Sometimes I feel like a broken record anytime I discuss how sensitive epileptics are to a wide variety of ingredients and products.

Personally, I have struggled with ingredient sensitivities since my diagnosis with epilepsy in 2009 so it’s pretty much just a fact of life for me. However, the key to living with these sensitivities shouldn’t necessarily be limited to figuring out WHAT to avoid, rather HOW to avoid “said” ingredients or products by learning about alternatives. Finding a substitute is the real challenge because everyday products and foods contain A LOT of ingredients that can behave as seizure triggers.

My family will often joke around about me being their “Canary in the Cage,” because my reaction (seizure or no seizure) after eating or using something will automatically reveal the presence of a seizure trigger in that product or food. It is a really great insight when trying to eat clean and use clean cosmetics, but the seizure remains the same as always…inconvenient.

So, here are a few products that I have used in relation to improving my overall circumstances of living with Catamenial Epilepsy.

The first product is a cream called Bach’s Rescue Cream and it is a wonderful homeopathic remedy for surface wounds. In the video for Epilepsy Insight #4, you will see that I used it for post-seizure first aid purposes. In Epilepsy Insight #3 you can learn more about how the particular injury occurred. In this latest Epilepsy Insight (#4) you can see the remarkable improvement this cream has made in healing my own fingernail scratch across the right side of my upper cheek. I would also like to bring attention to the fact that only 7 days have passed between videos #3 and #4, which means a quick recovery for your facial wound.

I cannot even begin to tell you how many dirty looks my poor brother got when we went out in public together while my scratch was still healing. FYI: He is a huge teddy bear and was sorely misjudged! My point is, everyone wants an injury to heal quickly, especially one that is on display for the general public.

Honestly, I use this cream for any surface wound and it works like magic. Truly. Another positive is the product’s clean ingredient label. Certain manufacturers are incredibly skilled at hiding dirty ingredients by choosing not to list the ingredient whatsoever on the packaging. Cue the canary…I have used this product for years and not once has it ever acted as a seizure trigger for me. The amazing quality of the product extends past the ingredient label and resides in the makeup of the actual cream, as well. Needless to say, it is my go-to for all skin related injuries.

The second product is a wonderful magnesium supplement by Jarrow Formulas and it is called MagMind. Low magnesium levels are never good and they are often associated with seizure activity. When epileptics get nutrient panels done to test their bodily levels of vitamins and minerals, they usually display levels that classify them as magnesium-deficient. Good to know, but what can we do to fix the deficiency???

Personally, I prefer homeopathic methods to conventional methods because homeopathic products use natural sources of the vitamin to correct the deficiency while conventional medicine uses synthetic sources. Translation: the natural source will actually correct the problem while the synthetic source will only create more problems and has the potential to interrupt your body’s natural ability to produce the vitamin or mineral. Of course, please remember that I am not a healthcare professional, therefore, you should always consult a doctor before making any changes to your daily supplement routine.

When you flood your body with synthetic versions of any vitamin or mineral, here is the most common problem that we want to avoid:

Your body cannot interpret the chemical makeup of the synthetic version of the vitamin therefore it cannot properly disperse it to the correct location where this vitamin can be properly absorbed. Instead, your body will either discard the imposter product or it will store the product in its entirety in your cells. If the ingredients in this synthetic product are toxic (It possesses a completely chemical makeup so, Yes, chances are very good that it contains some toxins) your body will indirectly store toxins in your cells.

You do NOT want your body to do this! We already struggle to prevent this from happening due to large amounts of toxins found in our food, environment, cosmetics, etc. Once toxin build-up reaches a concerning level, the human body will begin displaying signs. They may start out as small and hard to miss signs, but eventually, you will begin to notice that something in your body’s ability to function is amiss.

Toxicity build-up in your cells could be the culprit behind these “misfunctions” so it’s always something to take into consideration. Seizures are one sign of toxin build-up in the cells. Every epileptic is different, of course, but years of research have consistently shown us that most epileptics’ bloodwork results often display high levels of heavy metals (one of the most basic forms of toxin build-up at a cellular level).

Your body will warn you of such mishaps in the way it functions, but you must remember to listen to these warnings rather than brushing them off as “nothing.” I learned this lesson the hard way and trust me when I say it is much better to investigate these “nothings” before they get the chance to turn into “somethings.”

To learn more about each recommendation, watch Epilepsy Insight #4:

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