I want to share the secret to my recovery. For the last 20 months I have been taking an Omega 3 to support the myelin sheath function (increases speed of neuron impulses). I have also been taking a mushroom blend, the legal kind, which has supported my brain injury recovery.
I have been taking AHCC (Kinoko Gold) and more recently Lion's mane, Reishi and Cordyceps.
For information on extensive research done by scientists on AHCC: ahccresearch.com/
AHCC research suggests if you take 6 capsules or 3g per day, improvement in immune function has been scientifically tested after just 3 weeks! It renews the body's healing capability. That is why it is taken for a short period. There is a maintenance dose of 3 capsules per day if you wish to have it running in the background to support immune function rather than wake it up. I did an intensive followed by a maintenance period and have repeated 3 times over 20 months. You will notice a boost as I did to general health even though I didn't take it continuously.
Lions Mane Mushroom, May Help Stimulate and Improve Brain Function - Published on 7 Apr 2014.
Lions mane is top among the medicinal mushrooms for its potential enhancement of brain and cognitive function. Learn more about this edible mushroom variety that may help with neurodegenerative disorders and more...
Wishing you all lots of mushroom happiness and for some of you, a recovery of the body parts other products just can not reach!
If you benefit from this information, pass it on!
Best.
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RecoveringH
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I take phosphatydlserine for brain function, chromium piccolate and vitamin b5 and L-glutamine to decrease the effect of cortisol on muscles. I also take resveratol and as much antioxidants as possible to counter any free radicals produced by the medication, after the last thing I need now is cancer
I also did a search on this website for 'working memory' which gave a list of the supplements found most effective by research done so far - gingko biloba mentioned.
And a search for 'cerebral blood flow' which gave a list of supplements - marijuana and cocoa extract - so no more guilt for eating chocolate!!! You can buy raw cacao powder if you don't want to put on weight. I used this in a blender with fresh fruit in the morning.
Hi RachyBoo, I have used Gingko when I do not have headaches. During headache phase, I understood that my brain was doing some growing / changing so Gingko would have increased blood flow and intensified the pain. I used it after a few days of feeling good.
I use raw cacao powder with fruit in the morning still, but started 2 years ago. It stopped me putting on excess weight eating chocolate later on in the day! See for more info: chocchick.com/raw-chocolate...
Hi - I'd love to hear more about your recovery path from taking these; changes in symptoms over time etc..... This is a really positive post and crucial for general morale. I'm going to look into this as healing mushrooms are something I haven't tried. I get my Omega's from hemp and flax oil, eating fish and drinking hemp milk. I currently feel I'm about 98% recovered, it's just that last little bit of ground to cover which seems to be so hard to get to grips with. I'm going to see two kiniesiologists next week [The Health Detectives] and I'll run this by them.
I was tested back in 2008 by a psychologist to aid educational performance at Uni. Findings showed my vocabulary was in top 91 centile but my perception was in 37 centile, working memory 25 centile and processing speed 2 centile. I struggled through a degree. I then went on to do another degree and my acute intensive brain injury (what I understand to be meningitis - possibly both viral and bacterial) occurred in 2010. The years since then have been hard graft of learning proprioception, emotional balance, coordination, vision, sleep, eat. Living alone, I had no-one to look out for me in my 'unaware' days so this might have taken longer than others recovery. I am however very proud of myself for not giving up and keeping my eye on the goal which was to recover my old self despite the scare stories out there.
I am soon to be tested again by another psychologist so I will keep you posted with the results but I can assure you they will be better than 2008! In the last 6 months, I have had to relearn my vocabulary and meanings of words through playing scrabble with the computer and looking up every word I didn't know the meaning of or checking spelling. Very repetitive but quickly returned.
So pleased you have 98% of yourself and I honour your positive spirit! Great to hear that another has recovered. Perhaps if more people post they have recovered, we could collate our stories, anonymise them, and publish a little book online for inspiration? Just a thought...
A doctor prescribed this blend which I have been taking for 3 years - "Biocare Mega EPA 1000" for Omega 3.
For Lion's Mane and Reishi/Cordyceps, I use myconutri.com who are based in Oxford. Yes I'm in UK.
If you can afford it, go for a 3 week intensive AHCC Kinoko Gold as you will have a guaranteed improvement (so much research verifies it). Your mashed brain will love it.
They sell them together because research in Japan suggests they synergistically work well together.
I decided to take Reishi/Cordyceps blend (in one capsule) alongside Lion's Mane (one capsule) as I read somewhere they work synergistically together. I had problems with lung function which Reishi/Cordyceps may help with so this approach works for me. This is maintenance. If you are mashed in the brain, you require something stronger to bring you into maintenance phase.
If in doubt about what will be best for you, as reading the research online is especially hard and focus is not there, you might benefit from seeing a practitioner who can advise you on herbal route.
I got quite excited when I saw mention of Lions Mane, got the scissors out and everything ready (I live only about 3 miles from Longleat) then saw the word mushroom and the idea whent mouldy.
I wish that the guy that helped my wife with natural remedies still lved and worked close by. He did more for her in one day then the Docs did in 5 years. She used to have fainting spells and this guy took a hair sample and few days later a private prescription to be filled by a proper pharmacy (had to wait about two weeks for the med to come in). One tablet under tongue each day for a month and bingo no problem at all since (30 years now). Can't remember what it was called but as never had to use it again not an issue.
His wife was an osteopath helping with her back when she fainted on the table which was when he got involved.
Herbal and natural are great and not to be ignored, after all asprin is only a tree root chemical discovered by native americans.
I need to find a good practitioner near me because of the current current drug regime means I haven't got a clue what will mix with what and my GP and Consultants don't want to comment or advise.
