FDA regulates dietary super supplements under a different set of regulations than those covering “conventional” foods and drug products (prescription and Over-the-Counter). Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), the dietary supplement manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement is safe before it is marketed.

It had been three years post injury when we became aware of the importance of supplementation with various super supplements for brain injury. And now was the time to implement this strategy.

Our son would continue to improve under the proper regime.

The list is extensive but easy to follow:

Muscle building supplements are an important regime that should be followed immediately after brain injury. New findings show that the brain consumes enormous numbers of calories while it tries to repair itself even destroying muscle tone in the process.

So feeding a comatose patient with supplements from the very beginning aids in recovery.

Our son had lay in ICU for five weeks and upon transfer to the sub acute hospital his weight showed that he had lost over 40 pounds. His frail skeletal frame didn’t display any muscles whatsoever. The once knotty built 145 pound man had wilted into a body that wasn’t capable of supporting it’s own bones.

Muscle building has several important health benefits other than looking good at the beach.

There is scientific proof that vigorous exercise increases lactate which is important energy for the brain and accelerates repair.

DHEA, growth hormone and testosterone are hormones that can restore muscle mass and it’s important to supplement all three.

The key to successful muscle building is to combine resistance training with proper nutrition and effective muscle building supplements.

As one of the muscle building supplements, Testosterone replacement therapy, may be indicated along with other super supplements.

The amino acid glutamine aids in protein synthesis and building muscle.

And lastly, human growth hormone therapy is useful in the brain injury rehabilitation process.  It raises levels leading to increased lean body mass.

Another important supplement, Piracetam, is used in stroke recovery management.  It is said to enable the left and right hemispheres of the brain to more effectively communicate between each other. 

We have placed our son on many supplements and have begun to see evidence of his muscle’s returning. His legs have gotten stronger as well as his core and arms. With resistance training and the above regime we expect to see more strength and recovery.

We only wish that we had known more about muscle building sooner.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is designed to boost the supply of oxygen to ischemic tissue or to diseased tissues that respond to increased oxygen levels.

Our son had been progressing nicely but at a very slow pace when I ran into a physician at the hospital who spoke of hyperbaric oxygen treatment. He had claimed that his father had suffered a severe stroke and after conventional intervention had been returned home to his family.

He lay motionless for over three years. Dr. Baker had heard that there was a center in Fort Lauderdale that used hyperbaric oxygen to treat brain injury and he was all for flying his father across the country in hopes of helping him recover some of the losses he had suffered since the stroke.

The trip was planned and Dr. Baker flew with his father to Florida. There they stayed for three months receiving oxygen with a oxygen mask every other day for the duration.

Our conversation ended with Dr. Baker telling me that his father had recovered so well that he could now interact with his grandchildren. That was all I had to hear.

As quick as I could I began learning about HBOT and putting into action a plan for my son to begin his therapy. I spoke to his doctor’s about the treatment and of course they demanded case studies which I produced. I then was permitted to take my son out. I found several alarming factors:

By placing someone in a 3 psi pressure environment, the increase in atmospheric pressure at sea level goes from 760 mm Hg to 915 mm Hg.

This increase in gas pressure, increases the partial pressure of the oxygen gas and thus forces more oxygen to be dissolved in the plasma. This saturation of oxygen in the blood allows the extra oxygen to be transported to the surrounding body tissues. Thus, oxygen transport by plasma is significantly increased under HBOT. At three atmospheres pressure, enough oxygen can be dissolved in the plasma to support the oxygen demands of the body at rest in the absence of hemoglobin!

After many due diligence calls and finding a convenient center I arranged for our first of many sessions. We were charged a very decent rate of $70.00 per 1/2 hour compared to some quotes of $230.00 per 1/2 hour.

The first session went well as we squeezed our son into a mono chamber with a oxygen mask loosely fitting against his trach.

His spasticity seemed less after hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

No other real changes were noticeable. We continued taking him three times a week for 120 sessions. He slowly improved. “Was this due to hyperbaric oxygen or just progress?” We questioned.

