Why You May Have A Head Injury Or Concussion (Even If You Don’t Know It) And What To Do About It.

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Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.

Four months ago, I was at a party in Park City, Utah that happened to be chock full of chiropractic physicians. While I was leaning against the bar mixing myself a white wine kombucha spritzer, as I'm prone to do, a doctor named Steve Geanopulos approached me and introduced himself.

Sensing I was a fellow physiology geek with his science-spidey sense, he proceeded to fill me in on a fascinating paper entitled “The Potential Impact of Various Physiological Mechanisms on Outcomes in TBI, mTBI, Concussion and PPCS.” He then went on to explain that this paper, which we'll discuss in today's podcast along with plenty of other neural fixing and neural enhancing topics, forms the basis of the care he provides for his chronic brain-based patients (not only concussion but anyone who struggles with movement, sight, focus, attention, or other brain-based issues.).

We also discussed the work Steve does with professional and collegiate athletes and concussion with his colleague Ben Velazquez, and the work he's done with a guy named Guy Voyer over the past 20 years with ELDOA – a form of fascial stretching that I personally incorporate in my own training and my clients' protocols. He described his approach as a “neuro-chemical, neuro-immunological, neuro-mechanical approach”. So wh0 is this guy exactly?

Dr. Steven G. Geanopulos, affectionately known as ‘Dr. G’, is a speaker, writer, and leader in the world of functional neurology / functional medicine and is quickly becoming one of America’s leading experts in lifelong, optimized living. His experience and clinical approach have proven that diminished health and vitality can be reclaimed by just about any proactive person at any age.

Dr. G.’s principles of practice cover the 5 essential keys to resolving the underlying cause of health problems and performance concerns including; assessing the nervous system for interference, endocrine system, detoxification systems, nutrition and fitness.

Dr. G has completed his postgraduate studies in the field of Functional Neurology and attained board certification through the Carrick Institute, a distinction shared by fewer than 700 people worldwide. Dr. G is a lifelong learner and has completed hundreds of hours of training in the fields of chiropractic neurology and functional medicine. The material he shares covers everything required to take control of your health while dispelling the ever-growing number of fallacies and myths related to this subject. Dr. G’s fascinating and refreshing approach to body transformation focuses immune function, brain function, nutrition, management of our personal environment, exercise and hormone balance. Dr. G currently practices virtually with clients and sees patients from all over the world with his main practice located in New York City. His practice has 3 main areas of focus:

1. Brain health
2. Metabolic health
3. Structural and functional integrity and optimization.

These 3 areas of focus are intimately connected and require Dr. G’s unique expertise.

Eventually, I made it to New York City to meet with Steve and also meet his colleague there: Benjamin Velazquez Pagan. Ben's qualifications include:

-Licensed Soma-Trainer (Performance Physical Therapy)
-Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach
-Member, International Sports Sciences Association
-Member, National Strength & Conditioning Association
-Member, American College of Sports Medicine
-Co-Contributing Author, “Fascia – Clinical Applications for Health and Human Performance”

As a competitive athlete, Benjamin Velazquez realizes the value and potential that comes with a scientific sports program. As a Performance therapist, his goal is to bridge the gap between cutting-edge science and today's athlete. Ben's professional experience includes Managing Partner and Director of Human Performance of Sports Lab NYC LLC; President of Grey Matters Sports Group LLC. He designs programs and coaches his New York clientele that ranges from elite athlete to high profile celebrity. In addition to a B.S. degree in Aeronautical Science, Ben holds several certifications, which include NCSA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, Licensed Performance Soma- Therapist, ACSM Exercise Specialist, ISSA Sports performance Nutritionist, and many more.

Ben's client roster includes:

-22 current and Former N.H.L. Athletes,
-18 current and former M.L.B. Players
-5 Division 1 NCAA Soccer Players
-12 Current N.F.L. Athletes.
-The Women’s 2006 Track Team at the University of Texas.

Ben has also worked with the Saskatoon Blades Hockey Team 1999-2000, the 2003 national champion New York Freedom Soccer Team as well as 5 Athletes at The Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Ben has spent the last two years researching the use of corrective exercise in mitigating the risk factors of concussions in athletes. Along with his team at Grey Matters Sports Group, he has successfully worked with athletes from five different sports that were recovering from multiple concussions. He and his team have pioneered a five-tier method of rehabilitating the athlete that has suffered from concussive trauma.

During my discussion with Ben and Steve, you'll discover:

-Why concussions today are much different today than they were 30 years ago…14:00

-Why Steve describes concussions as an immune system issue…18:30

-Steve and Ben's approach for returning to play, work or school after a head injury or concussion-like syndrome…24:00

-Why Steve had me wear a giant pair of infrared goggles when he evaluated me in New York City…35:00

-What kind of blood work you have to have done to see if you've had a concussion…50:45

-Why Ben V. feels that anybody who is dealing with a concussion or TBI should learn a form of fascial stretching called ELDOA…56:45

-And much more!

Resources from this episode:

-How To Take Matters Into Your Own Hands & Navigate The Modern Medical System (Without Dying).

