Dietary changes and seizure control

[AlohaBird]

I'll try the dried turmeric. Didn't think that would work. Hmm, it is said that I should add some pepper with the turmeric because some absortion properties? I'll try that too.

You have been doing your research I see. Yes, the pepper does help the turmeric break down better. Also tastes good.

 

[Jay1]

Just a quick Q.

Is it possible to replace fresh turmeric with fresh ginger? They are from the same plant family. It is nearly impossible to find fresh turmeric here where I live.

Could I replace cow milk with almond milk? The aim seems to be to remove the cow milk. I dont think I ever seen goatmilk in any store here?

Turmeric can be found in Asian grocery stores. There are numerous Indian grocery stores in Stockholm. I buy fresh turmeric from Indian grocery stores in Chicago. It costs about 4 USD for 2 lbs of yellow turmeric.

Goat Milk and Horse Milk both contain high amount of Medium Chain Fatty Acids.


List of Medium Chain Fatty Acids

(1) Caproic acid CH3 (CH2)4 COOH
(2) Caprylic acid CH3 (CH2)6 COOH
(3) Capric acid CH3 (CH2)8 COOH
(4) Lauric acid CH3 (CH2)10 COOH


Almonds are very healthy but it is better to eat almonds than drink almond milk. Usually, almond milk contains lot of added sugar.

 

[AlohaBird]

Seizures can absolutely be controlled through diet -- in fact, the Ketogenic Diet for Seizures has a better success rate than any seizure drug currently on the market. And the side effects are far less than any seizure drug currently on the market. This is not to say that everyone will be completely seizure free with dietary changes, but then again, not everyone is completely seizure free even with multiple seizure meds. Not only does the Keto diet eliminate or significantly reduce seizures for thousands of people, it also is neuroprotective and possibly neuroregenerating -- good for brain cells.

Karen makes some important points here. People may opt to put their kids on meds so that they can be "normal" when it comes to food choices. Sure they can eat twinkies and cheetos just like all the other kids but, in the long run, their health is going to suffer. No amount of "fitting in" socially is worth that.

 

[MichaelJO7]

Jay1

The easiest way of describing epilepsy is to say it is an electrical storm or "Epileptic seizures are the result of excessive and abnormal cortical nerve cell activity in the brain" can you imagine what would happen to a 800 watt computer if it encountered an electrical storm. There would be no rebooting.

So you have a powerful computer (or the Brain) which encounters an electrical storm, the result is the cpu and everything is destroyed. Much the same happens with a seizure.

The question is not how you increase the power but how you stop the storm.

I agree.

Faulty wiring can't be fixed by more power.

I think the issue is power regulation and modulation. I think that is what E drugs try to accomplish, but at what cost? Many E drugs appear to affect neurotransmission, (slowing it down, I dare say), in order inhibit cortical storms. A number of E drugs are channel blockers; they inhibit cellular metabolism, thereby reducing cortical electrical activity/discharges so as to prevent seizures. They lower the power available to the cell by inhibiting chemical reactions, if you will.

Personally, I do not want any more cellular damage in my brain, making cognitive function more difficult. Insofar as it is possible, I think the aim of my diet, and the diets of many others, is to repair cellular damage which has already occurred, and prevent future cellular damage.

When I think of my brain, I think of a large city with many roads, bridges and highways. There are always road improvements (in summer), where certain highways and streets are closed, where we have to take detours. If the normal neural pathway is not working properly, and can't be repaired, then the next best thing is to build new pathways. One of best ways to accomplish this, I think, is continually learning. The more pathways are available for use, the less likely there is to be a traffic jam (electrical storm).

Neurotransmitters promote traffic along the neural pathways, or they slow down traffic, depending upon the neurotransmitters. I always think of E drugs as slowing down traffic. I am happy to see as many people on E drugs who appear to be doing well cognitively. Of course, this forum helps one focus, and we do not know how down people are in their down time.

 

[Bidwell]

Insiu -- I use turmeric capsules and they work well enough that they bring heat to my face! But I am know that I can get Tumeric root and will start working with that the next time I see it -- I will give a report!

 

[lnsiu]

Turmeric can be found in Asian grocery stores. There are numerous Indian grocery stores in Stockholm. I buy fresh turmeric from Indian grocery stores in Chicago. It costs about 4 USD for 2 lbs of yellow turmeric.

Goat Milk and Horse Milk both contain high amount of Medium Chain Fatty Acids.


