what vitamins do you take, what kind of food do you eat... etc

[emma]

I know everyone does different things, but I am curious since diet/vitamins are known to make symptoms worse, how you've adapted your life to reduce symptoms via vitamins/diet/exercise and sleep changes?

What's your naughty indulgences? Do you drink ever, maybe have a soda here and there, coffee? do you drink milk - or eat sugary products?

[RobinN]

My daughter (and I) take:
Omega 3
Vit D
Vit C
Magnesium
biotin
Cinnamon capsules (my daughter is trying this for BS balance) <that is blood sugar

I have been experimenting with enzymes and probiotics recently

Rebecca has relaxed quite a bit on her diet, but just yesterday said she hasn't been feeling so good... so she might be realizing the benefits to better nutritional care on her own.

I have eliminated all white refined products
I cook with simple ingredients, all additive free
I have eliminated dairy (except for the half and half in my coffee < for which I am experimenting with enzymes)
When I ate a lot of cottage cheese recently and I noticed terrible sinus issues about the same time... when I eliminated the CC, the symptoms have ALL gone away. So dairy is an issue for me. It was when I was an infant, so I presume that is something that I should have stayed away from. Working to heal my gut.

[emma]

i'mma go ahead and answer my own post...

I take Vitamin D 5000IU's in the winter... and none in the summer (living in seattle, almost everyone here is vitamin D def and I get it tested 2x a year to make sure my levels are good, especially while breastfeeding.)

I eat A LOT of garlic... I like garlic, it's a great immune booster too!

I take vitamin C in higher doses when I'm starting to get the sniffles, or am around someone else who has them, I think it reduces the amount of time that I am sick.

I avoid most sugars, but... a snickers ice cream bar is something that I have every couple of weeks.. I don't really drink milk...

I take Fiber. Selenium, Cysteplus - Peony and licorice- complex b6- b12, I take a small dose of thyroid meds - even though they show up with in normal range, synthroid seems to help me a little bit so we keep my levels a bit higher because I do better when on it.

I take 800mg of folic acid per day.. a woman's generic multi vitamin, Pro-biotics for digestive health, Calcium, Chromium picolinate, and fish oil.

For now, were thinking of adding some magnesium and a couple of other vitamins to my regime - but I take so many, that my stomach is kind of thrashed on, so we need to find a better way to get em to me.

but I have zero side effects, and I feel better on them. I had to stop taking prim rose oil as it sometimes it can increase seizure activity.. so for now, that one's on hold.

I eat a gluten free diet, that's basically a modified atkins diet... low carb, high fat/protien.

coffee 2 cups a day on average just straight black or a double shot lattee were my main daily vice - but were trying things out and i'm switching to a low caffeine rockstar due to the taurine and vitamins in it... we'll so how that goes for now.

I'm enough of a health nut, that I have to have SOME kind of vice...

I rarely drink.. and notice that I tend to have major issues if I drink more then like 1 6oz glass of wine, or one martini - so I tend not to indulge often anymore.

I try to get at least 8 hours of sleep per night, though my body absolutely prefers 10-11.

I don't eat many dairy products besides cheese and occasionally ice cream... I tend to drink water most of the time and avoid most sugar products except dark chocolate that's mostly cocoa and low sugar.

I will say, that I would REALLY love an oreo and a glass of milk and it's been almost 2 years since i've been able to eat oreo's... I miss them.

[Nakamova]

I can indulge in alcohol without any problems (assuming moderation -- I'm not slamming cocktails all the time). Caffeine is okay too, although I've never been a big coffee drinker. High-octane stuff like Starbucks coffee can give me migraines, so I tend to stick to tea. My vice is Tab soda, which contains aspartame, a potential trigger for me. I limit myself to one can a day.

I'm sure my general fitness would improve if I had a healthier diet (less dairy and sugar, more greens), but there's nothing that I have to avoid right now. If I were to try to go off of meds, I think I would work to improve my diet first.

I do take supplements: magnesium, D, biotin, B-Complex, Omega-3s (flax oil). I'm considering COq10 to see if it boosts my energy, though tweaking my diet might do that too.

