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Nutrition is one of the eight domains of Total Force Fitness. How we eat can improve heart health, weight and other physical issues. Did you know that it can also affect brain health?
Research has shown that dietary changes may help relieve symptoms that might complicate recovery from a traumatic brain injury (TBI), such as chronic pain, anxiety, depression and sleep problems. Healthy dietary habits and maintaining a healthy weight play significant roles in treating patients at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE).
But what is considered a healthy weight? Of course, this can vary based on individual needs. A healthy weight for an average person may not be the same as for an NFL linebacker. The U.S. uses body mass index (BMI) to determine an individual’s healthy weight, especially in a medical setting. Health care providers also take the patient’s waist circumference into account, as it is sometimes a better indicator of health and size than a number on the scale.
In 2023, the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry published a study of 770 patients seen at level 1 trauma centers after mild TBI, and found that obese patients had prolonged mild traumatic brain injury symptoms at six and 12 months compared to those with healthy BMIs.
“Indirectly, if someone has excess body fat, especially around the midsection, that’s metabolically active. Those fat cells can also sequester fatty acids that create more inflammation,” said Robyn Rockwell, the NICoE’s registered dietitian.
In the secondary phase of a TBI, individuals have neuroinflammation and chronic inflammation. If the patient also has excess weight, it perpetuates the inflammation, which not only slows TBI recovery, but can lead to heart disease, dementia and other chronic diseases later in life.
To stave off those ailments, Rockwell suggests, “Think of what percentage of your plate is plants. Real whole food plants. And could it be half? A lot of times people are looking for the perfect diet or a quick fix. But if you have a cup of broccoli, it’s always going to take up less calories on your plate than a cup from a charcuterie board.”
The NICoE provides world class medical, neurological, rehabilitative, behavioral health, advanced imaging and diagnostics, education, and complementary services to meet the whole person needs of service members impacted by TBI.
| Date Taken: | 03.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.27.2025 07:48 |
| Story ID: | 493759 |
| Location: | BETHESDA, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 13 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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