GARD diet and Azomite supplement controlling seizures

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I am yet another person here who has been successful with the GARD. It will be 2 years the end of April that I've been on the diet.

I was actually led to this website by someone over on petloss.com after I had suffered the loss of my sweet schnauzer girl Molly. I wrote how she used to stay by my side while I had seizures, day after day. One of the moderators gave me this website to investigate. One of the first people who responded to me was RobinN who suggested I look at nutrition. The rest, as they say, is history.

I too was on a "health kick," eating tofu and soy products thinking they were going to improve my overall health. Turns out, my biggest trigger is anything soy. And you're right; soy is in everything!

Are my seizures gone? No...they've changed from being gut seizures to being sensory seizures. But I can get through a day now without feeling constantly like I'm on the edge of a seizure. Off drugs, I have a clear mind again; this is itself a blessing.

You say you don't know if supplements are the answer. I've tried a number of them(magnesium, vitamin B, D3)and for me, they create more problems than answers. Everyone is different. Just my experience.

You mention Edgar Caycee; at a time when I kept saying over and over that my gut was involved in my seizures and everyone ignoring me, I found his writings. I've never done the cod liver oil paks. For me it was empowering enough for me to find someone who actually agreed about there being a gut/brain connection with seizures. And then finding the GARD was my answers of answers. I've even got my new schnauzer girl Abbey on a gluten-free, soy-free, corn-free, dairy-free diet of her own. LOL

Good luck going forward with Uriah.
 
I am again, happy to hear of your success. I understand about the vitamin/mineral problem. We have faced it also. We decided on Azomite because it offered ALL the minerals including trace and it is natural, not made in a lab. I found it the first time on the Weston A. Price website. But, as I've said, I may be all wrong. I have been wrong many, many times.

I had researched vitamins and minerals and was scared to death that I was not giving him the right amounts in the right combination and again, what are the side-effects to a system all ready so messed up. And would one more seemingly "good" thing do more harm than good? So many to choose from, so many claiming to be this or that free only to find the capsules, with him taking up to 20 a day basically made out of corn sugar or a byproduct. Was that enough to throw his system into seizure?

I find Edgar Caycee fascinating. How could he know that the ricin in castor oil would dissolve the glue or about the gut brain? But, castor oil paks do take time and dedication. Healing takes time and many people, including my son do not want to take on one more thing.

I wish you continued success also and I know that we each have to decide what we are happy with, what we as individuals can cope with. You seem to have a good mental outlook which in itself is good to see. I hope others read your post and find a connection to their own situation. Sometimes it is just one little thing and the light is turned on. It is amazing.
 
Reading your stories, brings tears. Not sadness though, but the knowledge that fighting this fight continues to be worthwhile. It can be overwhelming at times, and one wonders if they are heard. I know now that even in the darkness... someone is listening.

I will be in touch.
 
RobinN said:
... I know now that even in the darkness... someone is listening.
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As a general rule on forum sites, lurkers (folks who read without registering) outnumber active members by order(s) of magnitude. Sharing your experience here truly carries ripples in the pond.
 
themanymens said:
You/re right Ruth and I do apologize. Personally, I felt better when I was angry instead of the hopelessness and powerlessness I'd felt for years, but then again, maybe I should sign off for a while
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Hi you do not need to apologise to me. I was just telling the different ways of handling epilepsy. I must have worded it wrong.

You were not condeming anyone or looking down your nose at anybody. You are a good mother who has kept her son from seizures for over 5 months. That is an accomplishment. It shows how good a mother you are.

Please do not sign off, we need you here.I was diagnosed 60 years ago. I wish my mother had checked into nutrition instead of medicines. Medicines cause nothing but problems. A lot of medicines can cause suicide.

You are helping me. Please stay here!!
 
Oh you probably didn't word it wrong, I probably read it wrong! I've got family members who cringe when they see me! My baby brother calls me Holi Sis (ya know, holistic)!

Maybe it's just that there is a part of me who wants to forget I ever heard the word epilepsy. I want to write DLThraser in my diary and check on her daughter and Stacy in six months and pretend their is no suffering out there. There is a part of me that can see a small flicker of light at the end of the tunnel and I don't want to look sideways and see the darkness.

And believe me, I've always been a big chicken! Oh, well time to put on my big girl pants and grow up and take it like a woman! Love ya and SEE ya soon!
 
I reread several of the posts in here with great interest because I am currently on medications which offer great seizure control, but side effects that have a lot to be desired. I understand that some seizures can actually cause some damage, but I suppose that varies from one individual to another individual.
With knowledge that pharmaceutical products vary with their fillers between brand names and generic 'equivalents', I suppose this could be a similar issue for the alternative methods as well. Do the alternative products such as castor oil have different fillers or are they also a 'pure' product based upon some certification on the label?
 