We found more concerns but realize that the different centers and their chambers, methods of administration all play in the role of treatment.

Did it work? Our son continued to progress and the brain activity when measured with neurofeedback did display more brain wave activity. After each session he seemed to experience more energy and cognition.

As for my opinion of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. I’d probably do it again if faced with the decision.

Going through cognitive behavioral therapy is not an overnight process for the brain injured population. Even after patients learn to recognize when and where their mental processes go awry, it still takes considerable time and effort to replace a dysfunctional cognitive behavioral process.

Our family was not prepared to comprehend the full magnitude of the life changes that would occur once our son returned home full time. We were among the fortunate to have a loved one well enough to return home but were unprepared for what would come.

Cognitive Behavior therapy is based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors not things like people or situations and events. The benefit of this fact is that we can change the way we think to feel and act better even if the situation does not change.

This therapy may not be beneficial as denial of disability is standard post brain injury. There are lists of words that describe abnormal behavior as a “”sequelae” of TBI.

Reiki Meditation is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing and the healing of others.

The small chapel in the hospital was a perfect place and the only place to hold our first session of Reiki meditation. Here we could be free of nosey nurses watching overhead cameras to see what we were up to. I had met this energy healer who suggested that Reiki as a vehicle for wellness.

So here we begin our journey with hands on healing.

Wheeling my son down to the chapel we were greeted by a peaceful, gray haired woman. She was as excited as I was and since I had nothing to lose I included a dear friend of mine, Alin. We found ourselves sitting quietly for three hours while we received the blessings from our ancient ancestors. The process began with blessing the small chapel. With our eyes closed and sitting in a straight line we could hear our Reiki master jump from corner to corner placing symbols on all four walls. With the direction to keep our eyes closed and in a prayer position I would sneak a peek every so often and see our son sitting stone faced quiet and Alin the same.

An amazingly simple technique to learn, the ability to use Reiki is not taught in the usual sense, but is transferred to the student during a Reiki class. This ability is passed on during an “attunement” given by a Reiki master and allows the student to tap into an unlimited supply of “life force energy” to improve one’s health and enhance the quality of life.

As I remember back I remember bearly being able to keep from laughing as our Reiki master growled and hissed as she stood behind us. She drew symbols on our foreheads and chanted words indescribable to man. I sat in wonder and questioned what in the world was I doing here.

Reiki would leave a positive mark on me for years to come. Hours later Alin and I stood and talked about this bazaar experience and as we spoke I felt a warmness and tingling sensation in my hands. Alin’s hands would turn red and hot. There is something to this fascinating meditation as my hands seem to remember the energy flow whenever I recall the experience. My son would call it “Bull shit” as I conducted many “hands on” healing sessions on him in hopes of his full recovery.

“Laying of the hands” is administered by allowing the unseen “life force energy” flow through us. If one’s “life force energy” is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy. The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words

So Reiki is actually “spiritually guided life force energy.”

Reiki meditation treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects that include:

Many have reported miraculous results.

Reiki meditation is:

It has been effective in helping virtually every known illness including stroke, drug addiction, speech problems and brain injury recovery. It also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery.

While Reiki is spiritual in nature, it is not a religion. In fact, Reiki is not dependent on belief at all and will work whether you believe in it or not. Because Reiki comes from God, many people find that using Reiki meditation puts them more in touch with the experience of their religion.

The background, secrets and symbols of reiki meditation can be found in a very controversial book known as “Essential Reiki” by Diane Stein.

Essentially, Japa means “to say the name of God repeatedly.” Japa Meditation has been around for many years. Regarded as one of the most effective ways of meditation, it helps soothe the mind and clears away any problems or worries. It enables you to experience peace and calmness.

As the road to recovery becomes long and hard, I find different types of meditation and begin the practice of Japa meditation on a daily basis. The commitment to be by our son’s side became a way of life and a full time job. The 1 1/2 hour drive one way to the hospital in Laguna Beach afforded me the time to look into positive reinforcement This is where I found Japa and purchased audio cd’s. With the cd player set to low I could repeat the sound of God for 3 hours a day while I drove.