List of Medium Chain Fatty Acids

(1) Caproic acid CH3 (CH2)4 COOH
(2) Caprylic acid CH3 (CH2)6 COOH
(3) Capric acid CH3 (CH2)8 COOH
(4) Lauric acid CH3 (CH2)10 COOH


Almonds are very healthy but it is better to eat almonds than drink almond milk. Usually, almond milk contains lot of added sugar.

It is very easy to make almond milk - and the leftovers can be used for cookies or other glutenfree baking things. I guess the easily watersolvable nutritions would go into the milk and the fibers and perhaps some minerals would go in the leftovers? Anyhow, by using all of the almond, although separated, I guess would qualify for all the almond nutritions?

My closest asian store is 20km away. I'll look for it the next time. They do have some strange looking fresh things that I never asked about.

By the way, I think you should try this diet you propose. If there is some dietry problem, it might be inhereted? I guess you already do...

 

[Jay1]

I agree.

Faulty wiring can't be fixed by more power.

I think the issue is power regulation and modulation. I think that is what E drugs try to accomplish, but at what cost? Many E drugs appear to affect neurotransmission, (slowing it down, I dare say), in order inhibit cortical storms. A number of E drugs are channel blockers; they inhibit cellular metabolism, thereby reducing cortical electrical activity/discharges so as to prevent seizures. They lower the power available to the cell by inhibiting chemical reactions, if you will.

Personally, I do not want any more cellular damage in my brain, making cognitive function more difficult. Insofar as it is possible, I think the aim of my diet, and the diets of many others, is to repair cellular damage which has already occurred, and prevent future cellular damage.

When I think of my brain, I think of a large city with many roads, bridges and highways. There are always road improvements (in summer), where certain highways and streets are closed, where we have to take detours. If the normal neural pathway is not working properly, and can't be repaired, then the next best think is to build new pathways. The best way to accomplish this, I think, is continually learning. The more pathways are available for use, the less likely there is to be a traffic jam (electrical storm).

Neurotransmitters promote traffic along the neural pathways, or they slow down traffic, depending upon the neurotransmitters. I always think of E drugs as slowing down traffic. I am happy to see as many people on E drugs who appear to be doing well cognitively. Of course, this forum helps one focus, and we do not know how down people are in their down time.

I agree with you about generation of new brain neurons and pathways.


However the power issue still remains. In Autism. Alzheimer and Seizures, brain neurons lose the ability to get energy from glucose. If you do not provide any other alternative supply of energy, the brain neurons and pathways start dying and the death or slowness of neurons and pathways causes Autism, Alzheimer and Seizures.


Cancer cells have the ability to eat glucose 100 times faster than regular body cells. Deprive you body of glucose molecules and the cancer cells will not grow any further. Your body cells need another alternative fuel supply.


This alternative fuel supply is Ketones and it is ketones from diet which keep brain neurons alive, reduce seizures, nourish brain and keeps cancer away.

 

[AlohaBird]

Faulty wiring can't be fixed by more power.

I think the aim of my diet, and the diets of many others, is to repair cellular damage which has already occurred, and prevent future cellular damage.

Exactly.:agree:

 

[AlohaBird]

This alternative fuel supply is Ketones and it is ketones from diet which keep brain neurons alive, reduce seizures, nourish brain and keeps cancer away.

Yes. It is a reliance on glucose to the exclusion of ketones which causes insulin resistance and leads to the damaged wiring mentioned above.

 

[Jay1]

Movie "First Do No Harm" based on actual events

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyeC9IiFKpw



Here are the links for published medical papers.


(1) Coconut oil reduces Alzheimer - by Dr. Mary Newport having more than 30 years of experience

http://www.coconutketones.com/WhatIfCure.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feyydeMFWy4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9G_FDwStl8


(2) Marked Seizure Reduction in a 40 year old man at Neurology Department (Vanderbilt University) after MCT (coconut oil) Supplementation

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/crinm/2013/809151/


(3) AEDs cause seizures to become intractable and inhibit cognitive development (Tokyo Medical University, Japan)

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/mi/2014/901902/


(4) Relevance of the Glutathione System in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy ( National Institute of Pediatrics, Mexico) - Ketogenic diet restores antioxidant system and produces more mitochondria

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/omcl/2014/759293/


(5) When do seizures usually improve with the ketogenic diet? (Department of Neurology, John Hopkins and Children Memorial Hospital, Chicago)

http://site.matthewsfriends.org/uploads/File/TimeToImprovementKD.pdf


(6) State of the Ketogenic Diet(s) in Epilepsy ( John Hopkins - Jennifer Huffman, MD, and Eric H. Kossoff, MD )

http://www.matthewsfriends.org/jh/CurrentNNKossoff.pdf


(7) A review of traditional and novel treatments for seizures in autism spectrum disorder: findings from a systematic review and expert panel ( Numerous hospitals in USA) - It very clearly concludes that Non-Anti-Epileptic drug treatments are better than AED treatment for controlling seizures.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3859980/pdf/fpubh-01-00031.pdf


