Vegilepsy and Seizures Triggerred by Food + Recipe

Hey, everybody! A little update on my seizure-status: no grand mals so far. I have fully made my transfer from being on a combo of Trileptal and Vimpat to a combo of Trileptal and Felbatol. Today is day one of my first week being completely off of Vimpat. I lost 11 lbs in the process without really even trying. I have been exercising more aggressively, but I've done the same before with no success. I have noticed a loss of appetite but I still make myself eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in between. One thing I totally forgot to tell all of you is that I went vegetarian 3 weeks ago! Technically 6 weeks ago, but you'll understand what I mean after reading this article. I wondered if this had something to do with it all? I didn't go vegetarian to save the animals, though I do love them. I went vegetarian for my digestive system, because I was told by my family doctor that it really helps... and oh, boy has it! I was worried (and happy at the same time) about the rapid weight loss. Out of curiosity I had searched Felbatol on Bing the other night, only to find that it causes rapid weight loss and drug-induced anorexia. Thank God I've been making myself eat! Sometimes I don't even want to eat at all. I went one whole day without even realizing I hadn't eaten. So now I make all my meals the night before hand to ensure that I am eating correctly.

What inspired this blog today is also based on another Bing search: Vegetarians or vegans with Epilepsy (a.k.a. Vegilepsy). I'm going to use the word vegetarian because it's more common, so please don't be offended if you are vegan. It's just a generalized word for someone who doesn't eat meat.

Cutting meat from your diet has its benefits, but it can also be dangerous for people whose main source of protein comes from their meat. With Epilepsy, being vegetarian is even more dangerous if you don't take precaution. Some vegetarians, particularly those doing it because it's a fad, tend to overlook this. They think that they can eat the same meals, but simply just cut the meat from it. This can be true, but it depends on what you eat. Some vegetarians also think that since they've removed the meat from their diet, they have room for more junk food and more sweets... totally untrue! Also, "fad" vegetarians tend to jump right into cutting out meat all at once, which is just the wrong way to go.

The right way to go for a regular, healthy, non-epileptic person is to slowly cut out one type of meat at a time. Many vegetarians first cut out red meat, leaving poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy. Then, one at a time, over a period of a week (just like medication) cut out the next type of meat. Also, they must slowly start increasing their intake of fiber from grains, legumes, seeds and nuts. This, right here, brings us to another topic: food triggered seizures. Believe it or not, a simple, sudden diet change can cause seizures... and so can eating a certain food. Many foods/drinks such as beans, legumes, coffee, soda, chocolate, carrots, broccoli, dairy products, and cured meats have been known to increase seizures. Also, additives and sweeteners like aspartame and nitroso can be triggers.
A person with Epilepsy who would like to become vegetarian should first consult their doctor, and with his/her approval, make the switch very slowly. Maybe every two weeks (instead of one) eliminate a category of meat. It's still okay to incorporate fiber, but limit your intake of the foods I listed above. The one food that is loved by many vegetarians called "tofu" contains soy which is a common trigger for seizures. So eat it in moderation. Please note that everyone's body is different. Every person with Epilepsy has different triggers, so for some people, soy might not be the culprit. Or coffee, chocolate, soda, etc. Soy is usually only a trigger for women. Therefore, you can eat these foods, but make sure to eat a variety of different foods. Many dietitians advise vegetarians to try and eat a vegetable or fruit of every color on the rainbow each day. Most people go for anything that looks green, which is good. But that isn't all you need!

Meat is usually a major source of your daily calorie intake, along with being your major source for protein and other vitamins and nutrients as I mentioned above. Your body still needs these nutrients, and they must be replaced. This is why many vegetarians still include eggs and milk in their diets, known as Octo-Lacto Vegetarians or Ovo-Lacto Vegetarians. Eggs are a great source of protein, choline, vitamin K, B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin E, Selenium, and Lutein to name a few. Milk also helps promote strong bones, and doctors recommend you have three servings of milk or dairy a day. If you have Epilepsy, you might want to consider keeping eggs and milk in your diet for these purposes. However, if you are Vegan (which means you consume no animal byproducts whatsoever) you should absolutely consider taking vitamin supplements. Having the right amount of protein, iron, calcium, etc. is necessary for a healthy body, inside and out. From your bones, to your skin.

After learning all of this, you may be wondering what you can eat at all! Consider buying a Vegetarian cookbook, or downloading one like I did. Go through the recipe you want to cook, and try to use less of the ingredients that are known triggers. Remember, that with a vegetarian diet, it's okay to have one or two high-calorie meals a day. You have to realize that you must replace the nutrients you are missing from your meats or dairy products. Chips, cookies, cakes, breads etc. should not be considered as sides, either! If this is bothersome, just keep a regular exercise schedule and you shouldn't have any problems.

This information was probably a lot to take in, but what I mean to say is that there are known risks to being Vegetarian while suffering from Epilepsy. Epileptics have weak immune systems from medications, and a diet change can trigger seizures if done too suddenly. However, it is do-able if done right with a doctor's approval.

My doctor approved my choice due to my sudden weight gain from the Vimpat, along with my digestion issues. I've been doing great so far with no Grand Mals. I have had an increase in the visual seizures as I noted before, especially the week that I was sick. Full of simple-partial seizures. But my doctor put me in iron, folate, and women's vitamin supplements. I also re-incorporated eggs and milk back into my diet, making me an Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian now. I found great recipes that make sure I get enough protein and fiber which is something I never get enough of. My favorite simple recipe was an asian noodle dish that I created all by myself. I saw a similar recipe containing meat and a type of noodles containing too much saturated and trans fat. Not to mention too much MSG. I flipped about half the ingredients, removed some, and added a few of my own! This recipe is excellent for replacing protein.

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Spicy Peanut Noodles

You will need:
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce (no MSG)
- One serving of dry whole wheat spaghetti pasta
- One serving of peanuts (or a handful, you can also use cashews or almonds)
- A dash of crushed red pepper
- 1 1/2 cup of water
- 1 to 2 teaspoon of peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon flaxseed

When choosing these ingredients, make sure they have low saturated and trans fat.

Optional but recommended:
Peas, water chestnuts, broccoli, etc.

Step 1: Turn stove to medium heat. Pour water and teriyaki sauce into a pan and add pasta, flaxseed and peanuts. Do not wait for water to boil before adding pasta. If you like your peanuts crunchier, add them in on step 3.

Step 2: Keep stove turned to medium heat. As water starts to boil add crushed red pepper and/or vegetables.

Step 3: As water begins to dissipate, add peanut butter and stir until mixed in well. If you want crunchier peanuts, add them in now.

Step 4: Once water is gone and your noodles start to sizzle, remove them from heat and enjoy! Add a side of fruit, and maybe a salad as well to fill you up.

This recipe is great because you get at least 13 grams of protein, 14 grams of fiber, a serving of whole wheat, a serving of vegetables... and it tastes great! This meal is a bit high in fat due to the peanuts, but it's the "good fat" not saturated or trans fat. You can even use low fat peanut butter, or no peanut butter at all.

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Well, that's all for tonight. God bless you all and have a great, productive week!

- Mandy Krzywonski