Unlike many diets that overstate their effectiveness, the diet for epilepsy actually holds many reasons to believe it can reduce epileptic fit episodes considerably. Medication has been the standard approach to epilepsy for a long time, but now, epilepsy diet, natural remedies and herbs, should regain center stage.
The diet for epilepsy is known as the ketogenic diet, a diet designed in the was early twentieth century to treat the distressing syndrome, when few drug treatments for epilepsy were available. Until recently, it had been used only when drug therapy was ineffective. The dietary approach was based on the observation that ketosis (increased blood levels of chemicals called ketones) is associated with reduction of seizures. Ketosis can be produced by a diet high in fat and very low in carbohydrate and protein. The epilepsy diet has been evaluated in several preliminary and a few controlled trials. According to a 1996 review, the epilepsy diet appears to be very effective in one-third to one-half of epilepsy cases in children, and partially effective in another one-third of cases. This record, for a diet, makes it one of the most effective diets around, and is good news for those in need of a diet for epilepsy, to mitigate its life-altering effects.
Diet is one part of complex medication
Recent trials continue to support this success rate; one preliminary trial demonstrated a 50% reduction in seizure activity in 71% of children in a group after 45 days on the diet. There is little research on the effects of the ketogenic diet in adults, but it may be effective in those who are able to comply with the strict dietary guidelines. The epilepsy diet is usually initiated by fasting under close medical supervision, often in a hospital, followed by introduction of the diet and training of the family to ensure successful maintenance. As with epilepsy medication, one needs to be careful to monitor one’s epilepsy diet and epilepsy medications to make sure that when epilepsy symptoms change, so does our response.
Herbs that help with epilepsy
Natural epilepsy medication and herbs treatments for epilepsy have been found to work well against fits. Chinese herbal formulae known as sho-saiko-to and saiko-keishi-to contain effective anti-epilepsy herbs in various proportions. Other ingredients, including arepeony root, pinellia root, cassia bark, ginger root, jujube fruit, Asian ginseng root, Asian scullcap root, and licorice root are also worth taking as herbal treatments against epilepsy. Both formulas have been shown in preliminary trials to be helpful herbal formalas for people with epilepsy. No negative interactions with a variety of anticonvulsant drugs were noted in these trials. The usual amount taken of these formulas is 2.5 grams three times per day as capsules or tea. People with epilepsy should not use either formula without first consulting with a healthcare professional.
