How and what you eat can make a big difference if you have epilepsy. Special diets are sometimes recommended for children and adults with epilepsy, particularly if their conditions have not responded to standard treatment. Some children have been placed on a high-fat, low-carb "ketogenic" diet. Ketogenic means the body burns fat instead of glucose (sugar) for energy, which may lower seizure frequency.
Warning: This diet should be tried only under medical supervision, because it can interfere with some antiepileptic drugs.
A modified high-fat, low-carb Atkins diet -- with no restrictions on protein, fluids, and calories -- may result in fewer seizures for people with hard-to-treat epilepsy. Check with your doctor before changing your diet, especially if your potential for cholesterol problems is high. Because stroke is a leading cause of seizures in the elderly, ask your healthcare team about following a Mediterranean-style diet -- an anti-inflammatory diet that could help prevent stroke and heart disease.
How and what you eat can make a big difference if you have
epilepsy. Special diets are sometimes recommended for children and
adults with epilepsy, particularly if their conditions have not
responded to standard treatment. Some children have...
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Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:How and what you eat can make a big difference if you have epilepsy. Special diets are sometimes recommended for children and adults with epilepsy, particularly if their conditions have not responded to standard treatment. Some children have been placed on a high-fat, low-carb "ketogenic" diet. Ketogenic means the body burns fat instead of glucose (sugar) for energy, which may lower seizure frequency.
