Above is a recording of a session I call “Brain Bites.” These are short casual conversations held online. Each one explores a topic in concussion and brain injury nutrition. The goal is to review the research and put it into the context of our lived experience with TBI. This is for your information and education only! Review with your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health. In March 2024, we talked about “anti-inflammatory diets.” I had help putting together this research and content by my dietetic intern from the University of Ottawa, Quynh Chi Le Here is a summar ..read more

Above is a recording of a session I call “Brain Bites.” These are short casual conversations held online. Each one explores a topic in concussion and brain injury nutrition. The goal is to review the research and put it into the context of our lived experience with TBI. This is for your information and education only! Review with your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health. In February 2024, we started with the topic of omega-3 fats. Here is a summary of what was discussed: Why are omega-3 fats important for brain health? Important for both structure and function i ..read more

Read to me! “Are there any foods I should avoid?” Lists of “foods to avoid for dementia” may seem helpful as they tell you clearly what and what not to eat. But over time, this black-and-white thinking about food will likely stress you out. In my work, people tell me that lists of foods to avoid make eating complicated. This can lead to anxiety, cravings, and binge eating. When food becomes a cognitive burden like this, it will no longer help you prevent dementia or improve your brain health. Today I will share with you some lesser-known facts about three common so-called “foods to avoid for d ..read more

Read to me! You cannot predict what your future life will be like as you age. But you can take steps now to make yourself more resilient for it. Resiliency is perhaps one of the most interesting findings of continued research into the MIND way of eating for dementia prevention. Today, I’ll show you what MIND is all about and how to take steps toward building brain resiliency with food. What is MIND? MIND is a pattern of eating, created by researchers, that is associated with a lower risk of dementia. MIND is an acronym (researchers love acronyms!) that stands for Mediterranean-DASH Diet Interv ..read more

Read to me! I’m writing this for you… Or I might be writing this for me. I’ve had many concussions.  When I forget a fact someone just told me, or find myself trying to put away a cookbook in the fridge instead of on the shelf, or when I get angry at my partner for little things, I can’t help but worry about the potential long-term effects of my head injuries. And I know I’m not alone. If you’ve ever wondered whether head injuries cause dementia, or started to fear symptoms of CTE, this article is for you. (And realistically for me too!) Here I’ll share with you what research shows about ..read more

Couscous Feta Apricot Salad INGREDIENTS For the couscous: 1/2 cup whole wheat couscous (in the video I said 1 cup; make as much as you like!) 1/4 tsp turmeric (a pinch) 1/8 tsp pepper (a dash) 1/2 cup boiling water (put as much boiling water as you do couscous) Salad ingredients: 1 cup arugula (you can swap out for another leafy green) 1 Tbsp chopped mint (fresh) ~10 chopped dried apricots (I cut mine with scissors) 1/4 cup sliced almonds 1/4-1/2 cup crumbled feta Additional liquid ingredients: 2 Tbsp olive oil (or more) 1 Tbsp orange juice (optional) EQUIPMENT NEEDED small pot with a ..read more

Read to me! If you’re trying to recover from a concussion, you likely know how hard it is to make quick decisions. Decision fatigue is very real and makes it tough to choose foods in your concussion recovery. Snacks are a great way to fuel your concussion recovery, especially if you have low energy or low appetite. So here’s a list of easy brain snacks and how they help you recover from a concussion. 11 easy brain snacks to help with your concussion recovery #1 Crackers with tuna and cherry tomato Fish is a brain-boosting food that just might help with memory and cognitive function. Canned fi ..read more

Read to me! Headaches, pressure in your head, debilitating fatigue… Concussion symptoms can make it so hard to do the everyday activities we used to take for granted. This includes eating. You might feel like you’re not eating enough, or, that the foods you are eating aren’t the best foods for concussion recovery. I’ve been where you are – multiple times. This is why I’ve put together this post on foods to eat after concussion. These foods will give you the energy and nutrients your brain needs to recover, without making eating complicated. Ready? OK! 5 Foods to eat after concussion #1 Familia ..read more

Guest post written by Magalie Deslauriers-Labbé, dietetic intern, edited by Krystal Merrells, RD Read to me! Do you feel pressure to cut out all sugar to recover from your brain injury? Do you feel guilty if you choose to eat sugary food? Do you wonder about natural vs refined sugar? When it comes to nutrition, there is so much conflicting information out there, especially about brain injury. So many foods are either villanized or seen as superior to others. One particular food group that is often targeted as “bad” food is sugar. Maybe you’ve heard that consuming sugar worsens TBI symptoms suc ..read more

Top five ways dietitians move TBI patients forward in their recovery Read to me! Do you have a dietitian on your healthcare team? I’m talking to both you the TBI survivor and you the healthcare provider. By the time my clients come to me, they’re usually years out from their injury. They’ve likely seen every other health professional and have maybe even amassed a list of supplements and food restrictions. My brain injury clients are often struggling to plan meals or cook due to the TBI. On top of that, they may be so focussed on what NOT to eat that they have a hard time to make a decision abo ..read more