Hi Alivenwell. Castor oil regime is where you pour castor oil on several layers of flannel and lay down with the "castor oil pak" and a heating pad over your abdomen for a specific period of time so many times a week. I will have to ask Bernard how to copy and post the specific directions for use. This regiment also entails using one of two oils internally; one is evening primrose but I forget the other. It also involves massaging the gut (which a partner or you can do yourself) and spinal manipulation.
It also involves changing the diet.

Baar.com carries a castor oil that I trust, and the flannel, which is plastic backed if you would like to look into it. I noticed they now have a roll on castor oil. I have wondered in the past if it would still work if we just taped on the castor pac and went about our business or if it must be used lying down, maybe as a relaxation technique to let our body absorb it better?

I have the belief that the castor oil paks and the elimination diet do exactly the same thing. By not putting anymore glue into our intestinal system it can heal itself. By putting castor oil paks on, it dissolves the glue from the outside in.

I do wonder if doing them both together would heal the gut faster? Which is why I wanted my son to try it, but it was too much for him.

When I was a child I got a teaspoon of castor oil when I was sick. And if I wasn't "good", without a cracker! Yuck! It is a laxative, Baar has it in capsule form, but I don't believe you can just take it daily to heal.

It was good hearing from you, good luck and I will post info asap.
 
The following is from Natural Bias - Fermented Food: A great Source of Natrual Probiotics
It is a good place to start if you want to make your own fermented foods, however, there are many sites to help you. If you do want to purchase naturally fermented foods please read the following:

Tips for Buying Fermented Food

"Just as if you were making your own fermented food, any product that you buy should ideally contain organic ingredients, unrefined sea salt, and be produced through natural lactic acid fermentation. Because natural fermentation can be unpredictable and inconsistent, most food manufacturers don’t want to be bothered with its inconvenience. As a result, most commercially fermented products are vinegar based and don’t provide the same benefits as natural lactic acid fermentation. A brand that I often buy is Real Pickles. They have a variety of different products and use high quality ingredients. Some of the more commonly available fermented vegetable products include sauerkraut (cabbage), pickles (cucumbers), beets, and carrots.

Although the fermentation of milk will replenish some of the enzymes and other nutrients destroyed during pasteurization, it’s best to buy fermented dairy products that are made with raw milk from pasture raised livestock. As I previously mentioned, it’s also important to avoid fermented foods that are processed such as flavored yogurt and gimmicky probiotic drinks like Dannon’s DanActive. Some of the more commonly available fermented dairy products include yogurt, hard cheese, cottage cheese, and kefir."
 
Hi Bernard. I remember I had read that, but then found the following article sometime last year. It is from Elsevier: Article Locator - The safety of evening primrose oil in epilepsy.

"The concern that evening primrose oil might cause epilepsy or seizures, or reduce the threshold for seizures, originated from two papers published in the early 1980s. These original reports are re-examined, and the association of evening primrose oil with seizures is shown to be spurious. Not only are linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid safe in epilepsy, with prolonged oral administration of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid (in a 4:1 mixture) protecting rats from having seizures in four different epilepsy models, but the evening primrose oil-derived omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid inhibits sodium ion currents and synaptic transmission, while the evening primrose oil-derived eicosanoid prostaglandin E1 appears to have anticonvulsant activity. In light of these findings, it is suggested that formularies should now remove seizures or epilepsy as a side-effect of evening primrose oil, and should remove a history of seizures or epilepsy as a contraindication to taking evening primrose oil."
 
themanymens said:
Hi Bernard. I remember I had read that, but then found the following article sometime last year. It is from Elsevier: Article Locator - The safety of evening primrose oil in epilepsy.

"The concern that evening primrose oil might cause epilepsy or seizures, or reduce the threshold for seizures, originated from two papers published in the early 1980s. These original reports are re-examined, and the association of evening primrose oil with seizures is shown to be spurious. Not only are linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid safe in epilepsy, with prolonged oral administration of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid (in a 4:1 mixture) protecting rats from having seizures in four different epilepsy models, but the evening primrose oil-derived omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid inhibits sodium ion currents and synaptic transmission, while the evening primrose oil-derived eicosanoid prostaglandin E1 appears to have anticonvulsant activity. In light of these findings, it is suggested that formularies should now remove seizures or epilepsy as a side-effect of evening primrose oil, and should remove a history of seizures or epilepsy as a contraindication to taking evening primrose oil."
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I found that same article and several others last night when I googled evening primrose. This seems to be the general consensus for now; that evening primrose is not the bugaboo it once seemed to be.:agree:
 
themanymens said:
"... Not only are linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid safe in epilepsy, with prolonged oral administration of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid (in a 4:1 mixture) ...
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The 4:1 ratio is discussed here:

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com...-acids-docosahexaenoic-acid-dha-559/#post9418

If the study is using a 4:1 ratio as the basis for concluding the oil is safe or beneficial, then I am have concerns/questions about their conclusions. The problems with the omega 6 oils is that they tend to be more prevalent in the SAD than a 4:1 ratio (to omega 3 oils). Taking Evening Primrose oil as a supplement is going to raise the dietary ratio even further.

