Internal Clock

Your body has an internal clock that responds to light and dark. Humans function best if awake during the day and asleep at night. The best approach is to keep these rhythms “going like clockwork,” because your body’s internal secretions of hormones and enzymes depend on this clock. Your epilepsy medications may make you drowsy, but you still need to do your best to maintain rhythms of day and night.

How? Caffeine should especially be avoided in the afternoon and evening. You should also cut down on sugars and other things that may make you excitable. This includes activities. As well, if you have trouble sleeping because of too much light, you might try sleeping with an eye cover. The body needs the hormone melatonin in order to sleep, and melatonin is removed from your system by exposure to light. The eye cover will keep you in darkness during the time when you want to sleep.

In contrast, during the daytime, get as much light as possible. If you have to work indoors, go over to the windows from time to time, or get out for a walk during lunch. Light helps to reset the internal clock, and to recharge your body’ energy systems.

Bowels

Dr. Hui comments that “the bowel is one of the main high-ways of the body – if the main highway is plugged up, what do you expect the side streets to be like?” He recommends we take care to “keep the traffic going and flowing.” Chinese medicine says that seizures are caused by an excess of congested energy in the top of the head. Blockages in the bowels also block the circular flow of energy through the body. So, use fibre and fluids to clean the bowel, unblock the energy flow and the brain will calm down.

Hormones

Hormones are a natural part of the body’s balance. It is possible to take melatonin* supplements to help you sleep better, and thyroid hormones to regulate the metabolism. Blood sugar/Insulin imbalances can cause seizures, so people with epilepsy and diabetes should be very careful in regulating their intake of insulin. As well, it is possible to take sex hormones to help regulate seizures. Many women find their seizures decrease during menopause. This happens because the balance of estrogen and progesterone shifts. Estrogen can provoke seizures, and progesterone tends to decrease seizures.

Emotions

Stress increases seizure activity. Meditation, which we have already discussed, is a very useful technique for reducing stress. Another important facet of your emotional well-being, though, is how you handle adversity. Through philosophy and wisdom, you can teach yourself to handle problems well, so that they don’t make a negative impact on your condition. Your Epilepsy Association can help you with this.

To sum up, Dr. Hui recommends that you balance your body through the principles of Chinese medicine. Remember, having no seizures doesn’t mean that you need do nothing. Keep your body centred and you will continue to do and be well.

*Note: indicates a substance about which the medical community has differing opinions.

Editorial: Some Herbals Risky for Epilepsy

In this issue of “Epilepsy Matters”, we discuss herbal and other “alternatives”— therapies other than traditional anticonvulsant medications. If you have investigated herbs before, you probably know that practitioners of herbal medicine run the gamut from responsible, well-informed scientists to well-intentioned but scientifically illiterate new age philosophers, and perhaps even frauds. Perhaps you have even encountered a person who claims to be able to “cure” seizures with herbs. Even in this publication, one practitioner advises using evening primrose oil, while another advises against its use. How can you know whether you are making the right choices?

Botanical substances are remarkably chemically diverse—this amazing synthetic chemistry of Nature is often what scientists try to reproduce in the laboratory. But this same diversity should also be the reason for some caution when using herbals. In most plants, there are many chemicals at work. Some may help control seizures. Some may lower your seizure threshold. Some may interact with your medications in some way, or have an effect on your liver. And some may have no effect whatsoever on seizures.

The best cure for this uncertainty is knowledge. Despite some practitioners’ claims that herbs are merely “vegetables,” they are also pharmaceuticals in a sense, and should be treated with respect. Remember, you are already taking very potent medicines for your epilepsy. Before you begin taking herbs, investigate them thoroughly—do research, ask others about their experiences, and contact your local epilepsy association for information. Don’t be embarrassed to inform and involve your doctor in your decision to use herbs: 30% of you have already tried alternative therapies for seizure control. Your doctor needs to know about your decision in order to give you the best treatment, and may have specific reasons for not wanting you to take a particular herb. Many herbs have been used for centuries, but by the same token they are not held accountable to the same rigorous scrutiny as conventional drugs. Though some alternative practices clearly reflect ancient wisdom, some have proven to be disastrous.

Many of us are content to believe that if a substance is “natural,” it is therefore not harmful, but this is simply not true. Many lethal toxins are produced in both plants and animals, and many plants contain chemicals that may be useful in medicine along with others that may be dangerous. Another common myth: if a little of something is good for you, a lot of it is even better for you. But consider that even vitamins can be toxic in very high doses.

Likewise, don’t expect herbs to produce magical results. The best that herbs can do for you is to offer a little “extra protection” against seizures in addition to your medications. Herbals are “complementary” therapies, which can, for some people, work together with medications to optimize seizure control. If you decide to take herbs, investigate them fully, inform your doctor, and be careful of where you get them, as there may be toxins and pesticides in unregulated herbs. Beware of any practitioner who advises you to stop taking your medications—this is the surest way of bringing on a seizure!

Alternative Therapies:
Dr. L.L. Georgevich’s Report

What does the medical literature have to say about alternative therapies for epilepsy? At the “Epilepsy in the 21st Century Conference” held last November in Toronto, Neurologist Dr. L.L. Georgevich provided a survey of some of the most prominent alternative therapies. Here is the ‘bottom line’ of what she found:

Biofeedback: This uses certain ways of thinking, etc. to change the brain waves. Can be effective in seizures with local (partial) onset, particularly temporal lobe, or if there is a specific stimulus that always triggers your seizures (eg. a certain smell), and an effective counter-measure (such as another smell) can be found.

Yoga: Two small studies showed decreased seizures in people who used Sahaja yoga.

Acupuncture: According to studies done in Norway, acupuncture made no difference to epilepsy patients.

Herbs: This is a very broad category. Eastern studies report benefits to taking herbs for epilepsy, but these studies don’t use placebos to verify results. Overall, not huge benefits likely.

Precautions with herbs: Evening primrose oil and borage can lower your seizure threshold. Sage and hyssop can be pro-convulsant. Some herbs (eg. sharkhapulshpl) decrease the level of anticonvulsants in your body. Watch out for toxins and pesticides in unregulated herbs.

Hyperbaric Oxygen: To be avoided by people with epilepsy.

Minerals: Low Calcium and Magnesium can trigger seizures. In a normal, healthy diet, though, no mineral supplement is needed.

Selenium: Selenium supplements probably not needed.

Carnitine: Only needed if you have significant neurological disease, carnitine deficiency or have liver damage from valproate.

Taurine: May be something to avoid.

Vitamin E: Studies show differing results, but the bottom line is that it probably won’t hurt to take Vitamin E and it could benefit you.

Folic Acid: Needs to be supplemented during pregnancy, but at other times, studies show contradictory results. Check your B12 levels if you are taking folic acid as it can mask low ones.

Hormones: Melatonin gets mixed results. One study showed worsening of seizures in most patients taking Melatonin despite improved sleep. The hormone Progesterone is anti-convulsant, whereas estrogen is pro-convulsant. Natural progesterone taken by lozenge showed a 55% reduction in seizures. Consult your physician.