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3 Tips for Epileptics

 

Guidance at the beginning of my diagnosis with Catamenial Epilepsy was practically impossible to find. It was 2009 and the very name “Catamenial Epilepsy” had not yet graduated from medical theory to medical fact. If you typed “catamenial epilepsy” into Google 11 years ago you only received medical journal articles that barely referenced seizures influenced by hormones. My family and I could only find ONE article that actually used the name “Catamenial” when describing such a mysterious type of epilepsy. I’m putting it delicately when I say that the research process was abysmal in those days.

I wasn’t even seeking a cure for my condition, I simply wanted to know how to live with catamenial epilepsy. What do I do to work toward healing? How do I return to my normal, everyday routine in a way that doesn’t put my safety at risk? What shouldn’t I do that might cause my condition to worsen?

At 15 years old, I had a lot of faith in modern medicine and their ability to help me so these seemed like simple, even expected questions from where I stood in my state of confusion. There was a pattern with the many neurologists I visited and it was a tendency to downplay my condition. Maybe it was because of the fact that each doctor saw many people dealing with seizures so it was just the “norm” for them. But it wasn’t the norm for me, not even close. I went from fretting over whether or not I was going to be able to make it to my school’s football game on Friday night to how I could still be a normal teenager while living with a potentially harmful disease. The worst part is that is was this downplaying behavior from my doctors that prevented me from realizing how truly careful I needed to be in every area of my life.

Ignorance is not always bliss and doctors can’t always be trusted. Truthfully, they can never be trusted and everything they recommend needs to be thoroughly researched before you make a decision. My own research along with my personal experience with epilepsy has taught me so much more than any doctor ever has.

I can look back now over the decisions I made early on and the majority of them I would do differently if given the chance. That being said, I cannot say that I am not grateful for all that those poor decisions have taught me. I would not be who I am today without those mistakes therefore I cannot regret them.

However, I would regret not sharing a few pieces of advice that I hope will serve as guidance for those who are dealing with similar circumstances. I may be grateful for my own growth during my journey, but I also wish to prevent others from making the same mistakes. So, for the sake of sparing another from a few gruesome trial and error processes, here are the top three actions I wish I had taken at the start of my journey with Catamenial Epilepsy.

 

#1 Diet – Go Organic, eliminate processed foods completely, and pay closer attention to ingredient labels.

The food you put into your body has a monumental effect on every area, most especially your brain. Understanding the dangers of synthetic foods is imperative to improving your seizures because synthetic ingredients will prevent the human body from functioning correctly. These influential factors will also make correcting problems an impossible task. Ingredients like Xanthan Gum (a cheap emulsifier) and Carrageenan (thickening agent most commonly found in dairy products) are formulated in a lab with chemicals and who knows what else (most of the time we don’t want to know…yes, it is that gross!). The greatest problem aside from the synthetic nature of these ingredients is a little fact that the human body cannot digest them. The body does not know how to correctly process these synthetic components found in way too many of the foods available in every grocery store. The types of foods you most likely eat on a daily basis.

Feed your body natural foods (such as a strawberry or an egg) and it knows exactly how to digest each as well as which naturally occurring nutrients to store in order to maintain your good health. But, give it a sulfated polysaccharide (carrageenan) and the body has absolutely no idea what to do with it or where to send it because, in all honesty, it is not meant to be consumed. This causes problems in digestion and the body is forced to take guesses on what to do with these alien ingredients. Sounds concerning, doesn’t it? Well, that’s only the beginning! Here’s the really concerning part about these guesses: the body won’t absorb the alien ingredient because it does not recognize it nor will it excrete the synthetic substance just in case it might be necessary for the future. So what happens to this mystery food? Well, in all of this confusion the body decides to store it. By storing it, these synthetic ingredients (which are essentially toxins) begin to accumulate in various areas, usually in the cells or the bloodstream. One toxin might not create any issues for your total body health, but synthetic ingredients are found in pretty much all processed foods these days and daily consumption will result in quite the collection of toxins. You may not realize this in the moment you’re eating those potato chips or drinking that soda, but you are slowly creating an army of toxins with each bite and every sip that can easily wreak havoc on your body.

Making food from scratch is the only way you can truly guarantee you are eating toxin-free meals. I know home cooking is a lot of work, trust me, I KNOW. But, reducing my seizure activity makes it all worth it! Not to mention, the food tastes way better! When I was eating processed foods constantly I never noticed how fake and flavorless they were, sometimes certain products can even taste like plastic…hmmm, I wonder why that is? Maybe it is because these foods contain many of the same ingredients you find in plastic products. You wouldn’t willingly eat a plastic straw or a plastic water bottle, right? So why would you willingly eat plastic disguised as food?

The truth is, “home cooking” isn’t just a term to help market Southern-Style breakfast restaurants. It is a lifestyle choice that will have a positive impact on your entire household. Luckily, we’re living in an age of technology where things like recipe blogs are easily accessible and filled with lots of fantastic recipes to get you started on this new path. Plus, you have access to thousands of healthy recipes without it costing you a dime. The question here isn’t about IF you can do this. It’s all about WHEN. When are you going to make the necessary change for better health?

Personally, I kept up with my usual processed foods diet that I had before my diagnosis with epilepsy for at least two years post-diagnosis. I hate to think of the damage I was creating by continuing to accumulate synthetic toxins from my food AND my newly added anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). Alone, each component has the ability to trigger seizures so I can only imagine what was happening to me with the two of them combined.

It took a crisis situation to wake me up enough to actually consider the idea that maybe, just maybe, my diet could be contributing to the overall state of my brain health. I was lying on the floor of a P.F. Chang’s Restaurant having a full-blown grand mal or tonic-clonic seizure. Hormonally, the time of the month did not make sense for such an occurrence. My parents were out of ideas as to why the seizure happened until my grandma suggested that maybe something in the food caused an issue. What was meant to be a simple and helpful theory actually turned out to be the revelation my parents needed in order to take that first step on the path toward long-term healing. Soy was the culprit that day and I have avoided it ever since.

 

#2 Bloodwork – Go deeper, explore the problem inside, and then work to correct deficiencies/abnormalities.

Some of you may be thinking, “Seriously?! More bloodwork? I just had every test known to man performed on me when I was in the hospital and received my diagnosis!” If someone told me to get more bloodwork done back when I was fifteen I probably would have disowned them. There is no doubt in my mind that I would not have taken the advice because I had just left a hospital and also because it takes effort to go to the lab. I was a teenager, I had much more important things to be doing with my time like texting or painting my nails.

However, when I say the words “bloodwork” I’m not talking about your average test. I’m talking about a bloodwork panel that will thoroughly analyze your primary vitamin and mineral levels. The test I have in mind is called the Organic Acids Test (OAT) and it will analyze all of these and more.

When I was first diagnosed, I trusted that my doctors had thoroughly reviewed every piece of information that could be pertinent to understanding the cause of my seizures. Nope. It turns out the doctors barely scratched the surface by doing the bare minimum. So, once again I was let down by my doctors and it was left up to me to figure out this epilepsy puzzle.

Just a little FYI for my fellow epileptics, this will happen often so I recommend keeping your expectations very low when it comes to modern medicine personnel if you wish to be satisfied with their advice.

That being said, let’s get back to the Organic Acids Test (OAT). I am such a big fan of doing this test because each human body is unique. Therefore, each is going to possess it own unique deficiencies. The sooner you find these deficiencies, the sooner you’ll be able to take yet another step on the path toward healing. And not just any healing, but healing that is customized to fit your specific needs. Once again, ignorance is not bliss where your health is concerned. Although modern medicine offers a wide variety of convincing medication for every epileptic, the reality is that a medicinal regimen needs to be tailored to the individual.

Bloodwork will help you understand how to create your own regimen. Personally, I discovered that I am deficient in the majority of my primary vitamin and mineral levels. Specifically, I found my concerning Vitamin D deficiency. If you didn’t know before, let me share that a deficiency in Vitamin D alone is enough to trigger seizures in some individuals. The healthy level should fall between 30 and 100. My level was 1 at the time of my first test. One! It might as well have said “Nada.” What good is a level of 1 Vitamin D going to do in my body? It’s barely holding on to its existence in my body, I really don’t think there will be any leftover Vitamin D to perform the duties it is supposed to according to nature.

I am happy to report that I have been able to correct this severe deficiency in a matter of months thanks to Seeking Health’s Vitamin D complex liquid drops. My levels are now at a healthy 67 and I continue to use Seeking Health’s supplement on a daily basis.

It is because of bloodwork that I also discovered my hormone deficiencies and my estrogen dominance. Obviously, there was some hormone imbalance present (hence my special diagnosis of Catamenial Epilepsy instead of simply Epilepsy), but I never understood just how seriously low my levels are. This insight has guided me throughout my entire journey with epilepsy and it has allowed me to take the necessary steps that will result in my healing. Knowledge is power when it comes to living with epilepsy. The more you know, the better equipped you will be able to handle the task at hand…Finding the source of your problem. Band-aids are for amateurs, you deserve answers! In my experience, this begins with blood work.

 

#3 Eliminate Hormones – Find and remove the common hormone-ridden products from your lifestyle.

This particular action is crucial for those with Catamenial Epilepsy because your seizures are hormone-related. Furthermore, there is a problem with your hormones; they are imbalanced and you will not find balance if you are constantly exposing your body to synthetic hormones.

Why is it so important to avoid synthetic hormones whether you have Catamenial Epilepsy or not??

Well, synthetic hormones are a bit like synthetic food ingredients (as I discussed above) they confuse the body. Your body is already hard at work making progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, cortisol, and so on. When you feed synthetic hormones to your body they disrupt this production by posing as the naturally produced hormones that are meant to be in your body. These imposter hormones cause your overall hormone levels to increase drastically.

So drastically, in fact, that your body reads the data and backs off on its natural production so as to maintain healthy levels and not create an abundance. This may not sound so bad, but in many cases, the body will stop production altogether because the hormones to maintain healthy levels are mysteriously being supplied from an outside source so why should they continue production?

The human body is logical in its decision-making process and, on paper, this may seem like the correct decision. However, synthetic hormones are not an adequate replacement for the real thing. Here’s a football analogy for all of my fellow fans out there: synthetic hormones are second-string to the starting hormones, our REAL hormones. They may appear to be good enough to handle keeping the body healthy, but they are nowhere close to the job performed by real hormones. Our natural hormones kick booty out there on the playing field by actively reading levels, making changes if necessary, and adapting to the body’s hormonal needs accurately and consistently. Can synthetic hormones do this? Not a chance! You get exactly the same hormone every single time because you are using a pre-made type of hormone. It doesn’t change or adapt to your body’s needs. When synthetic hormones begin functioning like the first-string hormones you are at risk for both an abundance or a deficiency. In short, synthetic hormones do nothing but present a lot of potential problems for your body.

Also, if you suddenly decide to stop feeding your body those synthetic hormones your body is not aware of your decision until a deficiency begins to form and it is needed to produce natural hormones again. The thing about hormone deficiencies is they can be a bit of a challenge to correct because we are constantly exposed to synthetic hormones on a daily basis. Our air, food, and cosmetics are all guilty of containing such elements.

So, although we can’t do much about avoiding synthetic hormones in our air there are other areas where we can begin to reduce and hopefully eliminate them altogether.

The first product containing boatloads of synthetic hormones is perfume. I had a hard time eliminating this product because I have so many favorite scents from various brands and, let’s be honest, it is really nice to smell nice! However, all perfumes are filled with synthetic ingredients (hormones are just one of the many). The liquid form as well as the application areas make it an easily absorbable product. Spraying the perfume on the skin gives it direct access to your bloodstream through the pores of your skin. Wearing perfume means exposing your body to a multitude of toxins that will only hurt your body and worsen your hormone imbalance. It is impossible to restore balance if you are actively contributing to the imbalance. Perfume smells good, but what is more important…Smelling nice temporarily or being healthy???

Organic essential oils are a fantastic replacement for perfumes and you can find them at a variety of stores. I highly recommend Mountain Rose Herbs for essential oils. Their products are both good quality and very affordable.

Other products to avoid are scented deodorants and pads or tampons. Once again, we have the scent issue, but when it comes to these easily absorbed products unscented is always the way to go. It can be so easy to overlook everyday products and not even realize just how toxic they are or how influential they can be upon your hormones. But sadly they both possess the ability to easily do so with consistent use. Sensitive Unscented Freedom deodorant is an excellent aluminum-free option if your current deodorant brand does not offer unscented. As for pads or tampons, you can find an unscented product from the majority of products available. If you would like to take the good health of your current pads to the next level, try organic feminine products. Rael is my favorite product because they are so silky smooth and their extensive selection is truly wonderful. Honest is another company with a good selection of organic products.

