The main method of treating epilepsy is drug therapy in combination with a proper lifestyle and diet. A diet for epilepsy is followed in order to maintain the effectiveness of medications, as well as to normalize the general condition of the patient.
The ketogenic diet is a diet that aims to produce increased amounts of ketone bodies in the body, which in turn are a treatment for epilepsy, since when they enter the brain, ketone bodies have an anticonvulsant effect.
The ketogenic diet, when strictly followed, has a positive result in 70% of cases. This type of nutrition is especially effective for children, despite the fact that it is most difficult for a child to adhere to this diet. However, despite its high effectiveness, such a diet should be formulated and monitored by a specialist in order to avoid negative effects on other internal organs and systems of the body.
A team of neurologists and nutritionists at the Yusupov Hospital works with patients on an individual approach, which allows them to provide attention to each individual based on the patient’s medical history and indicators. Our doctors have extensive experience in successfully treating epilepsy in adults thanks to the use of the latest techniques and medications in their medical practice.
Ketogenic diet menu for adults
The main principle of the ketogenic diet is the ratio of proteins and carbohydrates relative to fats - the balance should correspond to a value of 1 to 4, while the amount of protein consumed should be several times higher than the amount of carbohydrates.
A healthy person receives energy from carbohydrates - due to their oxidation, ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is released, which in turn is fuel for our body. If the amount of carbohydrates is reduced, the body begins to obtain energy from fat. The ketogenic diet involves restructuring the body to oxidize fats, which form ketone bodies in large quantities. Ketone bodies travel through the bloodstream to the brain, where they have an anticonvulsant effect. This diet is prescribed exclusively by a doctor for medicinal purposes, and is under no circumstances used for weight loss purposes, since an incorrectly prescribed diet can have serious consequences for some systems within the body.
During the diet, the regimen can be adjusted based on the patient’s personal indicators or wishes. The basis of such a diet should be an abundance of healthy fats, which are recommended to be obtained from the following foods:
- fatty sea fish;
- beef, lamb, pork;
- salo;
- butter and cream;
- vegetable oils - olive, coconut, flaxseed, sea buckthorn and sesame;
- seeds, nuts;
- avocado.
Dangerous products for epilepsy
A diet for epilepsy in adults involves a complete abstinence from alcohol.
Beer, weak wines and other alcoholic drinks can not only provoke a seizure, but also aggravate the patient's condition. The most dangerous thing is drinking large quantities of alcohol in a short period of time. Seizures in epileptics most often occur due to drinking large quantities of liquid. Many neurologists recommend that patients reduce fluid intake and also prescribe medications to remove it from the body.
For people suffering from epilepsy, it is important to avoid overeating and also limit the consumption of simple sugars. A diet for epilepsy is aimed at reducing the load on the human body and preventing the development of seizures. You should limit your use as much as possible:
- refined sugar, honey;
- flour products (bread, rolls, cookies, pasta);
- various cereals;
- vegetables and fruits containing large amounts of starch (mainly root vegetables);
- alcohol;
- various sauces with a high percentage of carbohydrates.
Refusal of harmful products can not only reduce the likelihood of repeated epileptic attacks, but also improve the general condition of the patient.
It should be understood that even rare minimal violations of nutritional rules threaten the poor performance of the entire diet. It is important to turn this diet into a lifestyle. Nutritionists at the Yusupov Hospital try to make the ketogenic diet as suitable as possible for each patient. Our doctors closely monitor indicators and tests, adjust the patient’s diet if it becomes necessary.
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Family and Children
What can you do for epilepsy? Despite many contraindications, people with epileptic disease are full members of society. They can engage in certain activities, have family and friends.
Can people with epilepsy have children? If an epileptic woman has a close relationship with her partner in her life, then she may well become pregnant and give birth to a baby. But you should prepare for the pregnancy process in advance.
Seizures of the disease can pose a threat to bearing a baby. During attacks, there is a high probability of injury; as a result, placental abruption may develop. A pregnant woman needs to more carefully monitor her daily routine, rest, and nutrition. It is important to take the right vitamins, folic acid and others. However, throughout the entire period of bearing the baby, the woman takes anticonvulsants. The better a woman’s health and well-being, the higher the chances of giving birth to a healthy child and raising him.
A woman suffering from epilepsy can give birth either by caesarean section or naturally. However, it is important to remember that the baby receives AEDs (anti-epileptic drugs) from the mother during pregnancy and after birth. You should be prepared for the possibility that your newborn will experience allergic reactions.
Ketogenic diet menu for adults
The diet of a person with epilepsy should be as balanced as possible.