[Katie]

I love diet soda (regular is too sugary and makes me feel sick). It has aspartame, which is a trigger, so I limit myself.

I try to stay healthy. I say this as I am getting ready to make brownies. But I do try to eat fruits and vegetables every day and make wise choices. I'm working on exercise...

[Endless]

I take
- multiple vitamin
- potassium
- sodium bicarbonate
- calcium
- magnesium
- extra b complex
- used to take taurine
- trying biotin for my hair. No results to report back on yet.

No-tox R us.

I eat vegetarian, organic. Local food in season so it's really fresh. More vitamins that way. I avoid processed food. I make most of my meals myself, including crackers, bread, granola, etc. On days I feel well enough I make mega-batches and put things in the freezer for the days I don't feel so well. I always have a pot of homemade soup going so that if I'm too tired to cook there's something nutritious to eat. I juice once a day. Usually fruit, not vegetables. I love veggies but believe it or not I don't like fruit. This is a way to get them down quick. along with some protein powder and some ice in the blender it's a meal. I've been feeling cr*&&% a lot lately so my stockpile of frozen soup is almost gone.

I don't drink. It doesn't agree with my seizure meds. I don't smoke. My house is free of formaldehyde and other chemicals. I use natural biodegradable products to clean my home - mostly vinegar, bon ami, and borax.

I guess I don't have many vices left. Except maybe the 3 pints of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey that's in my freezer. I take a big spoonful out now and then.

[crazychick]

endless whats that extra b complex and wats magnesium for? sorry if i sound thick lol, i just want some advice as am taking vit b complex multi vitamins and eating loads of fruit and veg its making no difference to me. my hair is falling out loads everyday.

[crazychick]

how can you find a trigger to what starts your seizures off? mine are only ever in my sleep. and roughly the same time everuy month.

[Endless]

Crazychick,

I'm not a big fan of taking a big handful of vitamins without guidance from your doctor or naturopath.

B complex is a bunch of b vitamins in one tablet

Magnesium is supposed to help headaches

[Eve]

I take Calcium Magnesium. Vitamin D3.B Vitamin Stress Complex , Probiotics for stomach trouble because often dairy bothers me, I just started to take CoQ10 to see if it ll give me more energy, I drink one cup of coffee in the morning. I drink 1 glass of red wine a day ( 2 doctors actually ok'd this for me! ) I drink MINT TEA after dinner to settle my stomach and it seems to help me digest my food better.

I find the Magnesium actually helps with the migraines. Magnesium is good for the nerves, migraines and other stress related diseases. My neurologist ok'd me taking the B vitamins and Magnesium. The Gynecologist of course wants me to take the Calcium and Vitamin D3.


You can get Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin D3 in one capsule. My joints have felt stronger since I started taking it. And I think it helps with my nerves too.

[crazychick]

hmmm thanx endless and eve, ill look into this defo, i just want my hair to stop falling out thats all. its bugging me so much.

[jyearta]

I'm considering COq10 to see if it boosts my energy, though tweaking my diet might do that too.

Nak.
what is COq10? Do I need a precs. from my dr.

My new Neur. said that I don't need to take the B-12 shots. She did a test (can't remember the name) that shows I'm NOT aneima. But she did say to keep with B-complex.

She is hold off with compounding of some vit. because she is starting me on Vimpat. Do not to add more than one thing at a time.

The topiramate cause me to have seizures after taking it for 5 days (sm. dose)

WELL I didn't mean to go into all this.

[Nakamova]

COQ10 is available in the vitamin aisle of your drugstore, or online from supplement vendors. (It's actually the third most popular supplement after multivitamins and Omega3s). It's a bit like a vitamin, works as an antioxidant, and plays a major role in generating the body's energy. Some studies indicate that it helps with heart disease, migraines, high blood pressure, gum disease, and Parkinson's.

You can get it from your diet if you eat lost of meat, particularly beef and pork, especially the liver and heart.