Makeup is another product to be wary of when it comes to hormones. Unfortunately, pretty much everything in makeup products is synthetic already, but you can make an extra effort to avoid scented products. Unfortunately, this is one product I have not been able to eliminate from my cosmetic regimen despite my strong desire to do so. Those baggies under my eyes won’t cover themselves and I’m still shell-shocked from that one time in high school when I decided not to wear makeup and a classmate asked me if I had a black eye. Yeah, that wasn’t a very fun experience so I do still use makeup, but I actively avoid all scented products. Liquid foundations are frequently guilty of adding a fragrance compound to their products so be wary of this and try to avoid it whenever possible. You may not be able to eliminate makeup completely but at least you can try to make the best of a not so great situation.

As far as food is concerned, there are a few products in particular that have a strong effect on your hormones and should be avoided in order to promote hormonal balance. The first is Rosehip. This herb is most commonly found in herbal teas or dessert type foods, anything with a synthetic rose flavor. It will increase estrogen production within your body, which is why it is known as an estrogen inhibitor. When you’re suffering from seizures caused by estrogen dominance, this is the last thing you want to feed your body.

Red Raspberry Leaf is similar to Rosehip. It is most commonly found in herbal tea form. I have learned the hard way that this herbal tea will greatly increase seizure activity and it will cause an increase in estrogen production. Basically, Red Raspberry Leaf will scramble your hormones even more so than they already are. Completely avoid both whenever possible.

Soy is another food to avoid. Look for codenames for soy in other products such as soy lecithin, soy protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), mono-diglyceride, glycine max, monosodium glutamate (MSG), etc. as well because you will want to avoid every ingredient sourced from soy.

Soybeans are an estrogen inhibitor and they encourage increased estrogen production when consumed. They may seem like a healthy thing to consume because they are a natural food product, but their effect on the human body is negative in more ways than one. Not to mention soy is a common seizure trigger for many epileptics, not just those with Catamenial Epilepsy.

Lastly, make sure to be extra careful with dairy products. For starters, always go organic no matter the extra cost because inorganic products are sourced from cows that have been injected with dozens of hormones. The poor cow is doing its job just fine, but the dairy big-wigs insist on thicker, thinner, sweeter, etc. products and they’re willing to practically poison the cow and therefore the consumer to get their way. It’s always about the bottom line, not the safety of the customer. Even organic dairy products have plenty of flaws that do nothing to help balance your hormones. Vitamins are constantly added even though they don’t belong because they are not naturally-occurring. But the organic companies are expected to compete with the big-wig inorganic companies so the consumer is often sacrificed for the bells and whistles. It’s really unfortunate, in general, but even more so when people aren’t aware that the amazing amount of “Vitamin D” in their product of choice is actually synthetic and will not benefit their bodies at all. Avoiding hormones in your average dairy products can be quite the challenge, which is why I recommend consuming raw dairy as often as possible. Raw means straight from the cow to you. When you go with raw products you can guarantee that your product is just as it is supposed to be…in its natural state and without additives. No synthetic vitamins, no preservatives, and definitely no hormones. Unfortunately, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made it impossible to sell these products in grocery stores, therefore you will need to purchase such products from an individual farm. The good news is there are many of these types of farms in existence. You will want to utilize the internet in order to find one that suits your needs.

Well, there you go, these are the three actions I wish I had taken when I was fifteen and newly diagnosed with epilepsy. I know that these changes may seem overwhelming because they will alter your lifestyle, but each will benefit you greatly.

Plus, epilepsy has most likely already flipped your life upside down so what’s a few more changes in the overall scheme of things? Especially when it is a positive change that will promote healing.

The choice is yours.

As always, please feel free to email me (katie@seizethedayblog.com) with any questions you have about the information I shared here on Seize the Day Blog.

 

 

Medical Disclaimer:

The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text, and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website.

Epilepsy Insight: 5 Things I Would Do Differently at Diagnosis

Looking back on the past always seems to be a tricky business. There are bound to be a few things you wish you could change…if only you knew then what you know now! 

There is a very long list of things I would do differently at the time of my initial diagnosis with epilepsy. With all of the knowledge I have gained thanks to 10+ years of living with Catamenial Epilepsy, I have grown a lot as a person and as a patient. Most of all, I wish I had pursued holistic medicine from the very start. I have found so much success through these methods of healing, I can’t help but wonder if I would be completely healed today if I chose holistic methods back then…

The truth is, I don’t know. I may wonder from time to time about the answer to this question, but despite my regrets I am still grateful for the knowledge I have gained through the uncertainties part of living with epilepsy. 

That lack of understanding I started this journey with has now become a well-curated collection of information. And not just any information, but information derived from personal experience. Those trial and error processes can be terribly frustrating…they’re time consuming, challenging, and usually have a 50% chance of failure. It is the other 50% chance of success that keeps me going…You don’t know until you try, right?? Not everyone shares my enthusiasm for risk, but I am determined to find my own recipe for recuperation. Each day of my journey continues to perfect this recipe so, in the meantime, I thought it might be helpful to my fellow Epileptic Warriors out there to share some of the things I have learned whilst carving my own path. Who knows? Maybe it will help someone else avoid the same mistakes I made…I certainly hope so! More than anything I hope my upcoming insights serve as a guide to help others establish a foundation for their own trek toward healing. 

My biggest goal will always be to help others in similar circumstances avoid the same mistakes I made. Therefore, I would like to share the top 5 things I wish I had done differently at the time of my initial diagnosis. These also happen to be the fives things I would recommend other epileptics to do as well. These upcoming words are simply a suggestion, of course, for those willing to listen since I am not a medical professional. Whether it is the very first day of your diagnosis or 10 years later (like me), you are never too late to pursue total body healing.

That being said, let’s get to it, shall we?

 

1. Blood work

It is incredibly overwhelming to be diagnosed with a medical condition like epilepsy, therefore getting in-depth blood work completed isn’t always at the forefront of a person’s mind. Especially when he or she is simultaneously trying to figure out how to prevent his or her life from being turned completely upside down. I know, I’ve been there. 

This is my first recommendation and the action I wish I took when I was 15 years old because it is the key to discovering exactly why your body is having seizures. Seizures are misfires in the brain, therefore they are not supposed to be happening, but when they do happen there is always a cause. It’s up to you to find this cause and blood work is the best way to see what’s going on inside your body. You will be able to identify deficiencies, inflammation, and other issues that may be contributing to your seizure activity. 

So, I suggest you get thorough blood work completed, the Organic Acid Test from Great Plains Laboratory is a wonderful urine test that will give you a comprehensive examination of the current condition of your body’s vitamin and mineral levels at a metabolic level. You see, deficiencies are usually part of the problem. Where there are deficiencies there is also over-compensation happening within the body to supplement these deficiencies. However, this constant over-compensation usually results in even more deficiencies because, before you know it, all of your vitamin and mineral sources have been depleted in order to maintain balance. 

In the end, no balance has been achieved and now we have multiple deficiencies to fix instead of just the one. So, get a blood work panel and/or the OAT completed so that you will have a thorough examination of your levels…if you have deficiencies, pinpoint these so that you can work to heal them through food and vitamin supplements. Before attempting a “Plan for Healing” you must first understand what it is that needs to be healed. It will save you time and it will prevent lots of unnecessary trial and error. To read more about my deficiencies and why I wish I found them sooner, click here to read my experience with Vitamin D. 

 

2. Holistic Medicine

In 2009, at the time of my diagnosis, I had full and complete faith in the doctors of modern medicine. That is, until the only solutions they could provide me with were anti-epileptic drugs, birth control (for the hormone imbalance), and brain surgery. I wasn’t happy about any of these options, but what else was I supposed to do? At this point in time, you couldn’t even find a keyword match in Google for “Catamenial Epilepsy.” The only place my mom could find the slightest mention of “Catamenial Epilepsy” was in a medical journal written by a neurologist from the Mayo Clinic. It wasn’t much, but it was a lifeline for my family and I when we felt like we were going crazy over the possible hormone/seizure connection. 

One year after my diagnosis, I was received as a patient at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota for one week of special testing and doctor appointments. I had already been placed on their general waitlist for the opportunity to come to the Mayo Clinic so it felt like a miracle when a spot unexpectedly opened for me. The prospect of having my particular case reviewed by some of the most highly-respected neurologists within the U.S. inspired a hope for normalcy for the first time since being diagnosed. 

However, when I sat down to discuss my circumstances with my neurologist, she had nothing new to add regarding Catamenial Epilepsy. The organization that authored a medical journal regarding the elusive subject failed to pass the knowledge on to the rest of their neurology department. At the end of my week of testing, her only solutions were more drugs and brain surgery with a success rate of 60%…not exactly ideal when we’re talking about the human brain. I’m not that keen on risk! The gynecologist’s only solution was birth control. Once again, a disappointment. 

I was met with a disappointing reality during my final consultation…

My solution does not lie within modern medicine. 

The birth control was the last straw! Previously, I had only suffered 3 gran mal seizures over the period of one year. After beginning the birth control, I had 14 gran mal seizures in one week. It turns out, the gynecologist from the Mayo Clinic prescribed me an estrogen based birth control despite my blood work results showing I was estrogen dominant and suffering from a severe progesterone deficiency. But sure, add in even more of the “excitable” hormone. Naturally, the seizure activity spiked due to the additional flow of estrogen. 

Immediately following this terrible increase of seizure activity (seizure activity that actually landed me in the back of an ambulance) holistic medicine finally became a serious consideration for me. I stopped taking the birth control, began pursuing holistic methods, and I haven’t looked back since. 

Visiting the Mayo Clinic is one of my biggest regrets from my past. What should have been an incredible opportunity to find healing instead left me worse off than I had been before. I constantly wonder what state my body would be in if I hadn’t taken that birth control. It definitely hasn’t been the same since! But it was definitely the push I needed to begin researching Holistic solutions. 

 

3. Diet Change

I had no idea just how bad my diet was when I had my first seizure. I was actually trying out the Special K diet at the time to supplement my workout schedule and to help support my body nutritionally. HA! If only I knew how little nutrition exists in any processed food product. This is the primary reason why our bodies struggle to fight off deficiencies from malnutrition…we are not eating the proper foods to supply much-needed vitamins and minerals naturally. So, of course deficiencies are rampant right now! 

Cut out the processed products such as frozen foods, chips, candy, cereal, sauces, etc. as soon as possible! Take charge and supply your body with foods composed of natural ingredients. Foods made from scratch in your own kitchen and made 100% with real ingredients. I know, this sounds scary AND I’m sure it sounds like a lot of work…but trust me on this one, every minute of your time you dedicate to your diet will benefit your body in the long run. In fact, your body will rejoice to have real food instead of chemical ingredients that typically compose the ingredient labels of those processed food products. I have three words for you, Made From Scratch. Need recipes in order to do so? The internet is your best ally where this is concerned because it is filled with lots of yummy recipes! Just check out some of the recipes I have here on Seize the Day Blog. 

People don’t always realize the reality of the internal damage that ensues from malnutrition. It is too easy to think, “Oh, everybody eats these food products, they’re fine! If they were really SO bad there is no way the FDA would approve these ingredients!” I used to think the same thing, then one night I woke up on the floor unable to speak, unaware of my location, and unable to recognize my own brother…do not wait for a drastic life event to inspire healthy change. Pursuing a healthier lifestyle is always a good idea!

 

4. Go Organic

Because I had no clue about the dangers of processed food products, I also failed to realize the necessity for Organic food products. In my eyes, there were never any particular characteristics that caught my eye because I never took the time to research the difference. It just seemed like a trendy diet choice to be “healthier.” I could not be more wrong! Harmful and cheap pesticides are used by the majority of non-Organic farms, therefore protecting one’s body from these chemicals should always be a priority whether you’re struggling with a health condition or not. The fact is, Organic foods are better for you. The Organic growing methods eliminate pesticides and they are typically Non-GMO. Personally, I find these two characteristics vital for every food group because I’d rather not consume something that holds the potential to harm my body. 