(8) Diagnosis and Managment of Status Epilepticus (Yale University School of Medicine - Lawrence J. Hirsch, MD, FAAN; Nicolas Gaspard, MD, PhD)

http://lsneuro.org/files/c/epilepsy/Status_Epilepticus.20.pdf


(9) Omega-3 dietary supplements pass blood-brain barrier and protects against Alzheimer's disease ( Karolinska Institutet in Sweden)

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131204090950.htm


(10) Omega-3 fish oil 'could reduce seizure frequency for epilepsy patients (Prof. Christopher DeGiorgio of the Department of Neurology at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine)

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/282192.php


(11) A randomized trial of classical and medium-chain triglyceride ketogenic diets in the treatment of childhood epilepsy (4 hospitals in London, UK) - Trial size 145 kids

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01870.x/epdf


(12) Research: Sleep loss degrades the blood-brain barrier, allowing toxins to invade and kill neurons. (Mexican Metropolitan Autonomous University)

http://www.naturalnews.com/046068_sleep_deficiency_blood-brain_barrier_brain_health.html


(13) How does the blood-brain barrier work? › Dr Karl

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2013/07/23/3808471.htm


(14) How does liver metabolize process Medium-Chain fatty acids (MCT)?

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/36/5/950.full.pdf


(15) Research opens up possibility of therapies to restore blood-brain barrier

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-possibility-therapies-blood-brain-barrier.html#nRlv


(16) Medium-chain triglyceride (Wikipedia)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium-chain_triglyceride#Dietary_relevance


(17) Ketosis (Wikipedia)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketosis


(18) Types of Seizures

http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/epilepsy-guide-8/seizure-types


(19) The Taste (MSG) that kills (Dr. Blaylock)

http://americannutritionassociation.org/newsletter/review-excitotoxins-taste-kills


(20) Hidden Sources of MSG

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html


(21) Ayurvedic Medicine for Epilepsy ( Dr. S Jain, Dr. PN Tandon, Indian Epilepsy Centre, Delhi, *National Brain Research Centre, Manesar, India)

http://neurology-asia.org/articles/20043_057.pdf


(22) Losing Sleep decrease brain volume (Journal Neurology)

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/281869.php


(23) Ketogenic Diet Improves Core Symptoms of Autism in BTBR Mice

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0065021


(24) Summary of Dietary, Nutritional, and Medical Treatments for Autism – based on over 150 published research studies (Arizona State University)

http://ariconference.com/enews/treatment.pdf


(25) L-Carnitine (Antioxidant for Brain) - University of Maryland Medical Center

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/carnitine-lcarnitine


(26) Coconut oil, Alzheimer’s disease, Seizures, Autism and more | Dr. Arturo M. Volpe

http://doctorvolpe.com/alzheimers/coconut-oil-alzheimers/


(27) Improvement of Medium Chain Fatty Acid Content and Antimicrobial Activity of Coconut Oil (University of Malaysia)

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2013/954542/


(28) Is MCT Oil better than Coconut Oil?

http://healthimpactnews.com/2014/mct-oil-vs-coconut-oil-the-truth-exposed/


(29) Medium-chain Triglyceride Ketogenic Diet, An Effective Treatment for Drug-resistant Epilepsy and A Comparison with Other Ketogenic Diets (Department of Neurology, Toronto, Canada)

http://biomedj.org/article.asp?issn...volume=36;issue=1;spage=9;epage=15;aulast=Liu


(30) 20 health benefits of Turmeric

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/20-health-benefits-of-turmeric.html


(31) Super Foods and their benefits

http://www.superfoodsrx.com/the-superfoods/


(32) Color Wheel of Fruits and Vegetables

http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/fruits-vegetables.shtml


(33) Brain Surgery Video - Which is better diet or surgery?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFUNlJz8mwU


(34) Video - 5 Things This Doctor Would Do If Diagnosed with Cancer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd2vl6PtDJk


(35) Video - Foods That Heal & Foods That Kill (Dr. Bergman)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szIUeYWRFN8


(36) Dead Doctors Don't Lie - Dr Wallach

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAw17H9wlnA


(37) Video - 10 bad Foods - Dr. Glidden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2qCCTyTyPA


