This article was co-authored by Zora Degrandpre, ND. Dr. Zora Degrandpre is a Natural Health Doctor and Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.
There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 12,033 times.
Epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes occasional or frequent seizures. Having a seizure is a very scary experience, so it’s understandable that you’d want to do all you can to avoid them. The internet is full of supposed natural remedies for the condition, but unfortunately, these treatments are usually ineffective against epilepsy on their own. Paired with medication, however, they can improve your symptoms considerably. Habits like getting enough sleep, following a healthy diet, exercising, reducing your stress, and staying hydrated can all make managing your condition easier. These lifestyle changes shouldn’t be treated as replacements for anti-epilepsy medication.[1] However, they can complement your treatment, make you have less seizures, and potentially help you get off your medication if your doctor approves.
Steps
Finding and Avoiding Common Seizure Triggers
Even if you’re on medication, managing epilepsy requires identifying and avoiding your triggers. Triggers are unique to each person, so you’ll have to keep track of your seizures to determine what causes them. The following are some of the most common seizure triggers, and one or more of them may be making your epilepsy worse. Try to plan around these factors and see if your symptoms improve. If you have trouble determining your triggers or avoiding them, talk to your doctor for further help.
Keep a record of your seizures to determine the trigger. Since triggers are personal to each person, you might have to figure out what causes your seizures. Keep a record and try to determine what you were doing right before you seizures to lock down your specific triggers.[2]- Try taking this record to the doctor with you. If you can’t see a pattern, the doctor might be able to.
Protect yourself from flashing or flickering lights. Although this trigger isn’t as common as some people believe, flickering lights can cause seizures in some epilepsy cases. Avoid games, TV shows, or venues that have flashing or strobe lights.[3]Advertisement
Sleep for 7-8 hours every night. Fatigue is a common seizure trigger, so do your best to get a full night’s sleep. Go to bed early enough to stay in bed for 7-8 hours each night.[4]
Develop good stress-reduction habits. People with epilepsy are more susceptible to seizures when they feel stressed, so develop some good relaxation techniques. Try meditating, yoga, or deep breathing exercises to calm yourself down when you’re feeling overwhelmed.[5]- Enjoyable activities are good for fighting stress as well. Take some time each day and do what you like.
Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. Epilepsy is a stressful condition and you might be tempted to manage your anxiety with substances. This is a harmful habit, however, because all these substances can trigger seizures. It’s best to quit smoking, avoid all illegal drugs, and keep your drinking to a minimum.[6]Advertisement
Lifestyle Changes that Could Help
Besides avoiding common triggers, there are a few additional lifestyle habits that could improve your epilepsy symptoms. Some, like exercising, are good for your overall health and will have benefits no matter what. Others, like following a keto or Atkins diet, might not be right for you and should only be done under a doctor’s supervision. These lifestyle changes show mixed results and shouldn’t be treated as a substitute for medication. However, they may improve your symptoms if you’d like to try them out.
Exercise regularly to stay healthy. Getting aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes per day may help alleviate your symptoms. Additionally, your overall health will improve and staying active is a great way to handle the stress and anxiety that comes along with epilepsy.[7]
Follow a balanced diet. There’s some debate over how much effect diet has on epilepsy. Still, including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins while cutting down on processed foods is a good health choice.[8]- Don’t skip meals either. People with epilepsy often report that skipping meals can trigger their seizures.
Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day. Dehydration is a potential seizure trigger because it prevents electrolytes from getting to your brain. Stay hydrated by drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water every day.[9]- This amount of water is only a guideline. Increase it if you’re exercising or live in a hot climate.
Try a keto diet. There’s some evidence that this specialized diet, which almost entirely cuts out carbohydrates, is an effective epilepsy treatment for children. It’s a very restrictive and difficult diet, however, so only start it after consulting your doctor.[10]
Follow the Atkins diet for a less restrictive substitute. The Atkins diet is similar to the keto diet, but easier to follow. It consists of a high-fat, low-carb regimen that might alleviate epilepsy symptoms.[11]- A high-fat diet could cause cardiovascular and weight problems, so don’t follow this diet unless your doctor approves.
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Unsubstantiated Herbal Treatments
There are a lot of claims on the internet about certain herbs that could treat epilepsy. While there is some evidence that herbal treatments could be effective, most of these claims aren’t scientifically-verified. Some could even be dangerous, like St. John’s Wort, which interacts with epilepsy medication.[12] The following treatments show some promise in clinical studies, but need more research to determine if they actually work. If you do want to try some herbal treatments, always ask your doctor first to make sure it’s safe and follow all of the correct dosing guidelines.
Take passionflower supplements. Passionflower is a common treatment for depression and other mood disorders. It could have some benefit for epilepsy as well.[13]- If passionflower doesn’t directly treat your epilepsy, it might still improve your mood and reduce your stress. These effects have definite health benefits.
Use ginseng extract and see if it helps. Animal studies show that ginseng extract helps reduce seizure frequency, but human trials are limited.[14]
Try CBD products if they’re legal in your area. Cannabidiol, or CBD, is an extract from marijuana and hemp plants. It’s used in some anti-seizure medications. Use caution, however, because CBD products are illegal in some areas.[15]
Take a vitamin supplement if you have a nutrient deficiency. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can inhibit brain function and trigger seizures. If you aren’t getting enough nutrients from your diet, then a vitamin supplement could improve your symptoms.[16]- Most people get enough nutrients from their regular diet, so you won’t see much benefit from taking these supplements unless your doctor discovers that you do have a deficiency.
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Medical Takeaways
While there is no replacement for medication and medical care for epilepsy, several natural treatments can have a significant impact on your condition. Following a healthy lifestyle, avoiding your triggers, getting enough sleep, and managing your stress are all great complements to your medication. Together, these lifestyle changes can improve your symptoms. Some other treatments are less valid, like following special diets or using herbal remedies. Don’t try these without consulting your doctor first. Overall, natural remedies are an addition to your prescribed epilepsy treatments, not a replacement for them.
Expert Q&A
References
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17397265
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/managing-epilepsy/checklist.htm
- ↑ https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/triggers
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/epilepsy/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350098
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/managing-epilepsy/checklist.htm
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/managing-epilepsy/checklist.htm
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/epilepsy/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350098
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/managing-epilepsy/checklist.htm
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/symptoms-causes/syc-20354086
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/epilepsy/treatment/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17397265
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/epilepsy/treatment/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5564656/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5564656/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5564656/
- ↑ https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/triggers-seizures/nutritional-deficiencies
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