Preventing the build up of chemicals within your cells will actually be possible by saying NO to non-Organic foods and YES to Organic in every area of your diet. The average grocery stores, such as Vons, are consistently their Organic food selection, which is incredibly convenient! Lucky for those of us seeking organic diets, there are lots of wide spread specialty Organic grocery stores such as Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Market, and Trader Joe’s (if you are in the U.S.). Whole Foods is definitely my favorite, but each of these stores carry an amazing selection of organic foods! Sprout’s Market offers coupons too, so if you’re looking to purchase organic groceries and not break the bank…this place is for you! I understand how expensive these products are so do as much as you can, but also be sure to meal prep before you grocery shop so that you do not make any unnecessary purchases.

 

5. Research Seizure Triggers   

The mind/gut connection has always been a highly debated subject in modern medicine. Why people are so eager to refute this theory is quite baffling to me because my own personal experience has shown me firsthand that more than a connection exists between the brain and the digestive system. The foods you eat can affect more than just your midsection, they can also impact your seizure activity. Every person is different, therefore some amount of trial and error will be necessary to determine any seizure triggers unique to You. In the meantime,  information on foods known to be trigger seizures in epileptics of all ages is available and it is best to make yourself aware of the potential risks as soon as possible. 

I often feel like I am much more sensitive than other people since being diagnosed with epilepsy. Food can be my best friend or my greatest enemy. There is no in between, unfortunately, so it is important to be aware of the typical foods that tend to increase seizure activity beforehand. My goal in sharing this little tip is so that I can help other epileptics to actively avoid these same foods in their own diets. It is also a great first step in working toward a healthier diet overall. I know that I am always working to minimize my seizure activity so just in case some of my readers are also interested, keep reading for a few foods you should always say NO to!  

In particular, soy, caffeine (this includes coffee and chocolate), alcohol, sage, cloves, grapefruit, fermented foods, and refined sugar are ingredients that consistently impact epileptics. These are only a few of the most basic triggers, therefore I highly recommend doing your own research on the full list of foods. 

Soy is my prime seizure trigger. If I had known this sooner I would have cut all soy-related products and food types from my diet immediately. Since this is one of my recommendations for other epileptics I obviously did not do it for myself back in 2009. Instead, it took a seizure in the middle of a P.F. Chang’s Restaurant to wake me up to the severe food allergy/seizure trigger I had acquired along with my diagnosis of epilepsy. One thing is for sure, life is never boring! In this case, however, I would prefer boring and I would like to help prevent any chaos for those also struggling with epilepsy…take the time to do some research, knowledge is always worth the time spent!  

Throughout this journey with Epilepsy I feel like I have always and will continue to learn something new everyday. I’m no genius on the subject nor am I a medical professional. I would simply like to help prevent some seizure activity for my fellow Epilepsy Warriors across the globe by sharing my personal experience. Although I cannot change my past decisions, hopefully my recommendations above will help those of you reading this to avoid the same mistakes I made. I am incredibly grateful for all that I have learned through the trial and error experiences, but what good is this knowledge if I do not share it with others? 

So, best of luck to each and every one of you! You are not alone in your battle! If you have any questions about the information I provided above, please feel free to email me at katie@seizethedayblog.com. 

Thank you for reading!

Feeding Your Infant: Tips & Tricks for the First Six Months

 

Parenting is…
I’m going to let you “fill in the blank” with this sentence because it seems that every parent has an individual and usually quite distinct version of the “correct” answer. It does make sense for each parent to receive a different parenting experience because no child is the same. However, this in no way means that the basic process of child-rearing should be restricted to a single method. Nowadays, many new parents are faced with the dilemma of whether they should breastfeed or use baby formula. If you’re one of these parents, let me point out one small, but very monumental fact…babies are expensive. Therefore, why extend the extra money each month for synthetic baby formula when natural breast milk surpasses all products available in every single category?

It used to be commonplace for parents to feed their children natural and unprocessed foods during every stage of life. Unfortunately, we have reached a point where society has simplified food products to such an extreme level that many processed foods now contain more synthetic ingredients than they do real ingredients.

“The process of modifying cow milk for large-scale production in the 1920s represented the birth of the infant formula industry. Since then new ingredients have been added for a variety of reasons. For example, iron was added in 1959 to reduce the risk of iron deficiency in formula-fed infants (Fomon, 1993), and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) were recently added in an effort to improve infant visual and cognitive development…When considering new ingredients, manufacturers analyze every step in the production process, including materials (availability, source, and purity), processing methods, packaging, storage conditions and shelf life, methods of home preparation, and potential for misuse…These considerations continue today as manufacturers attempt to alter infant formulas to imitate human milk in either composition or performance and to address the nutritional needs of specific infant populations (e.g., those with cow-milk allergy, metabolic abnormalities, and prematurity) (Benson and Masor, 1994)” (Institute of Medicine (US); ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). For all source information, please see the end of the article for a detailed list.

Translation: You may be consuming more chemicals on a daily basis than you are real food ingredients. Frightening, I know. For new parents, this disturbing reality is enough to spark a minor panic attack in even the least informed moms and dads. It is scary to think that all of the effort you’ve already extended may not be benefitting your child’s growth and development as much as you had previously hoped.

I get it, this is a new chapter in your life and caring for a fragile human being is no easy feat! Plus, you’re probably seriously sleep deprived so extending any extra effort in your daily routine is going to sound impossible. However, whether you are an experienced parent with multiple children or a complete novice with baby number one, your child’s nutritional standard should never be sacrificed for the sake of convenience in the kitchen. This applies to every stage of your child’s life, of course, but in this article I am going to focus specifically on the first six months of a baby’s diet regimen.

Step One: the milk phase. A hundred years ago, this phase was pretty cut and dry. Breast milk was your only option and because the female human body is well equipped to create the best quality breast milk for a new born baby, it has always remained the perfect option.

That is, until baby formula was created to bring convenience and simplicity to the average parent’s method for adequately caring for their child. Whenever I’m at the grocery store and I see a Mom or Dad purchasing this product, I cringe inside because I have read the ingredient labels for every brand. Even though the appearance of each label displays a multitude of differences, every product is composed of the same synthetically derived ingredients.

Baby formula is essentially designed to fill the void that human breast milk is supposed to satisfy. Therefore, it is filled with an impressive list of synthetically derived vitamins meant to promote healthy growth during the stage where the human body needs it most. If I didn’t know any better I would probably think, “Wow, my kid is getting some great nutrients from this stuff! Who knew powdered milk could be so beneficial?!” Obviously, this thought has never and will never enter my mind! But it has entered the minds of many other parents who are simply trying to care for their children, but are unaware of the true damage this product will cause.

Society has kept a large portion of the population in the dark on what should constitute a healthy ingredient. Newton’s Third Law states, “For every action, there is an equal opposite reaction” (The Physics Classroom). Society acted by promoting the idea that synthetically derived foods can be healthy if containing the right synthetic ingredients and we reacted by wholeheartedly believing these lies, purchasing synthetically derived foods more often than naturally derived foods, and began the depletion of our total-body health without even realizing it. I was never great at physics, but WOW did we fall for their false propaganda or what??? And now our reaction is creating an abundance of problems in every area of life, most especially our understanding of healthy and unhealthy products.

“Historically one approach to match human-milk composition is to add new ingredients (see Appendix B for the composition of formulas and human milk). This turns out to be a quixotic quest since human milk is a complex body fluid that is variable not only among individuals, but within an individual over time. In addition, it contains components, such as live cells and bioactive compounds, that either cannot be added to formulas or cannot survive a shelf life. Finally, not all human-milk constituents are essential; some, like LC-PUFAs, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (ARA), can be synthesized by term and preterm infants born at 33 weeks gestation (Uauy et al., 2000)” (Institute of Medicine (US); ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

Take, for example, our understanding of the concept of good and bad vitamins. Some people don’t realize that synthetically derived vitamins do NOT help bodily function; they act as interrupting factors because the human body is not supposed to consume synthetic vitamin sources when naturally derived sources are available. It can be the most expensive synthetic vitamin available on the market; it will not make a difference because, at the end of the day, the product was composed in a laboratory from chemicals. Once ingested, your body begins a process of sending this foreign element to a variety of different places, but it is always rejected.

“Manufacturers who wish to add some, but not all ingredients found in human milk may defeat the purpose of the added nutrients or may potentiate negative interactions. Examples include the deleterious effect on growth when eicosapentaenoic acid is added without adequate DHA (Carlson et al., 1996) and the potential negative effect of adding polyunsaturated fats and large amounts of iron without adding adequate antioxidants (Halliwell and Chirico, 1993; McCord, 1996)…For many nutrients that do not interact chemically or compete for enzymatic or receptor binding sites, the relative amounts may not be important. However in situations where there is competition for enzymes (e.g., among n-3 and n-6 PUFAs) (Brenner, 1974) or receptor binding sites in the intestine (e.g., for zinc, iron, and copper), the relative proportions may have biological significance” (Institute of Medicine (US); ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

What happens next? Well, sometimes your body just rejects it altogether through your urine, stool, sweat, pores, etc. In some cases, your body will decide to hold onto the foreigner travelling around in your system. Heavy metals are an excellent example of those bad elements that your body will accumulate instead of rejecting. I don’t know why this happens, but the accumulation of heavy metals within your cells is something that can take place for years without you even realizing that it is happening. Sooner or later though, you will begin to notice the presence of heavy metals usually in the form of an illness. Epilepsy, for example, is commonly caused by an over abundance of heavy metals. As you’ve probably already realized, you do not want to wait until later to discover if you are indeed ill. I speak from experience here and I guarantee that your moment of discovery will be neither convenient nor will it be ideal for you, because that is the way life always seems to work when it comes to the unveiling of a serious medical condition. I was fifteen years old, in the middle of my spring break, and sleeping over at a friend’s house when my first seizure took place…not exactly opportune for something like that to occur and I would say that I am very lucky I was not injured due to the circumstances.

My point here is that synthetically derived vitamins are what your baby will be consuming if you choose the formula route. Who wants the substitute product for their child if the original is available??? Don’t settle for second best.

Breast feeding or using a breast pump may require more effort than mixing a scoop of powdered formula with some water, but it is ultimately the best decision you will ever make for your child’s long-term health. For starters, during the pregnancy stage the female human body spends nine months (give or take a few weeks) preparing milk that is packed full of natural vitamins, nutrients, anti-bodies, probiotics, and other helpful elements that will help nurture a newborn baby through those first couple of months by laying a superior foundation necessary for proper function throughout his or her entire life.

Breastfeeding isn’t simply a preference for how to feed your baby, it is a crucial first step in preparing your baby’s body for the rest of his or her life. So many parents are concerned about buying the right stroller and choosing the safest toys, but the best way to protect your baby begins with the diet you choose for him or her.
I understand that certain circumstances can prevent some parents from feeding their babies milk. A dairy allergy, for example, will make any mom reach for the soy-based baby formula as quickly as she can. However, there are still better alternatives to breast milk and cow’s milk than baby formula!

In most cases, health experts will recommend a “nutrient-dense” baby formula as an ideal alternative to breast milk. However, I disagree. Baby formula will only appear to be the next best option from a superficial perspective. As long as one does not delve too deep into the foundational details of a formula product, s/he will be easily fooled by the “healthy” façade. Ignorance is not bliss in this situation, therefore, I highly recommend every parent remove their rose-colored glasses and see this product for what it truly is…a very poor substitute for breast milk.

Take the impressive list of vitamins and minerals found on nearly every canister of the majority of brands of baby formula. Potassium, Manganese, Magnesium, Calcium, Zinc, and Selenium are just a few of the names you’ll find included in this list. When derived from natural sources, these vitamins and minerals can be very beneficial for the human body. If you ask any baby formula brand if their product’s nutritional qualities have been derived from natural sources, the answer is most likely going to be “No” because synthetic sources are a heck of a whole lot cheaper and easier to attain!

The focus on quality has been lost over the years…the concern is no longer for the well-being of the consumer, it is for the well-being of the manufacturer. Even corporations that are willing to spend a bit more for a healthier, organic product still remain prone to choosing synthetic ingredients over natural ingredients.

At the end of the day, the only “green” they care about is going into their pockets instead of their product. And we, the consumer, are the ones suffering from these decisions concerning product quality. So, even though formula may be the easier choice in the moment, it will always fail to help build the crucial nutritional foundation your baby desperately needs in order to function properly as a toddler, a young adult, and (eventually) as a grown adult.

This perspective changes things a bit, doesn’t it? My hope is that it helps all of you parents out there to think twice before automatically supporting the formula industry. Truthfully, we’ve all been there, but whether you’re wearing the title of “Mom” or “Dad” (maybe both for all of the single parents out there) just put the formula canister back where you got it from and back away slowly. This is literally the best advice I can give to any parent debating using formula as an alternative to breast milk.

