Your nervous system regulates everything you do. It helps you breathe, swallow, sleep, and move. It allows your heart to beat and your body to age. It assists with processes like digestion and coordinates your senses. And it helps you speak, learn, and remember. These are only a few of the many things that your nervous system does. Think of it as your body’s “Big Brother” — a supercomputer that monitors and controls all functions in your body, mostly without us even realizing it.
When this powerful system malfunctions, it can cause physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms like pain, confusion, mood changes, and/or coordination difficulties, ranging from chronic pain to disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis. In fact, neurological dysfunction disorders affect millions of people each year.
From Brain to Gut
More and more, studies are showing that neurological disorders have a profound effect on the body’s digestive system. In other words, the connection between the brain and the gut is a real thing. A malfunctioning nervous system can lead to symptoms like decreased hunger, constipation, and trouble swallowing.
At the same time, certain nutrition-related factors can impact how neurological diseases advance, or worsen, over time. Specifically, weight changes, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and overall diet patterns are important factors.
The effects of the brain on your digestive system are so vital that an entire branch of medicine, called neurogastroenterology, is devoted to the study of neurologic manifestations. This includes studying gastrointestinal tract diseases, nutrient deficiency, and nervous system disorders with gastrointestinal symptoms.
The Healing Power of Nutrition
At The Spero Clinic in Fayetteville, Arkansas, hundreds of patients have gone through their treatment programs, aimed at healing neurological disorders such as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Fibromyalgia, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Long Covid, and others.
An important part of Spero’s unique treatments, developed by Founder and CEO Dr. Katinka van der Merwe, is deeply rooted in the belief that the body is a self-healing organism, capable of surviving and healing even catastrophic injuries. This holistic approach includes important factors such as diet and nutrition.
Research has found that specific diets can prevent or delay the start of certain neurological conditions. For example, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and fish, has been linked to improved brain health. This diet might also reduce your risk of developing certain conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
Because inflammation plays a role in some neurological conditions, omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, olive oil, nuts, and seeds are anti-inflammatory and are associated with improved brain health. Other food components such as fiber in fruits and vegetables, may help feed good bacteria in the gut which protect your intestines from harmful bacteria that could contribute to inflammation.
Do’s and Don’ts
While food choices do not necessarily cause neurological dysfunction symptoms, there are ways you can manage them through the foods you eat. For example, in the case of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and other neurological chronic pain conditions, The Spero Clinic recommends a diet that includes plenty of hydration, alkaline foods, and drinks, clean fruits and vegetables, plenty of Omega-3s, natural (untreated) proteins, healthy carbs, and honey or Stevia instead of sugar. Things like unhealthy carbs, sugar, and trans fats should be eliminated from your diet.
Says Dr. Katinka, “It is my belief that anyone who suffers from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) also suffers from global inflammation in the body. Inflammation increases your risk of getting cancer, autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, and many other diseases and conditions. It also ages you prematurely.”
Plant-based, low-fat, high-fiber diets, rich in antioxidants and other lifestyle interventions may reduce the burden and disability of common neurological disorders. The ketogenic diet, the diet of choice for the treatment of refractory epilepsy, is such an example.
Spero’s whole-body approach to neurological disorders has proven an unprecedented success.
For more information, call 479-304-8202 or book a FREE consultation with one of Spero’s chronic pain specialists to see if our program is a good fit for you.