Patients should eat large quantities of food with coarse fibers, as well as with a high content of folic acid, since epileptics often have a severe deficiency of this element due to prolonged use of medications. As a rule, the ketogenic diet is not prescribed to all patients, but only to those who do not have a positive reaction to the use of antiepileptic drugs. This diet is most effective in childhood. However, despite the high effectiveness of this diet, it has a number of contraindications:
- cerebrovascular pathologies;
- encephalopathy;
- kidney and liver diseases;
- diseases of the endocrine system (or predisposition to them);
- mitochondrial pathologies;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system.
It is most effective to follow this diet in a hospital setting.
The Yusupov Hospital provides its patients with a complete diet in the hospital, based on the testimony of the attending doctor. Since the diet is quite difficult to follow, within the hospital walls we provide maximum comfort to our patients so that they do not feel discomfort from a change of environment. The diet itself begins with a three-day fast. During this time, metabolism accelerates and the body is rebuilt, completely cleansing itself and preparing for a new diet. In the first three days, the patient is allowed to drink only clean water without gas. After which, under the strict supervision of a doctor, the required amount of fats and proteins begins to be introduced into the diet. The menu for each patient is compiled individually to eliminate the risk of complications. A sample menu on a ketogenic diet looks like this:
- first meal (breakfast) - scrambled eggs with ham or bacon, salad of non-starchy vegetables, dressed with olive oil;
- second meal (lunch) - stewed or fried pork or beef, steamed vegetables;
- third meal (dinner) - fatty sea fish (salmon, mackerel, herring), fresh vegetables and hard cheese.
The duration of this diet is regulated by the doctor. It takes at least 3-4 weeks to get results. If the diet gives a positive result, it is recommended to stick to this diet for the rest of your life.
What is the essence of the diet?
The mechanism of long-term restriction in essential nutrients that enter the body with various foods acts in such a way that the frequency of epileptic seizures is significantly reduced.
Sometimes attacks disappear completely, which allows a person to live a full life. After prescribing a diet, the doctor constantly monitors the patient’s condition and, if any complications arise or the condition worsens, takes the necessary measures.
The main principle of the diet is based on fasting. During the first three days, the patient should drink boiled or filtered water. It is strictly forbidden to use mineral water due to its composition.
During the fasting regime, physical activity should be minimized, in some cases even bed rest is required.
After three days of fasting, the patient switches to eating solid food. This transition must be carried out gradually.
The daily food intake is divided into small portions (about 3 times less than usual). Eating occurs more than five times a day.
It is very important that the patient himself learns to calculate the amount of necessary nutrients that are necessary to maintain normal functioning and general physical condition.
Ketogenic diet for children
For children, the ketogenic diet is indicated only after one year in order to avoid developmental delays and serious complications of internal biorhythms.
For normal development, children must eat all trace elements and vitamins in sufficient quantities. The ketogenic diet involves a significant reduction in carbohydrates, which can inhibit a child’s growth. Therefore, the child must additionally consume vitamin complexes. The ketogenic diet for children will be approximately the same as for adults. However, children are also prescribed special fatty milk drinks, which “accustom” the child’s body to consuming large amounts of fat. The milk drink can be consumed in the form of a shake or ice cream.
The ketogenic diet in children requires constant monitoring. Children who adhere to this diet may experience delayed physical development and loss of body weight. Regular visits to the doctor and dietary adjustments will help prevent the deterioration of the little patient’s condition.
The ketogenic diet, which is so fashionable today among adherents of a healthy lifestyle, based on the inclusion of high-fat foods, gives excellent results in the treatment of epileptic attacks. Building a diet according to the principles of the ketogenic diet allows you to reduce the proportion of medications taken, since the disease often recedes into the background. There are cases when medications were completely excluded from the therapeutic process, and the need for surgical intervention has exhausted its significance.
How the ketogenic diet works
Doctors prescribe a ketogenic diet for epileptics with complex forms of the disease. It is also used to treat Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. The diet was invented about a century ago in America, but at that time it was more like therapeutic fasting. Doctors have paid attention to interesting biochemical processes in the body of people on a diet.
It was found that dietary restrictions shape metabolism so that the brain begins to work more efficiently, increasing the “margin of safety” given to it by nature. This leads to a reduction in epilepsy attacks. The beauty of the ketogenic diet for epileptics is that it does not adhere to the basics of fasting today. This allows it to be used in the treatment of young children.
The amount of carbohydrate-containing foods in the diet is reduced, replaced by foods high in fat. During processing, fats are transformed into specific metabolic products or ketone bodies, which are transplanted by the body into the human brain, which leads to a decrease in seizure activity. The ketogenic diet produces the most noticeable results in children, although it is sometimes prescribed for the treatment of adult patients.
What foods is the ketogenic diet based on?
