Everything you eat becomes part of you, even temporarily. What you consume has a direct relationship to how your body copes, recovers, rests, moves, and feels. For a recovering brain, that relationship matters more than usual.
What the research says
The gut-brain connection
The gut and brain are in constant two-way communication via the vagus nerve and the enteric nervous system, sometimes called the "second brain." This connection is why stress shows up as stomach pain, and why gut dysfunction can amplify anxiety, brain fog, and mood instability.
The gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to emotion. Anger, anxiety, sadness, and stress can all trigger symptoms in the gut. And it works both ways: a troubled gut sends signals to the brain just as a troubled brain sends signals to the gut. For people with concussion, where the nervous system is already dysregulated, supporting the gut is supporting the brain.
Inflammation and brain recovery
Concussion triggers an inflammatory response in the brain. In the short term, this is part of the healing process. But chronic, low-grade inflammation, driven by diet, stress, and lifestyle, can slow recovery and amplify symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, and mood changes.
An anti-inflammatory diet is not a specific prescription. It's a general direction: more whole foods, fewer processed ones. More colourful vegetables and fruit, oily fish, nuts, and seeds. Less refined sugar, processed grains, and ultra-processed food. Research consistently links this pattern with reduced inflammatory markers and better brain health outcomes.
Why gluten and dairy are worth examining
Not everyone needs to avoid gluten or dairy. But for people with undiagnosed sensitivities, or conditions like adenomyosis or endometriosis that are exacerbated by inflammation, reducing these can make a meaningful difference. Both can contribute to gut inflammation in susceptible people, which feeds back into the brain via the gut-brain axis.
The key word is reducing, not eliminating overnight. Cutting everything at once is overwhelming and makes it impossible to know what's actually helping.
Hydration
The standard "drink 2 litres a day" is an average. A more accurate guide is 30ml per kilogram of body weight. For an 80kg person, that's 2.4 litres. Brain function is particularly sensitive to even mild dehydration, and many concussion symptoms, including headache and fatigue, are worsened by it.
Practical swaps: gluten and dairy alternatives
The easiest approach is replacement rather than restriction. When you cut something out entirely, it becomes all you want. Finding things you actually enjoy eating that happen to be gluten and dairy free makes the shift sustainable.
Dairy alternatives
- Oat milk: the closest to regular milk in creaminess. Good in coffee and cooking.
- Almond milk: lighter, slightly nutty. Good in smoothies and cereal.
- Coconut milk: rich and creamy. Best in smoothies, curries, and sauces.
- Rice milk: very mild. Good if you have multiple sensitivities.
- Soy milk: fine occasionally, but worth minimising as a daily staple due to its phytoestrogen content.
- Butter alternatives: Olivani or Nuttelex both work well for cooking and spreading.
- Cheese alternatives: Anchor Zero Lacto cheddar melts well. Goats cheese is worth trying as it's often better tolerated than cow's milk cheese.
Gluten alternatives
- Flour blends: almond flour, tapioca flour, chickpea flour, and coconut flour all work. For baking, use a mix. Coconut flour changes flavour noticeably so use it sparingly unless you're intentionally going for that.
- GF supermarket flour works fine for most everyday baking.
- Bread: Vogels GF range, Gluten Freedom sweet potato or rosemary and hemp buns, OMGoodness breads.
- Pasta: GF pasta has improved dramatically. Rice and corn pasta are the most neutral in flavour.
- Crackers and snacks: rice crackers, corn-based chips, GF biscuits (Molly Woppy, Serious Cookies).
Sugar alternatives
- 100% pure maple syrup (check the label, not maple-flavoured)
- Raw honey
- Coconut sugar for baking and sweetening drinks
Good everyday staples
- Eggs, tofu (marinate it well), almond butter, nuts
- Rice paper rolls, vermicelli noodles, sushi
- Risotto with Arborio rice using Olivani instead of butter
- Vegetable rostis: grate potato, carrot, beetroot, and parsnip, fry in Olivani, season well
- Smoothies: banana, coconut milk, almond butter, frozen berries, coconut yoghurt, and a good cacao powder
Supplements worth knowing about
I want to be upfront: I'm not a nutritionist and you should work with a practitioner before starting supplements. I've spent a lot of money over the years buying things that didn't do much. Introducing one at a time over a few weeks is the only way to actually know what's helping.
That said, here are some I've found genuinely useful:
- Magnesium (specifically Magtein/Magnesium L-Threonate): crosses the blood-brain barrier. Excellent for sleep, muscle recovery, and nervous system regulation. Life Extension Neuro Mag is the one I use.
- EPA/DHA fish oils: omega-3 fatty acids with strong evidence for brain health, reducing inflammation, and supporting mood. Cold-water fish are the best food source.
- Vitamin D: most New Zealanders are deficient, especially in winter. Regulates calcium, supports bones, muscles, and immune function.
- Vitamin B complex: supports cellular function, energy, and nervous system health.
- Pre and probiotics: support gut microbiome balance. Check the strains on the label rather than just buying the cheapest option.
- Turmeric: anti-inflammatory. Metagenics Inflamood combines turmeric and saffron. Worth trying if inflammation is a significant factor.
- Ashwagandha: adaptogen that can help regulate the stress response and reduce anxiety over time.
- Vitamin C: immune support and tissue repair. Also helps reduce sugar cravings.
Ally's experience
What I've learned from years of trial, error, and accidentally crashing my body
In my mid-twenties I cut out gluten, dairy, and sugar all at the same time. I couldn't get out of bed. I was exhausted, anxious, and barely leaving the house. I thought I was doing something wrong. Turns out you just don't do it all at once. Your body needs time to adjust, and you need to be able to isolate what's actually making a difference.
Another thing I learned the hard way: if you cut something out for a long period, reintroducing it slowly is essential. Your gut stops producing the enzymes that break certain foods down. I made the mistake of cutting out gluten for months and then eating a proper croissant. My body had absolutely no idea what to do with it.
The eat the rainbow principle is one that stuck with me. Different coloured fruit and vegetables carry different vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Trying to hit several colours across the day is a simple heuristic that naturally shifts the diet toward more variety and more whole food.
My honest overall advice: make small changes, pay attention to how you feel, get advice from someone qualified, and give yourself grace. Changing how you eat is hard. It doesn't have to be perfect to make a difference.