The unfortunate reality of those months of preparation is that things don’t always go according to the plans we make. For example, a mother’s milk may not “come in” completely, leaving any parent with a stressful dilemma: a hungry baby. And like most adults, hunger makes for a very grumpy little human being. An ideal solution for this problem in the past was a wet nurse. You could hire someone with the proper resources to come in and feed your baby for you…on paper this is a simple solution. However, babies are already expensive enough on their own and hiring a wet nurse is not an option for the majority of parents.

Plus, I feel like using another person to feed your baby takes away from the special emotional bond that will form during the time you spend personally feeding your child. Whether it is Mom breast-feeding or Dad bottle-feeding, the intimacy of these moments will have a large impact upon the type of relationship you develop with your child. It is important not to dismiss this time as a waste of your own time, nothing can be more important than the attention and time you devote to your little ones.
So, since wet nurses are too expensive an option, detract from your relationship with your child, and no longer serve as a practical option…What do you do instead to avoid baby formula?

If you’ve read my blog before than you know how much I love the natural route of just about everything, especially food. Baby food is no exception! Babies are at a crucial step in their development process during the milk phase, therefore, choosing the right breast milk substitute is incredibly important and has a lot of potential to be either beneficial or detrimental to your child’s future health.

Here’s why: Dairy products are a prominent food group that is frequently prone to synthetic additives such as hormones and antibiotics, which is why finding a healthy product at the local grocery store can be such a challenge. Sometimes we may not even realize we’re purchasing an unhealthy product.

Take the “Vitamin D Additive” found in many milk products, it’s not a beneficial characteristic at all! It’s actually a synthetic additive that, once ingested, only creates problems for the human body. Most synthetically derived ingredients have been chemically engineered in a lab rather than collected from natural sources within nature. Because of this, our bodies aren’t sure what to do with these ingredients or where to send them. There is no appropriate location for these imposter ingredients because, truth be told, no human being should ever consume this kind of garbage.

During the digestion process, these synthetic ingredients really do get lost in translation because they are essentially composed of a foreign language breed of ingredients that have no proper place of “belonging” in the body. Unfortunately, these foreign ingredients are occasionally stored in the cells of our bodies when consumed. This is only one of the many reasons why they should be avoided in every stage of life, but most especially in the early years when key development is occurring on a daily basis. You can read more about ingredients and ingredient labels here.

So how do we avoid synthetic ingredients in the foods we feed our children when the majority of products being sold by our local grocers are full to the brim with these exact ingredients? We’re living in an age when reading an ingredient label is necessary to determine the true quality of a product. Personally, I’ve reached a point where I no longer buy the majority of my dairy products from a commercial vendor. Instead, I purchase Raw Dairy Products from a private farm where every product is guaranteed to be Organic, free from all additives, and derived from grass-fed animals (a very important detail for those of you with soy allergies and looking to avoid the soy feed commonly used as the “healthier” option by many companies).

***Side Note about Soy: “Soy-based formulas were developed for infants perceived to be intolerant of cow-milk protein. The first soy formulas were commercially available in 1929 (Abt, 1965). These formulas were made with soy flour and were not well accepted by parents, who complained of loose, malodorous stools, diaper rash, and stained clothing. In the mid-1960s isolated soy protein was introduced into formulas. These formulas were much more like milk-based formulas in appearance and acceptance. However the preparation of isolated soy protein resulted in the elimination of most of the vitamin K in the soy, and a few cases of vitamin K deficiency were reported. The occurrence of nutrient deficiencies in infants fed milk-free formulas contributed to the development of federal regulations concerning the nutrient content of formulas (Fomon, 1993). Soy formulas now account for about 40 percent of formula sales in the United States…Manufacturers who wish to add some, but not all, ingredients found in human milk may defeat the purpose of the added nutrients or may potentiate negative interactions. Examples include the deleterious effect on growth when eicosapentaenoic acid is added without adequate DHA (Carlson et al., 1996) and the potential negative effect of adding polyunsaturated fats and large amounts of iron without adding adequate antioxidants (Halliwell and Chirico, 1993; McCord, 1996)” (Institute of Medicine (US); ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

If you are interested in the private farm I mentioned above, please email me directly at Katie@seizethedayblog.com for more information.
Raw dairy products are, hands down, the best alternative to natural breast milk. Raw goat’s milk is the real hidden gem in this situation. The goat’s stomach and overall digestive system are the most similar to a human being’s. Therefore, their milk is easiest to digest.

“According to the Journal of American Medicine, ‘Goat’s milk is the most complete food known.’ It contains vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, trace elements, enzymes, protein, and fatty acids that are utilized by your body with ease. In fact, your body can digest goat’s milk in just 20 minutes. It takes 2-3 hours to digest cow’s milk” (ROSEOFSHARONACRES.COM).

Researchers have actually found that people who struggle to digest cow’s milk have slim to no trouble during the digestion process when consuming goat’s milk. This same difference also applies to babies and young children, as well. Cows do have four stomachs, after all, making cow’s milk quite the challenge to digest. The best way to describe goat’s milk is as the gentle alternative. Goat’s milk is both under-rated and under-appreciated because our society is so used to considering cows as the primary source and societal “norm” for dairy products.

“Americans have been ‘culturized & advertised’ into associating milk with cows when in fact, goat milk is far more healthy for humans” (Roseofsharonacres.com).

You can never completely plan for the future in a way that will make you fully equipped for every unexpected twist and turn that is “Life.” If this was possible, maybe I would have gotten a clue a whole lot sooner when I was first diagnosed with epilepsy instead of wasting my time going down numerous rabbit trails that weren’t helpful or healthy for my long-term state of health. Hindsight is always 20/20 and I am 100% sure that although I have learned a lot from my experience with epilepsy, I also have a lot of regret in my past. Whether it is the way I handled certain situations or the approach I chose to manage the challenges I faced thanks to my health there is and always will be a part of me that wishes I did “this” or “that” differently. One of these wishes is that I tried the holistic path immediately. I constantly wonder where I would be at this point in my life if I had. I am confident in the fact that I am exactly where I am meant to be, but I also do not want to see this same regret I have acquired to be a part of your journey as a parent.

It makes sense to feed your children foods that are from-scratch, Organic, and Non-GMO. Skip the baby food aisle altogether and visit the produce section instead. In this way, you can try and become equipped for some of the challenges that are parenthood in a nutshell. Take the milk problem, for example. It is excellent to have a “Plan B” in the back of your mind so that you aren’t scrambling to handle another challenging, but totally worth it, moment of parenthood.

Goat’s milk is your alternative to formula, but what about when your baby graduates to the soft food stage? Do you turn to jarred foods that are filled with preservatives, additives, and many other synthetic ingredients? Of course not!!!!
You get to know your basic fruits and vegetables again! By steaming or boiling veggies, you can easily reach a texture that is appropriate for babies. You can safely begin this stage after your child reaches 6 months of age. Prior to 6 months, it is recommended by health experts that your baby maintain a strict diet of milk.

Creating healthy, from-scratch meals for your baby can often seem like a daunting task. However, these meals are actually going to be considerably easier than the meals you cook for the rest of your family. You are going to be cooking a lot of steamed veggies, which means meal prep is going to be a breeze! You are definitely going to want to take advantage of the perk of meal prep.
Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, steamed carrots, steamed broccoli, bananas, and many other fruits and veggies are excellent options for homemade baby food.

I would even try to coordinate meals so that you’re not making what feels like 2 separate meals. For example, try planning side dishes like mashed potatoes or steamed carrots, maybe both for a more balanced meal if you happen to be serving a main dish such as chicken or another healthy protein. Though your baby may not yet be able to chew a more solid dish like chicken, if he or she is 6 months old your little one can certainly be fed the mashed potatoes and steamed carrots (mashed). This way you only have one meal to prepare instead of two. This is hands down the best part about moving on to the soft food stage…you no longer have to feed your baby a completely separate meal.

So what are you waiting for? Simplify already! The majority of what you eat, your baby can eat too, so long as it is properly prepared. Think minimal seasonings when you’re preparing those potatoes, carrots, or any other side dish.

“Cinnamon is generally regarded as safe to give to your baby in small amounts after they turn 6 months of age. Cinnamon doesn’t commonly cause an allergic reaction in children or adults. Heavy exposure to cinnamon can cause stomach upset, skin or mouth irritation, and possibly problems with bleeding due to decreased blood clotting. But a sprinkle of cinnamon on your baby’s food probably won’t cause a problem.
If your baby appears to have an allergic reaction to foods containing cinnamon, or they appear fussy and agitated after consuming cinnamon, call your doctor right away” (Healthline.com).

Being aware of those seasonings, such as cinnamon, is imperative for your child’s health, but the good news is there are few seasonings as inflammatory as cinnamon. Usually you can just going the minimalist route and simply sprinkle a little pink Himalayan salt for flavor. Your baby will probably prefer less seasoning anyway since a newborn’s palette is undeveloped. Basically, I’m trying to promote the convenience that is this form of baby food…it will always be the ideal route because it is simple and healthy. You can make a healthy, no-fuss meal for your baby that is 100% free of synthetic additives and it can be made using real ingredients. This is clean-eating at its finest. And the earlier you introduce clean foods into your baby’s diet, the better it is for his or her ability to develop that foundation, which will serve as a key component during the critical stage of growth that is the first six months and, if we’re being really honest with ourselves, the first twelve months.

Medical Disclaimer:

The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website.

SOURCES:

1. Enfamil Premium Infant Formula Powder – 12.5 oz: https://www.target.com/p/enfamil-premium-infant-formula-powder-12-5-oz/-/A-12849663?sid=1958S&ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Baby+Shopping_Local&adgroup=SC_Baby&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=1013549&gclid=CjwKCAjw4sLVBRAlEiwASblR-xSmAL2MNop2_N3IiYHWl2pxOqAShHgjDO_zEJRaBVcKnQoGJAsvuhoC_gkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
2. Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/can-babies-have-cinnamon
3. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on the Evaluation of the Addition of Ingredients New to Infant Formula. Infant Formula: Evaluating the Safety of New Ingredients. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2004. 3, Comparing Infant Formulas with Human Milk.Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK215837/
4. Livestrong: https://www.livestrong.com/article/536769-when-do-babies-stop-jar-food/
5. The Physics Classroom (Newton’s Third Law): http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/Lesson-4/Newton-s-Third-Law
6. Rose of Sharon Acres: https://www.roseofsharonacres.com/raw_goat_milk_benefits

3 Seizure Triggers Every Epileptic Should Be Aware Of: Caffeine, Alcohol, & Processed Sugar

 

After posting “6 Common Seizure Triggers That May Be Lurking in Your Kitchen Cabinets,” I have received an abundance of requests for another article on the subject of seizure triggers. Seeing as though the majority of doctors fail to mention the possibility of all-natural food or lifestyle products acting as sources of seizure activity, I thought it would be incredibly appropriate and relatable for epileptics everywhere.

I can still remember when I was first diagnosed with epilepsy and the fear I had of the future while I sat in the doctor’s office. Epilepsy is a serious condition to be diagnosed with, but I think the majority of my fear stemmed from a lack of knowledge on the subject of seizures. My parents and I had so many questions, but it was clear that the only answer my neurologist was willing to give me as he herded patients in and out of his office like cattle was, “Go live your life.”

Hmm…umm yeah that’s what I’m trying to do if you would just tell me how! Anyone with a medical condition knows that this simple statement is easier said than done. If you’re also struggling with epilepsy, it is probably best to know what you’re up against and how to protect yourself if or when these encounters with seizure triggers occur.

In my first article, I discussed herbs and spices such as Rosemary, Nutmeg, Allspice, Cloves, Tarragon, and Sage. With this next article, I would like to bypass the spice rack and address three products that have become increasingly popular in today’s society instead. In all honesty, each of these three products has become much too popular in the everyday diet of the majority of people.

It may come as a bit of a shock, but the products I am referring to are Caffeine, Alcohol, and Processed Sugar. Nowadays, the danger isn’t just lurking in your kitchen cabinets, it exists in every coffee shop you visit, every restaurant you eat at, any bar or club you go to, and in every establishment offering dessert products.

With the popularity of all three of these products in the daily lives of the majority of people, my question for every neurologist is “How can you not inform epileptics of the potential excitotoxic effect these products tend to have on the brain and the dangers that occur when they’re mixed with anti-epileptic medication?” I am yet to receive an answer to this question. Unfortunately, when I first began my journey with epilepsy, I had to find out about seizure triggers through yet another process of trial and error. Personal experience is the best experience and most educational, but at 16 years old, having a seizure in the middle of a crowded restaurant due to an excitotoxin/seizure trigger is traumatic and (even though I’m pretty out of it due to the seizure) embarrassing. My hope for all of my readers also living with epilepsy is that this article saves each of you from unnecessary seizure activity.

