Episode 090: Nutrition, Recovery, and the Missing Link in Brain and Injury Care with Kylie

Brenda welcomes Kylie James, founder of Koru Nutrition, for a powerful conversation about how nutrition is a missing pillar in recovery care, and how small, manageable changes can lead to massive, measurable results. A Certified Nutritional Practitioner and Registered Occupational Therapist, Kylie shares her unique lens on helping clients recover from motor vehicle accidents, brain injuries, spinal cord trauma, and chronic stress-related conditions. Drawing from personal experience, clinical research, and day-to-day work with clients across Canada, she unpacks everything from gut-brain health and anti-inflammatory diets to insurance approvals, batch cooking, and the power of fermented foods.

Kylie also opens up about the Metabolic Balance Program, a customizable, bloodwork-based plan that's helping people lose weight, manage pain, improve sleep, and even reduce the need for certain medications.

Key Takeaways:

[2:19] Kylie shares her educational background, starting as an occupational therapist in New Zealand and working in various settings.

[3:03] Kylie explains her passion for nutrition and how it complements her occupational therapy skills.

[3:54] She mentions her nephew's spinal cord injury and her involvement in research and writing a book on nutrition and spinal cord injury.

[7:01] The importance of alternative treatments like nutrition and supplements in managing depression.

[12:39] The need for empowering people to explore non-medication options for mental health management.

[14:09] They discuss the resistance from medical institutions to alternative nutrition approaches.

Kylie and Brenda discuss systemic resistance to nutrition-first approaches in hospitals and rehab care.

[24:07] How Koru Nutrition gets nutritional therapy approved for MVA recovery, including supplement and equipment coverage.

[27:18] What clients with brain injuries need most: blood sugar balance, healthy fats, and small changes that stick.

[38:32] Simple, affordable strategies: meal prepping, slow cookers, egg bites, Meatless Mondays, and leftover hacks.

[45:17] The surprising benefits, and challenges of keto, intermittent fasting, and other therapeutic diets.

[54:33] The Metabolic Balance Program: how it's helping clients reduce medication, manage menopause, and heal inflammation.

[56:35] Hormones and brain injury: the overlooked link that's starting to gain attention in concussion recovery.

[1:00:50] Women, weight gain, and research gaps: why most health data still doesn't reflect female biology or hormone cycles.

Mentioned in this episode:

To learn more about the work we do at Gluckstein Lawyers, please visit Gluckstein Lawyers.

To learn more about Kylie: Koru Nutrition Inc.

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Eat Well, Live Well with Spinal Cord Injury (book)Metabolic Balance Program