How I Healed My Brain After Traumatic Brain Injury: The Complete TBI Recovery Protocol

How I Healed My Brain After Traumatic Brain Injury:

The Complete TBI Recovery Protocol

Ten years ago, a severe traumatic brain injury nearly erased my cognitive function.

Ten years ago, a severe traumatic brain injury nearly erased my cognitive function.

Overnight, I lost the ability to focus, remember what happened a few seconds ago, I could barely walk, I reverted to French (my native tongue), and thinking clearly to make any decision had become impossible. My brain had entered a state of chronic neuro-inflammation and complete energy failure. Basically, my brain was so wounded that it was what I call “broken”. But it didn’t just affect my brain, a TBI will expand to every part of your body because it is the control center!

I was no longer able to process sugar or anything turning into glucose. My ability to function was greatly diminished yet I looked completely normal.

For a health coach and yoga instructor, that was my darkest moment although at the time I did not understand what was happening to me.

But what I discovered in those years of recovery has become my life's work: TBI recovery isn't a mystery to me anymore. I tried to follow what Doctors suggested, but in all honesty, it became clear to me doctors had no clue what was going on or they knew very little. Their advice was opposite of what I needed. (More on that later when I start publishing my book on the subject and my story).

As I lived it (the trauma), I started to understand my cellular needs, I had complete awareness of my nervous system architecture, and I naturally applied precise tools to help me recover and overcome this life changing experience. I knew i was alone in this, as I could tell no one understood what was happening.

My first line of defense became my nutrition, and this is true for any disease or bodily crisis. I incorporated red & blue light therapy, I used gentle yoga, and breath to regulate my nervous and anxiety prone nervous system due to my broken brain, I had deep contemplation and spiritual exercises that helped alleviate my pains (yes lot’s of pain is involved) and it gave me energy to face the day or be up for 2 hours before needing to sleep again.

During that time, I mostly SLEPT. I slept 16+ hours a day, and anytime I didn’t have to teach a class. I slept, and slept, and slept.

Today, ten years later, my cognitive function is fully restored. My digestion is flawless. My brain fires on all cylinders. And I've learned something that most doctors don't teach: the body knows how to heal itself when you give it exactly what it needs.

What I'm about to share with you isn't theoretical; it's the exact protocol I used to pull my brain out of metabolic failure, rebuild my nervous system, and reclaim my life. If you're navigating TBI recovery yourself, or supporting someone who is, this is for you.

Understanding the TBI Crisis: Why Your Brain Stops Healing

This isn't just a neurological problem - it's a metabolic emergency.

Most conventional TBI recovery focuses on rest, physical therapy, speech therapy, and sometimes medication. But these approaches often miss the root issue: your injured brain is starving for the right kind of fuel.

Without fixing the metabolic foundation, you can do all the cognitive therapy in the world and still feel stuck.

That's where my recovery journey began. I realized that to pull my brain out of that deficit, I had to completely restructure my biochemistry from the ground up.

When you suffer a severe traumatic brain injury, your brain enters a state of profound metabolic crisis. The injury damages neurons and disrupts the delicate energy systems that keep your brain functioning and communicating with the rest of your body.

This process does not happen overnight, it takes days and weeks to develop. Just like a wound on your arm or leg, it changes as time goes by. You'll see swelling, then perhaps an infection, bruising, a scab will grow over as it heals, then eventually the scab will give way to fresh new skin.

Except a brain is slightly more difficult to repair. The brain is mostly made of fatty acid and is like a blob or jello. It needs lots of animal protein and fat to reform, regrow itself, heal and thrive.

During that time your brain literally struggles to process glucose for fuel like it may have done before if you are on a standard american diet or worse yet a vegan / vegetarian diet.

I write about it in this blog post on The Eclectic French Yogini Website: How Vegetarianism Damaged My Health

Nutritional Transformation: From Vegetarian to Carnivore (The Keto-Nivore Shift)

Before my TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), I had been mostly vegetarian. I occasionally ate chicken, loved eggs and cheese. But in the weeks after the injury, something primal shifted. All I could think about were red, juicy, bloody rare thick steaks. I could see them, smell them - and my body was telling me something I couldn't ignore. I needed this nutrition very badly.

My brain knew what it needed. I just had to listen.

I started eating red meat every day without fail. I added animal proteins like rendered fat from ducks, pigs, and beef. I loved butter even more. It was a radical change - almost shocking, given my previous dietary philosophy. But it was exactly what my brain needed to heal.

