Neurofeedback - Rebecca's Story

[RobinN]

No Shame - I agree with you that meditation is a good therapy for many. We have some great threads on relaxation and yoga here at CWE. It is not an easy method to teach a teenager, and it is my personal belief that many times NFB is necessary when the brain has learned to seize as a release mechanism. That is my opinion and not a scientific fact. However, I have watched how it has helped Rebecca to cope better and her thought processes function in a more rational manner. Again, this has not been tested, but noticed by observation. Mother's intuition so to speak.

Ruth - This has been a combination of therapies. I don't believe the NFB could have worked if the brain was not getting the proper nutrition. Nor if the blood sugar levels spiked or dipped often. When there is excess insulin due to stress, or due to the liver pathways being congested, or due to too much sugar in the diet, then something happens where the body increases estrogen. This has been seen to cause an increase in seizures. So we not only have hypoglycemia causing convulsions, we also have estrogen triggering seizures. Who is to say which is which in our situation. It appears to be a double whammy.

It is my belief that if this is happening to Rebecca, then there has to be hundreds of other "Rebeccas" out there which this is happening to as well. I hope that my observations will encourage others to consider this path to becoming seizure free.

Rebecca has been seizure free for 42 days. Thanks for asking.

[Ruth]

Hi Robin,

Thank you for the information on meditation. I will try it. I am suppose to anyway because of my spiritual beliefs. I have been neglecting it. Now, I know that when I have to much blood sugar in my diet I will get to much estrogen. I had always been told by doctors that once you are my age, 66, you do not get estrogen. Do you know about that in people my age? I need to know since I have Diabetes 2, as well.

I am thankful that you are giving me information. It shows that the doctors do not always know what they are saying. The body is so complicated. Hypoglycemia and estrogen causes seizures. Those are 2 more triggers.

I am thrilled that Rebecca has been seizure free for 42 days. That is great!! Please tell Rebecca that I said that she is doing great?

[Kansas Educator]

Hey Robin, can your traveling nfb van come to Kansas?!!!! You can park it in my driveway. Forty-two days is awesome -- is that a record? Sounds like you're dealing with some "power struggle" issues with Rebecca. I work with families on parenting issues for my school district and always tell them that teenagers are like two-year-olds on steroids!
Actually, I found a place in Wichita that does it and plan to call them and see if they can work with me to get insurance approval. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

[Ruth]

Hi Kansas Educator,

I wish you were at my children's school while they were in school. They are all adults, now.

I am wishing the best for you in Wichita!!

[RobinN]

http://www.frot.co.nz/dietnet/basics/whole_foods.htm

http://www.westonaprice.org/
http://www.westonaprice.org/moderndi...on_primer.html

The wrong diet can disrupt this system in two ways--by failing to provide nourishment and by delivering food that is difficult to digest.
While the medical profession turns to drugs as a solution to digestive problems, the basic remedy should be nutrient-dense foods, especially the animal foods that provide fat-soluble nutrients, combined with wise preparation methods.

...emotions affect our digestions--perhaps in different ways but the effect is definitely physiological. The moral: never eat when you are angry!

Feed your body based on what the environment presents to you.

[Ruth]

Hi Robin,

Our family is eating less meat and more fruits and vegetables, potatoes and rice. I do eat oatmeal in the morining everyday for breakfast along with yogurt at night. I looked up one of Shelley's articles about mercury in fish. Yogurt is one of the foods that helps to get rid of mercury.

I will have to look up cancer and nutrition.
Ruth

[RobinN]

Hey Robin, can your traveling nfb van come to Kansas?!!!! You can park it in my driveway. Forty-two days is awesome -- is that a record? Sounds like you're dealing with some "power struggle" issues with Rebecca. I work with families on parenting issues for my school district and always tell them that teenagers are like two-year-olds on steroids!
Actually, I found a place in Wichita that does it and plan to call them and see if they can work with me to get insurance approval. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Awesome news!
Don't you think a mobile unit would be good? Maybe we can get Bernard hip to the idea. Promote CWE and NFB at the same time.

Yes a few power struggles, but she is going to be an "adult" in the eyes of the law soon, so I guess it was inevitable. She is allowed to begin to make decisions. I need to pick my battles. I think even she is seeing the positive results we are having.

There was another time that she was doing rather well. I think it was when she was first on the GFCF diet. We were still working with meds at the time, and they just threw her system all wonky. It has taken some time to get it healthy, but I do believe that we are making headway.

45 days and counting

Supplements stay about the same. Bananas and potatoes are not being served in this house for the time being. Are you aware that they are like eating a bowl of sugar? Major cutbacks on sweets on my shelves. It is no long a staple. More of a treat for special occasions. Still buying organic when I can. Plus, I attempt to sneak in new and different veggies into foods where she wouldn't expect them to be.

