Candida- bacteria fungal infection and Epilepsy and Seizures

EPILEPSY AND SEIZURES

by Lawrence Wilson, MD

© January 2014 , The Center For Development

 

Seizures are becoming more and more common today. I receive an email about someone who has developed seizures at least once a week.  Often they occur in children, and often they occur at night or early in the morning upon awakening.  This article will explain why and how this can happen.

An epileptic seizure is an electrical discharge within the brain that spreads quickly out of control throughout the central nervous system.  There are two major types called grand mal seizures and petit mal seizures.  These differ mainly in the degree of the symptoms and perhaps in the severity of the  effects on the body, both physically and emotionally.

The medical approach to seizures is to take sedative drugs, often for life.  However, I find that in most cases, the seizures can be stopped or significantly reduced with a thorough nutritional balancing program.  Sometimes the response is within a few days.  In some cases, it takes longer, especially if a chronic infection is present.  Therefore, in many cases, seizures need not be such a fearful condition, although they are always unpleasant and can be debilitating.

This article discusses the causes of seizures that I encounter, and how to correct them.

 

SYMPTOMS OF SEIZURES

 

Seizures cause symptoms due to the electrical discharge in the nervous system.  Many cases are mild.  A person may notice a part of the body is just numb, or paralyzed for a few seconds, or one may be “absent” for a few seconds.  These milder symptoms are sometimes called petit mal seizures.  They are becoming quite common, in fact, as the general nutritional status of people declines in America and elsewhere.

So-called grand mal seizures are those with more pronounced symptoms such as jerking of the limbs, uncontrolled urination or defecation, biting the tongue, and often a short period of unconsciousness after the seizure.  This is usually followed by a period of exhaustion for a few hours or longer. 

Chain damage.  Repeated grand mal seizures may also have longer-term effects on the brain and the body.  These seizures move energy upward through the body, in many cases.  People report feeling energy moving upward from a hand or foot, perhaps, and finally reaching the head.  If the person can stop the upward movement, perhaps with a mental efforting, the seizure is prevented or aborted.

Upward and the jerking movement of the seizure causes damage to what I call on this website the chain.  This seems like brain damage, but is really much more than this.  For more on this important topic, read The Chain on this website.  To move energy downward, practice the Roy Masters meditative exercise daily.  Be sure to include my modification to the exercise.

 

CAUSES FOR SEIZURES

 

THE THRESHOLD CONCEPT

 

            The threshold concept can help one understand how to stop and permanently avoid seizures.  The basic idea is that when one is prone to seizures, two factors usually enter into the picture:

 

1. An underlying and often subtle biochemical imbalance that makes one prone to seizures.  These include very subtle and chronic ear or sinus infections, or a toxic metal in the brain.  Other conditions occasionally are also present, such as necrotic tissue in the brain, impaired circulation to an area of the brain, a tumor, or other.

 

2. The effect of triggers.  These are stressful events of some kind that act as triggers.  An important one is dehydration.  Another is low blood sugar.  Another can be inflammation anywhere in the head, improper diet or improper vitamin or mineral supplements that unbalance the body chemistry.  Others may include fatigue, hunger, fever, a food toxin, or even just too much excitement from any cause. 

 

Usually, these two factors combine to cause the seizure.  It is therefore most helpful to address both aspects above.  This is an important principle in the deep correction of seizure.  The paragraphs below detail ways to reduce factors in the diet and lifestyle that often trigger seizures.  Since this can be done quickly, it often results in a significant improvement within a week or sometimes even less.

Then one can focus on the deeper underlying imbalances, which can take a year or more to resolve in some cases.  The rest of this article goes into more detail about other interesting aspects of seizure disorders.

 

SPECIFIC UNDERLYING CAUSES AND TRIGGERS

 

            1. Dehydration, usually acute.  This is very common and causes many seizures in children and adults.  They can occur at any time.  However, seizures at night may easily occur for this reason.  Many people do not want to drink water after 6 PM or so, because it makes them get up during the night to urinate.  As a result of not drinking enough water in the evening, they dehydrate at night.
            Even if one drinks enough water before bedtime, some people simply cannot go for 8 to 10 hours at night without drinking water.  The reasons for this are that some people breathe through their mouth at night, or just breathe heavily during the night, and this causes dehydration at night.  This can cause seizures during the night or soon upon awakening in the morning.

