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)
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