Gluten has always been in grains, but different agricultural practices, hybridization and genetic modifications starting back in the 1970s changed some of its properties, which has changed our body’s reaction to it. Aside from the gluten content, grains are also rich in glutamate and aspartate, two very excitatory amino acids that impact the brain’s electrical activity. In addition to most bread, baked goods, pasta and cereal, gluten is also found in many canned soups, sauces, salad dressings, vegetarian products and even beer.
If your child has seizures, consider removing soy products from their diet and see how they respond. It may be labeled as vegetable protein, textured vegetable protein or soy isolate — sometimes it is not even labelled. Like most grains, soy is also very high in glutamine, and excitatory amino acid that affects brain chemistry. Soy and related derivatives are found in soy sauce, tofu, edamame, baby formula, many baked goods, cereals, canned soups, salad dressings, processed meats, hot dogs, canned tuna, energy bars, low-fat peanut butter and most non-dairy alternatives (soy milk, ice cream, etc. ).
A low sugar, high-fat diet (called a ketogenic diet) is beneficial for anyone who experience seizures because it forces brain neurons to stop relying on glucose for fuel and use ketone bodies (from fat) instead. Natural sugars directly from fresh fruit and veggies are not really the culprit. Instead, cut back on heavily processed sugars such as high-fructose corn syrup, baking sugar and table sugar. Candy, chocolate, ice cream, frozen desserts, most baked goods, many breakfast cereals, specialty coffees, soda pop and many sweetened beverages are loaded with processed sugars.
Switching to dairy-free diet might be the healthiest choice for some people, especially if they are allergic, lactose intolerant or experience seizures. Dairy products, such as ice cream and yogurts, are often mixed with lots of processed sugar, which can be a “double whammy” for triggering seizures. Cow-based cheeses that appear to be the worst for triggering seizures and other negative reactions include Parmesan, cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack and mozzarella. For epileptics and others with seizures, goat-based dairy products seem to be a very good alternative to cow-based ones, certainly much more so than soy alternatives.
MSG is often listed on food labels as “flavoring,” because the manufacturers know that MSG has developed a bad reputation. Keep in mind that fresh, natural foods shouldn’t and often don’t require flavor enhancement, so preparing your own meals at home with fresh ingredients is the best way to avoid MSG. MSG is particularly excitatory to neurons because it’s made from the amino acid glutamate.
Aspartame also contains phenylalanine, which is toxic to neurons and also linked to neurological damage and seizure activity. [7] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Aspartame is one of most widely consumed excitotoxic food additives in the world. Other sweeteners that may also cause negative effects to the brain and increase the risk of seizures include Splenda and saccharin. Artificial sweeteners are very widespread and typically found in products labelled as “sugar-free” and “low calorie. "
Carrageenan is also commonly found in soups, broths, yogurts, chocolate and ice cream to give them thicker consistency (as a stabilizer) and to make low-fat versions taste fuller. Carrageenan has no nutritional value and is often within products listed as “organic. " Scan your food labels. Carrageenan must legally appear on food labels, so check them closely and avoid foods (even organic varieties) that contain it.
Symptoms of a seizure may stop after a few seconds or minutes, or sometimes go on for up to about 15 minutes. You may get warning signs before having a seizure, such as tasting a bitter or metallic flavor, smelling the scent of burning rubber, seeing flashing lights or wavy lines, and feeling anxious or nauseous. [9] X Research source
Finding the trigger can be very difficult, but necessary if you don’t want your child or yourself to be on powerful anti-seizure medication for many years. Seizures are common in childhood, but usually fade away during adolescence. Infections, high fevers, head injuries, and negative reactions to medication are common causes of childhood seizures. Usually, in children it depends on how high and how fast the fever develops. The higher the fever forms and the faster the temperature rises, the more at risk the child is to have a fever associated seizure. You do not need to be put on seizure medication after one episode of a seizure. Severe migraine headaches commonly mimic mild seizures. Sometimes, no cause can be found for seizures, in which case they are called idiopathic (of unknown origin) seizures.
Testing will likely include: blood tests, CT scan or MRI of the head, EEG of the brain (to see it’s electrical patterns) and maybe a spinal tap for fluid to rule out meningitis. Allergies to food and toxic reactions to chemical in foods are typically not diagnosed in a hospital setting, particularly in the emergency department. As such, you’ll likely need a referral to an allergy or seizure specialist who has experience diagnosing environmental causes of seizures.