In other cases, the water a person drinks does not hydrate the body adequately.  This occurs often with reverse osmosis or RO water, for example, and in some cases with tap water or others.  Other people are on The Dehydration Diet, which is discussed in a separate article.  It includes the ingestion of sugar, alcohol and/or caffeine in the diet, all of which cause dehydration.

Dehydration may also be a trigger for febrile seizures in babies and children.  Babies and young children dehydrate quickly, especially if they have a fever, because their bodies contain a greater percentage of water than adults.  The possibility of seizures is much greater if a child or adult cannot drink water while ill, because they will throw it up.  As a result, they dehydrate and this can easily cause a seizure.  Always check for inadequate water intake when looking for the cause of seizures.  If a person is ill and cannot drink water, one can usually rehydrate the person by having him or her suck on a washrag that has been soaked in water.  A bath may also help, and one can rehydrate a body with a water enema that is retained for at least 5 minutes.  These can be repeated every few hours, if needed.  If this is not enough, then intravenous rehydration is needed.

 

2. Chronic infections.  These are very common, and often hard of impossible to identify.  The infection can be bacterial, viral, parasitic or possibly a yeast or fungal type.  It may be in the brain itself, or located nearby in a sinus, ear or some other structure near the brain. 

They can be due to a birth trauma, an old childhood infection that never healed fully, an accident or injury, or some other cause.  They can become infected easily, especially as one ages, or if one is malnourished, toxic or otherwise out of balance.  Often such infections are extremely subtle and chronic, and for this reason may not be revealed on x-rays, MRIs or other scans or tests.
            Chronic infections may present no obvious symptoms at all.  However, they can irritate the brain, which can make one prone to seizures.  On a hair mineral test, chronic infections may be revealed as a low sodium/potassium ratio.  However, this is not a 100% reliable indicator, as it is common in people without seizures, as well.
            A nutritional balancing program improves the vitality of the body, which can enable the body to clear out chronic infections on its own, in most cases.  Drugs and even herbs or other remedies are rarely required, and can get in the way of deep healing of chronic infections.  The process may occur quickly, or it can take a year or a number of years if a person is malnourished and out of balance.
            Warning:  As old infections are cleared, one may experience a flare-up of the infection.  This process is called retracing.  It is discussed in a separate article entitled Retracing and Healing Reactions.
            It can be very discouraging, but it does not mean that a program is not working.  I often help out with difficult cases in which seizures continue to occur, at times.

 

3. Acute infections.  These affect babies and children, most often.  If an infection is near the brain, such as an ear or sinus infection, it may directly irritate the delicate brain tissue.  An intestinal infection may cause vomiting and resulting dehydration.  A fever can also cause dehydration and febrile seizures.

Other possible reasons for childhood seizures with infections may be a change in the blood pH, or a fast oxidation rate that results in low calcium, magnesium and zinc.  Other mechanisms for seizures due to infections are also possible, such as the effect of toxins secreted by bacteria or other infective agents.

 

4. Certain food chemicals.  Specifically, carrageenan causes problems for those prone to seizures.  This is a common food additive extracted from certain red sea vegetables.  It is used in many processed food products as a thickener and stabilizer.  However, it causes inflammation in the body, and can cause blood sugar disturbance, as well.

 

5. Inflammation from any cause. Patterns indicating an inflammatory state are often revealed on the hair mineral analyses of those with seizures.  Inflammation irritates the delicate tissues of the brain, or sets in motion a seizure by other mechanisms.  When inflammation is reduced, the seizures usually go away quickly.
            Some people with seizures have a Sympathetic Dominance Pattern on a hair mineral analysis.  This is a tendency to overuse the sympathetic nervous system.  It tends to cause inflammation throughout out the body, including in the nervous system.

The presence of the Three Amigos, in excess, can cause seizures in susceptible people.  These are toxic forms of iron, manganese and aluminum that are very irritating.  Inflammation can also be caused by low levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, low levels of vitamin D, low zinc, high copper, or the presence of toxic metals in or near the brain.

 

6. Toxic metal poisoning.  This is a common contributor to seizure activity.  It can be subtle, meaning that it may not be revealed on urine, blood or even hair mineral analyses.  The reason is that the toxic metals are hidden deep in the brain, in many cases, where they are hard to detect.  Urine challenge tests with chelating agents, for example, do not penetrate deeply enough to reveal these toxic metals.
            The most common toxic elements that trigger seizures include mercury, excessive copper, and perhaps others such as toxic forms of iron, aluminum, manganese, or even lead or arsenic. Often several metals are involved at once.  Most children are born with too much of all of these toxic metals today.

