April Challenge

[RobinN]

Okay folks gather round. I want to offer you a challenge. Seems like the perfect month for this as there are no holidays that will get in the way.

For those of you that are interested, I would like to challenge you to make a nutritional change. It could be something as small as eliminating soft drinks, dairy or coffee. Or something bigger like trying the Atkins, GARD/GFCF, or LGID plans.

We would use this thread to support each other, ask questions, and cheer each other on.

The main purpose of this is not for weight control (though that could be a nice side effect - summer is around the corner). This is more to be in control of your nutrition, and to have the added benefit of feeling better. To possibly be able to lower your medication (with a doctors knowledge), and to see a better sleep pattern, stress reduction, and pain reduction.

Do I have any that are willing to take this challenge with me?

[BuckeyeFan]

Did you say coffee????



I have been slowly reading more about the various diets. I really didn't know about any of them other than the Keto before joining this site. April might be a great time for me to get off the diet pepsi. What about these white teas that have become popular? Are they OK?

I would still need to learn more about the other diets before making a commitment. Are they different for different forms of E? I have tonic clonic seizures (under control). Not sure if I am possibly having some other sort of absence seizures now. I am 46 and 200+ lbs (6'1"). I crave proteins and can usually pass up candy. Is one of these diets better for someone with my circumstances???

[wvueers]

Robin, is there a good web site that will help us change our diet and help with our seizures, Dave

[speber]

Robin, is there a good web site that will help us change our diet and help with our seizures, Dave

First of all...welcome! I don't think we've met.
Robin will surely be along soon with some good links for you, but until then do some searches on this forum on 'diets' or more specific items suc as those Robin mentioned.
tucked away in NUMEROUS threads is a veritable plethora of good stuff!

On another note (and NOT to sound 'anti' here!) but I recommend anyone who wants to attempt the more intense diets to RESEARCH THOROUGHLY with regards to their own possible reactions AND consult their physician before implementing just to be safe.

Other than that I think Robin's challenge is awesome...I'm still trying to decide what I might do!

[RobinN]

www.dogtorj.com

http://www.stankurtz.com/biomedical/...c-illness.html

http://www.atkins.com/articles/atkins-phases

http://www.glycemicindex.com/

http://www.ohf.org/diet.html (not reported for seizures, however many have stated they have kidney stones, which is a symptom of oxalosis and hyperoxaluria, or fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel)

http://www.gfcfdiet.com/

http://www.westonaprice.org/motherlinda/cornsyrup.html

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/

[RobinN]

Here are a few to begin to read.
Of course Speber is right, you should pass this by your doctor first. I am sure a simple phone call would suffice. However, from my perspective, do consider your doctors own physical well being, and decided whether or not they are the best one to make this decision for you. There might be another medical adviser that might have a better idea of what is going to be a positive change for you to make.

I have had a GI doctor tell me that they did not know of any connection between intestinal issues and neurological issues.

I have had a neurologist tell me that there was no connection between diet and seizures.

I have had a neurologist tell me that it would be hard for her (the doctor) to give up her sodas, so to expect Rebecca, a teen with seizures, would be difficult too.

Make intelligent choices, and perhaps it is nothing more than reading your labels, and not allowing anything that is suspect as a neurotoxin to cross your lips. I really don't think you need a doctor to tell you that is okay.

Some may be ready for a big change, others might be fine with a smaller one.

I personally am going to follow the Stan Kurtz plan, and I have no known disease or illnesses at the moment. I want to become as healthy as I can, and perhaps be a much better role model for my children.

[Bernard]

You can read more about the diets for seizure control from the chart linked in my signature.

[RobinN]

Yup... forgot the number one on my list.

Please do a search on the menu bar as well. There are a lot of info on nutritional choices here at CWE

[skillefer]

Ok....I'll definitely try to stick to the following changes....

1) 1 cup of caffeinated coffee per day or 2 cups decaf coffee total per day

2) I'll try to make sure I'm in bed by 10:30PM every night. (That should give me 7.5 hours of sleep per night.)

[RobinN]

sounds like a great beginning...

[Eyes_herself]

I'm game. Starting this Friday!

[brain]

But my Birthday IS a HOLIDAY!



I'm found on any American Currency,
and heck over in Washinton D.C.; got
a Marble Monument over there; and
not to mention tons of USPS Stamps,
well - OK - I "tiny exaggerated" a bit,
Thomas Jefferson and I have the same
birthdates! *laughs* It used to be a
Federal Holiday ~ and they discon-
tinued it! *Rats*

But that's an AWESOME IDEA ROBIN!
Even ......

would say "I pity the fool who
doesn't listen to dis lovely woman!"

