Test Before You Add: Nutrition, Copper and Waking the Brain with Dr. Robert HedayaTest Before You Add: Nutrition, Copper and Waking the Brain with Dr. Robert Hedaya
Recovery After Stroke
Bill Gasiamis talks with Dr Robert Hedaya about why nutrition, mineral balance and baseline testing matter for stroke recovery, and how HYLANE therapies may help wake the brain. The discussion challenges trendy "healthy" habits like copper water bottles and highlights the importance of attitude and realistic expectations in healing.
51:06•19 Oct 2026
Test Before You Add: Copper, Nutrition and Waking the Brain After Stroke
Episode Overview
- Treat nutrition as a core part of stroke recovery and focus on whole foods that grow in nature.
- Test your baseline blood markers, including copper, zinc and B12, before adding supplements or "health" products.
- Be cautious with copper water bottles, high-copper foods and copper-containing birth control, as excess copper can harm mood and brain function.
- Use a balanced plate approach with lean protein, above-ground vegetables and healthy fats to stabilise blood sugar and support healing.
- Understand that HYLANE (hyperbaric oxygen, laser and neural exercises) may help wake up underperforming brain cells and speed progress but cannot revive cells that are truly dead.
“You don’t win the battle by being hopeless. You win the battle by saying, I’m going to die trying. I’m going to beat this thing.”
How do people find hope in the darkest times? This conversation between stroke psychiatrist Dr Robert Hedaya and host Bill Gasiamis digs into that question through something very practical: what you add to your body and brain during recovery. You’ll hear why nutrition is described as a "bedrock" of stroke recovery, but also why blanket advice like "eat healthy" can be risky.
Dr Hedaya compares building neurons to assembling a burger – if the key ingredients like essential fatty acids, B12, zinc and minerals are missing or overloaded, the brain simply can’t work properly. He stresses a simple rule of thumb: "If it doesn’t grow that way, don’t eat it" – think whole foods rather than marshmallows, biscuits and juice. The episode takes a surprising turn into copper.
The trend for copper water bottles comes under sharp scrutiny, with Dr Hedaya calling them "a health risk" when used without knowing your current copper and zinc levels. He explains how too much copper can drive irritability, mood problems and even long-term neurological issues, especially if you’re also getting copper from foods like avocado and chocolate or using copper-containing birth control. From there, the focus shifts to testing before adding supplements or trendy "health" products.
Baseline blood tests for things like B12, copper, zinc and ceruloplasmin are presented as essential tools rather than optional extras. You’ll also get an overview of Dr Hedaya’s HYLANE approach: Hyperbaric oxygen, Laser therapy and Neural exercises (such as neurofeedback). He explains how these largely passive, in-clinic treatments can "wake the brain up", support plasticity and accelerate recovery, while being upfront that they don’t bring dead brain cells back and can be costly or hard to access.
Threaded through the science is a clear message about mindset: "You don’t win the battle by being hopeless." The episode encourages a fighting attitude, practical testing, and smarter choices about what you add to your recovery. What might change for you if "healthy" started with knowing your own baseline first?
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