A complete nutritional balancing program will remove all of them, and a dozen others that may contribute to seizures, as well.  It will also remove hundreds of toxic chemicals, which can also contribute to seizures.

 

7. Specific nutrient deficiencies. Calcium, magnesium and zinc are called the sedative minerals.  They are calming and relaxing for the nervous system.  Many people with seizure disorders have some degree of deficiency or biologically unavailable calcium and magnesium, as revealed on hair mineral tests.  As mentioned in an earlier paragraph, other commonly deficient nutrients can include omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and perhaps other vitamins. 

Nutrient deficiencies may be subtle, offering no overt symptoms except seizures.  It all depends where the nutrients are deficient, and how they affect the nervous system.  As body chemistry becomes more balanced and stronger with a nutritional balancing program, these nutrient deficiencies diminish and seizures often diminish as well.

 

8. Fluctuations in the blood sugar.  This can trigger a seizure in some people.  Habits that lead to an uneven blood sugar level include eating fruit, drinking fruit juices, and consuming all other sugary foods and beverages.  This can be an important cause of seizures in babies, and in those with hypoglycemic or diabetic tendencies.

 

9. An imbalanced pH.  I have noticed that some children and babies have seizures when their pH becomes alkaline.  This may have to do with the bioavailablility of their calcium, magnesium or perhaps zinc.  In these cases, eating a piece of fruit, for example, can trigger a seizure.

 

10. Stress of any kind. As explained below, seizures are a threshold phenomenon, and anything that adds stress to the body can cause a seizure in susceptible individuals.  Even normal, healthy people can experience a seizure if they are under enough stress.
            Stress depletes nutrients and aggravates infections and most other imbalances in the nervous system.  Among the most common stressors that cause seizures are exhaustion, fatigue from lack of rest and sleep, and dehydration.

 

11. Food allergies or sensitivity to food chemicals.  Allergic foods may be primary causes of seizures, or they may act as triggers only.  Any food can be a culprit, although wheat, soy, sugar, and dairy are the most common ones.  Food additives such as MSG or aspartame may contribute to seizures, in some cases.  These are called excitotoxins because they irritate the nervous system.  Eliminating food chemicals, sugar and wheat can definitely help some people who suffer from seizures.

 

12. Other.  Inflammation or irritation of the brain structures from any cause may lead to seizures.  Less common causes are pressure from a tumor, parasitic infection, or even a  misalignment of the spine and neck.  Seizures can rarely be an adverse effect of a medical drug such as AZT and other AIDS drugs or others. 

Other illnesses such as Parkinson's disease can occasionally cause seizures.

 

OTHER TOPICS RELATED TO SEIZURES -

FAST OXIDATION AND CHILDREN’S SEIZURES

 

            Fast oxidation is a mineral pattern seen commonly on hair tissue mineral analyses of babies and young children.  This cause of seizures occurs less often in older children or adults.

Fast oxidation is defined as an absolute or relatively low hair level of calcium and magnesium in relation to the sodium and potassium levels.  The hair sample must not have been washed at the laboratory.  The hair washing procedure is important because washing hair at the lab, which is common, damages the sample and may cause inaccuracy in the test.

In these individuals, the fight-or-flight mechanism is activated too often and/or too much, resulting in excessive elimination of calcium, magnesium and zinc in the urine.  As a result, they easily become deficient in these minerals at a tissue level.  Note that standard blood serum tests will not reveal low tissue calcium, magnesium or zinc, in most cases.

These individuals require additional calcium, magnesium, zinc and often copper.  Refined food diets are notorious for their low levels of bioavailable minerals, so this is definitely harmful.

The ketogenic diet.  In addition, fast oxidizers require supplements of these minerals and more high-quality fats and oils in their diets.   Research indicates some success with seizures with a so-called ketogenic diet, which is essentially a diet that is high in fats and oils and low in carbohydrates.  However, just following this diet can be harmful by unbalancing body chemistry, and because it is not necessarily a complete diet.  It is also not enough to stop seizures in many cases.  With a nutritional balancing program, one can tell if and when this diet may be helpful or harmful.

