Epilepsy Diet

What is an Epilepsy Diet?

An epilepsy diet also known as a ketogenic diet is a diet that helps in controlling seizures in children. Epilepsy diet is considered to be an alternative treatment for the children who find it difficult to control seizures. Epilepsy diet is found to be more successful in children than adults. Therefore, if you have a child with uncontrolled epilepsy, epilepsy diet is the best choice.

Epilepsy diet is high in fats, adequate in proteins and low in carbohydrates. Epilepsy diet allows the body to use more fats for energy instead of glucose by increasing the intake of fats and reducing the intake of carbohydrates. It's not easy to follow an epilepsy diet, as it requires strict devotion to an unusual and limited range of foods.

Calories restricted in an epilepsy diet depend upon the age and activity of the child. If the child is overweight, more calories are restricted until and ideal weight for his height is achieved. For the child with normal weight, an epilepsy diet is given in such a way that he should neither gain or lose a weight but should grow normal for his stature.

An epilepsy diet provides four grams of fat for every one gram of protein and minimal amount of carbohydrates. Foods should be taken while on epilepsy diet includes fatty foods like cream, butter and mayonnaise. Foods that should be strictly avoided while on epilepsy diet include fruits, vegetables, bread, pasta and fluids. Before taking epilepsy diet, food should be measured correctly so that right amount of the food is taken.

How does an Epilepsy Diet Work?

It is not yet clear how does epilepsy diet help in preventing and reducing seizures, but has found to be effective in reducing seizures in some children. Our body runs with the help of energy that we get from glucose in the food. We can't store a large amount of glucose and therefore during starvation, our body firstly uses up all the stored glucose and then begins to burn the stored fat. At this point the epilepsy diet helps to carry on the process.

Epilepsy diet forces the body to burn fat by providing more fat and limiting calories and carbohydrates. This helps in building up the ketone bodies, the high level of which appears to reduce seizures.

What are the Possible Side Effects of Epilepsy Diet?

Epilepsy diet also has some possible side effects like other epilepsy treatments. The side effects of epilepsy diet may disappear if they are managed early. The possible side effects of epilepsy diet include:

• Retarded growth resulting from nutritional deficiency
• Dehydration
• Constipation
• Kidney stones, caused by a uric acid buildup in blood
• Inflammation of pancreas (Pancreatitis)
• Menstrual irregularities in women
• High cholesterol levels
• Behavioral changes
• Decreased bone density
• Vomiting

The epilepsy diet does not supply adequate amounts of the vitamins and minerals that the body requires. Therefore people on epilepsy diet may develop vitamin and mineral deficiency if they don't take vitamin and mineral supplements. Sometimes epilepsy diet may build up high levels of fat in the blood. Therefore, before going for an epilepsy diet it is always advisable to consult your doctor.