Now I know you aren’t suppose to meditate while driving a motor vehicle but I didn’t have any other time and the inevitable road rage disappeared. My time spent at the hospital was totally devoted to my son and his rehab and my evenings found me exhausted.

Japa meditation enabled me to stay positive about my son’s recovery and kept me strong for what could be ahead.

An indispensable tool for all, which has been handed down from one generation to another, what does it mean?

Meditation involves focusing the mind on a certain object or thing by quieting our thoughts. This is where we can be still and know (not know about) God. The practice of meditation takes us on a great journey between our thoughts, where all the advantages of a peaceful, stress-free, healthier, fatigue free life are available, but are simply side benefits. We have the potential to obtain the highest good for all concerned and to be miracle workers in our own lives.

Valuable guidelines follow:

Meditation can be achieved by different ways. There exists three distinct types of meditation:

Usually the best ways in which one can practice is by sitting cross-legged on the ground, and chanting the name of God by beading the rosary of 108 beads with concentration, perseverance, and dedication.

Japa meditation helped me in many ways. The many days of doubt transformed into days of hope. I could sit without worry as I knew that I could be in touch with God at any time. I could be sure that there was a greater plan in this all and in some ways knew that what had happened was not all bad, in fact, in some ways it was good.

“Getting into the Gap” by Wayne Dyer is a handy little book that can help you learn the Japa way of meditation.

Meditation enables you to do whatever you want to do; it will work for you. You can place your attention on healing yourself or a loved one and the next breath focus on a more loving relationship. I find staying focused on the connection with God allows my thoughts to diminish and my worries to end. I have practiced Japa Meditation to attract wellness for my son and it always helped.

Acupuncture, an ancient Chinese acupuncture medical procedure, involves inserting and manipulating of needles at more than 360 points in the human body.

The conventional hospital methods typically do not include alternative medicine in their scope of practice.

Ancient Chinese acupuncture is scoffed at and to get any of these types of interventions in the hospital is nearly impossible. I would speak to doctor after doctor looking for approval but without success.

We finally sought help after research into alternative medicine. And we found it outside of the hospital. I began speaking to friends and associates that I knew were educated in alternative medicine and found a source who had first hand experience with ancient Chinese acupuncture and brain injury. She would explain that no one really knows how acupuncture works and that it might merely be a matter of suggestion. Scientists have proven that to be wrong.

One study found that ancient chinese acupuncture and supplements significantly improved symptoms in patients with depression or anxiety.

Since our son was capable of leaving the hospital grounds on day trips and we were fortunate to be able to get him into our car we arranged for our first visit.

Our first visit to the Chinese acupuncture office building involved a detailed examination with a tiny elderly Chinese doctor who barely spoke the English language. She would speak to us through an interpreter asking questions about the accident as well as any other symptoms that might be interfering with his recovery. She was most interested in unblocking the “qi” or “energy” which might be interfering with his recovery efforts. She then began inserting and manipulating needles. She placed the needles in various locations along the leg and if I remember right there was also one placed on the inside of his arm. He didn’t seem to mind or to be bothered by the needles and no marks were left for the shrewd eye of the charge nurse upon our return.

The needles were meant to trigger the release of endorphins which inhibit pain signals by blocking their pathway through the spinal cord. Studies have shown that placing acupuncture needles in certain parts of the brain causes a rise in the level of endorphins in the spinal fluid. Endorphins make you feel good. Regions of the body are reached by different channels I would learn and the Bladder primary channel was the best vehicle for brain injury and is located on the posterior portion of the outside of the leg. Then there are the many vessels that play into the practice of which I really don’t understand.

Ancient Chinese acupuncture seeks to restore the body’s balance. It’s importance in alternative medicine is unmeasureable.