There are fifty years of clinical studies on brain repair in epileptic individuals that document the power of a ketogenic diet for neurological healing. Epilepsy and TBI share similar metabolic disruptions, and both respond dramatically to shifting away from glucose-dependent fuel to ketones - a far more stable and efficient fuel source for an injured nervous system.

I knew nothing about ketogenic nutrition at the time, but my brain did. So I followed suit and gave it what it needed.

The Evolution to Carnivore ("Keto-Nivore")

The Strict Ketogenic Protocol

I had no choice but to start a strict ketogenic diet. It wasn't a fad for me, it was a matter of survival. This diet provided my brain with ketones, a stable fuel source for an injured nervous system that couldn't process glucose efficiently.

I couldn't eat anything that would transform into glucose without triggering a reaction. So I ditched grains, pasta, bread, lentils (which I had loved), beans, and even certain starchy vegetables made me sick.

with these starchy or sugary foods my brain would be on fire! It felt like my brain was burning up and nothing could stop it except aniumal products and especially fats. The pain was excruciating and unstopable until I ate the right foods.

Over the last three years, this evolved into a more carnivore approach. I shifted away from inflammatory plant compounds; like oxalates and lectins. I focused heavily on animal-based proteins and clean fats. This shift ultimately resolved the vast majority of my deep physical and neurological issues.

Why? Because plant defense compounds, while beneficial in small amounts for healthy people, became inflammatory triggers in my sensitive, healing nervous system. Removing them allowed my body to finally focus entirely on repair rather than managing ongoing inflammation.

The bottom line:

TBI recovery requires a metabolically optimized diet.

For me, that meant carnivore. Your optimal diet may look different, but the principle is the same - give your brain fuel it can actually use, and remove what triggers inflammation.

The Cellular Reset: Phototherapy as the Foundation

The turning point in my brain healing came from a powerful combination: phototherapy patches and targeted metabolic nutrition.

Nutrition came first and phototherapy came second, because my neurons at 50 were not repairing like they would have in my 20s. Not only I was bordering the onset of menopause but also my stem cells were not producing enough anymore to make those repairs in my brain like my brain needed at this time. I basically was getting better but to be honest I was vegetating and relapsing a lot.

I needed the energetic support and boost of cellular repair from phototherapy technology that came out in 2019. and that's when real change took place. At that point my brain truly started to begin to heal and retain it's gain without relapse or reverting into a damaged brain. What a relief this was!

I discovered LifeWave phototherapy patches, specifically the X39 and X49. These non-transdermal patches use light frequencies to support the body's natural energy pathways, cellular repair, and vitality. Rather than delivering a drug, they work with your body's own healing mechanisms to activate cellular regeneration.

Your own body start producing new, young stem cells, new pathways, repair matochondrias, and a new you is here to stay. Coupled with the optimum human diet, I was making headways! It was revolutionary to me and life changing.

I wasn't vegetating anymore, struggling each day to do simple task at home like cleaning, cooking, walking my dogs or even taking care of my hygene. I now was jumping out of bed in the morning without any pains, I was working an entire day without asking myself have I done too much? Will I pay the price tomorrow?

Not anymore. Life changing was not even a strong enough of a word to explain my dire situation of late.

I was coming back from the dead.

All i had to do each day, is stick a patch on my body and discard it at night before bed.

No more driving around to endless apointments with doctors, Hyperbarick Oxygen Chambers (which was a crucial part of my recovery too), I could stay home, save money, and heal.

Sticking to a rigorous routine with these patches gave my body the cellular support it needed to initiate deep brain tissue recovery. It was the absolute catalyst that brought my cognitive function back online. My brain literally started to reconnect to the world. My neurons were firing up again. I had new stem cells building new tissues, creating an entirely new foundation within me.

For me, phototherapy wasn't optional ; it was the ignition switch that made everything else possible.

I discovered LifeWave phototherapy patches, specifically the X39 and X49. These non-transdermal patches use light frequencies to support the body’s natural energy pathways, cellular repair, and vitality. Sticking to a rigorous routine with these patches gave my body the cellular support it needed to initiate deep brain tissue recovery. It was the absolute catalyst that brought my cognitive function back online. My brain literally started to reconnect to the world. My neurons were firing up again! It was miraculous to say the least. I had new stem cells building new tissues, new everything within me.

