics online (your local health-foods store's should be fine as well):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GWLGG4/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i01
http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-probiotic-10-20-20-billion-cfu/?NttSR=1
6) Get excellent sleep, preferrably going to bed before 1045pm and awakening only when you feel like; also, sleep in a pitch-black room (or use a good eye mask that doesn't uncomfortably press upon your eyeballs) with all sources of microwaves like cell phones, wifi, & cordless phones turned off.
7) Advanced supplements (as always, get your doctor's approval before using any and all supplements):
a. Acetyl-L-Carnitine HCl: an extract of cell mitochondria that helps your body transport fat into cells. At least 1000mg every morning before breakfast and experiment.
b. Vinpoceteine: a chemically-modified extract of periwinkle that improves brain blood flow, reduces excitotoxicity, and protects against oxidative damage (as an antioxidant). 30mg+ / day with meals (i.e. fat); clinical trials show no benefit with the low dose a single pill usually contains, whereas it takes 360mg/day on average for side effects to show up!
c. CoQ-10: a quasi-vitamin involved in cellular metabolism. At least 100mg / day with meals.
d. Taurine, an amino acid that helps your brain deal with excess glutamate. Found in animal hearts (organ meats are great sources of many nutrients, BTW), raw fish (which might enable Japanese to deal with MSG far better than Americans can) and in supplement form. 500mg/day on an empty stomach.
7) Get on a ketogenic diet (advanced; recommended that physician be consulted): reduce carbohydrate intake to under 50g if you're insulin-resistant (which, if you're an American over age 30 or overweight at any age you probably are) or 100g if you're in excellent health, replacing breads, beans, potatoes, sodas, sweets, etc. with vegetables, meat, and fat. It'll take a while for your body to become accustomed: expect some fatigue in the interim.
1) Take every precaution to avoid reinjury (even bumping your head, etc.) for weeks after the injury. Doing so will only compound "excitotoxicity" whereby neurons are excited to death.
2) Consume lots of coconut oil. Coconut oil contains the highest proportion of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) of any natural oil: MCTs are so similar to the fats that make up cell membranes that they require no bile to digest and are very rapidly transported to the brain for fuel. I recommend "USDA Organic" not because of a differential in pesticide content between conventional and organic brands (neither has much pesticide residue) but rather on the basis of simple quality control: most conventional coconut oil is made with moldy, dried coconut and thus contains mold toxins that can give temporary brain fog. (Yes, it's 94% saturated fat by weight. As I'll discuss later, natural [not trans, which are artificial!] saturated fats are actually the healthiest fats whilst polyunsaturated fats [recommended by the medical establishment when it was bought off by the seed oil industry which couldn't find a market for its rancid oils when petroleum oils replaced seed oils for lubrication] are the least healthy. Why do you think your body stores energy as saturated fat rather than polyunsaturated fat?)
Nutiva coconut oil (available in bulk here: http://www.amazon.com/Nutiva-Organic-Coconut-54-Ounce-Containers/dp/B003QDRJXY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1355151907&sr=8-3&keywords=nutiva+coconut and here: http://www.vitacost.com/nutiva-extra-virgin-coconut-oil-organic-54-fl-oz-1/?NttSR=1) and Tropical Traditions' (http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil2.htm) are the finest I know [I am in no way affiliated with either producer, nor with Amazon & Vitacost]. House brands of your local health foods store are just as good as long as the oil is a pure white, not yellowish.
I recommend starting with at least 2 tablespoons per day and progressing to many more (if you're unused to a high-fat diet or have gallbladder problems, you might allow yourself a week to increase to the maximum "dosage" to avoid the runs). The oil is actually far superior to "vegetable" oils the mainstream pushes for cooking, and its taste is surprisingly compatible with most dishes. You should also eat some plain whenever you experience brain fog, and a tablespoon before bed is advised for brain protection and improved sleep alike.