Acupuncture charts were not readily obtainable and she was not in the least interested in explaining her methods but it was obvious she knew what she was doing. She would place the needles and twill them for over an hour. Our son would sleep during most of the experience.

A good book on ancient chinese acupuncture is called “A Manual of Acupuncuture” by Peter Deadman and Mazin Al-Khafaji. It has many of the acupuncture charts that explain meridians and vessels.

We would continue the art of acupuncture like sneaky teenagers for over ten sessions. Each week looking for evidence that it was helping.

The practice of Acupuncture has grown spectacularly in the United States in the last three or four decades.

The benefits of acupuncture are many and worth trying.

The causes of vertigo are virtually unknown and often occur for no reason. Webster’s definition of vertigo is “a disordered state in which the individual or the individual’s surroundings seem to whirl dizzily; a dizzy state of mind.

The aftermath of brain injury in our son produced symptoms of vertigo or dizziness that he felt when rolling over in bed, moving the head to one side or reaching for something. It seemed that specific head movements may have triggered it. The causes of vertigo is associated with abnormalities in the semicircular canals or damage to the vestibulocochlear nerve. It is caused by a physiological conflict that ditorts sensory data, resulting in a series of misperceptions that evoke dizziness, spinning sensations, nausea, vomiting and a host of other maladies.

There are four major types of dizziness:

It is believed that benign paroxysmal positional vertigo the most common form of vertigo with attacks lasting 30 to 60 seconds. It is caused by loose calcium carbonate crystals that move in the sensing tubes of the inner ear. Symptoms can be distressing but they fade in a few seconds.

Central vestibular disorders that may be the causes of vertigo include

Treatment of vertigo and exercises for vertigo depends on the diagnosis. The guideline says many cases of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo can be treated using a simple series of head and body movements performed by a doctor.

There are several maneuvers that can be used to treat vertigo.

Canalith repositioning procedure is safe and effective for patients of all ages. Basically the manuever is used to redistribute the clumps of particles in the inner ear.

The Brandt-Daroff Exercise is also safe.

Conventional methods of brain injury rehabilitation result in certain mainstay methods and steps.

For us transitioning from ICU to a sub-acute facility was painful and difficult. Fully not understanding what brain trauma and brain damage really encompasses we stumbled our way through. I can honestly say that many of the accepted establishments were far from acceptable as they were unsanitary and often smelled of urine. We were left with the challenge of finding a facility that could care for our son, who had experienced a severe head injury ,the way that we would. The search for brain injury rehab would begin. After the must needed visit to over 10 so-called high ranked establishments we finally decided on a hospital based home for our son. They had extensive experience with cognitive rehabilitation and brain tbi.

Entering the 5th floor and exiting to your right you come upon two hallways, each with a two patient room on either side, right or left. The nurses station can be found central to all the patients rooms so that they can monitor the patients who have experienced extensive and severe brain injury. You see, no one really knows what it is like until they’ve experienced it for themselves.  Hopefully they never will.

Alternative medicine research is composed of distinct elements or qualities. Many foundations support research aimed at controlling aging and death.

Killers such as Heart disease, Stroke, Cancer, and Parkinson’s disease are caused by the progressive decline in structure and function during aging and disease.

Based upon studies and clinical experience of physicians our search continues. Healing practices we tried and used successfully include:

which involves unblocking the energy flow by stimulating specific points on the body by inserting very fine needles into the skin.

forces more oxygen into the brain by using pressure and the use of oxygen masks a firm oxygen network

can prevent many degenerative diseases, while improving feelings of well-being and alleviating depression.

The list of supplements is long and vast and extremely instrumental in the rehabilitation process of brain injury.

uses herbs, massage, yoga and internal cleansing to restore balance within the body and with nature.

emphasizes prevention and treatment of disease through a healthy lifestyle.

Where a person is put into state of relaxation where he becomes absorbed in the images presented by the hypnotherapist. There are many cd’s available to help with positive thinking.

involves the use of electronic devices that measure heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension.

Alternative medicine research led to different approaches and many were successful. We tried them all!!