 

COPPER, MERCURY AND SEIZURES

 

Mercury shares some properties of copper.  Both are excellent electrical conductors, which means they may “short-circuit” the brain, to a degree.  Both are also commonly in excess in the general population, and both can damage the nervous system.

Copper is an essential trace mineral.  However, it is highly toxic when in excess or biounavailable, as it is in some cases of epilepsy.  Then it becomes a cause of inflammation. 

Copper imbalance is also associated with scarring throughout the body, and with infections, especially fungal, viral and parasitic infections.  This may also be why too much copper or biounavailable copper often contributes to seizures.

Copper imbalance is very common today, and so strongly associated with seizures that I am surprised more is not written about it.  Yet copper excess or unavailability can be corrected easily in many cases, often within a few months using a combination of dietary changes that are discussed later, and a nutrition and lifestyle program that targets this imbalance.

To read much more about copper and its metabolism, click on Copper Toxicity Syndrome. 

 

SEIZURES IN WOMEN AND GIRLS, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT OCCUR JUST BEFORE THE MENSTRUAL PERIOD

 

Copper imbalance as a contributor to seizures occurs in both men and women. However, women are more prone to this type of seizure activity because they tend to be copper-dominant.  This essentially means that women’s bodies have more copper, in general, than do men’s bodies.  Before the menstrual period, the copper level rises even higher.  This causes seizures in a few women.  Women, in general, suffer more seizures than men, perhaps due to women’s higher copper levels.

 

THE SODIUM/POTASSIUM RATIO AND EPILEPSY

 

            A hair sodium/potassium ratio less than 2.5:1 often indicates a chronic foci of infection, which may contribute to seizures.  This low ratio may also indicate excessive tissue breakdown, which prevents the proper healing of scar tissue.  Correction of the sodium/potassium ratio with a complete nutritional balancing program is most helpful, in these cases, to produce a permanent correction of epileptic seizures.

 

DIETARY ASPECTS OF EPILEPSY

 

    Food reactions can trigger epileptic seizures.  The main culprits are any food product containing carrageenen.  Strictly avoid this!  You must read labels to figure out which foods contain it.  However, here is a list of the main ones:

 

Chocolate milk                    soy milk

Rice milk                                    Hazelnut milk

Almond milk                           coconut milk

Hemp milk                               flax milk

Infant formulas                   sunflower milk

Eggnog                                        aloe very gel

Cottage cheeses                nutritional drinks

Sour cream                             fruit and cereal bars

Lunch meats                          vegetable lasagna and ziti bowl

Dips                                                coffee and tea beverages    

Juices                                            candy bars

Frozen pizza                           Dairy-free spreads

Creamer                                     Desserts

Slimfast and other similar drinks

Yogurt                                          Infant Formula

Kefir                                              Canned soups

Ice cream                                 Baby food

 

 

Also avoid the following foods that are rich in glutamate and aspartate, two very excitatory amino acids:

 

1) Grains: Wheat, barley, and oats are highest in glutamine.  Corn and rice are lower.  Therefore they may be better for anyone with a tendency for epilepsy.

 

2) Dairy Products: All cows milk products are high in glutamine.  Goat-based dairy is much better in this regard.  Cow-based cheese that appear to be the worst include cheddar,  Swiss, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella and worst is PARMESAN. Casein is very concentrated in cheese and is 20% glutamic acid by composition.

 

3) Beans: Soy, Pinto, lima, black, navy, and lentils are also high in glutamic acid or glutamine.

 

4) Seeds: Sunflower, pumpkin, and others are also high in glutamine, though less than wheat and dairy.  I do not recommend them anyway, as they are harder to digest and perhaps a bit toxic.

 

5) Peanuts: These are very high in glutamine, as are cashews, pistachios, and less-so almonds.  We do not recommend many nuts on nutritional balancing programs.  Some toasted almond butter, however, is usually okay once or twice weekly.

 

6) All Soy Products, except perhaps for a little tofu and tempeh.  Soy is very high in glutamine.  Beware, as soy is incorporated into many, many products as a filler and cheap protein source.  It may be labeled as vegetable protein, textured vegetable protein, soy isolate or not labeled at all, sadly.