Excitotoxins are literally everywhere in our environment…the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the products we use on a daily basis. Dump addictive stimulants like caffeine, alcohol, and processed sugar and do your entire body a huge favor, calm down! To learn more about excitotoxins in everyday products and how to avoid them, check out Part 1 and Part 2 of my mini-series on Petroleum.

It is clear that caffeine, alcohol, and processed sugar aren’t exactly beneficial products for the human body, in general. But, do you know the risks that exist for an epileptic when s/he is exposed to these products??? Regardless of your answer to this question, read on to learn more about the prevalent dirty little secret each of these products possess.

Caffeine: What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word “caffeine”? Probably, coffee, right? This does seem to be the most popular caffeinated product on the market at this point in time, but caffeine is actually found in a large variety of foods and beverages. Coffee, chocolate, green tea, black tea, soda, even juice are just a few of the products that can contain caffeine.

Did you know that caffeine interacts very poorly with the majority of anti-epileptic prescription medications? Most people are unaware of this fact because it is listed at the very end of the “Warnings” list provided by the pharmacy. You know, the very thick packet that comes with your medication, but more often than not ends up in the trash without ever being read. Who knew it was actually informative? This is why neurologists should inform epileptics of these types of issues! Consuming caffeinated products while taking prescription anti-epileptic medications can cause anaphylaxis reactions. It depends on the person and their level of tolerance, but the reaction can be as minor as difficulty swallowing or as extreme as a closed throat.

I actually experienced this effect firsthand when I ate a chocolate cupcake (maybe 3, if I’m being completely honest) and my throat swelled up a bit, making it difficult for me to swallow. After doing some research and talking to a family friend with epilepsy, I learned that this is a common reaction for anyone on anti-seizure meds. It would have been nice if my neurologist had informed me of this apparently common-knowledge fact, but that would mean he’s actually being helpful and I’m pretty sure that is impossible for this neurologist, in particular.

I make it a priority in my daily routine to avoid coffee, chocolate, caffeinated teas, etc. If you are living with epilepsy, caffeine is a great ingredient to avoid completely.

Alcohol: Whether you think of wine, beer, cocktails, or hard liquor, this product in particular does not mix well with prescription medications of any kind nor does it have the most beneficial effect on your long-term brain health. The main problem alcohol poses for the majority of people is that strange inclination for the product no matter what form it may be in. I can think of a number of people who would say that this particular product makes or breaks a Friday night. But, the fact of the matter is, alcohol is NOT a prerequisite nor is it a primary requirement in order for an evening to be classified as “fun.” Contrary to popular belief, alcohol is more of a recipe for disaster than it is a recipe for fun.

Whatever happened to ordering water, tea, lemonade, or some other non-alcoholic drink? Let me just say what most other people will not these days…it is perfectly acceptable to order a non-alcoholic beverage. Worried about being “un-cool” in the eyes of your peers? Well, if you are epileptic, I would think having a seizure in the middle of a restaurant is much more un-cool than ordering an iced water. And I would know, because it has happened a number of times. If you are truly concerned about your brain health, you need to stop worrying about peer pressure and start considering the long-term effect it could be having on your body.

Alcohol is an excitotoxin; therefore your brain activity is going to be altered whenever you drink an alcoholic beverage. It’s the way alcohol has and always will affect the brain. I guess you could say that seizure activity is inevitable when you consume this product. Not to mention, the main side effect of your anti-seizure meds when mixed with alcohol is increased seizure activity. Basically, alcohol defeats the purpose of your medication altogether. If you want to decrease your seizure activity, skip the alcohol.

Processed Sugar: The ingredient that is found in practically every processed food product on supermarket shelves these days. I specified processed sugar because unrefined organic sugar is actually very beneficial for your body and your brain when consumed in moderation. A good amount of sugar will also help to chelate heavy metals from your cells and body tissue.

Processed sugar, on the other hand, is derived from synthetic sources and also acts as an excitotoxin in children and adults. Processed sugar is found in the majority of snack food and beverage ingredient labels under code-names such as high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin, carrageenan, and monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Remember those days as a kid when your parents would limit your daily sugar intake to prevent a sugar rush? Well that sugar rush still poses a valid threat to your brain health. Those bursts of energy created by the sugar-y products in your brain are exactly what we’re trying to avoid on a daily basis if we’re ever going to achieve stable brain activity. In fact, it is these random “bursts” that make processed sugar such a threatening excitotoxin. It is best to completely avoid processed and artificial sugars because, like caffeine and alcohol, this product will also increase seizure activity.

This is why I have found it best to completely avoid all processed food products. If I’m eating something with sugar, you can guarantee it is unrefined and I made the food entirely from scratch in my own kitchen. I figure, why take the risk with processed foods when I can know exactly which ingredients were used in the recipe I prepared myself?

Like I mentioned in the introduction, these are not easily avoided ingredients in the average person’s daily routine. With coffee shops on every corner and full bars in nearly every restaurant it is almost impossible to avoid these products completely. This means you will still be faced with the temptation to choose caffeine, alcohol, and processed sugar. This decision is yours to make, however, just remember that it is what you do with these moments of temptation that determine what kind of brain health you are ultimately striving for. When life hands you lemons (or caffeine, alcohol & sugar) I hope you choose the option that is best for your overall long-term health; in other words I hope you choose lemonade. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.

With summer only a few short weeks away, homemade Snickerdoodles have become a very popular snack in my house. You can never go wrong with that perfect mix of cinnamon and sugar. Keep an eye out for my own personal recipe on the blog very soon!

 

Sources:

My own personal experience was used entirely as the source for this particular article. If you have any further questions regarding this subject, feel free to email me at Katie@seizethedayblog.com. Please remember that I am not a medical professional, therefore, my answers should be viewed as my own personal opinion on the matter not actual medicinal advice. Please consult a doctor before making any changes to your daily routine. Thank you for understanding.

 

Medical Disclaimer:

The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website.

 

Copyright Info:

All images, excluding those included in the web design, posted on [seizethedayblog.com] are taken by the owner. No images from external sources are used on this blog.

Proper credit should be attributed when republishing any material found on [seizethdayblog.com].

GAPS Diet Reading List (Continuation from Crohn’s Disease: Chronic or Curable???)

 

In my latest article, “Crohn’s Disease: Chronic or Curable???,” I discussed the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) Diet as a Holistic option for treating Crohn’s Disease. Since this is the reading list from that particular article, I recommend checking it out before reading the GAPS Diet Reading List. I discuss in much greater detail the “ins and outs” of both Crohn’s Disease and the GAPS Diet, something that will be very helpful to know before carrying on. I have provided a link above for those of you interested.

The truth is, the GAPS Diet can actually treat an array of conditions and diseases, one being Epilepsy, which is what sparked my interest in doing the diet as well as posting about it. I would like all of my readers to know that I am not suggesting this diet based upon hearsay…I actually happen to be in the middle of the Full GAPS Diet right now and am writing to you based on my own personal experience! I successfully completed all 6 stages of the GAPS Intro Diet on October 16th and I am proud to say that I have been Full GAPS for about 2 weeks now! Personal experience has always served as my best form of education when it comes to these subjects, the GAPS Diet included!

In my article on Crohn’s Disease, I mentioned three books that served as resources to me during the prep process and the actual diet. I must admit that all three have been must-haves for me, personally, but the cookbook in particular guided me successfully through each individual stage of the GAPS Intro Diet and onto the Full GAPS Diet. Although completely worth it in the end, taking on the GAPS Diet is no small task, and every stage provides its own challenges in addition to the overall lifestyle change required by this diet. That being said, any assistance should be welcomed with open arms, The Heal Your Gut Cookbook, included!

Not only does it guide you stage by stage through the GAPS Intro Diet, the cookbook also contains some incredibly helpful info on the Full GAPS Diet (which is the main diet, but is more of the Part 2 section when the GAPS Intro Diet is also utilized (something I highly recommend!)). The amazing author, Hilary Boynton, has created a GAPS Diet 101 type of cookbook that includes yummy recipes for all six stages of the GAPS Intro Diet and also provides a variety of meals for the Full GAPS Diet.

An entire list of GAPS-Legal foods is included for the reader (there is much to look forward to, so stay strong during those 6 intro stages!). Naturally, a Do Not Eat list is also included and serves as a very helpful reference whenever you encounter questionable foods or ingredients.

If I could give anyone interested in or currently on the GAPS Diet only one tip, it would be to get this cookbook as soon as possible! Making the leap to Full GAPS is not an easy one, but having this helpful “guide” takes most of the guesswork (and stress) out of making a GAPS legal meal.

I have literally gone through this entire cookbook on a daily basis ever since I began the diet on September 17th. My GAPS practitioner knew what she was talking about when she recommended it to me! In a nutshell, you will not regret adding this cookbook to your bookshelf!

The next GAPS-related book currently on my reading list is Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride’s The Gut and Psychology Syndrome. She is the mastermind behind this brilliant diet, therefore, it’s pretty much a no-brainer that you’re going to want to read this book if interested in the diet and have it on hand during the diet! The fantastic part about this source is that it gives you a lot of foundational information on how and why this diet is so successful in helping people of all ages become perfectly healthy. It helped me to first understand the GAPS Diet before I embarked on my journey through the actual process. Whenever I have questions about the diet, I reference this book for the answer and usually always find it!

Lastly, there is Brain Maker by Dr. David Perlmutter, which explains the logic behind the notion of disease originating in the gut, an idea also embraced by the brilliant Hippocrates. His book offers so much enlightening information on the role of gut flora and the immense impact your stomach alone has on your overall total-body health. Although he doesn’t mention the GAPS Diet, there are so many other useful tid-bits of information revealed in Brain Maker that I believe everyone should know if they are ever going to truly heal their body. It certainly opened my eyes to understand just how important the GAPS Diet could be for treating my Epilepsy!

In conclusion, each book contains its own unique information that I believe will contribute greatly to your journey with GAPS. This diet may come as a bit of a lifestyle shock at first, but the truth is it is exactly how each and every individual should be eating. Believe it or not, this way of eating homemade fermented foods, chicken broth, and pastured animal products was actually considered “normal” about 100 years ago. We simply lost our healthy habits along the way to 2016 with processed ingredients, synthetic chemicals, and animal byproducts.

With that said, I will leave you with one last tip: if it isn’t real, don’t eat it! And the GAPS Diet is the perfect way to ensure this! If you have any questions about the GAPS Diet or any of the books I shared, please visit Seize the Day Blog via Twitter & Instagram or email me (katie@seizethedayblog.com)!

 

Medical Disclaimer:

The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website.

 

Sources:

  1. Boynton, Hilary and Brackett, Mary G. “The Heal Your Gut Cookbook.” Chelsea Green Publishing, 2014. Print.
  2. Campbell-Mcbride, Dr. Natasha. “Gut and Psychology Syndrome.” Maple Press, 2010. Print.
  3. Perlmutter, Dr. David. “Brain Maker.” Little, Brown and Company, 2015. Print.

Crohn’s Disease: Chronic or Curable???

 

Over the last couple of weeks I have posted quite a few articles on the subject of Ingredients in processed foods because of the negative impact they so clearly seem to have on anyone consuming these products. After discussing such a broad topic, I would like to narrow things down this week and focus specifically on the topic of Crohn’s Disease, also known as Leaky Gut Syndrome. Both eating and lifestyle habits have such a strong impact on how we function as human beings, but most of us seem to disregard this fact. Instead of maintaining healthy eating and lifestyle habits we tend to abandon the beneficial options available and often times settle with the easier options…freezer lasagna instead of homemade lasagna, lemonade from a powder mix instead of lemonade from fresh squeezed lemons, take out for dinner (quick option) instead of a homemade meal (option requiring some effort on your part), etc.

In American culture, our average diet considered “normal” by most people is composed almost completely of processed foods. Shocking, I know! Synthetic foods should be thought of as the furthest thing from normal. But, alas, we have reached a low point in the nutrition arena that honestly does not bode well for the future health of those maintaining this type of diet. That has been made very clear when examining the rise in a variety of health problems, most especially Crohn’s Disease.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Crohn’s Disease is officially defined as a “chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract” (mayoclinic.org). Basically, your body is struggling to correctly digest the foods you are feeding it, the consequence being the development of holes in the intestines. Once these holes have developed, your body becomes susceptible to the leakage of everything traveling through your intestinal tract.