3) Avoid food additives that promote excitotoxicity: MSG and aspartame. (Consuming these when not concussed is harmful enough to one's brain whilst aspartame is linked with pancreatic disorders and Type II diabetes).
Monosodium glutamate, commonly added to fat-free foods to mask their otherwise-bland tastes, goes by many names, unfortunately: anything-"glutamic" or "glutamate", "sodium caseinate", "autolyzed _______ protein", "hydrolyzed _______ protein", "yeast extract" are all simply code-words for this poison. In addition, most processes for producing protein powder (whether soy, whey, rice, etc.) produce excitotoxic free glutamate; only cold-processed, undenatured whey is suitable for the concussed (but this is fairly expensive albeit replete with health benefits). "Spice", "broth", "boullion", etc. on nutritional labels are often indicative of free MSG. In general, it's preferable to prepare one's own meals.
Aspartame, an artificial sweetener deleterious to health for many reasons, will likewise cause neurons to starve themselves. It's found in most "diet" sodas; not only will it be listed on ingredients lists, but it will also be uniquely accompanied by the warning "Phenylketonurics: contains phenylalanine".
4) Magnesium. Most Americans are severely deficient in this brain-health-promoting nutrient: although most multiviatimins contain some "magnesium", it's usually in cheap forms that are unavailable to your body. You need an amino-acid salt of magnesium, like mag. taurinate, malate, glycinate, gluconate, citrate, etc.; here are links:
http://www.amazon.com/Source-Naturals-Magnesium-Malate-Tablets/dp/B000GFJJKQ/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1355153734&sr=8-10&keywords=magnesium (probably best absorbed; malic acid has its own benefits)
http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-magnesium-400-mg-200-capsules-1
800mg/day in two doses, one immediately before bed, is recommended.
5) Improve gut health, so that nutrients are better absorbed and toxins like glutamate are better eliminated. Start by taking a probiotic on an empty stomach at least once a day and eliminating all wheat (eventually, your aim will be to avoid all grains with the possible exception of rice and all legumes [beans & peanuts] save perhaps raw cashews, but I appreciate this is difficult for those accustomed to the SAD). Good probiotics online (your local health-foods store's should be fine as well):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GWLGG4/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i01
http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-probiotic-10-20-20-billion-cfu/?NttSR=1
6) Get excellent sleep, preferrably going to bed before 1045pm and awakening only when you feel like; also, sleep in a pitch-black room (or use a good eye mask that doesn't uncomfortably press upon your eyeballs) with all sources of microwaves like cell phones, wifi, & cordless phones turned off.
7) Advanced supplements (as always, get your doctor's approval before using any and all supplements):
a. Acetyl-L-Carnitine HCl: an extract of cell mitochondria that helps your body transport fat into cells. At least 1000mg every morning before breakfast and experiment.
b. Vinpoceteine: a chemically-modified extract of periwinkle that improves brain blood flow, reduces excitotoxicity, and protects against oxidative damage (as an antioxidant). 30mg+ / day with meals (i.e. fat); clinical trials show no benefit with the low dose a single pill usually contains, whereas it takes 360mg/day on average for side effects to show up!
c. CoQ-10: a quasi-vitamin involved in cellular metabolism. At least 100mg / day with meals.
d. Taurine, an amino acid that helps your brain deal with excess glutamate. Found in animal hearts (organ meats are great sources of many nutrients, BTW), raw fish (which might enable Japanese to deal with MSG far better than Americans can) and in supplement form. 500mg/day on an empty stomach.
7) Get on a ketogenic diet (advanced; recommended that physician be consulted): reduce carbohydrate intake to under 50g if you're insulin-resistant (which, if you're an American over age 30 or overweight at any age you probably are) or 100g if you're in excellent health, replacing breads, beans, potatoes, sodas, sweets, etc. with vegetables, meat, and fat. It'll take a while for your body to become accustomed: expect some fatigue in the interim.