📌 If you are navigating your own recovery journey and want to learn more about how I use these tools, you can explore the technology I used directly here: https://whythelight.com/

Make sure to use my affiliate link through my LifeWave Distributor Portal for any orders: https://lifewave.com/marieaude

💛 Don't forget I am a health coach and can easily guide you with these patches. Take advantage of my free 20 min consultation on the subject to help your individual needs (no strings attached). If you use a different link make sure to enter my Lifewave ID # 1296857

For me, phototherapy wasn't optional ; it was the ignition switch that made everything else possible.

But the human body is remarkably resilient. Thanks to the foundation of the carnivore approach - which dramatically reduced systemic inflammation - the bulging vein has completely normalized. The fluid in my left knee is almost entirely gone, to the point where I can perform deep yogic squats and kneeling postures without a single issue.

Now that the deepest layers of inflammation have cleared, I am entering a beautiful new phase of reintroduction. I am bringing back select, high-utility greens that I love - like arugula, onions, and leeks (a nod to my French heritage!) - alongside powerful daily ferments like kimchi, sauerkraut, and fermented milks rich in L. reuteri and L. gasseri to optimize my microbiome.

Rebuilding Circulation: Healing the Left-Side Bottleneck

The neurological trauma from my TBI left a clear footprint on the left side of my body. For a year and a half, I battled a grueling phase of frozen shoulder. My left side suffered from chronically sluggish blood circulation, which eventually led to Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in my left leg and a prominent, bulging vein.

My left knee remained stiff, retaining excess fluid. Recently, I even experienced a bout of "tennis elbow" on my left arm. As a health coach, I recognized exactly what this was: a sluggish evacuation of cellular fluids concentrated entirely on that left side.

This is a common post-TBI pattern. The injury disrupts lymphatic and circulatory function, and the body often compensates asymmetrically, leaving one side congested and inflamed.

The Recovery: Foundation + Movement

The lesson here:

post-TBI recovery isn't linear.

You may need to go extreme (full carnivore) to clear inflammation, then strategically reintroduce foods as your system heals. Listen to your body. It will tell you what it's ready for.

The Missing Piece: Why Slow, Intuitive Flow Yoga is Essential for TBI Recovery

Most people think TBI recovery is purely neurological - pharmaceuticals, cognitive therapy, rest. But the nervous system lives in the body, and movement shapes nervous system healing in ways nothing else can.

A traumatic brain injury doesn't just damage neurons; it dysregulates the entire autonomic nervous system. Your body stays locked in a low-level "fight or flight" state, flooding your system with cortisol and adrenaline. This chronic stress prevents the deep parasympathetic activation needed for cellular repair.

Traditional high-intensity yoga, fast-paced vinyasa, power yoga, and intense breathwork can actually retraumatize a nervous system already in overdrive. That's why I had to create something different.

The Slow Flow & Passive Stretches Approach

My approach to slow, intuitive vinyasa flow is specifically designed to:

Calm the Nervous System Without Suppressing It
Each pose is held long enough to signal safety to your brain, but with gentle, flowing transitions that keep the nervous system engaged, not shut down. This teaches your body that it can be both alert and calm simultaneously, which is the foundation of true nervous system healing.

Support Metabolic Rebalancing
Slow movement paired with intentional breathwork lowers cortisol naturally, making it easier for your body to shift out of fat-storage mode and into fat-mobilization mode. This is especially critical when navigating hormonal transitions like menopause.

Rebuild Trust in the Body
After TBI, many people feel disconnected from their bodies, even afraid of movement. Slow, intuitive flow allows you to reconnect with physical sensation in a way that feels safe and controllable. You move with your body, not against it.

Enhance Circulation and Cellular Drainage
The gentle, rhythmic movement combined with strategic twists and inversions supports the lymphatic system and addresses exactly the kind of circulatory stagnation I experienced on my left side. Slow flow is, in many ways, a moving meditation for detoxification.

The key difference: speed doesn't equal efficacy. In fact, for nervous system healing, slowness is the most advanced practice. for women over 50 and TBI recovery individuals.

Navigating Menopause After TBI: Visceral Fat and Hormonal Rebalancing

Instead of turning to standard medical protocols - like the testosterone therapies so many doctors push, which felt far too aggressive for my sensitive nervous system - I relied on my own coaching principles and deep self-knowledge.

