"Tape an Aspirin to It"

A Practical, Four-Step Strategy to Speed the Healing Process after a Concussion

By: John DeWitt

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

CONCUSSIONS AND HOW I REDUCED MY SYMPTOMS

After a seizure at 51 years old, I believed my 12 year pro football career was at least partially to blame. It sent me on a mission to determine what I could do to alleviate my symptoms and get my life back.

This book is about what I personally did to help relieve my concussion symptoms. The book is NOT going to go into the specifics of the macroscopic or microscopic aspects of the cause of concussions. It IS, however, for those that want a simplified strategy to help reduce and/or eliminate the symptoms for THEIR SPECIFIC damage.

You see, not all concussions affect the same areas of the brain, and therefore, you need to know what areas are having challenges in YOUR specific case. Today that can be achieved through taking some brief cognitive tests ONLINE that can help you and your practitioner to produce a baseline and protocol to help you with your challenges.

First let me clarify: ANY injury is traumatic. Though the coaches may tell a player to “tape an aspirin to it,” the real solution is simple—not easy, but simple. If you are willing to put in the work and commit to the changes, you WILL have the absolute best chance of getting your life back.

Since my experience with concussions and the symptoms that followed, I looked into the research…After reviewing the literature, I began to wonder if there was any information out there on how we could protect ourselves from TBI other than abstaining from playing these contact sports altogether. What I discovered was extremely encouraging. There ARE things, like nutrition, exercises, sleep, and other factors… that can help reduce the effects of concussions. These are what I focused on and utilized to develop this four-step strategy.

NO QUICK FIXES
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I mention the “lifestyle change” because (not to bash any other professions) but it’s easier for MDs to simply prescribe meds to “fix the symptoms”. I don’t want to imply that that applies to ALL MDs but I have heard several stories of people filling out their intake forms, waiting for 30 minutes to an hour (or more) to speak with the Doctor only to have them come in, looking at an iPad or the intake form, then handing them a prescription without asking them a single question.

I was told by an MD that it's just easier to give patients a pill because “lifestyle changes are too difficult” and won’t be followed.

I admit, changing your eating and activity level IS challenging. They say it takes 45 days to create a new habit. I believe it just takes a WHY that’s big enough. That’s why people that have heart attacks are VERY motivated to get on the treadmill and start eating healthier. However, even the motivation of a significant WHY can wane over time. That is why it is SO IMPORTANT to have someone to work with you, keeping you accountable, during the process.

This realization inspired me to create this program to show you the path and, more importantly, walk with you along the path to answer any questions, explain and track your progress and/or adapt your protocol to keep you on track. Sometimes that includes giving encouragement or even an occasional kick in the pants to STICK WITH IT.

Something people often overlook is that concussions don’t only effect those that are injured but also their family and friends. This protocol helps answer any of their questions as well and we work directly with them in case their injured loved-one is unable to comprehend some of the aspects of the program. This is meant to ease the stress that is inevitably associated with any long-term health challenge.

God Bless