 

7) Diet Drinks And Diet or Non-sugared Foods of All Kinds: These are the primary source of aspartate as they are often sweetened with Nutrasweet, also called Equal or aspartame.  AVOID ALL PRODUCTS CONTAINING THIS INGREDIENT.

 

8) Prepared Foods Such As Soups:  70% of prepared  foods and many soups contain MSG.  AVOID ALL FOOD PREPARED WITH MSG.  This may also be labeled as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, soy protein extract, textured vegetable protein – or not labeled at all.  Chinese and some other oriental foods served in restaurants may also contain MSG, as this is a common flavor enhancer in oriental cooking.

 

9) Meats: Meats are naturally rich in glutamate and aspartate, but this is offset by other amino acids in the food that balances them, in almost all cases.  Meat is generally a healthful food and should not be avoided.  Rabbit and turkey are the highest in glutamate, while lamb and eggs are the lowest.  Chicken is fairly low as well.  The amount in a normal serving of meat should not be enough to cause problems.  I believe that the other "unnatural" sources of glutamate, when combined with the meats, might cause problems, but in general, meat alone is not the problem. 

    Sixty to seventy percent of the American diet is wheat and dairy (with heavy emphasis on cheese). This, combined with the amount of artificial sweeteners being consumed and the addition of soy protein, is leading America and the world into an epidemic of seizures and other inflammatory (pain) syndromes such as fibromyalgia, arthritis and many others.

 

WHY NUTRITIONAL BALANCING SCIENCE?

 

Most cases of epilepsy or seizures are, in fact, just biochemical imbalances that may be subtle, but due to their nature or location, they have very powerful effects upon the central nervous system.  This is the reason I imagine that so many people respond well to nutritional balancing programs.

Nutritional balancing science specifically addresses many of the causes of seizures such as:

 

·           Toxic metals and toxic chemicals in the brain.

·           Acute, as well as deep, and often very chronic foci of infection in the brain.

·           Clinical and seemingly minor and sub-clinical nutrient deficiencies.

·           Other imbalances in the nervous system that are reflected in the mineral levels and ratios on a hair mineral analysis, when it is performed and interpreted by the method of Dr. Paul C. Eck.

·           Dietary imbalances that can irritate and excessively excite the nervous.

·           Blood sugar imbalances.

·           Lifestyle and other types of stressors that may act as triggers or even as basic causes for seizures.

·           Imbalances affecting yin and yang forces in the body.  This is more important than one might imagine, in some cases.

 

STIMULANTS

 

The consumption of sugars (even fruit), caffeine or the excitotoxins such as MSG and aspartame (Equal or Nutrasweet) tend to aggravate seizures.  Stimulants of all kinds can produce fluctuations in blood sugar, alterations in neurotransmitter levels, and irritates delicate structures in the nervous system.  Avoid all stimulants, including alcohol and any unnecessary medications, including over-the-counter medications.

 

SEIZURE MEDICATION AND NUTRITIONAL CORRECTION

 

            Many who have seizures are rightfully hesitant to stop their anti-seizure medication.  Common drugs that are prescribed include Dilantin, Keppra, Tegretol and others.  I advise that medication be continued for at least 3 months after beginning a nutrition program.  Then, a repeat hair mineral analysis may help one decide if it is safe to discontinue medication.  It is best to obtain the cooperation of the prescribing physician, of course.

There is no guarantee that nutritional methods will eliminate the need for medication.  However, in many cases medication can be reduced and even eliminated provided the patient stays on a healthy eating regimen and a proper supplementation program.

 

              Removing other drugs from the body.  Beware that some medical drugs can cause seizures as a side effect.  If you are taking medication and suddenly develop seizures, consider this possibility.  Several weeks to several months of near infrared sauna therapy and coffee enemas, in particular, may be needed to remove medical drugs that have built up in the body.

 

CHRONIC EAR INFECTIONS, MANGANESE IMBALANCE AND CARBAMAZEPINE (brand names are Tegretol, Equitro, Epitrol, Finlepsin, Neurotol, Amizepine and Carbitrol)

           

            Manganese has an affinity for the ears, and some people with ear problems have too much toxic manganese compounds in this area of the body, and/or have a deficiency of usable manganese.  A toxic form of manganese, for example, is found in all gasoline today around the world.  Some are exposed to more of this than other people.

            A common seizure drug, carbamazepine, may work on seizures caused by chronic ear infections by altering manganese levels in the ear region, which may reduce infection in the ears.