Here is the exact framework I am using to clear the final layer of visceral fat:

• The Waist-to-Height Metric - I stopped looking at the scale. The true gold standard for metabolic health is the Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR). The rule is simple: keep your waist circumference to less than half your height (0.5 or less). My current dimensions (34" waist, 5'8¾" height) give me a ratio of 0.49, proving my fat distribution is shifting exactly where it needs to be. My Waist-to-Hip ratio is a healthy 0.83.

This metric matters because it directly correlates to visceral fat levels - far more than BMI or scale weight.

• The First Meal Protocol - I continue to break my fast (breakfast) with pure protein and anti-inflammatory fats, specifically sardines and high-quality fish oil. This prevents a morning insulin spike and floods my nervous system with Omega-3s to support continuing brain health. The first meal sets the metabolic tone for the entire day.

• Gentle Hormonal Alignment - I independently manage my hormonal shift using 20mg of organic progesterone cream combined with phytoestrogens daily. Progesterone acts as a neurosteroid that calms the brain, while phytoestrogens gently signal the liver not to deposit visceral fat in the abdomen. This approach honors my sensitive nervous system while addressing the root hormonal shift.

Note: phytoestrogens are only needed post menopause - not before.

• Slow, Intuitive Yoga Flow - My movement has evolved from the deeply supportive active restorative style I created to heal my TBI into a slow, intuitive vinyasa flow. It offers gentle challenges but avoids the high-intensity stress that spikes cortisol and triggers abdominal fat storage.

Just as I mastered my post-TBI recovery, a new transition arrived: menopause. Suddenly, I noticed my midsection becoming thick and enlarged.

When biological females enter menopause, the sharp drop in estrogen signals the body to stop storing fat safely on the hips and thighs (subcutaneous fat) and start packing it deep inside the abdominal cavity around vital organs. This is visceral fat, and it directly drives insulin resistance.

Because a TBI alters the gut-brain axis, my system was highly sensitive to this hormonal shift. My already-compromised metabolic system had to navigate yet another major transition.

The Menopause Recovery Framework

Why This Matters for Women Over 50

If you're navigating menopause after any kind of metabolic stress - whether TBI or otherwise - understand this: your body isn't broken. It's transitioning. And with the right tools, you can move through that transition with grace and strength, not frustration and weight gain.

My Recovery Timeline: From Survival to Thriving

Here's what my decade of recovery has looked like:

| Phase | Years | What Happened | Key Tools |

The Crisis | Year 1–2 | Brain injury, cognitive loss, metabolic failure, frozen shoulder, DVT threat | Rest, medical care, early phototherapy exploration |

The Metabolic Overhaul | Year 2–5 | Shift to ketogenic diet, strict carnivore adoption, cellular inflammation clearance, vein normalization | Phototherapy (X39, X49), carnivore nutrition, foundational slow yoga |

The Circulatory Recovery | Year 5–7 | Left-side circulation restored, joint fluid reabsorbed, deep inflammation resolved, microbiome reintroduction begins | Continued carnivore + selective plant reintroduction, slow flow yoga, nervous system work |

The Menopause Navigation | Year 8–10 | Hormonal transition managed, visceral fat reduction, brain firing on all cylinders, visceral fat clearing week by week | Progesterone + phytoestrogen support, WHtR monitoring, slow vinyasa flow, first-meal protocol |

Today: My digestion is flawless. My brain is firing on all cylinders. My abdomen is slimming down substantially week by week. My timeline to completely clear these final metabolic hurdles over the next three months isn't just a hopeful wish - it is a biological reality happening right now.

The Deeper Lesson: You Are Not Your Trauma

My journey has taught me something that goes beyond nutrition, phototherapy, and movement: we are not defined by the trauma our bodies experiences.

The Strong & Steady Yoga Method™

A 12‑Week Yoga Program for Active Women 50+ Who Want to Stay Strong, Balanced & Pain‑Free 👇👇👇

The Deep Renewal - Women's Vitality Program (12 Sessions | 4–6 Months)

The Deep Renewal is a women’s vitality program designed for women over 50 with nutrition rebalancing, yoga, and spirituality.

When you marry cutting-edge phototherapy, metabolic nutrition, intuitive movement, and spirituality with nervous system awareness, your body will heal. Not perfectly. Not linearly. But it will heal.