I suppose it all depends upon what ratio of the oils you are currently ingesting. Most folks need to supplement with omega 3 oils - not omega 6 oils - to maintain an optimal ratio/balance.
 
It is a jungle out there! I only mentioned the evening primrose because of the ph balance factor in so many of these gut-brain problems. It is not something I used, and I still must have a list of at least 50 herbs, vitamins, etc., that I never got to, and I'm sure there are more.

To keep it as simple as possible I found these things I would recommend lacto-fermented foods, coconut oil or red palm oil, x-virgin olive oil in cooking, pure supplements and the elimination of all processed foods along with the big four. I would recommend raw garlic if your stomach can handle it or the curezone recipe.

However, I know that even with occasional eatting at restaurants, healing is still possible. I know that even without Caycee's castor oil paks, healing is possible.

I also wonder if okra which has healing properties for ibs would also be good for epilepsy?

Molly97, you said you were still having sensory seizures? Can you explain?

I also wonder if the red palm oil my son was on before, jump started his healing?

But the more posts I read, the more people I meet on this forum, the more I am convinced that the first thing to try is elimination. If you have any of the symptoms of any health problems, if you want to get pregnant, or already are, or you just are not feeling healthy. I cannot see how eliminating can possibly hurt. And isn't that the first step? Do no harm?
 
I've had very bad problems with seizures since 1997. At first, I was put on one cocktail of meds after another, for about the first year. I hated my neuro and insisted my PCP find me another. My second neuro diagnosed me with pseudoseizures because at the time I was in therapy for DID which lasted 6 years. As my dissociative identity disorder(also known as multiple personality disorder)improved, my seizures got worse. Finally my PCP looked at the neuro's reports to him and decided he could do as well.

The general consensus gave me psychiatric drugs(remember, they were pseudoseizures supposedly)to control my seizures. Xyprexa first and then Geodon. Geodon was the one that did me in; after 2 years, I developed involuntary mouth movement. I was taken off the Geodon cold turkey because the longer it was allowed to occur, I could have had it permanently. That was Nov 2006. By June 2007, I was clear of the Geodon. It was during that period of 11/2006-6/2007 that I became increasingly aware of a gut/brain connection. In May 2008, I started the GARD; soy, MSG and corn are my big problems.

As my seizures caused by food intolerances improved, I started having problems again with what I call sensory seizures. I have a lot of problems with lights; we gave up motorcycle riding because the landscape would take on an Impressionist painterly quality. And going over bumps in the road, whether in a car or on the motorcycle, will make me pass out. I have auditory seizures: I hear steam locomotives in my living room, helicopters in my backyard. I hear non-existent street sweepers on my street at midnight. These auditory seizures can occur back to back, and when they do, I'm left with an incapacitating headache that lasts 3 or 4 days. I smell non-existent bleach/ammonia followed by a seizure. Viewing anything fast moving(I think of the opening to CSI in Las Vegas)causes a seizure. In the meantime, my gut/brain seizures are under control.

I hope you understand that I realize that these seizures probably have another name; they all affect my senses so I call them sensory seizures. I can't go to a big box store to shop without sunglasses. Years ago, I had problems with strobe lights. Never to the current extent. Yesterday, I fixed myself some hot chocolate mix which landed me in bed with a seizure. I awoke with a killer headache that continues today.

If you have more questions or comments to make, just post.
 
MOLLY97, have you ever seen your sensory seizures listed by someone else on this forum? Or another forum?

I just posted to a young man whose new bride has seizures (no known cause) and he is having trouble coping. Reading his post struck me so close to home. I never thought about how my son's seizures were affecting me in such a big way. But I could sure see the devastating affect they were having on him physically, emotionally and mentally.

But, the strange thing is, I have woken up, heard him having a seizure and ran all over the house looking for him only to find him fine. On top of everything going on in the last twenty years, we also had a house fire and I can wake up and see smoke filtering up from the bed. I also have smelled strange smells, esp. fire related and have run all around checking walls for hot spots!

These have been few and far between, but then again I don't have YOUR HISTORY. I'm really starting to wonder if I don't have POST TRAMATIC STRESS SYNDROME myself! Well, at least that would explain why he calls me, "Psyco-mama"!

I jump at the least little thing. My son's will walk into a room and just stand there waitnig patiently for me to turn around. If they say something, I'm going to scream and jump. If they touch me it's even worse. So, they just stand there; I'll turn eventually, scream and jump and then they'll tell me what they want! Personally I think they enjoy it a little bit, but they deny it!

