Does what I eat affect my epilepsy?

[KarenB]

The Charlie Foundation has just published this new article. If you go to this link, and then click "Epilepsy Nutrition 2013" it should pull it up.

http://www.charliefoundation.org/resources/articles.html

Although the Charlie Foundation is a support group for the Ketogenic Diet, this article promotes and explains 2 very simple dietary steps that can bring seizure relief for many:

1) Eliminate foods with high glycemic index

2) Reduce or eliminate processed foods

 

[masterjen]

Related to diet and seizures is the finding that those with celiac disease can develop seizures, if the proper diet is not followed or if gluten is accidentally ingested. Important to note that not everyone with celiac develops seizures but interestingly to note that for those with celiac, gluten can affect the nervous system.

 

[qtowngirl]

true enough. when i first started having seizures doc said one of the standard tests to exclude reasons was celiac. did it, came back normal and it was ruled out, same as diabetes, thyroid, and a few others. but those were the main three she said were of immediate concern.

 

[Sparkles]

My primary care doctor recommended I eat paleo style. I did so and things definitely improved. It's not enough time to say for sure, and I'm only one person and I've changed some other things too, including having been on FMLA leave from work, but it was interesting. I try to eat no processed foods, but it's hard to cook fresh foods all the time. I just do the best I can. Unfortunately, one of the worst seizures I've had was in the kitchen while cooking. Anyway, I like the overall effects of eating that way and will continue to try as much as possible. The real test for me now is easing back to work, will things still be better. Was it being off work or eating fewer processed foods....or both? Thanks for the information!

 

[Cint]

true enough. same as diabetes, thyroid, and a few others. but those were the main three she said were of immediate concern.

I have E, Type 1 Diabetes and hypothyroid. One can effect the other. Back in December when I had the car accident due to a breakthru seizure, the paramedic immediately checked my glucose level. It was way up in the 200's, which for me it usually is high after a seizure for some reason.

I try to eat a low glycemic diet because I need to keep my blood sugar level in check, between 80-120. I watch my carbs and eat lots of fresh veggies and fruits. Lots of fish and chicken. I try to watch red meat. If someone's glucose level drops extremely low, it could cause a seizure. The lowest mine has been is in the 40's, but I haven't gone into a seizure. I get extremely shaky and cranky very quick. I need sugar NOW! That is why I have to check my glucose level numerous times a day, even when I think I'm having an aura or my glucose is falling.
We are what we eat.... hardening of the arteries, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, etc...

 

[KarenB]

Oh wow, Cint -- blood glucose in the 200's!! A seizure (or any other stress to the body) can increase blood sugar levels, but it wouldn't put it that high! (or maybe it would, because of the additional stress of the accident?) Maybe you had a spike for some other reason before the seizure (which triggered the seizure)?

The more research I do, the more I see a link between blood sugar spikes and crashes (too high or too low) and seizures. Before Jon started the Ketogenic diet (you have to go on a waiting list to get admitted for the start up -- so that's usually 2 or 3 months) -- his nutritionist advised that we go ahead and cut sugar out of his diet and reduce carbs -- and we really did see a great improvement with just doing that -- and he wasn't getting that much sugar to begin with -- I never gave him stuff like Koolaid and he didn't eat candy or many other sweets. But, we substituted his kid's yogurt (with the fruit and added sugar, it's pretty high in carbs) with plain, high fat yogurt (which he liked just as well), and changed out his sweetened breakfast cereal with eggs. For lunch, he'd get a low carb wrap instead of a sandwich with 2 pieces of bread...that sort of thing. Anyway, we did see a big improvement. Then, one day we were at a BBQ joint with limited options -- and he had some BBQ chicken and baked beans -- and after eating that he had 3 seizures. I didn't realize that BBQ sauce is loaded with sugar, as is baked beans.

Now, of course, on the Ketogenic diet, he gets almost no carbs at all, because the point of the diet is to change the fuel for the brain, thus changing the chemistry. But even with reducing his glycemic load prior to the diet, we saw a lot of reduction in seizures. A reduced glycemic load is a healthy way of eating for anybody. I shoot for around 150 a day, and any grains have to be whole grains (this slows absorbtion -- and also provides good fiber and nutrition).

 

[KarenB]

Jonathan was also tested for Celiac Disease back in 2009 -- he had chronic diarrhea most of his life (once he started eating regular food) which always got worse when we were in the U.S. (he was born and has lived in Asia most of his life). In Asia he ate a rice based diet, with little wheat/gluten, but in the States he would eat more bread and wheat noodles. He also didn't eat much processed food in Asia -- mostly fresh veggies and poultry and eggs from free ranging chickens.

Well, the test came back negative, and then 2 months later he started the Ketogenic Diet, and for the next year, he had none of the chronic diarrhea (until 1 year later he got a bad tummy virus that everyone in the family got).

So...somehow, the Ketogenic diet cleared up a lot of his gut problems. Is it because the diet eliminates all grains -- thus all gluten? I've since heard that the test for Celiac has a lot of false negatives (and that a lot of people have an intolerance to gluten, but not Celiac). At any rate, his Epileptologist in the U.S. has advised us to keep him off of gluten for the rest of his life, even if he is weaned from the Ketogenic diet.

The Ketogenic diet can also help with small bowel bacterial overgrowth -- because the harmful gram negative bacteria feed on sugars, so a diet extremely low in carbs starves them.

 

[KarenB]

Also, the more research I do, I see a strong link between gut health and seizures.

We know that Celiac Disease can cause seizures.

Also...there is a link between seizures and other chronic gut diseases, such as Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease.

I recently have been reading about seizures caused by mild diarrhea (intestinal virus) in small children -- especially rotovirus.

As I mentioned above, Jonathan was diarrhea free for his first year on the Ketogenic Diet, and after the first 6 weeks, he was also seizure free (and was able to be weaned off of meds).

However, after 1 year, he got a bad tummy virus, and even once he shed the virus (according to lab testing), he still was having diarrhea 2 or 3 weeks later. Then he started having seizures again -- about one a month. Six months later, he had another intestinal virus infection, and that put him on a horrible downward spiral -- several tonic clonics every day. He had to go back on meds, but even 3 medications didn't help. And he was having diarrhea almost every day as well. So, finally his neurologist and we agreed that his seizures weren't going to clear up until his gut cleared up (for one thing, he probably wasn't absorbing his meds or the fats in his diet). So...we worked very hard with his GI doc and Pediatrician/Nutritionist to clear up the gut problems -- which meant going down to a very simple diet, taking out any possible allergens (egg, fish, nightshade veggies), adding in zinc and probiotics --- and finally got his gut fairly healthy again.

It was then that we saw the seizures fade away...even after 2 of the 3 meds were weaned. Now we're at 3 months seizure free and counting!