I do hope some of the health considerations that we are making with Rebecca, will encourage others to realize that they too might see positive results over time.

[Ruth]

Hi Robin,

Don't bananas have a lot of potassium that is good for us, as a nutrient?

That is fabulous that is 45 days now.

[No Shame]

Hi Robin,

That's great news--45 days!!!

[RobinN]

[Kansas Educator]

Good news, Robin. And, even better news for Rebecca. And, also, good for you for picking your battles -- smart Mom!

Ruth, there has been a lot of research done on nutrition and cancer. I looked into it a lot when I had breast cancer almost 12 years ago. I changed my diet to one that includes more lean meat and veggies (I do eat red meat but go with buffalo meat or grass-fed beef). I have ground flax seed every day and put it in my oatmeal in the morning almost every day for the past 12 years. I've also cut way back on anything "white" such as white flour, sugar, etc.

Doctors are realizing this too. I have a friend who was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer -- almost a sure death sentence -- 6 years ago. She was placed into a protocol at the University of Kansas Medical Center's cancer center where she did receive some traditional treatment but also had to be on a strict organic diet -- not sure what was on and off limits but I know it included lots of organic green salads. Anyway, she told me a short time back that her doctors can now find absolutely no trace of her cancer and feel that it is gone. That is absolutely unheard of in stage 4 ovarian cancer. She gives the credit to her faith and her diet. There's lots of other nutritional research out there too such as a link between processed smoked meats and pancreatic cancer. Yes, I do believe that many cancers are influenced by diet.

[RobinN]

One drawback is that it is not an instant cure. It might take a few years to undo the mess that has been made within ones body. Best to not wait until the diagnosis to begin a good healthy nutritional plan.

It has taken us a year to undo Rebecca's choices, and still as a teen, she needs encouragement not to eat like many others who's diseases are yet to appear.

[RobinN]

Many parents of autism-spectrum children have worked hard to eliminate excess sugar from their child's diet to help reduce poor immune function, yeast overgrowth, and generally to improve overall health. Adults looking for improved health have also turned to the reduction of sugar to lessen their risk for diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.

an email from Kurt N. Woeller, D.O.

[Ruth]

Hi Kansas Educator and Robin,

I do not have cancer, good news. They did an ultrasound and they were looking to see if there was a mass around the calcification. They were going to do the biopsy anyway. They did not tell me it was normal. I had seizures the day of the biopsy. Stress. I cancelled it because you have to stay still for it. Then they sent me a letter saying that my ultrasound showed that I was normal. I found out afterwards that there are 5 different types of biopsys. There is one where they put titanium in you. The other 4 biobsys do not include putting metal in you.

I buy flax seed that is all ready ground up. I do not eat white foods, such as flour etc. Sometimes I do. It is hard to always stay on a diet, especiallly when your family eats differently and refuses to go along sometimes on the diet. Sometimes, they do.

[RobinN]

Great News Ruth!!!

As far as eating what is going to keep you healthy, I understand being around the bad stuff. You just have to learn to say NO. It is important to your health, and perhaps you could sit down the others in your household and explain what you have learned.
Also, do not think of it as a diet. Think of it as a treat to your body. You are doing something nice to it. Good nutrition is a wonderful choice.

[Ruth]

Great News Ruth!!!

As far as eating what is going to keep you healthy, I understand being around the bad stuff. You just have to learn to say NO. It is important to your health, and perhaps you could sit down the others in your household and explain what you have learned.
Also, do not think of it as a diet. Think of it as a treat to your body. You are doing something nice to it. Good nutrition is a wonderful choice.

Thank you, I have sat down with my family and talked to them. They are trying but it is hard for them. I will look at it your way. A treat for me!! Ruth

[Bernard]

I do not have cancer, good news.

[Kansas Educator]

Terrific news, Ruth! And it sounds like you are already doing a lot of things right as far as your diet goes. I know that for me it was a process and, after many years of eating carefully, junk food just doesn't even taste good to me anymore. I would think it would be somewhat easier for your California girls (and guys) to get organic fruits and vegetables. I manage to find them here in Kansas but really have to work at it.

[RobinN]

Yes we have some wonderful farmers markets, where we can buy locally grown produce. My challenge is limiting the simple carbs. Even if they are gluten free, it is a food that we need often. Today with the ability to have ready to eat foods at a whim, it is far different from even our grandmothers era when they use to have to bake from scratch the breads, cakes and cookies. It was a special treat.

[Ruth]

Hi Robin,

I baked from scratch when I was in my 20's. They almost always had Crisco, lard, in them. Espically the pie crust. Now that I look back, they were not a special treat for my system.

Ruth