Tag: Seizure control

In 1921, Dr. Russell Wilder of the Mayo Clinic first coined the term “ketogenic diet” for a nutritional therapy designed to treat epilepsy. Far from its modern popularity as a weight-loss trend, what was the keto diet originally used for was mimicking the metabolic state of fasting to control seizures in patients, particularly children, who didn't respond to medication.

According to the Epilepsy Foundation, certain dietary therapies can help control seizures, often in conjunction with medication. While no single food can instantaneously stop a seizure, specific nutritional approaches focus on metabolic changes that reduce seizure frequency, raising the critical question: what foods stop seizures and aid in epilepsy management?

Originally developed nearly 100 years ago, the ketogenic diet was originally developed to treat epilepsy, mimicking the metabolic effects of fasting to help control seizures in pediatric patients. It is a powerful therapeutic tool used primarily for drug-resistant cases.

Developed nearly a century ago to mimic the anti-seizure effects of fasting, the ketogenic diet is the most well-known answer to what diet is used for epilepsy. This approach, along with less restrictive variations like the modified Atkins diet, has become an important therapy for many individuals, especially those with drug-resistant seizures.

According to a recent study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), adults with higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet—which is rich in fruits and whole grains—showed a lower risk of epilepsy. While no single "best" fruit exists for epilepsy, incorporating certain fruits into a balanced, seizure-conscious diet can offer significant neuroprotective benefits.

Developed at the Mayo Clinic in the 1920s by Dr. Russell Wilder, the ketogenic diet was originally prescribed for drug-resistant epilepsy in children. This medical diet was designed to mimic the metabolic state of fasting, which had been anecdotally known to control seizures for centuries.

For some individuals with treatment-resistant epilepsy, adopting the ketogenic diet has been shown to reduce seizure frequency by 50% or more. While no single food can outright stop seizures, strategic dietary changes and specialized medical diets, including specific foods, can be a crucial part of an overall management plan.

The ketogenic diet has been shown to reduce or prevent seizures in many people, with some studies showing that over half of children on the diet experience at least a 50% reduction in seizure frequency. To achieve this, the diet imposes strict carbohydrate restrictions to induce a state of ketosis. How many carbs are on keto for epilepsy depends heavily on the specific diet variant prescribed and must be managed under medical supervision.

First used in the 1920s, the ketogenic diet is a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate dietary therapy with a proven track record for helping to control seizures in some people with epilepsy. While its popularity has grown for weight loss in recent years, the diet's primary therapeutic use remains in the field of neurology. It is most often considered when seizures do not respond to medication alone.

According to a 2019 research review, the ketogenic diet has been found to help manage epilepsy and reduce the frequency of seizures. Since this diet is very high in fat, understanding what fats are good for epilepsy is crucial for those who may consider this dietary therapy.