While thinking of the big picture scenario, it can be easy to keep your concept of these “traveling” items in your stomach limited to food products alone. However, realistically, there is quite the diverse collection of travelers present in every human being’s digestive system far beyond food products and including other elements such as digestive fluids, toxins, bacteria (both good and bad), liquids, and many other organisms (some beneficial, others detrimental to overall bodily function). The stomach is always thought of as the center of the body not only because of its biological location, but also because of the numerous activities performed by this single organ on a daily basis. These numerous activities or “tasks” are provided by a multitude of organs, therefore, when a person does develop Crohn’s disease their leaky gut is also allowing elements from other organs (sent to the digestive tract for a specific purpose) to slip through the intestinal lining and circulate randomly throughout the body.

Instead of being properly digested, these foods and/or liquids are forced to find other routes out of the body. This is why people with Crohn’s Disease typically develop a second anal cavity near or right next to their first cavity. This second cavity will serve as a drain for all of the foods or liquids that slip through the existing holes in the intestines.

If you “Google” Crohn’s Disease, it will give you some general info on this condition including the statement that it “can’t be cured, but treatment may help” and it is a “chronic condition, meaning it can last for years or be lifelong.” Basically, this search engine has provided some not so encouraging details about a disease that, when treated holistically, actually can be reversed.

Many of us often jump to the conclusion that antibiotics, medications, and surgeries are needed if any type of recovery will occur because this is what we know and it is what we have grown up with. However, it is actually the opposite of what you really want to be doing, especially for this specific circumstance. Although we are trying to heal the issue at hand, we make the mistake of automatically assuming that we already know best and therefore never make any other effort to further analyze the overall situation. We never take the time to consider what could be causing such a serious condition; we immediately jump to finding the solution.

Which may be very bold of us, but we lose the opportunity to figure out the true cause of the problem. By taking a look at Crohn’s Disease, one will discover that the main issue stems from the entire gut. It is not exclusive to only one region of the gut, such as the digestive system or the intestines. The whole gut is struggling to function, therefore, our greatest concern when battling this disease should be the entire gastrointestinal system. When visiting a doctor of modern medicine, it is much easier for him or her to “fix” the problem by blaming it on only one part of the gut, typically the intestines because this is where the greatest amount of wear and tear from improper gut function is found.

In my opinion, this is the biggest mistake made by modern medicine in relation to this specific condition. These doctors focus on one tiny component of the gut when it is the entire system that needs help. You can’t throw medication at one area of the body and expect it to be miraculously healed from a condition like Crohn’s Disease, just like you can’t fix one flat tire on a bike with two flats and expect it to ride perfectly. You must air up both tires before you can receive this result.

Personally, I do not believe you can throw medication at any part of the body and expect positive results because the overall cause of medication use is typically side effects and long-term damage. The products are made up of synthetic and chemically based ingredients so it really shouldn’t come as much of a shock.

I just want to point out that health issues based in the stomach are more often than not related to poor diet. If your diet is poor, than you’re consuming numerous amounts of processed foods (filled with synthetic ingredients) on a daily basis. Therefore, it makes no sense to try and heal the issue with more of what caused the condition in the first place. Our goal shouldn’t be to increase the existing synthetic material already in the gut; we should want to decrease this harmful material! Synthetically based products are NOT going to do this! They’re only going to worsen the Crohn’s Disease! If anyone is going to achieve this goal of decreasing the existing synthetic material, the stomach first needs to be flushed of it.

I know that the thought of healing the entire gastrointestinal system can be a bit daunting, obviously it is much more complicated than simply airing up two bike tires, but a solution does exist and it is feasible (doable, reasonable, realistic). Not only that, it is logical too! It makes sense to remove the poor ingredients creating the problem if we are ever going to successfully remove the problem, itself.

For an illness that begins in the gut, it is crucial to automatically focus on healing this specific area. The human body craves and, with the right approach, that is exactly what it is going to get. Skip the medication and surgery; God gave us ALL of those intestines for a reason, therefore, cutting them apart should never be an option!

An alternative treatment option is the GAPS Diet, also known as the Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet. This diet is amazing! The primary goal of this diet is to heal the gut in its entirety all the while restoring balance, proper nourishment, and healthy total body function. If you do a little research on GAPS, you will find story after story from people who have used it as a treatment method, all receiving positive benefits from the diet.

There is an Intro GAPS Diet, consisting of 6 stages, which some people choose to do while others skip it and go straight to the main GAPS diet, known as the Full GAPS Diet.

Personally, I recommend utilizing the Intro GAPS Diet because it is supposed to be the most healing, especially for the gut. Intro GAPS breaks down your diet by stage and builds upon each as you complete one stage and move on to the next. In Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride’s book, The Gut and Psychology Syndrome, she advises a person spend 3-5 days on every stage of the Intro diet. There are specific foods allowed with each stage, which you can find more details about in Dr. Natasha’s book (mentioned above). The Heal Your Gut Cookbook by Hilary Boynton is also terrific for anyone starting this diet! It was so helpful for me the way it was organized by each stage of the diet and clearly listed the allowed foods. This is also a great way to help your body ease in to starting such an intense diet without shocking your system. In addition to these two sources, I also recommend you check out the following article by Jen Reviews on the GAPS Diet. It contains lots of helpful information including recipes and insights on how to successfully commit to this diet despite the meal restrictions. You can access the article here.

In this cookbook, there are a variety of recipes for every dieter to try including meals, desserts, and beverages. I personally love the ginger tea in Stage 1. Although I’m not a huge fan of ginger’s flavor, I am a fan of its many anti-inflammatory qualities that could be so helpful to people with Crohn’s Disease or even those with a sensitive gut. It is a supplemental tea that not only adds to the diet, but it helps to further progress the healing effects of the GAPS diet, as well. Since caffeine is not allowed during the first couple of stages, this ginger tea would be a fantastic substitute option for your morning or afternoon coffee. The diet is strict and requires complete dedication, but it offers a true-blue method to healing your gut.

Although I do not have Crohn’s Disease, I have two family friends who, in the last three years, have been diagnosed with this condition. Both are too young to be dealing with such an illness, the first being in his mid-twenties and the second being less than ten years of age. Both also happen to be choosing the wrong path (medications and surgery), but do not realize the error in their actions because they are unaware of alternative options like the GAPS diet. The truth is, most people do not realize that they can literally heal their intestines with their diet and, therefore, reverse their painful condition.

If a second option is available to those suffering from Crohn’s disease, they should know about it. It is because of this reason that I have chosen to write on this particular subject. At the very least, I want people to know that the GAPS diet exists and can heal many intestinal issues beyond Crohn’s disease. I am not being paid to write this article, I truly believe in this diet and the nutritional healing it can provide to whomever needs it.

Diet and lifestyle play a huge role in your chances of developing Crohn’s Disease and the likelihood of you beating this disease if you already suffer from it. Holistic medicine triumphs once again by keeping its focus on healing the root of the problem at hand rather than the symptoms. Medication and treatments merely serve as a Band-Aid for the true problem. For those of you seeking an actual solution for your problem(s), sometimes it is best to go back to the basics when figuring out how to reach a healthy state. Many times, fixing the gut is the foremost approach to achieving this goal.

 

Reminder: As always, please remember that I am not a healthcare provider, therefore any changes you wish to make to your diet or lifestyle based upon the info you read here on Seize the Day Blog should first be approved by your doctor.

 

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER:

The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website.

 

Sources:

Google – https://www.google.com/#q=crohn%27s+disease

Mayo Clinic – http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/crohns-disease/basics/definition/con-20032061

Brain Maker by Dr. David Perlmutter – https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Maker-Power-Microbes-Protect/dp/0316380105

The Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride – https://www.amazon.com/Gut-Psychology-Syndrome-Depression-Schizophrenia/dp/0954852001

6 Common Seizure Triggers That May Be Lurking in Your Kitchen Cabinets

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As I discussed in my previous article, the trial and error process has been and continues to be a substantial part of my journey with epilepsy. I learn as I go, stumbling and, every once in a while, falling along the way, but never staying down for long because it isn’t until I get back up that the “success” part of this process can be attained. Especially when it comes to my seizures and going beyond the symptoms to figure out the cause.

There have been so many times when I’ll go through a phase of increased seizure activity, every phase being completely out of the blue. The most frustrating part of this increased activity (apart from the seizures, of course) is always the resonating mystery of what exactly caused this surprising intensification.

In my opinion, most of us epileptics can’t help but always keep that question of “Why” in the back of our minds. If we are truly going to heal our bodies of this condition we constantly deal with on a daily basis, having an answer to this question would certainly be a helpful start! As I have pondered this question strictly for my own symptoms, the biggest revelation I have come to realize is that there are typically multiple answers to this one question. And they vary from person to person, which is also why this is such a difficult question to answer. So, if you were thinking I was just about to reveal the miracle answer, I’m very sorry to disappoint you. But, what I can do is share one of the most common contributing factors that has had quite the influence on many epileptics’ current condition, some (like me and my own first year with epilepsy) without their knowledge. If the title of this article didn’t already give the answer away, the factor I’m referring to is diet/nutrition.

It is truly astonishing the effect foods and eating habits can have on both your brain and total body health. Obviously, synthetic/processed foods and ingredients aren’t the healthiest types of products we can be pumping into our bodies on a daily basis, but what about all-natural foods? By “all-natural,” I mean something like a plant-based food, such as Rosemary (fresh or dried), which only consists of one ingredient as opposed to a processed food product, such as a Pop Tart, which is filled with numerous synthetic ingredients.

Organic or non-organic fruits, vegetables, and spices have always been advertised as perfectly healthy; therefore we never assume there could be any cause for suspicion. But, the unfortunate truth is that many all-natural food products, sans synthetic ingredients, can act as seizure triggers (a.k.a. products containing elements (synthetic, natural, or both) that can prompt seizure activity in certain people). Similar to an excitotoxin (click here to read more about excitotoxins), the seizure trigger contains an element that interacts with your body and brain in a negative manner, ultimately resulting in the occurrence of a seizure. Seizure triggers concerning fruits, veggies, and spices are no longer referring to synthetic ingredients a product might contain but rather the natural effect each tends to have as they are digested and dispersed throughout the body.

**Side Note: Seizure triggers can also be found in other types of product groups such as cosmetics, bedding, and cookware. But, ultimately, each of these groups share a common and widespread culprit existing at the heart of the cause…synthetic ingredients. What it really comes down to is the quality of the product.

In this article, I am going to discuss six all-natural products that I have recently been forced to move to the “allergic” list due to their widespread tendency to be seizure triggers for not just me, but other epileptics, as well. These products are Rosemary, Nutmeg, Allspice, Cloves, Tarragon, and Sage. Each of which can be found as dried spices in your typical spice rack, fresh in the produce section at the grocery store, or, if you’re into growing your own plants, in the backyard garden.

Before I dive into the full details on Rosemary, Nutmeg, Allspice, Cloves, Tarragon, and Sage (the six ingredients listed above), I would like to bring to light one very important bit of information I believe everyone needs to be aware of. Each person reacts differently to varying ingredients and/or products. Therefore, if something acts as a seizure trigger for me it may not for you, hence the need for use of a trial and error process when determining your own “allergic” list. I still believe it is a wise idea to consume these types of foods with caution whether or not you have a history of seizures; they are excitotoxins, after all!

Alright lets break it down! 6 common seizure triggers that may be lurking in your kitchen cabinets:

Rosemary, whether it is a whole twig plucked fresh from the plant itself, crushed into tiny flakes in a spice jar, or incorporated in the flavor of a meal, this unprocessed herb is notorious for worsening seizure activity in epileptics. Just to be safe, I avoided Rosemary like the plague after I was diagnosed with Catamenial Epilepsy. As it turns out, this extreme avoidance was actually a complete waste of time because this very common seizure trigger is one of those ingredients, as I described above, that has the opposite affect on me. It happens to be one of those cases where a “seizure trigger” doesn’t necessarily prompt seizures from every epileptic.

For those of you who enjoy eating out, be extra careful when browsing the menu because Rosemary has recently become a very trendy ingredient and can be found in a multitude of dishes across various restaurants. Be especially wary of Rosemary in Italian food and chicken dishes. If you’re attempting a new recipe and find Rosemary to be a key ingredient, don’t skip the dish! Simply substitute it with a similar ingredient, such as thyme or basil.