[LynnW]

Great idea, Robin!

I have a SERIOUS coffee addiction. I will vow to reduce my coffee intake. Like Skillefer, I will try to limit it to 1 cup of caffeinated per day. I'm already trying to lose weight with a (IMO) good nutritional plan, so no dietary changes for me yet. Baby steps.......

[RobinN]

I agree with you Lynn, baby steps are a great way to see results.

What I have done to reduce coffee, is to buy some unique green teas. I make it a ritual which makes it a special time and a treat for myself. I am reminded to slow down, rather than speed up with the caffeine.

[speber]

...from my perspective, do consider your doctors own physical well being, and decide whether or not they are the best one to make this decision for you. There might be another medical adviser that might have a better idea of what is going to be a positive change for you to make...

[RobinN]

Any more up for a challenge?

[BuckeyeFan]

My neurologist has to wiegh close to 300 pounds (no exaggeration). You make a good point about this impacting their opinion on diets. I will keep this in mind the next time I talk to him. My regular doctor is pretty fit and he usually lets me know if I gain any weight.

A couple of years ago, I was over 250. Through a slow diet and eventually increased exercise, I got down to a steady 190-195 for 1.5 years. Since last fall, there have been several illnesses/surgeries in the family including the recent cancer cases. This has limited my exercise and added to my eating. Now, I am back up over 210.

TIME TO GET SERIOUS AGAIN!!!!

Two questions for our diet experts:

1) I switched from regular soda to diet soda and that eliminated a lot of calories. Now, I would like to get off the soda altogether and I like the WHITE teas that have became popular (at least around here). Is there anything good or bad about WHITE tea as related to E?

2) During my long term diet, I ate oatmeal with raisons for breakfast every morning. Not the little packets, Quaker Oats instant. This really helped my weight and cholesteral. Is there anything good or bad about OATMEAL as related to E?

Thanks!

My 250 didn't look like this.

[angel]

Any more up for a challenge?

I'm wanting to try the Atkins diet...
also exercise Is something I need to start again...

Ill start the diet the 3 ..

coffee & smoking is a biggie! Ive cut way back on smoking went from about two cups of coffee to about 5
I really need to work on those two things...

So count me in

I just found this for the Atkins diet http://www.atkins.com/recipes the recipes are not modified & I'm not sure what to remove or add to the diet? aside from eggs, milk, wheat.....

[skillefer]

Back before I was married... I actually went on a pretty strict diet. I basically limited myself to only eating things that I would be able to recognize in nature. So that pretty much cut out all processed foods. The only bread I ate was the multi-grain organic bread. Other than that, I did pretty good. The meat was limited to what I could have logically caught on my own if I was in the wild. So that meant alot of fish, occasionally chicken, and once about every week a little beef or pork. I must admit..by limiting my diet to things that I could make, grow, or catch myself if I had to, I learned to enjoy the true flavors of different foods, ate healthier, and actually lost alot of weight. Being married, this eating plan wouldn't go very far. Hubby likes the way he eats...and actually it isn't too unhealthy. I just need to find a way to get him off energy drinks.

As for me....well, my neurologist is still on my case to quit smoking. He says it elevates the Iron levels in my blood work. I told him that I'm trying. I've gone from 2 packs a day to about a half pack a day. And as for coffee, I've gone from 9 cups of regular coffee a day to 1 cup of regular and 4 cups of decaf. So I think I'm doing better....

[RobinN]

During an interview, ABC News' medical contributor Dr. Marie Savard stated that “there is something about diet foods that changes your metabolic limit, your brain chemistry." Savard said another recent study, which included more than 18,000 people, found healthy adults who consumed one diet drink a day could increase their risk of health problems and metabolic disorders by a whooping 30 to 40 percent.

http://www.naturalnews.com/022785.html

My focus here is health. If a weight loss occurs for some (me) that is great. It is being considered quite strongly that "diet" / low fat foods are actually contributing to obesity.

I do know that the ingredients that they use in these foods are neurotoxins and should be avoided by those with seizure disorders. You might check out these links, and if nothing else, just be more aware of the ingredients on your package labels. Learn what each is, and how it might be affecting you.

(....sorry I will post the links later. The site is having a tough time this morning loading. Guess it already has given up its first morning cup of coffee)

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/...ns-coping-670/