How to Use Diet to Help Prevent Seizures
Use the Ketogenic Diet, a diet developed for epilepsy patients. This diet is high in fat and low in carbs. It is important that you keep in touch with a nutritionist during the course of using this diet to make sure you are getting enough nutrition. Adults can use this diet as well, but most of the studies have been conducted on children. Over 50 percent of the children who try this diet see a reduction in the amount of seizures they were having.
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Instructions
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Get admitted in to a hospital. The diet begins in the hospital as the patient fasts for 24 hours on liquid only. The diet begins in the hospital in case any seizures occur during that time. They say fasting is not necessary for the diet to work, but that it speeds up the time it takes for it to work.
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Slowly introduce the ketogenic diet ratio. This ratio is the amount of fat compared to the amount of carbohydrate and protein grams combined. Most patients are on a 3:1 ratio. After a few days you can go home and continue using the diet.
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Feed your child fatty foods such as mayo, butter, heavy cream or peanut butter. Limit breads, pastas, fruits and veggies. All foods must be measured. This is a strict diet that you do not have the liberty to deviate from. This can take a lot of time and you may have to keep in close contact with your dietitian. You will need a guide book to follow.
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Take a vitamin and mineral supplement. Many doctors won't agree to do this diet with you because it is not a healthy diet. Still it has been extremely successful reducing seizures. You will need to make sure you take a vitamin and mineral supplement while on this diet.
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Tips & Warnings
Patients are given routine blood work to make sure there are no further medical problems.
Make sure you don't go off the diet for even one meal. Going off for even 1 meal can make it more likely you will have seizures.
There are some side effects associated with this diet that you should be aware of. They include kidney stones, high cholesterol, dehydration, constipation, slowed growth or weight gain, bone fractures, and tiredness in the beginning.
