DIETARY AND CHEMICAL SEIZURE TRIGGERS

This is a list of seizure triggers compiled from a survey of readers of this website. Please keep in mind the following three things about this list:

A person’s overall health and well-being is a huge factor in seizure activity. For this reason, the top reported seizure triggers, by a large margin, were sleep deprivation, stress, irregular eating and overheating. While some of the items on this list may be called seizure triggers, others may be more accurately classified as things that make a person more susceptible to triggers by “lowering the threshold”.

Sleep issues are a big piece of the puzzle. Getting enough rest is important for our health. For those who suffer from seizures, it is critical. Beyond getting enough rest, there are other issues. For example, blood sugar levels drop while sleeping and this may trigger a seizure. Therefore, some people may need to eat something right before bed, (legumes may help balance blood sugar levels, or a fatty snack may be in order). The process of moving from sleep to waking, or from one sleep state to another, is partly a function of the brain. Our brain waves and electrical processes change and this can lead to seizure activity, especially if the change is abrupt.

This is not a complete, or scientific, survey and list. Several hundred people responded to our survey.  The respondents are readers of this website from all over the world. If you are willing to share triggers you’ve discovered that are not this list, nor on the other two lists of triggers (State of Health Triggers and Environmental Triggers), please email us and we will add it to the list.  Please note that substitutes for many of these foods and products can found in our low carb suppliers and resource section.

Reported Dietary and Chemical Seizure Triggers

Sugar

Popcorn

White Flour

White Wine

Aspartame

Chocolate

Sunscreen

Laundry Detergent

Red & Yellow Food Dye

MSG

Bacon

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Sulphates (common in wine)

Ice Cream

Cheese

Sodium Benzoate

Beef Jerky

Jalapeños

Peanuts

Sour Cream

Sugar Alcohols

Maltodextrin

Diet Pills

Fruit Juice

Chewing Gum

Potato

Fruits (could be fructose)

Barley

Gluten

Corn Syrup

Alcohol

Caffeine

Benadryl

Candy

AED Seizure Medication

(preservatives?)

Lotions

Soy

BHA

Shampoos

Herbs (inc. Herbal Tea)

Hot Dogs

Whey

Baby Wipes

Fizzy Drinks

Stevia

Avocados (not all)

Ibuprofen

Chili Peppers

Seafood

Cod Liver Oil

Vaccines (preservatives?)

Stimulants

Steroids

Ritalin

Papaya

Food Dyes/Coloring

Food Additives

Corn

Milk

Red Wine

Soda

Nitrates

High Fructose Corn Syrup

Deet (mosquito repellent)

Cedarwood Oil

Antihistamines

Sorbitol

Cleaning Produces (inc. airborne sprays and surface residue)

Splenda

Sweet and Low

Wheat

Spices

Vanilla Extract (with Alcohol)

Yeast (inc. Fermented Foods)

Flax Seeds

Coconut Flour

Toothpaste

Tylenol

Pork Rinds

Mercury Fillings

Citric Fruits & Acid

Chlorine (Pool or Tap/Shower)

Antacid

Mushrooms

Focalin

Calcium Carbonate (found in latex products, mortar mix, and antacids)