This is a bold title but a question that I’ve lived through as a parent. This may be the most important read, so please do read through.
When my son was experiencing multiple seizures a day, on the ketogenic diet and taking 2 medications, I told my husband we are going to tackle this from all approaches in hopes of getting resolve. We continued with the ketogenic diet (it was supplying good fats and low to no sugars), was pursuing chiropractic supports (muscular skeletal), neurofield work (10 sessions with an amazing practitioner who told us his process wasn’t working because it must be something pathological that’s causing his seizures), a shaman (exploring spirituality), pursued IgG food sensitivities (gluten and egg free for a period of time) and yet nothing was changing. I watched the documentary ‘the horse boy’ and told my husband I may be ready to ride horses deep into Mongolia in search of healing. I would not stop. I couldn’t! In hindsight, we were ruling out what didn’t work. This type of thinking allowed us to shift to ‘then what haven’t we tried? There MUST be something.’
I had read about gut health, detoxification, and an individualized approach to understanding biochemistry. So I pursued a doctor trained in just this.
Identifying the root causes of seizures can be exhausting, and efforts may be seem futile. I can recall my son’s neurologists and epileptologist stating that it was ‘near impossible to try to find the root cause as there are too many to explore’. Per the professionals, the best approach is to try to manage the seizures. I couldn’t agree more on the latter part: manage the seizures as best as possible as an immediate plan, short term plan. But what about the long term plan?
Unfortunately, for as many as 30% of you, like my son, the seizures won’t be managed by medications and/or alternative measures. For some, the medications will only reduce the number of or intensity of seizures. For others, the medications may create side effects impacting your energy, focus and attention, libido (in adults), sleep, and more.
We are conditioned in a society that diagnoses illnesses and then assigns a medication. I call this the “pill for an ill” approach. Some of us attempt to be progressive by finding natural herbs to suppress the symptom, but it still remains a “pill for an ill” approach. A great analogy, is
‘a thumb tack in the foot can be managed with an anti-inflammatory but the pain will remain until the thumb tack is removed’.
Seizures are a symptom, just like eczema is a symptom, lack of attention and focus is a symptom, chronic ear infections are a symptoms, candida is a symptom. Science understands that systems, Hormone, Immune, Digestive, Detoxification, Environment and Neurotransmitters (H.I.D.D.E.N) function as they need to be. However, if there is a mal-function then other organs and systems adapt and compensate as they need to. Over time multiple mal-functions result. The end result is your body attempting to give you a message which we call “symptoms”.
I ask you to step away from your current thinking and to consider this:
“That your syndrome, diagnosis is a not a permanent condition, but rather a set of symptoms”.
Anyone that has experienced a seizure understands that the stress response is the precursor to seizures. An individual that can’t calm themselves have mal-functioning neurotransmitters. Even the drug industries understand this as they put forth anti-epileptic drugs that work to inhibit the firing of mal-functioning neurotransmitters.
What can drive the mal-functioning neurotransmitters? Infections, mitochondrial dysfunction, genetic variances, methylation, digestive issues, toxins, impaired detoxification, nutritional deficiencies and foods can be contributors to poor functioning neurotransmitters and to seizures. These ‘drivers’ can create metabolic disorder.
Let’s review a few recent but important medical journals:
“Thus, epilepsy may be a common symptom of metabolic disorders and may be a clue that a metabolic disorder may be underlying the etiology of the neurodevelopmental abnormalities in children with epilepsy and ASD. It is also important to consider many of the metabolic disorders even when genetic disorders are diagnosed. As several studies have suggested that treatment for these metabolic disorders can improve seizures, this is an important consideration in the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in children with ASD (autism spectrum disorder).”[i]
With regards to infections:
“Anything causing structural or functional derangement of brain physiology may lead to seizures, and different conditions may express themselves solely by recurrent seizures and thus be labelled “epilepsy.” [ii]
With regards to immunity:
In some cases, the seizures are a result of the infection; in other cases, the evidence suggests that the seizures are a result of the brain reaction to the infection. [iii]
With regards to nutritional deficiencies (1,328 medical journals):
The results of the research showed that in individuals with genetic generalized epilepsy and idiopathic intractable epilepsy had low levels of magnesium, calcium, zinc and elevated levels of copper. Copper toxicity is a known root cause for the onset of seizures, which is offset by adequate levels of zinc.
“Altered serum levels of these elements may lead to the development of various diseases including epilepsy. “[iv]
With regards to hormone issues:
Thyroid hormones also affect the glutamine/glutamate/GABA conversion. The researchers theorize that thyroid abnormalities may lead to the development of epilepsy. [v]
Metabolic disorders results from often times multiple areas. These are just a few of the medical journals that show the relationship between metabolic disorders and seizures. This is why diet is so important and yet may not be the total fix.
You’ll find countless other medical journals at www.NutritionforSeizures.com.
So where to go from here?
- Trust your instincts as a parent. If you think you’ve tried everything, and you may feel this way, I’m here to say, that there’s a good chance you haven’t.
- If you have tried chiropractic and it didn’t stop the seizures, then good news: the source of seizures is not muscular skeletal!
- If the MRI didn’t show any abnormalities, then great news: the source of seizures is not indicated on the MRI.
- If diet shows no, some or moderate resolve, then good news: the body wants change but the dietary changes may not be enough!
- If you’ve tried eliminating foods but that didn’t stop the seizures then foods may not be a trigger even though they can be a contributing factor! Them missing links may be a nutritional deficiency and/or related to gut health or detoxification.
- If you’ve tried #1 through #5 and have had only some resolve or none whatsoever then take a serious look at metabolic disorders. It may make the difference you’ve been looking for.
- Please contact me for a 30 minute to consultation to discuss your next steps.
My son healed and recovered and others too are healing by identifying metabolic disorders.
Much light,
Lynn
[i] http://www.epilepsybehavior.com/article/S1525-5050(14)00412-0/fulltext#s0005
[ii] http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00401-015-1481-5
[iii] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123739612001892
[iv] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25255736
[v] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26362394
