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Disclaimer: The following is a synopsis of my opinions/advice regarding epilepsy after a decade of listening to doctors, researching the subject and caring for a wife with epilepsy. I am not a doctor, and you should talk to your neurologist/epileptologist about your care.
Epilespy 101 - An Overview
Epilepsy is a term encompassing a broad spectrum of seizure disorders. There isn't one single root cause for epilepsy just as there isn't one single type of seizure. Whatever the root cause though, you can think of epilepsy as a condition where the seizure threshold (everyone has one) is much lower than normal.
For most people (not diagnosed with epilepsy), it takes extreme circumstances to trigger a seizure (like overdosing on certain drugs) because their seizure threshold is very high. With epilepsy disorders, there is a much greater range of potential triggering events that can cause brain activity to spike above the seizure threshold and induce a seizure.
While science has not unlocked all the secrets of brain function to date, we do know that the brain is flexible and adaptable. It grows new neuronal pathways to process information or thoughts. This is important with regards to seizures in that the brain can "learn to seize" in a process called kindling if seizures are allowed to continue uncontrolled. It also offers hope though that the brain can learn how to function without seizing when seizures are fully controlled for several years (2 years is usually the milestone where neurologists may test for normalized brain function to possibly reduce/eliminate medications).
Western medicine focuses on raising the seizure threshold through drugs. This approach, when it works, has the advantage of allowing people to live normal lives without sacrifices. It has the disadvantages of the side effects that all AEDs have.
Getting Proactive
But, what if AEDs don't offer 100% seizure control? What if the side effects of the drugs diminish your quality of life to the point where seizures are preferable? What if you just want to do everything in your power to help kick epilepsy out of your life forever? Well, there are few things you can try by focusing on the other half of the puzzle - eliminating your seizure triggers.
The first step is to get a calendar or diary/journal and start tracking the following things every day:
Dietary Triggers
Did you know that intractable epilepsy has been tied to nutritional deficits? It just illustrates how strongly the foods we eat affect our seizure threshold.
The following food products are commonly reported as seizure triggers for some people:
For those who are a bit more ambitious, there are more options. Instead of waiting to identify food triggers as patterns develop in the journal notes, you could decide to try one of the "seizure diets". There are four that I am aware of:
It's a good idea to take a multi-vitamin too. Many AEDs deplete the body of certain vitamins and it is wise to supplement those vitamins at a minimum. There are other supplements like 5-HTP, zinc, magnesium, potassium, calcium, etc. that might be beneficial too.
Note: I should note that a healthy lifestyle can also trigger genetic changes and/or improve the immune system which helps keep viruses dormant and possible keep the blood brain barrier working
Emotional Triggers
Did you know that the body can store emotional trauma (commonly referred to as muscle memory)? Dr. Donna J. Andrews has incorporated consideration and treatment for trauma as part of their very successful (~83% of patients gaining full seizure control) Epilepsy Research Program.
There are many methods that you could explore to potentially release stored trauma including:
Exercising the Brain
It is possible to accelerate the process whereby the brain learns to function without seizing by using EEG neurofeedback. While most neurologists still don't know much if anything about it, it might be one of the most powerful, non-invasive and completely safe therapies with permanent results available.
You can also try learning some neurobehavioral therapy techniques to "short circuit" the process that triggers seizures.
Epilespy 101 - An Overview
Epilepsy is a term encompassing a broad spectrum of seizure disorders. There isn't one single root cause for epilepsy just as there isn't one single type of seizure. Whatever the root cause though, you can think of epilepsy as a condition where the seizure threshold (everyone has one) is much lower than normal.
For most people (not diagnosed with epilepsy), it takes extreme circumstances to trigger a seizure (like overdosing on certain drugs) because their seizure threshold is very high. With epilepsy disorders, there is a much greater range of potential triggering events that can cause brain activity to spike above the seizure threshold and induce a seizure.
While science has not unlocked all the secrets of brain function to date, we do know that the brain is flexible and adaptable. It grows new neuronal pathways to process information or thoughts. This is important with regards to seizures in that the brain can "learn to seize" in a process called kindling if seizures are allowed to continue uncontrolled. It also offers hope though that the brain can learn how to function without seizing when seizures are fully controlled for several years (2 years is usually the milestone where neurologists may test for normalized brain function to possibly reduce/eliminate medications).
Western medicine focuses on raising the seizure threshold through drugs. This approach, when it works, has the advantage of allowing people to live normal lives without sacrifices. It has the disadvantages of the side effects that all AEDs have.
Getting Proactive
But, what if AEDs don't offer 100% seizure control? What if the side effects of the drugs diminish your quality of life to the point where seizures are preferable? What if you just want to do everything in your power to help kick epilepsy out of your life forever? Well, there are few things you can try by focusing on the other half of the puzzle - eliminating your seizure triggers.
The first step is to get a calendar or diary/journal and start tracking the following things every day:
- what you eat (meals, snacks, drinks)
- night sleeping routine (bedtime, waketime, quality of sleep [ie. uninterrupted?])
- seizure activity (both confirmed and suspected)
- menstruation cycle (for women obviously)
- anything that strikes you as unusual or possibly related to your seizure activity
Dietary Triggers
Did you know that intractable epilepsy has been tied to nutritional deficits? It just illustrates how strongly the foods we eat affect our seizure threshold.
The following food products are commonly reported as seizure triggers for some people:
- caffeine
- alcohol
- aspartame
- Mono-sodium glutimate (MSG)
- Omega 6 Fatty Acids (Borage Oil, Evening Primrose Oil)
- certain herbs (Rosemary, Sage, Fennel)
For those who are a bit more ambitious, there are more options. Instead of waiting to identify food triggers as patterns develop in the journal notes, you could decide to try one of the "seizure diets". There are four that I am aware of:
- Low-glycemic Index Treatment (LGIT)
- Modified Atkins' Diet
- Ketogenic Diet
- Glutimate Aspartate Restricted Diet (GARD)
It's a good idea to take a multi-vitamin too. Many AEDs deplete the body of certain vitamins and it is wise to supplement those vitamins at a minimum. There are other supplements like 5-HTP, zinc, magnesium, potassium, calcium, etc. that might be beneficial too.
Note: I should note that a healthy lifestyle can also trigger genetic changes and/or improve the immune system which helps keep viruses dormant and possible keep the blood brain barrier working
Emotional Triggers
Did you know that the body can store emotional trauma (commonly referred to as muscle memory)? Dr. Donna J. Andrews has incorporated consideration and treatment for trauma as part of their very successful (~83% of patients gaining full seizure control) Epilepsy Research Program.
There are many methods that you could explore to potentially release stored trauma including:
- Rolfing
- LENS neurofeedback (see also The Healing Power of Neurofeedback: The Revolutionary LENS Technique for Restoring Optimal Brain Function)
- Psychological therapy/counciling
- QiGong Acupressure
- Acupuncture
- etc.
Exercising the Brain
It is possible to accelerate the process whereby the brain learns to function without seizing by using EEG neurofeedback. While most neurologists still don't know much if anything about it, it might be one of the most powerful, non-invasive and completely safe therapies with permanent results available.
You can also try learning some neurobehavioral therapy techniques to "short circuit" the process that triggers seizures.
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