Nutmeg, Allspice, and Cloves are ingredients commonly found in the same types of foods because of their very similar flavor. In fact, these three ingredients are key in any gingerbread cookie recipe. Last November, I posted a recipe for gingerbread cookies on Seize the Day Blog because I was baking way too many of these delicious holiday treats and absolutely had to share! Interestingly enough, I was also having an increased amount of seizures during the 2015 holiday season. Coincidence? I think not. My entire family can attest to the fact that I probably ate way too many gingerbread cookies between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, which also means I ate plenty of Nutmeg, Allspice, and Cloves. Once I stopped eating the gingerbread cookies, my seizures immediately began to decrease and I was on my way to a stable lifestyle once again.

If you come across my Gingerbread Cookie Recipe and are living with epilepsy, I encourage you to skip the Nutmeg, Allspice, and Cloves and substitute each with Cinnamon instead. I have tried this before and it actually turns out quite yummy! It might sound like too much cinnamon at first, but it actually gives you the perfect flavor for your gingerbread, not too bland and not too strong. This group of ingredients is also frequently found together in many pumpkin pie recipes. It’s best if you make your pie from scratch in the comfort of your own home and, once again, substitute all of the iffy ingredients with Cinnamon. I’m currently on the hunt for a good ketchup recipe because cloves and allspice are usually found in any store bought ketchup product, but Cinnamon won’t work as a substitute in this specific case for any of the recipes I do happen across. So, if you know of any Ketchup recipes free of cloves and allspice please comment below!

Tarragon, though a good source of numerous vitamins and minerals, is very similar to Rosemary in taste, structure, and its status as a seizure trigger. This plant-like herb is used in a variety of food and medicinal products because it is filled with so many beneficial nutrients. For being such a healthy plant, I was astonished to find Tarragon on the seizure trigger list! Well, despite all of the beneficial effects this ingredient can have on people of all ages, it turns out that it also has a bit of a dark side. An unintentional dark side, of course, but a dark side nonetheless.

Consequently, while the potential for healing is a strong point for Tarragon, it would seem as though the ability to provoke seizures is, as well. Tarragon, like the other five seizure triggers I’m discussing in this article, is an excitotoxin and contains elements in its cellular makeup that excite the brain by generating too much activity in the brain’s cortex for the body to handle. Unfortunately, the result of this excitement in the brain is a seizure for everyday people and increased seizure activity for epileptics. Unfortunately, the result of this excitement in the brain is a seizure for both epileptics and non-epileptics.

Due to the negative effects this herb can have on the brain, it is completely understandable if you wish to avoid it completely. Before you can do this successfully, you should probably know that Tarragon is frequently found in salads, Italian food and a variety of sauces. Cooking without this ingredient can easily be done by replacing it with any of the following herbs or spices: dried dill, basil, marjoram, or oregano.

Lastly, we have Sage, an ingredient that tends to pop up in the most random of places. Like Rosemary, it is widely notorious for its ability to trigger seizures in epileptics and non-epileptics alike. The biggest concern for people trying to avoid this ingredient is the unfortunate fact that Sage has become a trendy herb with an ever-expanding popularity amongst gourmet chefs. After browsing recipes and eating at a variety of restaurants, I have found chicken dishes to be most often connected with this particular herb. Sauces, salad dressings, sausage, and Italian cuisine are also good to be wary of when it comes to Sage. The strong flavor of this ingredient is best substituted with marjoram or thyme.

Personally, I have made an extra effort to avoid this particular plant in all of its forms. During my extensive research, Sage has always stood out as the most common seizure trigger worldwide and for people of all ages. It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly makes one excitotoxin more potent than the next, but my guess is that flavor plays a pretty prominent role in this case. Sage has such a strong essence in taste, smell, and, well, everything! Sage is an herb that always wants its presence to be known, even when it is traveling through the body after being digested. What a diva!

Rosemary, Nutmeg, Allspice, Cloves, Tarragon, and Sage…such frequently used ingredients that have managed to fly under the “seizure trigger” radar pretty successfully! Although excitotoxins can create issues for people with or without epilepsy, it seems that most of this information gets lost in translation unless it is desperately needed, such as during a health crisis. Therefore, I encourage anyone reading this article to do a little research of their own on the topic of seizure triggers. I guarantee that the full list of these foods and products is much more extensive than the six ingredients I explored in this article.

If you have questions about any of the seizure triggers I discussed, please share via Twitter and Instagram or email (katie@seizethedayblog.com)!

 

Medical Disclaimer:

The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website.

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Grapefruit Juice

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Magnesium-rich foods…are we actually getting the recommended daily intake of magnesium from those processed foods commonly found in the majority of people’s cupboards??? The answer to this question is real simple…No. If our diet contains mostly processed foods, we are not consuming the recommended daily amount of magnesium because any and all magnesium has already been removed from the source during “processing.” Hence, my emphasis on processed foods.

Most people do not realize that unless their diet contains fruits and vegetables from Organic and non-GMO sources, they’re consuming nutrient-deficient foods. Yet another reason as to why most people in the U.S.A. are just as nutrient-deficient (if not more so) than the pitiful soil non-Organic farmers these days are using abundantly.

Surprise, surprise, I happen to be magnesium-deficient so whenever I come across what seems to be a potentially successful tactic for healing this deficiency, I tend to pursue it!

Diet and nutrition both fall into this category of “successful tactics for healing.” Magnesium-rich foods are a fantastic way to get magnesium directly back into your body, which means you want to eat lots of greens (like spinach, Swiss chard & avocado), meats (like salmon & chicken), fruits (like bananas, mango & grapefruit), and nuts/seeds (like almonds, walnuts & pumpkin seeds).

In this article, I would like to focus on a specific magnesium-rich food…Grapefruit juice. In most store-bought juices, the pulp is pretty much non-existent. Since the pulp and rind are where most of the nutrients lie, it is key to keep these contents in your juice rather than discarding them. Which is also why it is helpful to avoid using a juicer because these machines tend to discard all of the pulp during the blending process.

Instead of shelling out a few hundred bucks on an expensive juicer, just dust off that blender you probably already have tucked up in a kitchen cupboard.

Here are a few tips on how to use your blender to make pulp-filled juice with a smooth texture:

  1. If your blender gives you a “Liquefy” option, choose that instead of the “Smoothie” or “Blend” option.
  2. You might need to blend your mixture for a few extra minutes so that all of your pulp reaches a finer consistency.
  3. Finally, it will be helpful to add an extra 1/2 cup of water (possibly more, to taste) to the grapefruit juice mixture to reduce the thickness of your juice. The amount of extra water you choose to add depends on your preference in flavor, as well, because it will water down the tart flavor of the grapefruit in addition to the texture.

***Side Note:

I’d just like to add a quick warning for those using prescription medication(s)….Grapefruits are notorious for interacting poorly with the majority of prescription drugs! The effect this fruit will have differs from medication to medication so I can’t give you one specific example, but please be aware of this interaction before trying this recipe.

Grapefruit Juice

 

 

Medical Disclaimer:

The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website.

From my Recipe Box to Yours: Strawberry & Banana Smoothie Bowl (drizzled with Nut Butter)

 

***I know it will look almost too pretty to eat, but trust me on this, you’re going to want to devour this yummy treat!  

Bon Appétit!!!

Medical Disclaimer:

The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website.

Ingredients & Ingredient Labels: Be Sure to Read the Fine Print!

What is your typical routine when you make a trip to the grocery store? Do you try to only purchase foods that work with your new diet? Or do you shop based on what sounds good to you while you’re browsing the store aisle by aisle? I’m only asking because I really want you to stop and consider exactly how big of a role the ingredient label on foods plays in your daily life.

Seven years ago, if someone asked me about the ingredient label I would have laughed and said, “What ingredient label???” I never stopped to consider the possibility that maybe not everything listed on the ingredient label of a food is necessarily “good” for me. Instead, I ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted to, and never stopped to consider the consequences. That is until my health took a turn for the worst…I was having seizures for unknown reasons, my hormones were severely imbalanced, and no neurologist seemed to have any solution for my problem outside the sphere of medication.

So, I tried the alternative route, I kept taking my medication, but I began looking at solutions outside of modern medicine. This led me to discover the very important role nutrition plays in every person’s overall state of health.

Which, also eventually lead to a drastic diet change for me. My grocery store routine went from grabbing anything that sounded good to reading every ingredient label before purchasing a product. It sounds time-consuming, but it is completely worth it! By eliminating ingredients like MSG, soy, and basically anything synthetic, my mental health greatly improved. I saw a decrease in the number of seizures I was having each month, something that seemed impossible at one time. In addition to avoiding poor quality ingredients, I also made the switch to organic foods.

I have found that specialty health-oriented grocery stores such as Trader Joe’s, Sprout’s Market, and Whole Foods Market (for those of you in the Southern California area) are always the better option for finding good quality, organic groceries free of synthetic ingredients.

What do I primarily look for in a food product? Simple and real ingredients. As long as the ingredient label contains only natural ingredients (sugar, salt, butter, flour, etc.) and is free of chemical and/or synthetic ingredients (Xanthan Gum, Soy Lecithin, Guar Gum, etc.), I know the product is okay!

To give you an example of what a good ingredient label and a bad ingredient label look like, I’m going to breakdown the ingredient label of a snack product commonly found in the pantry of many people’s kitchens…Ritz Crackers. I don’t know about you, but this is a product that most people I know consider to be a snacking favorite. If you look on the side of the box, you will find an ingredient label containing the following information…

Ingredients: Unbleached Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate {Vitamin B1}, Riboflavin {Vitamin B2}, Folic Acid, Vegetable Oil (Soybean Oil and/or Canola and/or Palm and/or Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil), Sugar, Salt, Leavening (Baking Soda and/or Calcium Phosphate), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Soy Lecithin, Malted Barley Flour, Natural Flavor.

Let’s just dive right in, shall we?

Unbleached Enriched Flour—“flour in which most of the natural vitamins and minerals have been extracted. This is done in order to give the bread a finer texture and increase shelf life. When the bran and germ (the parts of wheat that contain fiber and nutrients) are removed, your body absorbs wheat differently” (ahealthiermichigan.org). So, instead of acting as an energy source for your body, which is what flour should do, this ingredient causes your body to store it as fat (ahealthiermichigan.org)! This is exactly the reason why many people find that cutting bread from their diet can greatly facilitate weight loss! However, in order to lose weight, you don’t necessarily have to cut bread out of your diet completely. You simply need to find the right kind of bread that is made with ingredients meant to help energize you, rather than fatten you up like a Thanksgiving turkey! To learn more about Unbleached Enriched Flour and the role it plays in the food industry, What’s in Your Food? Enriched Flour Tops List of Unhealthy Ingredients by Jodi Davis, is a must-read.

Thiamine Mononitrate {Vitamin B1}—“Thiamine Mononitrate is the synthetic form of Vitamin B1” (livestrong.com). So, an ingredient that gives the illusion of being healthy by pretending to be the true, blue natural version of Vitamin B1 is actually toxic to the human body! We see the term “Vitamin” and assume it must be healthy, but in actuality, it is furthest from the impression it gives and actually can cause a lot of negative side effects for our health. Not to mention, it is also very difficult for the body to digest due to its synthetic and chemical form. Read more about Thiamine Mononitrate, here: The Side Effects of Thiamine Mononitrate by Elizabeth Thatcher.

Riboflavin {Vitamin B2}—This synthetic ingredient acts in the same stealthy way as Thiamine Mononitrate! It sits there in the Ritz Crackers ingredient label pretending to be healthy and posing as a natural vitamin that will be beneficial to our health, but riddle me this…what is healthy about a chemical created to be a synthetic form of the real, whole-food version of an ingredient or, in this case, a vitamin??? Absolutely nothing! It’s fake! This means that just like the Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Mononitrate) also found in Ritz Crackers, it too is hard for the body to digest. Let’s think about this from the long-term perspective for a moment…if you consistently fill your stomach with lots of synthetic ingredients (a.k.a. hard-to-digest foods) you’re going to start experiencing problems with your digestive system. And guess what? Most processed foods are filled with these synthetic ingredients! An all-time low for the food industry, if you ask me.

Seeing as how synthetic Riboflavin {Vitamin B2} is a completely unnatural ingredient, it only makes sense for there to be more than one health issue! This brings us to problem #2 with this specific type of Riboflavin {Vitamin B2}…this ingredient required only by our bodies in small doses (in its real, whole food form), is found in the majority of our popular processed foods in its synthetic form. Please note that only the whole food form of Riboflavin is recommended as a healthy supplement for the human body. The synthetic form of Riboflavin should be avoided at ALL costs!

