How to Avoid Food-triggered Seizures

Food allergies have been around as long as the field of medicine itself. In fact, Hippocrates wrote about how milk could cause gastric upset and hives. Today food-triggered allergies are more common, in part to the high level of preservatives, stabilizers and artificial colorings found in foods. Food allergies are easy to identify if they occur immediately after you eat a particular item. Read on to learn how to avoid food-triggered seizures.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Keep a comprehensive food diary. Write down everything you eat and drink. This will be a valuable tool for identifying the cause of your food-triggered seizures.
2. Make an appointment with a naturopathic physician. These physicians have "ND" rather than "MD" next to their names. You need a traditional medical doctor if you have a seizure, but a naturopathic physician identifies the cause of your seizures.
3. Undergo blood testing for food sensitivities. Your ND will guide you in this area. There are several tests that are available; aome evaluate cellular damage caused when your blood cells were exposed to a particular food, and some measure immune reactions to a particular food. Some physicians prefer skin testing to determine the cause of the problem.
4. Go on an elimination diet. As the name implies, this involves eliminating the food suspected of causing the seizure. If eliminating the food stops the seizures and symptoms, the problem is resolved. However, sometimes more than one food is involved, or the problem is more complicated. For example, a person might be allergic to something they are ingesting such as toothpaste or mouthwash rather than to a traditional food item.
5. Use supplements to improve your health. Talk to your physician about using supplements such as probiotics, quercertin and glutamine to heal your damaged digestive tract.

Tips & Warnings

• If you find out that your seizures are caused by an additive, be very vigilant when reading labels. There are many additives in processed foods, so you might unknowingly ingest an additive if you are not careful. Eating a whole foods diet is best.