I would gladly go to natural remedies as the chemicals flooding my system at the moment means that if I should kick the bucket they'll have to put a 5 mile exclusion zone around the crematorium and re-build it afterwards lol.
Like I think I've said before say I'm just a bit wary of tripping up the AED's without physically seeing a good practitioner. Me thinks some research coming up. Must be someone close by. Glastonbury is just down the road from me so a trip there may help as it's very much a hub for holistic remedies in this area.
Thanks for the prod and point in right direction. (already using omega 3)
I had a good laugh! Thanks for a jolly reply! Each brain injury approach is different according to your individual requirements. I was also dumping excessive amounts of pharmaceuticals in the early days into my latrine so I especially liked this comment! LoL.
I particularly enjoyed Monkey World therapy in Dorset for the chimps / orangs enduring stares, engaging raspberry noises and general delightful actions which after knowing their awful life stories and still being a class clown to the group, gave me hope, warmth and smiles.
I haven't been to Longleat recently so its hard to guess if the lion would share his mane if you explained your situation! I just found this link - you can grow your own mane! mushroomshack.com/kits/type...
Good luck with finding another good herbal practitioner. Wonderful to hear about a one month intervention for a 30 year issue. Just so heart warming and reinforces my experience of the care this sector takes in diagnosing through pulse, tongue, meridians to ensure treatment is exactly right for you.
Ahh! Slight confusion over the wifes probs. She was only 22 when they remedy was given and its been 30 years since trreatment!
As for growing my own Mane will that fill in the missing bits in the middle of my very grey mane! Or do I have to go mouldy and live in a darkened room with a head covered in prime peat compound!
I did worry a little about the actual collection method from the lions but as my son has just started seeing a vet that works there on the large animals I was hoping I might get some help
Humour is a help as well as herbs and in my youth herbs were a cause for humour, chacing pink elephants and hiding from big hairy policemen in Noddy's little yellow car lol. No I didn't say that... did I.
Hi Sporan, didn't realise you lived so close to me, we r only about 3 miles from Longleat as well. Really interested in this herbal stuff. My husband is now nearly 2 yrs post BI and has started going backwards after huge steps forward at the beginning.
Nobody seems to know why so getting desperate for anything that might help him.
Lovely area to live in. Sometimes forget how luckey we are to have so much niceness on our door step.
So sorry to hear your hubby's on a bit of a down turn at the moment. Just had a long discussion with my neuropsychologist and was surprised to learn how little is too much for me and the number of 'do absolutly nothing' breaks I need to plan for.
As your hubby has made such good progress so far perhaps he may be doing to much, apparently even reading, watching telly or listening to music don't count as resting (got special dispensation for soft classical music though.... shame really I hate classical music... I love it really).
Take care but as iforget says be careful and take some medical advice first but herbals and naturals can work wonderfully but you do NEED to be cautious because combination interactions can be difficult and decidedly iffy.
My wife is at times over encouraging and I do my bestest to do as she would like me to but it just catches me up sometimes and I have to 'shut off' for a while.
The vist and assesment with the neuropsychologist will definitely help. At my first appointment my wife was with me for the first hour of a three hour assesment and it was explained to her then what would happen and what she could expect from me. It helped her as much as it helped me.
They pinpointed the defecits in my brain which match the expected problems due to location of tumour shown on MRI scan and they have helped me put in place coping strategies.
Good luck with the neuropsych and keep us up to date on progress.
A word of caution if you have any health conditions or are taking any medication at all, including over the counter medications PLEASE check with a doctor or pharmacist as well as consulting a practitioner in complimentary therapies.
Not everything natural is safe and not everything is safe for everyone...as I found out a while back when I tried a widely available and well known natural remedy with almost catastrophic results.
It was one the popular ones taken for arthritic conditions - the name escapes me but if its important I can look it up... there is a record of anything and everything of note here somewhere
Hi Iforget, here is a paragraph from the AHCC research website:
8. Can AHCC be taken with other medications?
Research shows that AHCC can be taken with most conventional medications, including antidepressants and anti-nausea medication, insulin and OTC drugs.
An estimated 100,000 people worldwide take AHCC, and many also take medications, therefore any adverse effects due to interactions would have already come to light. There have been no reports of any interaction. Still, it is important to refer to research to ensure safety. AHCC is one of very few nutritional supplements that has been cleared for drug-to-drug interaction potential so that doctors, patients and healthy individuals can be confident in its safety.
Sorry to hear about your negative experience with a well known natural remedy. Wishing you wellness
I hadn't heard of these nootropics before, but have looked at the research on lions mane and thought its worth giving it a try. From what I've read, lions mane is reported to stimulate nerve growth factor which is essential for the creation and survival of neurons and helps myelination of nerves which is important for the communication between nerves. It appears that taking lions mane for 16 weeks at 3g daily in elderly people with age-related cognitive decline resulted in statistically significant improvements in cognition compared to controls, however, 4 weeks after stopping taking it, their gains diminished. Even though its early days in research, it looks like this is something that has to taken on a continual basis. It sounds promising, so I've bought some lions mane from pure health and plan on taking a low dose to see what side effects or interactions it !might have, since i m already taking an antidepressant called sertraline/zoloft and other purported nootropics like gingko, sage leaf, curcumin.
I already take an omega 3 supplement, but it appears that the one that was prescribed to you contains a much higher concentration of EPA/DHA. Just curious, what sort of doctor is this? I've never encountered a doctor mention or prescribe omega 3 fish oils, despite their vitality to every cell in the body. I've gone ahead and bought them too, as you mention they should be taken together.
Hi Barny, I don't know if you are still on here as it is a long time since you posted this but I was just wondering how you got on with taking Lion's mane with Zoloft?
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