(38) Video - What is your advice to parents who face medical resistance to the Ketogenic Diet? (Many neurologists)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP0vz5Sd1GA


(38) Video - What priority does the ketogenic diet deserve in the treatment of epilepsy? (Many neurologists)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S51xdeDd728


(39) Video - What success do you see with the ketogenic diet? (Many neurologists)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV2PNO8uxWM


(40) Benefits of Fish Oil

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/40253.php


(41) Do not sleep on stomach if you have epilepsy (Journal Neurology)

http://m.medicalxpress.com/news/2015-01-stomach-sudden-death-epilepsy.html


(42) Medicinal use of turmeric in Alzheimer's disease (Aga Khan Medical College, Pakistan)

http://ecommons.aku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1091&context=pakistan_fhs_mc_bbs


(43) Nocturnal Seizures and Sleep - Dr. Carl Bazil (Indiana University School of Medicine)

http://columbiasleep.org/researchdocs/Nocturnal seizures, Sem Neurol 2004.pdf


(44) Optimal clinical management of children receiving the ketogenic diet: Recommendations of the International Ketogenic Diet Study Group


http://www.charliefoundation.org/images/documents/Published_Consensus_Statement_9-08.pdf


(45) Major causes of Seizures and Epilepsy - Dr. Wilson

http://www.drlwilson.com/Articles/epilepsy.htm


(46) Natural Treatments for Epilepsy - Read comments by people

http://www.earthclinic.com/cures/epilepsy.html





List of Side Effects of Medications


(1) Keppra

http://reference.medscape.com/drug/keppra-levetiracetam-343013#4

(2) Dilantin

Pfizer had added aspartame to the seizure drug dilantin when they changed the look of the capsule in 2007. Aspartame has been known to cause seizures in healthy people who have no history of epilepsy. Why would Pfizer add aspartame to a drug that controls seizures?

Drug companies are in a serious business, and need 'lifetime loyal customers". Do you ever actually listen to list of side-effects during TV commercials? "Occasional death, etc"... while happy people twinkle on screen.




Books



(1) Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean MD

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/The-Magnesium-Miracle-Revised-Updated-ebook/dp/B001ODEPY4/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1"]The Magnesium Miracle (Revised and Updated) - Kindle edition by Carolyn Dean Md Nd. Health, Fitness & Dieting Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Ddh1Z7-AL.@@AMEPARAM@@51Ddh1Z7-AL[/ame]


(2) Ketogenic Diets: Treatments for Epilepsy and Other Disorders (4 doctors from John Hopkins)

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Ketogenic-Diets-Treatments-Epilepsy-Disorders-ebook/dp/B00EL9DCUG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1436062648&sr=1-1&keywords=freeman+epilepsy"]Ketogenic Diets: Treatments for Epilepsy and Other Disorders - Kindle edition by Eric H. Kossoff MD, John M. MD Freeman, CSP, LDN Turner Zahava RD, James E. MD Rubenstein. Health, Fitness & Dieting Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41enFBbIRyL.@@AMEPARAM@@41enFBbIRyL[/ame]

 

[MichaelJO7]

However the power issue still remains. In Autism. Alzheimer and Seizures, brain neurons lose the ability to get energy from glucose. If you do not provide any other alternative supply of energy, the brain neurons and pathways start dying and the death or slowness of neurons and pathways causes Autism, Alzheimer and Seizures.QUOTE]

I work on cars when I can. In older cars, oxidation on terminals prevents the power from getting through, and, in some cases, simply because the car has not been used. It is the same with batteries. The logic translates well to the brain. I have a 30 year old Honda, which has sat for years, (someone broadsided me), and the longer it sits, the more electrical problems I am discovering, problems which did not exist immediately after the accident.

It does seem logical that power supply is an issue in certain individuals with primarily brain associated maladies. I do think extra power, a "jump," if you will, can get things moving again, and I agree that ketones are a means of achieving this for some people.

 

[Bidwell]

Jay1 Thanks for this long list of citations. I will be using it. Thanks. And Michael, your metaphors are so clear and so choice -- it's a pleasure to read them!

 

[lnsiu]

Regarding the coconutoil, it seems one would need to keep a low-carb diet for it to be beneficial? At least this seems to be the case for diabetes 2. I don't see how this would differ being beneficial for epilepsy? I mean it is not obvious within the epilepsy community that you can't mix coconutoil with candy for example, while that would be natural for someone with bordeline diabetes type 2 to stay away from fast carbs.

Any one who could elaborate on this?

 

[KarenB]

I am curious about who you think reads your posts. It appears you believe people on this forum disagree ABSOLUTELY with your point of view. .