To make matters worse, thanks to synthetic Riboflavin, you might want to rethink the vitamin supplement you’re currently taking. Excessive amounts of Riboflavin can be found in commonly used dietary supplements. That’s right, not even the vitamin aisle is safe anymore! Gummy vitamins might be a fun concept (who doesn’t love for their vitamin to be in the shape of a tiny bear?), but I’m sorry to say that nothing is healthy about vitamins such as these.

Our bodies should only be getting about 2 milligrams (mg) of Riboflavin a day from dietary sources. If you’re taking a dietary vitamin supplement of some sort, check the ingredient label before taking it again because you just might be getting “10s or 100s of milligrams” (smart-publications.com) without even knowing it!

If we add both of these problems together, we get one gigantic health concern as a result: excessive Riboflavin. Because this ingredient is so prevalent in most of today’s staple food and dietary supplement products we basically get a double whammy when it comes to our Riboflavin intake. The result? An incredibly toxic combination. When the excessive Riboflavin spreads to our body tissue it mixes with our sunlight exposure and begins causing problems for our eyes, as well as our liver health. To read more about the toxic side effects of excessive Riboflavin, click here: Excessive Vitamin B2 – Riboflavin Can Be Toxic!

Folic Acid—“Oxidized synthetic compound used in dietary supplements and food fortification” (chriskresser.com). Here’s the biggest issue I have with Folic Acid: it’s an oxidized synthetic compound. Once again, Ritz has chosen to include a synthetic compound rather than using the whole food, nutrient-rich version of the ingredient. In this case, the well-known food company has chosen Folic Acid rather than Folate, which is “the general term for a group of water-soluble b-vitamins, and is also known as B9…” furthermore, as opposed to Folic Acid, Folate “…refers to the various tetrahydrofolate derivatives naturally found in food” (chriskresser.com).

If you examine Ritz’s ingredient choice from a logical standpoint, their decisions so far seem completely irrational. I mean, after examining only 4 ingredients, we have discovered that Ritz Crackers are only composed of synthetic ingredients. Hmm…not exactly something I want to be giving to my body in large doses. Read more about Folate and Folic Acid, here: The Little Known Difference Between Folate and Folic Acid by Chris Kresser. (Click here to read a brief, but thorough overview of the entire Ritz Cracker Ingredient Label)

So why do they do it? When an ingredient like “Folate” exists, why does the Ritz Company knowingly choose synthetic over naturally occurring? Because it’s cheaper and synthetic additives give the product an unnaturally long shelf life (Yuck!).

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the processed foods industry in a nutshell. When it comes to their choice of ingredients, the deciding factor for Big Wig food companies (like Ritz Crackers) clearly no longer includes the state of our health.

However, do not be discouraged by the extremely poor quality of ingredients found in Ritz Crackers because other companies (you know, the ones that are actually concerned about whether we live or die after eating their product) do exist and they have created products free of synthetics! Take, for example, the Late July Organic Classic Rich Crackers or as I like to call them the healthy version of Ritz. We picked apart the Ritz Cracker ingredient label, now let’s do the same to Late July’s ingredient label and see if we find any minor and/or major differences. For starters, let me just say that they print on the front of their packaging these important details (something the Ritz packaging and product appears to be lacking): Produced without Synthetic Pesticides, Non-GMO, No Artificial Flavors, Colors, or Preservatives. Although I would rather it said “Produced without any Pesticides,” the fact that they’re both acknowledging the presence of these characteristics in typical processed foods and choosing to exclude them is HUGE! All in all, I would say they’re off to a pretty good start. Now for the ingredient label…

Late July Organic Classic Rich Crackers Ingredients: Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar, Organic Expeller Pressed Sunflower Oil and/or Organic Expeller Pressed Safflower Oil, Organic Palm Oil, Sea Salt, Leavening (Baking Soda, Ammonium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar).

Organic Wheat Flour—Nutritional value alone is enough to give Red July a round of applause for choosing this flour ingredient over white flour. Although I do use white flour when baking, I never realized the great difference between the two types of flours. “White flour is made from heavily refined and processed wheat grains, while whole-wheat flour is made from grains that have not undergone heavy processing. Whole-wheat and white flour differ in their nutritional value” (healthyeating.sfgate.com). If you examine both flour’s fiber and vitamin contents, you will discover the drastic difference between each flour’s nutritional value. Read more about this difference here: Healthy Facts About Whole-Wheat Flour Vs. White by Sylvie Tremblay. Also, check out a variety of healthy flours here: 5 Healthy Flour Substitutes Vegans Need to Know About

Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar—Okay, so this type of sugar may not contain as many vitamins, minerals, or nutrients as the organic sugar cane in its natural form, but it’s most definitely a much better quality form of sugar compared to the typical “Sugar” ingredient found in many processed foods. For starters, it’s Organic and still contains a multitude of nutrients that haven’t been tainted by pesticides. Furthermore, it does not go through the same process as refined sugar, which means it will be easier to digest and healthy for your body to absorb. “Raw natural sugar has a balance of sucrose, glucose, and fructose, whereas refined sugars are almost exclusively sucrose (the fructose and glucose have been washed out). The more sucrose, the more it raises your blood sugar” (processedfreeamerica.org). It is very refreshing, for me, to see a company choose the healthier ingredient over the cheaper ingredient. As I continue to examine Red July’s ingredient label, you too will soon discover that not every processed food product falls under the stereotype of being “bad” for you.

Organic Expeller Pressed Sunflower and/or Safflower Oil —First, let me just point out that this ingredient (like the previous three) is Organic. So, right away you’re getting (or at least you should be getting) zero pesticides from the oil used in this product! Now, although Sunflower and Safflower aren’t typically known as “healthier” oils, I need to put a special emphasis on 2 extra details that set this oil apart from your everyday vegetable oils: Organic and Expeller Pressed. Expeller pressed is an old-fashioned process that uses a screw press to mechanically extract oil from the seed, nut, or grain. It is less common because it costs more and produces less oil than other known processes, but it is known to produce the best quality oil (foodbabe.com). This is mostly due to the fact that, unlike other processes, the oil is not extracted using methods involving toxic chemicals (such as Hexane) or unnecessary refinement. By the time companies have their finished product, it is so synthetic it honestly should not be considered edible nor should it be consumed! In essence, the extra money and time required for this process are most definitely worth it!

***Side Note: Where cooking oils are concerned ignorance is NOT bliss! It is best to be extra careful because every oil is different, therefore each is going to have its own unique characteristics. For example, did you know that olive oil can actually become unhealthy for you if it is cooked at too high of a temperature? It is best to arm yourself with knowledge about the ingredients you use whenever you cook. Because Olive Oil is such a popular cooking oil (I know it’s one of my favorites!), here is a fantastic article from Kitchen Ambition where the author, David Lewis, answers a simple, yet necessary question…“Does Olive Oil Go Bad?” Take it from me on this one when I say the information he provides is more than just food for thought!

Palm Oil (a.k.a. Palm Fruit Palm or Palm Kernel Oil)—Actually one of the few healthy oils used in foods. Although I prefer to use coconut oil whenever it comes to cooking, Palm oil is definitely my 2nd choice! It isn’t hydrogenated (a process involving turning a liquid unsaturated fat into a solid fat by adding hydrogen (healthline.com)), which is excellent for avoiding trans fats and poor heart health in the future. “Fortunately, there is a healthy fat that can be used in processed foods in place of those nasty polyunsaturated vegetable oils that meet the profit demands of food company shareholders and also satisfies the ever-growing consumer clamor for a healthy, traditional fat. That fat is palm oil” (thehealthyhomeeconomist.com). Once again, we see Red July choosing the healthier ingredient over the cheap ingredient. An action not many inorganic processed food companies are making just yet.

Sea Salt—It’s all-natural, the flavor is 10x better than iodized salt, and it has a much more beneficial mineral/nutrient content. Common table salt is typically stripped of most of its nutrients while it goes through the commercial process that takes it from its place of origin to your kitchen table. “Sea salt is obtained directly through the evaporation of seawater. It is usually not processed, or undergoes minimal processing, and therefore retains trace levels of minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, and other nutrients. Table salt, on the other hand, is mined from salt deposits and then processed to give it a fine texture so it’s easier to mix and use in recipes. Processing strips table salt of any minerals it may have contained, and additives are also usually added to prevent clumping or caking” (sodiumbreakup.heart.org). Many people and health experts constantly say that there “are no real health advantages of most sea salts” (sodiumbreakup.heart.org).

HA! (<– This is Me scoffing at that statement!) How can there be no health advantages when sea salt is an unprocessed, mineral-filled product as opposed to table salt, which is intensely processed and altered by synthetic additives? Let me answer this question with a question…which salt would you rather feed to your family?

The last and final ingredient found in Late July Crackers is Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Bicarbonate, and Cream of Tartar)—When it comes to the leavening agent typically used in most processed food products, it is composed of Baking Soda and Sodium Phosphate. In other words (a.k.a. the truth), the leavening agent is probably 30% baking soda and 70% chemical phosphates. The recurring problem with too large amounts of synthetic ingredients does NOT strike again with these Red July Crackers! On the all too rare occasion, we find that instead of phosphates these crackers have Sodium Bicarbonate, which is “…commonly called baking soda, is a natural substance used in the human body within the bloodstream to regulate pH as a counterbalance to acid build-up, which is critical to life. It affects the pH of cells and tissues, balances cell voltage, and increases CO2 which helps with oxygenation” (drsircus.com). Let’s emphasize the HUGE difference between these two components: one is natural (Sodium Bicarbonate) and one is chemical (Sodium Phosphate). Although these two ingredients begin with the same word in their name, they are about as different as night and day! Lastly, we have Cream of Tartar; a better alternative to the chemical leavening agent as far as the stabilizing job is concerned. It is a naturally occurring substance produced during the process of fermenting wine. It is then sent through a purification process and Voilà! You get the white powdery substance commonly used in numerous baked goods (thekitchn.com).

At face value, the only difference between these two products seems to be the brand name printed quite distinctly on each of the cracker’s packaging. Amazing, isn’t it, the striking difference that actually exists, causing these products to be, in reality, polar opposites? Now that you’ve seen firsthand the types of ingredients commonly used in the majority of processed foods, are you motivated to investigate that ingredient label a little more closely the next time you’re in the grocery store? I certainly hope so!

Trust me when I say that the truth about some ingredients can be a tad frightening to discover. It is shocking what the FDA has approved as “suitable” sources for ingredients. Let’s just say, this administration no longer gives me comfort about the quality of foods being sold in grocery stores or restaurants. But, please do NOT let this stop you from getting the better of those food companies! You deserve the right to know exactly what you’re feeding your body! So, Seize the Day for your knowledge because ignorance is not bliss when it comes to nutrition. Take advantage of technology and the vast amount of knowledge available through the Internet! You’d be amazed at what you will find!

 

Sources:

  1. https://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/2011/07/26/whats-in-your-food-enriched-flour-tops-list-of-unhealthy-ingredients/
  2. www.livestrong.com/article/313249-the-side-effects-of-thiamine-mononitrate/
  3. www.smart-publications.com/articles/excess-vitamin-B2-riboflavin-can-be-toxic
  4. www.chriskresser.com/folate-vs-folic-acid/
  5. www.healthyeating.sfgate.com/healthy-wholewheat-flour-vs-white-3305.html
  6. www.processedfreeamerica.org/resources/health-news/405-the-truth-about-evaporated-cane-juice/
  7. www.foodbabe.com/2015/02/04/cooking-oils/
  8. http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/ways-to-avoid-hydrogenated-oil
  9. http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/the-many-shades-of-palm-oil/
  10. sodiumbreakup.heart.org/sodium-411/sea-salt-vs-table-salt/
  11. http://www.thekitchn.com/food-science-what-is-cream-of-72125
  12. drsircus.com/medicine/sodium-bicarbonate-baking-soda/

Medical Disclaimer:

The information posted on Seize the Day Blog, including but not limited to, articles, images, recipes, text and other material are shared for informational purposes only. None of the writings should be looked upon as advice meant to replace that of an actual medical professional. If you suspect you have a serious medical condition you should seek help from a healthcare professional immediately. Please be aware that the author of this website is posting information simply to inform NOT to recommend others about health-related topics. Before following any information (i.e. undertaking a new healthcare or diet routine) found here on Seize the Day Blog, you should always consult a medical professional first. Please be sure to never disregard any medicinal advice because of something you have read on this website.