Reckoning with ADD from Head Trauma, Using a Mendi after Neorhythm, Continuing Gut Repair
A personal update
A personal update, starting with Function Health
It’s been some months since my last update, and there are a number of reasons for that, including caring for family with more pressing issues than mine. Where was I?
In August of 2022, I signed up for the beta of Function Health. The Function Health platform is the brainchild of Dr. Mark Hyman at The Ultrawellness Center. In essence, it allows you to get all the tests he normally runs for new patients at a fraction of the cost of getting them individually.
The tests cover over 150 biomarkers. 137 of mine were in range, 17 were out of range. The most concerning of these was probably the High—Sensitivity C—Reactive Protein and the Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) screen. These indicate levels of inflammation in my body and brain that need to be addressed in tandem with the gut repair protocol, otherwise, that repair won’t be as good as it could be.
So my doctor made important adjustments to my plan, including having me take several supplements aimed at reducing inflammation.
Of course, it might have been nice if I had taken these tests 11 months ago and followed this plan from the beginning, but Function Health didn’t exist until August (I was one of the first to sign up) and I didn’t know to ask for these specific tests, etc.
My doctor has also switched me from the probiotic I was on to an even more specialized one. A study came out earlier this year showing that concussed athletes suffered decrements in specific microbiota species, many of them being butyrate producers. So she switched me to a probiotic of those species (from Ayush Herbs), along with the butyrate I’ve already been taking (from Genestra).
The plan is to reduce the inflammation while continuing to make gains with gut repair (which also leads to blood-brain barrier repair) until February when I get my follow-up labs from Function Health (the service includes new tests every six months).
If those 6-month follow-up results look markedly improved, then I’ll retake the Array 20 test from Cyrex Labs to see if my blood-brain barrier is healed. I might do rounds of HBOT (hyperbaric oxygen therapy) in January or February before retaking that test.
Reckoning with ADD caused or worsened by head trauma
I went a bit down the rabbit hole in watching YouTube videos from the Amen Clinic. In one of them, Dr. Amen says he evaluates the brains of patients for one of 7 types of ADD. Offhand, he mentions that there’s another type of ADD caused by head trauma.
It got me thinking. I recently looked at my genetic predisposition for ADD at Genetic Lifehacks, and I had several of the genes correlated with ADD.
Over the course of my adult life, I got really good at creating structures of support for myself. I worked from list every day, etc. In fact, I was so adept at doing this, I worked as a Producer, which is effectively the executive function of a creative team.
There’s absolutely no way I could do that kind of work now. In recent months, I worked on a project with a Producer, and as I watched her lead meetings and assign people Action Items, I knew there was no way I could do that today.
I suspect that I had the biological underpinnings of ADD, and that I had ADD. However, given how early my head traumas began (most notably when I was 12 and a 16-year-old friend punched me in the back of the head as hard as he could, and my head hit a door, and I collapsed, my head hitting the floor, and I was unconscious for several minutes, and woke up to him sobbing over me because he thought I was dead), it’s really a chicken or egg thing as far as what came first, the head trauma or the ADD.
This leaves me reckoning with the fact that meeting the ADD challenge is the next thing on the horizon. There’s little question that my ADD symptoms have been pretty bad for years now, but I’ve been so focused on brain health and healing and recovery that this ADD piece was a real blindspot. Not anymore. It’s the next thing in my sights.
Honestly, this makes me feel renewed optimism to think that I could work through things that have been holding me back for a very long time. I don’t have to wait until I’m done with this inflammation, gut repair, and blood-brain barrier repair protocol. I can start making changes now.
Taking Steps to Address My ADD (whether or not it’s from head trauma)
After watching a bunch of those Amen videos, and thinking about related things I’ve learned along the way, I’m doing the following (some are things I already do). As ever, please consult a medical professional before considering any of these things—especially in light of knowing there may be 7 types of ADD and the approach to each one is apparently a bit different.
What I already do that’s relevant to ADD
Every morning I do at least 3 rounds of Wim Hof Breathing using the app. This profoundly changes my state of mind, every time. I often follow this by a cold then hot then cold shower, which boosts dopamine and has other benefits.
In the morning, I already take Mucuna Puriens to boost dopamine levels. Amen recommended L-Tyrosine for this purpose, but I tried that in the past, and I like Mucuna Puriens better, which may be because converting L-Tyrosine to L-Dopa requires nutritional cofactors, a healthy digestive system, etc.
I also take Rhodiola, which is another supplement Amen often recommends (not for everyone, but often).
In the evening I already take L-theanine and Magnesium, both of which Amen recommends for certain patients.
I already exercise, but I’m re-committing to it, being more consistent, and upping the intensity.
I already eat pretty cleanly, but I’m upping the ante, eliminating more foods, and eating more fibre for gut health.
What I’m now adding to address ADD
Front-loading protein intake in the morning, aiming for 30+ grams within the first hour after waking. Eliminating dairy in the morning, including my beloved 1/2 and 1/2.
Before adding the following supplements, I vetted them on Examine.com.
Adding Ginkgo Biloba mid-morning before I sit down to work. In my experience, I did not feel great taking this right off the bat in the morning with my other supplements, but taking it later seemed to work well for me personally.
Adding Saffron extract, every other day, in part because there was a toxicity warning at Examine.com when taken daily.
Adding 5-HTP to my evening supplements (2 hours before bed) to boost serotonin. Note: When I checked Examine.com for information about 5-HTP, there was a specific warning to NOT take this in tandem with SSRI medications as the consequences are potentially deadly. This is just one of many reasons why, again, you should check with a healthcare professional—I am not a healthcare professional—before adding or removing anything to your daily regimen).
Exercising with greater intensity and walking more often.
Doing a 30-minute session with the Neorythm (on the ‘Energy and Vitality’ setting) right in front of my prefrontal cortex, immediately followed by a training session with the Mendi.
Powerful Combo: Following the Neorythm with Mendi focus training
Apparently, in a clinical setting, transcranial magnetic stimulation (via the Neorythm in my case) followed immediately by neurofeedback training (via the Mendi in my case) is a potent combination that works better than either in isolation.
My neurofeedback performance (with the Mendi) was ridiculously better after using the Neorythm than it was without using it beforehand. My oxygen-rich blood flow score (in my prefrontal cortex) went from 421p to 3769p. My neural activity went from 11% to 31%. Lowered activity in the prefrontal cortex is a hallmark of ADD.
I wear the Neorythm whilst working at my computer, so it doesn’t take any time for me to do that session. The Mendi session takes 5 to 10 minutes of focused attention. So doing this isn’t an onerous task.
From Exercise to Movement
Last but not least, I’ve begun taking a movement-based approach to exercise. I’m taking inspiration from Ido Portal. Check out his amazing videos on YouTube. It’s a very freeing approach. I find myself no longer moving weights in one or two planes, but moving them and myself in many different planes, and in a way that feels much more vibrant and enjoyable.
Onward.
Brainwave is a newsletter about brain health, a personal blog about my own journey, and an informational resource for people whose symptoms haven’t resolved after a concussion or mTBI. I aim to present this information in a clear and concise way, spelling out what’s backed by science and what remains unknown. Nothing here is meant as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. I am not a physician or a healthcare practitioner of any kind; I’ve had a lot of sports-related head trauma and had to learn this stuff the hard way. If you found this information helpful or know someone who might benefit from it, please share and subscribe to Brainwave.