The stogenic diet for epilepsy is based on a high-fat diet, with a moderate amount of protein and low in carbohydrates, this dietary composition causes the body to enter a state of ketosis, forcing the brain to use ketones as the main fuel.for their cells, controlling epileptic seizures.
This diet is used for cases of refractory epilepsy, which is the form of the disease difficult to control, and should be followed for approximately 2 to 3 years, when you can try to introduce a common diet, controlling the recurrence of seizures.The ketogenic diet is often possible to reduce crisis control medications.
- To start the cereal diet.
- Patients and their families are often advised to gradually increase the amount of fats in the diet and reduce carbohydrates.
- Such as breads.
- Cakes.
- Pastas and rice dishes.
- This follow-up is done in weekly consultations with the doctor and nutritionist.
- And a first phase of adaptation is needed for the patient to perform the total ketogenic diet.
In cases where the patient has a complication of the disease, he or she must be hospitalized and fasted for up to 36 hours to enter the state of eruria, at which point the ketogenic diet can be initiated.
There are two types of diet that can be used
The Atkins bed has greater adherence on the part of the patient and is easier to follow, due to its high protein content such as meat, eggs and cheese, which improves the taste and facilitates the preparation of meals.
Sugar is found in many industrialized foods such as juices, soft drinks, ready-to-use teas, cappuccinos and dietary products, so it is important to always respect the list of food ingredients and avoid products that contain the following terms, which are also sugars: dextrose, lactose, sucrose, glucose, sorbitol, gactose, mannitol, fructose and maltose.
In addition, vitamin supplements and medications used by the patient must also be sugar-free.
The ketogenic diet should be used as a treatment for epilepsy when at least two specific drugs for the type of epilepsy (focal or generalized) have already been used unsuccessfully to improve seizures, in these cases the disease is called refractory or difficult to cure.-Controlling epilepsy and eating can be an effective treatment option.
Almost all diet patients get a significant reduction in the number of seizures, and it is even possible to reduce the use of medications, according to the doctor’s advice. After the end of treatment with the diet, which can last 2 to 3 years, seizures should remain reduced in half.Find out how the full treatment of epilepsy is going.
Excess dietary fat reduces hunger in children or adults, requiring more patience and effort on the part of the patient and their family during meals, and during the adjustment phase, intestinal problems such as constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting may occur.
It is also common for children not to gain weight during the first year of diet, but their growth and development should remain normal and should be controlled by the pediatrician, and symptoms such as lethargy, irritability and rejection of diet may also appear.
The ketogenic diet for weight loss, however, is less restricted and has other features, see a sample menu here