Healthy Eating With Epilepsy
You have all heard the saying, "You are what you eat." It's true! What we eat and drink is central to our health in so many ways. Over the years, researchers have looked at the relationship nutrition habits have on our health and have found that poor dietary choices result in increased health risks for a range of health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and more.
Diet and Epilepsy
If seizure medicines don’t control seizures for a person with epilepsy, other therapies may help. Some people may try a special diet called the ketogenic diet, one of the dietary therapies that may be recommended by their health care team to improve seizure control.
But eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to be on a special diet. People with epilepsy have long reported that some foods may aggravate seizures or that going long periods of time without eating or “not eating well” can lead to poor seizure control.
The importance of diet has been reinforced in many ways. Anecdotal reports and some research is showing that improving the nutritional content of a person’s diet can improve seizure control and well-being in some people.
Healthy eating is a key component of the Wellness Institute. Here you will find information about nutrition and seizures, tips for eating healthy, and recipes to help you on your journey.
Let’s Get Started
- Watch the video below where The Charlie Foundation's Beth Zupec-Kania RDN, CD, talks about "Healthy Eating and Epilepsy Diets" at the 2016 Epilepsy Pipeline Community Conference.
- Learn more about dietary therapies for epilepsy and seizures
- Learn more about Nutrition and Seizure Control
- Check out more videos from The Charlie Foundation about nutrition, using diet to manage seizures, types of dietary therapy, and more.
- Peek inside The Charlie Foundation's Pantry to find information about healthy, ketogenic diet therapy friendly ingredients
- Here are some articles that might interest you:
Visit The Charlie Foundation for more information
- Each month we’ll have new additions and features, so check back with us!
Resources
Epilepsy Centers
Epilepsy centers provide you with a team of specialists to help you diagnose your epilepsy and explore treatment options.
Epilepsy Medication
Find in-depth information on anti-seizure medications so you know what to ask your doctor.
Epilepsy and Seizures 24/7 Helpline
Call our Epilepsy and Seizures 24/7 Helpline and talk with an epilepsy information specialist or submit a question online.
Tools & Forms
Download our seizure tracking app, print out seizure action plans, or explore other educational materials.
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