The darkest moment of my life - that TBI ten years ago - became the gateway to deepened spiritual experiences. Deeper faith in the Beloved Creator, which lead to understanding myself in ways I could never convey. Seeing how the brain works and living in what I call "the other side of the brain" !

It gave me a view of what mattered most in a complete different light. Because I had no concept of time and space, I lived in the moment. What every spiritual person would die to experience I was living daily effortlessly!

I have a much greater understanding on how the body actually works too. It forced me to learn cellular biology, to listen to what my body was telling me, and to trust in its inherent capacity to repair itself when given the right conditions.

If you're in your own recovery journey right now, whether from TBI, chronic illness, or simply the metabolic shifts of aging: your body is more resilient than you know. You just need to give it exactly what it needs.

If you need help with your own journey, see my offerings

Frequently asked questions about TBI Recovery

Is a carnivore diet necessary for TBI recovery?

Not necessarily. My suggestion is to start with the well documented and studied ketogenic diet. The carnivore approach was my solution after many years on the keto diet. It was my next step for my neurologically sensitive system. Some people recover well on a ketogenic diet that includes select plant foods. The key is removing inflammatory triggers and providing your brain with stable fuel (ketones, not glucose). Work with a practitioner to find what works for your unique biology.

How Should I use phototherapy patches for TBI?

Yes! without a doubt. This particular Phototherapy product is one of a kind. Non transdermal, and highly effective. It is a powerful tool for cellular repair, and energy restoration. Although, TBI recovery is complex and highly individual, this lifewave phototherapy product will work with your need. It adapts to your cellular system.

But, because i am not a physician, I must add, to work with a healthcare provider familiar with both TBI and phototherapy to determine if it's appropriate for your situation.

How long does TBI recovery typically take?

Recovery is highly individual and depends on the severity of the injury, the quality of early medical care, and the interventions you use. My cognitive recovery took 2–3 years. Full metabolic and circulatory recovery took closer to 8 years. Complete metabolic optimization is ongoing.

What role does nutrition play in brain healing?

Nutrition is foundational. An injured brain cannot heal on inflammatory fuel (processed foods, high-sugar diets). You must provide stable, efficient fuel sources (ketones, clean proteins, healthy fats) and remove inflammatory triggers. This alone can shift recovery dramatically.

Can slow yoga flow actually help with brain injury?

Yes. Slow, intentional movement supports nervous system regulation, which is essential for TBI recovery. High-intensity exercise can actually retraumatize a healing nervous system. Slow flow yoga signals safety to your brain while gently enhancing circulation and lymphatic drainage - both crucial for recovery.

Can women over 50 use these protocols if they don't have a TBI?

Absolutely. While I developed these tools for TBI recovery, the principles such as metabolic optimization, nervous system regulation through slow movement, hormonal awareness, and cellular support, apply to any woman navigating midlife metabolic shifts, menopause, or chronic inflammation.

What's Next: Bringing This Protocol to You

If this approach resonates with you, you can explore the full method here:
👉 The Strong and Steady Yoga Method

And if you want to understand how the practice is structured:
👉 Strong and Steady Yoga Method Curriculum

I am currently building a brand-new hybrid yoga and metabolic health program designed to teach you exactly how to implement these tools in your own life - whether you're recovering from TBI, navigating menopause, managing chronic inflammation, or simply wanting to optimize your health at midlife.

This program will combine:

• Slow, intuitive vinyasa flow designed for nervous system healing

• Metabolic nutrition guidance tailored to your unique biology

• Hormonal awareness and optimization strategies

• The mindset and self-knowledge that allowed me to trust my body's wisdom

✨ If you're interested in being part of this journey, join my waitlist BELOW to be the first to know when it launches.

We are going to heal, flow, and reclaim our bodies together.

Author Bio

Marie-Aude Preau is an AYC Level 3 certified yoga instructor, health coach, and founder of Higher Altitude Yoga. She recovered from a severe traumatic brain injury ten years ago and now specializes in therapeutic yoga for nervous system healing, TBI recovery, and women's health after 50.

Her work integrates cutting-edge understanding of cellular biology, metabolic nutrition, and intuitive movement to support the body's natural capacity to heal.

Service Areas

I offer online and in‑person yoga and therapeutic sessions for clients in Sandia Park, Cedar Crest, Tijeras, Edgewood, San Antonito, Carnuel, Albuquerque, the Albuquerque East Mountains, and Santa Fe, NM.