I only started posting a few days ago and I really thought that since he'd been seizure free for so long I was over the anger, the sadness, the taking things wrong, crying over the least little thing, but, by golly, I'm right back at it! I chose this forum because of RobinN. She was always so calm on her posts.

I wish I could find a doctor I could trust, but at this point I'm more afraid of the doctors, and prescriptions than I am of anything I may have. Sad isn't it? This is what so many across the country are coping with.

I guess what I'm wondering, reading your history, is if that is what you are experiencing?
Are you taking any supplements now? Have you been able to have your vitamin/mineral levels checked? I know stress reduces magnesium for sure. I would have to go back over my research files to see what else. Another thing I find fascinating is vitamin D. I read a post somewhere about a girl whose seizures completely diasppeared when her mom had her outside walking at first sunrise! Have you had your levels checked? I know there is a lot of fear about overdosing, but I've also read blogs where patients were on 1,000's of IU's just to try and get there levels up. I'll tell you, if there was a place I could lay outside naked as a jaybird at first sunrise, I would!

I know Azomite is not approved for humans, but I believe it's safe for a well rounded mineral, but when your levels are depleted of one???

I think even if we eliminate the big 4, we still have to eat really healthy to have optimal health. I know you said you tried cal, mag, D3, but do you remember how long or what kind? Do you believe you are now absorbing enough nutrients from the food you eat?
 
I jump at the least little thing. My son's will walk into a room and just stand there waitnig patiently for me to turn around. If they say something, I'm going to scream and jump. If they touch me it's even worse. So, they just stand there; I'll turn eventually, scream and jump and then they'll tell me what they want! Personally I think they enjoy it a little bit, but they deny it!

I only started posting a few days ago and I really thought that since he'd been seizure free for so long I was over the anger, the sadness, the taking things wrong, crying over the least little thing, but, by golly, I'm right back at it!
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Have you ever considered that you might have adrenal fatigue? Stress over a long period of time can cause this.

http://www.womentowomen.com/adrenalfatigue/stresshormones-worry-anxiety.aspx?

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/adrenal-fatigue-2748/
 
I guess what I'm wondering, reading your history, is if that is what you are experiencing?
Are you taking any supplements now? Have you been able to have your vitamin/mineral levels checked? I know stress reduces magnesium for sure. I would have to go back over my research files to see what else. Another thing I find fascinating is vitamin D. I read a post somewhere about a girl whose seizures completely diasppeared when her mom had her outside walking at first sunrise! Have you had your levels checked? I know there is a lot of fear about overdosing, but I've also read blogs where patients were on 1,000's of IU's just to try and get there levels up. I'll tell you, if there was a place I could lay outside naked as a jaybird at first sunrise, I would!
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My problem isn't PTSD; my problem was DID. Seizures run concomitantly frequently with both DID and BiPolar. At first it did look like they were connected to the DID; however, when I was losing so much time and switching, it's hard to know for sure. I am certain, however, that one of my personalities had seizures. I've had them off and on since I was in my late teens.

Never had my vitamin/mineral values checked. I was on 1G of magnesium a day for almost a year. It was way too much and we kept playing with the dosage. It was finally more trouble than it was worth, and I was never convinced that it was doing anything.

The D3 problem arose chiefly because I was taking 1500 mg/day and my intake of dietary D3 managed to overdose me. I don't have my diary with me so I can't give specifics, but I got to the point where I felt awful. Dr Mercola is an advocate for 10's of thousands of units of D3. However, to get a balanced view of the D3 issue, I would suggest that you take a look at www.bacteriality.com. These are the two extreme positions concerning D3; I am convinced that the truth of D3 supplementation lies somewhere closer to the middle.

I was taking Tumeric for healing properties and a B complex. After the experience with the D3, I decided to quit supplements altogether. I eat a richly varied fresh diet, and I really have a hard time putting synthetic chemicals in my body to make up for the lack of them in a trash diet.

If you've gone over to Dogtor J's website, you'll see that he does phone consultations. I've never done one, but I have managed to exchange personal emails with him, the last concerning my newly acquired Schnauzer girl Abbey and concerns about food and insecticides. After you've exhausted his essays on his website, try getting in touch with him if you still have questions. And by the way, my PCP has no trouble with me following the GARD or any of the other sound advice Dogtor J gives.

If you have more questions, I'll do my best to answer.
 
themanymens said:
... safe for a well rounded mineral, ...
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Seaweeds (Nori, Dulse, Kelp, Kombu, etc.) are good, safe sources for well balanced (and complete) bio-available minerals. You should be able to find them at your local health food store. I sprinkle them in salads and soups.
 
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