Seizures or Fits
A seizure is an uncontrolled and unexpected electrical disturbance in the brain due to the out-of-control surge of signals coming from a particular part of the brain. Seizures may affect a person’s behavior, feelings, movements, and consciousness. For example, substantial changes in a person’s blood glucose level can arouse and trigger neurons’ excitability, which may lead to seizures.
Although the leading cause of seizures is epilepsy, anyone can experience an episode or two due to excess insulin, a tumor in the pancreas, or a sudden drop in blood sugar levels. We call this type of seizure a tonic-clonic or grand mal seizure. The patient can experience loss of consciousness, excessive sweating, alterations in vision, severe headaches, and violent muscle contractions.
Depending on the severity of the attacks and the person’s medical history, proper medication and treatment regimen should be given. Some studies show the positive effects of fasting among hypoglycemic patients who are experiencing seizures. This is because the ketosis stage, which is induced by fasting, produces a high amount of ketones. Ketones are chemical compounds that can prevent seizures.