How To Use Ketones For Longevity, How I Personally Use Ketone Salts & A New Chemical-Free, Clean Way To Get Into Ketosis.

How To Rewire Your Brain For Better Sleep, Reset Your Brain’s Tolerance To Marijuana & Alcohol, Fly Spaceships With Your Mind & Much More.

How To Increase Your IQ, Decrease Your Distractibility, Create Better Sleep, Enhance Cognitive Performance & Maximize Your Ability To Enter The Zone.

42 Different Ways To Build A Better Brain, The Problem With Modern Smart Drugs, Hacking Your Neurons & More.

Ketosis Dangers: How To Maximize the Nutrient Density of a Low Carb Diet.

The Official Black Friday Gift List: 10 Effective, Easy & Cheap Biohacks For Everyone To Try.

The Ultimate Visual Biohack – How To Create Your Own Custom Set Of Vision, Performance and Sleep Enhancing Eyewear.

My podcast on ELDOA

My podcast on the concussion repair manual with Dr. Dan Engle

The SWAY app

ACNB.org

The Desmotec D11 device Ben mentions

-The BeFirst app Steve discusses

The MotionGuidance system Steve discusses

 

-The concussion paper that Ben and Steven discussed at the party:

Episode Sponsors:

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Aaptiv An app that's like a personal trainer in your pocket. Sign up today and get an automatic membership for 30% off.

Organifi I love the red juice! Use the code here and save 20% off your order

-Join Ben and Robyn Openshaw, aka the Green Smoothie Girl, for an immersive health retreat in the Swiss Alps next June! There are only a few spaces still available. Click here for more info.

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Ben, Steve or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

Ask Ben a Podcast Question

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4 thoughts on “Why You May Have A Head Injury Or Concussion (Even If You Don’t Know It) And What To Do About It.

  1. frank gotte says:

    Hi Ben! Super grateful for all your contributions. Do you have any recommendations or resources for learning Eldoa if we can’t find a local practioner?

    Thanks.

    Frank

    1. I have some links to videos here, and you can find more online: https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/podcast/fitness-… I really recommend attending a session though. Have you looked here? http://somafinder.com/seminars/

  2. Je Willkomm says:

    Hi Ben, Never wrote to a podcast before but this one stuck in my “craw” (whatever a craw is). Your 2 guest are right on track but it’s crazy to think that “functional neurology” is breaking ground on this. As an Occupational Therapist who has been working since 1996 we have been using these techniques (and a lot more) with children and adults with TBI’s, Sensory Processing problems, Autism and the Autism spectrum disorders, not to mention stroke patients. I think it would benefit your listeners to know more about what “traditional” therapies have to offer them, especially since their insurance could help pay for the therapy. Granted if it is for higher performance, insurance will probably not pay but there are so many more treatments to use to help improve an athlete at any age. Using the correct bin-aural beats with specific headphones can attenuate the right and left side of the brain to shave off seconds for the high performance athlete. As well as using proprioception with vestibular exercises with eye exercises not only strengthens the stroke patient but increases position in space for the “klutzy” kid. It’s great marketing for these guys to focus on high performance athletes(I know thats your show), but I think your average listener who might have the klutzy kid might want to know there are medical professional near them who can help. Just some “organic food” for thought ~Je (pronounced Jay)

    1. Hi Je
      I appreciate your comments and your experience as a provider. I agree that enhancing neurological pathways with proprioceptive and ocular exercises has been around a long time. PT’s OT’s and the like have led the way with many of these interventions. However what I believe is new here, and certainly not being addressed by 3rd party reimbursement is the following.
      1) The use of the ELDOA techniques in the context of neurological deficit due to brain injury. The use of proprioception with emphasis on fascia and CSF flow in addition to muscle and joint receptor physiology was pioneered by Dr. Guy Voyer and his disciples who has been working with professional athletes since the early 1980’s. No one in the US has worked more closely with Guy Voyer than Ben Velazquez and Dr. Mark Lindsay who have 25 years of experience and the best athletes in the world as their clients. Athletes who were otherwise unable to return to play with out a different approach.
      2)What is also new is bringing the latest understanding in blood chemistry and immunology into the picture and seeing that persistent post concussion syndrome is an immunological disorder. “Klutzy kids” typically may not need all that we discussed in this podcast, but I can show you dozens of cases that have failed the traditional route.
      3) Understanding the cascade of what happens neurochemically after concussion and how the body uses different energy systems to address this process. Metabolic flexibility is an effective protective and healing strategy for brain injury. Again, no one in 1996 was discussing these principles.

      Enhancing performance and reducing klutziness is effectively treated with the tools mentioned in your comments. We hoped in this podcast to communicate to those who are having more persistent challenges not typically responding to the first wave of interventions. Ben V. and I both would prefer listeners to the podcast looking to make some improvements in their performance or reduce their klutzy behavior to seek out local providers like your self or those mentioned in the podcast, before making plans to come to NYC. I hope that eases the discomfort in your “Craw” :) .

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