The diet for each child is calculated on a strictly individual basis. Only a doctor can prescribe a ketogenic diet, and he also determines how nutrition should be organized. In his calculations, he uses data on the form of manifestation of epilepsy, the patient’s age, and his weight parameters. To obtain a more accurate result about the catogenic diet menu, special programs have been developed under the patronage of the world's leading medical centers. The most popular program is the Johns Hopkins University clinic in America. During treatment, the ketogenic diet may undergo changes in the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, depending on the results of therapy, so visits to a specialist should be ongoing. The menu may contain a wide variety of food products:
- fatty dairy products (cream, sour cream, cheese);
- vegetable oils (olive, sunflower, flaxseed, coconut, shea);
- lard, bacon, fatty meats, poultry, seafood, fish;
- mushrooms, green vegetables;
- eggs and much more.
The ketogenic diet copes well with its main task - it changes the enzyme and hormonal systems, significantly reducing the body's production of insulin, receiving ketone bodies produced in return. Through this nutrition, the body takes the path of ketosis, where it begins to extract energy not from carbohydrate chains, but from fat deposits. The result is a reduction in epilepsy attacks, making the body slim, strengthening the muscle corset.
When does the ketogenic diet take effect?
You can get the first results from the ketogenic diet in the first three months of the diet therapy course. This does not mean that the diet should be stopped. It is long-term, the total duration of this nutritional schedule reaches several years. The diet can be stopped on the recommendation of a specialist when stable remission of attacks is achieved.
According to statistics, the ketogenic diet for epileptics improves the general condition of patients in 70% of cases. It reduces the number of seizures by more than 50%. However, in 25-30% of patients, the ketogenic diet does not produce results at all, so it cannot be equated to a general healing panacea. Do not forget that diet is only a complementary method to treatment, and not an independent technology for getting rid of epilepsy attacks.
What are the side effects of the ketogenic diet?
Very little is known about the side effects of the ketogenic diet. Among them are constipation that occurs during the restructuring of the body and a lack of certain groups of vitamins, which is easy to correct. The monotony of your diet can be corrected by preparing dishes according to different recipes, of which there are a great many available online today. The doctor usually immediately prescribes a special vitamin complex, which should be taken along with the ketogenic diet. Sugar excluded from the diet can be replaced with sweeteners. Concerns about the possible development of atherosclerosis due to high fat content have not been confirmed in specially organized studies. The disease can only develop in individuals with a genetic predisposition.
Reintroducing the Ketogenic Diet
Children aged 8-12 years are mainly treated with the ketogenic diet, but sometimes it is used from the age of 4 months. Many epileptics note that having tried the diet in childhood, they return to it many years later when the seizures are not completely healed. They are concerned about whether the ketogenic diet will work as well again as it did the first time. The American Journal of Child Neurology published data from a study of the repeated use of the ketogenic diet in the nutrition of epileptics. The researchers studied 26 adolescents and older patients who had previously used the modified Atkins diet or the ketogenic diet and stopped using it, on average, about 5 years ago. The resulting data looked like this:
- With secondary use, the ketogenic diet gives less results than during primary use. However, it is quite noticeable. Improvement was evident the first time in more than 77% of cases, and the second time in more than 50%.
- The average age of patients during the initial use of the diet was 3.9 years, and during the secondary use it was 7.4 years.
- In 54% of patients, the results with the second use of the diet were similar to the first course. In 16%, the diet showed the best result. In 35% the result was less effective.
- Data on the tolerability of the ketogenic diet and the presence of side effects in the second case are similar to the first course in 88% of cases.
The findings suggest that using the ketogenic diet for epilepsy a second time produces positive results in most cases. Therefore, if positive changes in the body are noted during the first course of using the diet, then it is recommended to use the diet again even after several years.
Treatment of epilepsy in Moscow
Epilepsy is not a death sentence, but a disease that, with proper treatment, allows a person to live a full life without any deprivation. To maintain a good quality of life, patients with epilepsy are strongly recommended to regularly visit a neurologist and undergo all necessary examinations.
At the Yusupov Hospital, treatment of epilepsy is performed by experienced neurologists and epileptologists who are fluent in various effective methods for eliminating this pathology. Professional nutritionists, based on the recommendations of the attending physician, create a nutrition plan that will be as safe as possible for the patient. The course of treatment for epilepsy at the Yusupov Hospital can significantly reduce the manifestations of the disease and achieve stable remission.
You can make an appointment with neurologists, epileptologists, nutritionists, undergo an examination, and get more information by calling the Yusupov Hospital.
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Trips
People with epileptic illness benefit from traveling. Some even write blogs about how to do this if you are diagnosed with epilepsy. But you need to be more careful when organizing trips than ordinary people.
Epileptics can travel by car, train, or bus. It's good if you don't travel alone.
Since epilepsy is an insidious and complex disease, it is not recommended to fly with it. However, there are no contraindications to this. If this type of travel is the most optimal, the passenger must take with him on the plane the necessary
medicines. Before traveling by any type of transport, the patient should consult with the attending physician, and also have a good rest and gain strength.
