Dr. Henry Mahncke and Dr. Gitendra Uswatte share groundbreaking research on using brain plasticity principles to treat Long Covid brain fog through a comprehensive approach combining cognitive processing speed training, real-world skill practice, and personalized cognitive rehabilitation strategies.

• Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change its structure and function through learning and experience
• Brain HQ training targets cognitive processing speed to improve overall brain function across multiple domains
• Long Covid causes real biological changes to the brain, including vascular damage and inflammation
• CI Cognitive Therapy combines three components: brain training, everyday task practice, and transfer techniques
• 80% of participants in the small initial study returned to work compared to none in the usual care group
• Brain health bridges physical and mental health, challenging the "it's all in your head" dismissal
• The intervention works by repurposing and growing healthy brain tissue rather than healing damaged tissue
• Approaches vary from "bottom-up" (basic processing) to "top-down" (real-world skills) to meaningful goal setting
• Brain HQ is currently available worldwide, with ongoing research to develop telehealth versions of the full intervention

The University of Alabama Birmingham is currently enrolling participants for their Long Covid cognitive rehabilitation study. Interested individuals can call 205-934-9768 or search "Uswatte Long Covid Cognitive Rehabilitation" online.

Links:

Brain HQ:
brainhq.com

Information about enrolling in the current study:
https://sites.uab.edu/longcovidbraintraining/

Research paper:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/202

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

Podcast, website & blog: www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook @LongCovidPodcast
Instagram Twitter @LongCovidPod
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Please get in touch with feedback, suggestions or how you're doing - I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

In this episode, Jackie is joined by Theresa Aristarco who shares her Long Covid recovery story.

• Theresa's journey from an active software engineer to battling long-haul COVID
• Navigating complex medical challenges and invisible symptoms
• The critical role of mental health in recovery
• Overcoming vestibular issues and physical limitations
• Finding hope and healing through physical therapy, medication, and support

Episode Themes:

• Long COVID recovery
• Mental health and healing
• The importance of community and vulnerability
• Non-linear recovery process

Memorable Quotes:

• "I was never going to get better alone"
• "Progress isn't linear, recovery isn't linear"
• "I'm only recently starting to say I'm not sick anymore"

Links:

• Theresa's website: theresaaristarco.com
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/theresaaristarco
• Substack: theresaaristarco.substack.com

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

Podcast, website & blog: www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook @LongCovidPodcast
Instagram Twitter @LongCovidPod
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

Please get in touch with feedback, suggestions or how you're doing - I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

Karen Wright from Sage Health and Wellness shares her powerful recovery story from Long COVID, offering hope and practical wisdom for those still struggling with chronic illness.

• Karen was a busy NHS physiotherapist involved in developing Long COVID services before becoming ill herself in autumn 2021
• Her severe case left her unable to speak at times, care for her children, or maintain basic daily activities
• Understanding and accepting true rest became fundamental to her recovery journey
• Finding her energy baseline through careful observation of triggers like food, light sensitivity and conversation was crucial
• Small, consistent actions over time led to gradual improvement including nutrition changes and gentle movement
• An unexpected thyroid cancer diagnosis revealed how some of her persistent symptoms may have been related to cancer rather than Long COVID
• Karen's recovery insights led her to launch Sage Health and Wellness to support others through education programs
• Self-acceptance emerges as a core message: "You're valuable as you are, whatever your productivity looks like"

Links:

Connect with Karen at Sage Health & Wellness:
www.sagehealthandwellness.co.uk

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

Podcast, website & blog: www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook @LongCovidPodcast
Instagram Twitter @LongCovidPod
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

Please get in touch with feedback, suggestions or how you're doing - I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**