[LMReggcellent]

My doctor prescribed folic acid pills when she started me on lamictal, six years ago. I've been taking 8mg of it every day since. I've taken multivitamins on and off since being diagnosed with epilepsy and I'm taking a daily prenatal vitamin for the past few years. I've been carefully watching my diet for 5 years to make sure I get what I need, but probably wouldn't be so careful if I wasn't nagging my husband to eat healthy so much (it's all fair, right?). Come to think of it, I'm not sure I've ever discussed proper diet with any of my doctors.

[crazychick]

Haga yeah id make hin eat eat healthy cuz thrn itd going to make you want to do it if you see himdoin it. I take quite a lot of vitamins but mu hair still falls out. I was reccomended biotin but that didnt work. I got my dose of keppra reduced but still same side affects. Im constantly tired n i cant deal with it anymore.

[fez]

raw foods, green smoothies, lots of fish, lean red meat.
not a big fan of vitamins etc out of packet. though i do go a spoon of spirulina every morning in my green smoothie. when it comes to making smoothies buy yourself a vitamix its a type of blender they're filth !
ive cut out alcohol almost completely, hard to do though with lots of occasions almost demanding it. aussie culture i suppose. now i limit myself to a couple otherwise i don't drink.
alcohol was pretty easy to quit, my biggest vice is chocolate. im a dark chocolate fan especially the type from those little gourmet chocolatier type shops.
i limit carbs,

i find some herbs
they have a wierd effect so ive cut them out, i dont even go near them.
ive totally cut out rosemary and fennel anything anniseed and ginger

[crazychick]

hi fez whats spirulina? i dont drink alcohol either really, my neuroligist mentioned a hormone thing so im going to ask about that see what he says because this keppra is driving me crazy. I cant think straight on it and i hate it so much. the side affects are unreal. chocolate is my biggest weakness to. i think i know what causes my seizures now its to do with the time of the month, but my neuroligist hasnt actually diagnosed me with epilepsy or what seizures i am having as he says im inbetween and calls them seizures instead of fits as they arent sure for definate. this has been going on since march last year, they only happened in my sleep he will not send me for a night eeg which i think would make so much more sense but they refuse to send me for it, im going to demand 1 and if they still say no im going to ask for another neuroligist because its getting silly now and i can deal with the seizures better than the side affects and thats saying something.

[fez]

crazychick i think ive went through 3 or 4 neuros before i found one that firstly listened and that i could communicate with. go with gut
spirulina is a fresh water plant in powdered form similar to protein powder but with a heap of other good stuff. It tastes bad by itself but in smothies you get use to it.
heres the stuff of the label
Spirulina is the Richest Whole Food Source Found in Nature

• A highly nutritious, microscopic freshwater plant.

• The superfood with over 100 nutrients, more than any other plant, grain or herb.

• Widely used as a food supplement for maintaining health, energy, weight loss and cleansing programs.

• Protein - 60-70% of its weight. 300% more protein than fish, meat or poultry, with no cholesterol.

• Iron - 58x richer than spinach in bi-available iron.

• Vitamin B12 - Natures richest source. Often lacking in a vegetarian diet.

• Chlorophyll - 2x richer than barley grass or wheatgrass.

• Anti-oxidants - 25x richer in beta-carotene than carrot and 3x richer in Vitamin E than wheatgerm.

• Spirulina assists weight loss by curbing appetite naturally while supplying a full range of nutrients needed for a balanced diet.

• As an unrefined wholefood, spirulina is absorbed up to x16 more effectively than synthetic multi-vitamin and mineral supplements.

[crazychick]

Thanx fez ill defo look further into tbat. But the way the hospital is talkin us that theres only 1 neurologist in the whole hospital. But im goung to make sure i gwt my point across because this is silly. I am so tired today n i slept great last night. And i think 6 eyelashes fell out this morning. I keep gwtting fobbed iff saying that its normla. Not 6 alltigether thats not nirmal.where do i gwt all these spirunula or wateva its called? lol. Nithing seems to be stopping the hair loss for me. Its a pain.

[fez]

i get it from a local healthfood shop but you can get it from the chemist. im in oz so dont know where you are. sus out where its produced and that sort of stuff i usually try to go with the one thats produced in australia.
keep your head up chicky sounds like you're doing it tough. it will get better you'll start to get on top of things