I have recently started the Low Glycemic Index Treatment or LGIT diet to help reduce my seizures since none of the medications we have tried seem to be working and I am trying to hold off on any kind of surgery. I am having a lot of trouble finding recipes to follow, is there anyone else doing this diet? If so where do you find your recipes or can you share some? I just recently bought The Nourish Cookbook and it has some really good ones in it but it does not have a lot to go off of. I am also a wife and a mom of two little girls one of which is a picky 2 year old so it is hard to find stuff for everyone. My other little one is 6 months so I don't have to worry about her yet. Thank you in advance!
Low Glycemic Index Treatment (LGIT)?
- Thread starter Kboyer
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nourishcook
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To Kboyer
Hi!
I am the author of Nourish Cookbook that you mentioned, as well as the mother whose daughter has been battling seizures for 4 years. I can identify with you perfectly on having difficulty finding recipes, sources, and inspirations as you plunge into the world of a specialty diet. You are not alone!
As a busy mother with little ones, I know how limited your time can be as well as how important it is to have food available for your nourishment and health, and yet have meals that are child friendly. I will be honest here- I have three children in addition to my child with epilepsy. I don't cook completely with the Low Glycemic Index diet for the rest of the family.
Generally, for dinner, I will prepare a meat for all of us that is acceptable to the diet. I serve starches separately, (potatoes, pasta, rice). I add a side dish of salad or a cooked vegetable to go with the meat dish. The desserts and baked goods I do separately also, just because of the unpleasant sweetener taste. Believe me I know what picky eaters are like! Miraculously, my young daughter inhales the desserts I fix with Splenda or stevia.
Now, for some positive talk here! This diet becomes MUCH MUCH easier as one becomes familiar with it. My daughter has been on it for 18 months and is seizure and medicine free. I am constantly discovering new foods that are available and acceptable, and finding new methods of cooking. It truly becomes a journey to wellness and I get so excited to see the positive impact this diet has had in exchange for the poor results we were seeing with drugs.
When we began this treatment, I was unprepared for the hunger that followed. This was a result of cutting out all the snacks we reach for, and hand off to our little ones. In other words, limited food options= less food. Thankfully, this does not need to be the case.
Preparation and forethought are necessity in order to have healthy food options available at all hours. I learned to focus heavily on protein sources. Meats, Nuts, Cheeses, and Eggs. Simply keeping cooked or grilled chicken in the refrigerator meant there would be options. Fix a quick salad, and toss chicken on top. Wrap chicken in a low-carb tortilla with cheese for a quick pick me up. Eggs are also fast and easy with lots of variety in serving: scrambled, omelets, quiche, fried, or hard boiled. The nuts and seeds (sunflower, pepitas, etc.) fit nicely in my purse for on the road.
For a few quick, easy meal tips, I buy Tyson Grilled and Ready Chicken Strips, or Gorton's Grilled Tilapia. I also buy rotisserie chicken for my daughter when we have a pizza take-out night. There are times when eating out still seems intimidating, but our family has adjusted well. We learn to choose between two options of where to eat instead of ten. Five Guys has awesome fresh-ground beef, and one can load up on the veggie toppings.
I think it is wonderful that you are giving this a fair try, thus allowing your body to experience seizure control in a different way. We have been blessed with an excellent doctor's care. He reminds me that when a patient tells him the LGIT is easy and no problem, he knows they are not doing it correctly. It will be difficult, if done the way it is meant to be practiced. Difficult, but Doable! I wish you the success we have experienced, and health to your body!
Hi!
I am the author of Nourish Cookbook that you mentioned, as well as the mother whose daughter has been battling seizures for 4 years. I can identify with you perfectly on having difficulty finding recipes, sources, and inspirations as you plunge into the world of a specialty diet. You are not alone!
As a busy mother with little ones, I know how limited your time can be as well as how important it is to have food available for your nourishment and health, and yet have meals that are child friendly. I will be honest here- I have three children in addition to my child with epilepsy. I don't cook completely with the Low Glycemic Index diet for the rest of the family.
Generally, for dinner, I will prepare a meat for all of us that is acceptable to the diet. I serve starches separately, (potatoes, pasta, rice). I add a side dish of salad or a cooked vegetable to go with the meat dish. The desserts and baked goods I do separately also, just because of the unpleasant sweetener taste. Believe me I know what picky eaters are like! Miraculously, my young daughter inhales the desserts I fix with Splenda or stevia.
Now, for some positive talk here! This diet becomes MUCH MUCH easier as one becomes familiar with it. My daughter has been on it for 18 months and is seizure and medicine free. I am constantly discovering new foods that are available and acceptable, and finding new methods of cooking. It truly becomes a journey to wellness and I get so excited to see the positive impact this diet has had in exchange for the poor results we were seeing with drugs.
When we began this treatment, I was unprepared for the hunger that followed. This was a result of cutting out all the snacks we reach for, and hand off to our little ones. In other words, limited food options= less food. Thankfully, this does not need to be the case.
Preparation and forethought are necessity in order to have healthy food options available at all hours. I learned to focus heavily on protein sources. Meats, Nuts, Cheeses, and Eggs. Simply keeping cooked or grilled chicken in the refrigerator meant there would be options. Fix a quick salad, and toss chicken on top. Wrap chicken in a low-carb tortilla with cheese for a quick pick me up. Eggs are also fast and easy with lots of variety in serving: scrambled, omelets, quiche, fried, or hard boiled. The nuts and seeds (sunflower, pepitas, etc.) fit nicely in my purse for on the road.
For a few quick, easy meal tips, I buy Tyson Grilled and Ready Chicken Strips, or Gorton's Grilled Tilapia. I also buy rotisserie chicken for my daughter when we have a pizza take-out night. There are times when eating out still seems intimidating, but our family has adjusted well. We learn to choose between two options of where to eat instead of ten. Five Guys has awesome fresh-ground beef, and one can load up on the veggie toppings.
I think it is wonderful that you are giving this a fair try, thus allowing your body to experience seizure control in a different way. We have been blessed with an excellent doctor's care. He reminds me that when a patient tells him the LGIT is easy and no problem, he knows they are not doing it correctly. It will be difficult, if done the way it is meant to be practiced. Difficult, but Doable! I wish you the success we have experienced, and health to your body!
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My wife doesn't follow the LGIT strictly. I call her diet a pseudo-LGIT. She just limits her simple carbs intake. For the most part, we can tell when she's straying too far off the diet. Complex carbs really don't seem to be an issue for her. YMMV.
I was so happy when my dietician told me that you had created this cookbook and it was coming out the month after I was put on the diet! I use it a lot as a reference as to what to work with. I love the grocery list in the front, I do have a question though. In the book you mention low carb tortillas, what brand do you use? I know there are only certain grains that are really allowed on this diet. Thank you!
nourishcook
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Hi!
Sorry i missed this question for so long!
I usually used either La Tortilla brand or Ole' brand...make sure they are the low carb ones
If you have any other questions, let me know!
Nourish Cook
Sorry i missed this question for so long!
I usually used either La Tortilla brand or Ole' brand...make sure they are the low carb ones
If you have any other questions, let me know!
Nourish Cook
My daughter is on a Modified Ketogenic Diet and we will move towards the LGIT diet. I was unable to post the link here, but Epilepsy Nutritional Program at Boston Medical Center has information on the LGIT diet and a recipe page. The apple pie looks good.