It is VERY off putting to be told that we are SO ignorant. I am leaving out all the corruption of medicine by big business for another time.

Oh, Heavens! I certainly didn't mean to make it appear that I thought others in this forum were ignorant or disagreed with me. In fact, I owe a LOT to this forum -- I received enormous support and encouragement and good information and links to helpful studies when we were going through the valley of the shadow with our little boy. I was so depressed as my son was tormented night and day by horrible seizures, and this forum was literally my lifeline during that time. Up until I discovered this forum, I pretty much let our path be guided by his physicians. And that wasn't going so well. Once I started educating myself, thanks to the wonderful people here, I became much more proactive with my son's care, and more knowledgeable when we went to appointments. It took many months to stop the seizures -- lots of trial and error with diet, supplements, meds, etc. But they finally stopped, thank God and thanks to the helpful information from people here who shared their stories and also shared important medical information.

When I share my personal story here, it's because I want others, if possible, to have the success we did. To know that there's light at the end of the tunnel. It would be rather selfish of me to keep what I have learned to myself when so many are suffering. I only wish that we have put Jonathan on the Ketogenic Diet a couple years earlier than we did. He lost a lot during that time when the docs wanted to try one med after another -- speech, cognitive, etc. -- and we have never completely regained what the seizures stole.

 

[Jay1]

Oh, Heavens! I certainly didn't mean to make it appear that I thought others in this forum were ignorant or disagreed with me. In fact, I owe a LOT to this forum -- I received enormous support and encouragement and good information and links to helpful studies when we were going through the valley of the shadow with our little boy. I was so depressed as my son was tormented night and day by horrible seizures, and this forum was literally my lifeline during that time. Up until I discovered this forum, I pretty much let our path be guided by his physicians. And that wasn't going so well. Once I started educating myself, thanks to the wonderful people here, I became much more proactive with my son's care, and more knowledgeable when we went to appointments. It took many months to stop the seizures -- lots of trial and error with diet, supplements, meds, etc. But they finally stopped, thank God and thanks to the helpful information from people here who shared their stories and also shared important medical information.

When I share my personal story here, it's because I want others, if possible, to have the success we did. To know that there's light at the end of the tunnel. It would be rather selfish of me to keep what I have learned to myself when so many are suffering. I only wish that we have put Jonathan on the Ketogenic Diet a couple years earlier than we did. He lost a lot during that time when the docs wanted to try one med after another -- speech, cognitive, etc. -- and we have never completely regained what the seizures stole.

Hi Karen,

I get lot of inspiration from you. You have gone through a lot for many years. Any little boy will be proud to have a champion mother like you.

It is because of posts such as yours that my dark period lasted only 2-3 months instead of many years.

Thank you a million times.

Regards,
Jay

 

[Bidwell]

Karen -- My criticism was all about semantics. Believe me I agree with HopeCoconutWorks - Your post inspires and informs and I am so glad you wrote it!

And INSIUI, I am thinking that even if a person's diet is sugary and clearly unhealthy, at least coconut oil is not going to do harm.

 

[lnsiu]

[...]

And INSIUI, I am thinking that even if a person's diet is sugary and clearly unhealthy, at least coconut oil is not going to do harm.

Probably not, but the bloodsugarlevel seems to be worse, since the cocosfat is burned 4 times faster than normal fat, although without oxidation, so for diabetes it could give higher levels, and higher insulin resistance, wich would be bad. Somehow that seems to be important? I'm not sure how it works, that's why I asked.

 

[Bidwell]

Oh, Insiu, I am VERY IGNORANT about this, am not an expert at all. None of us on the forum are experts. We just share our experiences and insights but none of us are experts. Jay1 is great because he lists citations of articles that anyone can examine for themselves.

So I was just thinking in a common sense way when I answered your e-mail. Take very good care of yourself and I hope you keep posting. There are a lot of good ideas here.

 

[HopeCoconutWorks]

Hi Karen,

I saw some article about keto diet for children. Some say children will be able to get off this diet after sometimes after they are seizure free. Is it true? I would think if thats the case, then this diet will actually heal the cause and not just like medicine to control it, agree? I would imagine the fat used in this diet will heal the brain abnormal activity ... and not just control it .... agree?

 

[Jay1]

Seizure frequency graph with use of MCT Oil at Vanderbilt University
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/crinm/2013/809151/

Please see how the seizure frequency almost became negligible with use of MCT (Coconut Oil).

Non-Anti-Epileptic-Drug Treatment Graph
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3859980/

Anti-Epileptic-Drug Treatment Graph
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3859980/