New science is proving old school beliefs wrong when it comes to healing the brain, spinal chord, and optic nerve. Previously, researchers believed these parts of the central nervous system could never be healed due to immune cells not being able to cross the blood brain barrier. Now, scientists are finding that a protein in the brain is blocking these immune cells from reaching the point of injury or illness. Researchers believe if they are able to pinpoint the protein that is blocking immune cells, then they may be able to reverse the effects of traumatic brain injury, spinal chord injuries, and even Alzheimer's disease! This research goes to show that it is very important to focus on fueling our bodies with immune boosting foods to keep our brains young and healthy.