Modified Atkins Diet For Children With Epilepsy

I am very grateful that Hub Pages gave me the opportunity to share my story about Modified Atkins Diet for Seizures. I have read stories about children suffering from seizures. I know how hard it is for parents to see their children with this condition. I have been blessed to have the chance to encourage parents and children not to give up their hopes on finding a way to treat this problem.

My daughter has had seizures, since she was only two years old. Before we discovered Dr. Eric Kossoff and the Atkins diet for seizures, we spent four long years, and we tried 6 anti-seizure treatments to help our daughter. Unfortunately, these medications didn’t help her. The years we spent looking for cures didn’t turn out to be fruitful, yet, we never gave up our hopes that there are still ways to treat our daughter’s seizures.

 Luckily, my wife Tammy and I found Dr. Eric Kossoff in Baltimore, Maryland, at John Hopkins hospital. This was the place where we discovered the Atkins Diet For seizures.  I couldn’t express how that fortunate event has made a huge difference in our lives!

Atkins Diet has helped in our daughter’s battle for seizures. Because of this diet, she became medicine free and from having 100 seizures a day, she has only 5-10 now. This diet involves lots of educations and work in order to change our daily lifestyle according to the Atkins diet program.

Atkins Diet may ease seizures in most children. Along with its popularity as an aid for losing weight, this low-carbohydrate, high fat diet’s role in treating seizures in children with epilepsy is really vital according to researchers at the John Hopkins Children’s Center.

A study of 6 children with epilepsy, including 3 12-year-old patients and younger on Atkins procedure for no less than four months, 3 patients were already seizure-free, and fortunately, their intake of anticonvulsant medications was reduced. However, even if results have shown that the relationship of Atkins diet and seizure are significant, still, researchers have given a caution that Atkins diet should not lead to its regular use in kids with epilepsy or that this diet should not be used as a replacement of the popular Ketogenic Diet. Atkins Diet and Ketogenic Diet are forms of high fat and low carbohydrate diets that change the chemistry of our body’s glucose.

Although Modified Atkins Diet is a modification of Ketogenic Diet, and the foods are very similar, these two differ when it comes to fluid and calorie restrictions since the latter strongly encourages these limitations while the former does not. Atkins diet allows intake of food rich in fats and protein, carbohydrate counts are strictly monitored.

Since the Atkins Diet recipes was originally designed as an aid for weight loss, there is a great possibility that patients may also lose weight. If such circumstance will take place, the patient will be instructed to increase the intake of a calorie by eating foods that are rich in fats and proteins.

1. The Induction Phase

The induction phase is the most restrictive phase of the Atkins Diet Plan. It is the phase where the body is intended to quickly enter that ketosis state. The carbohydrate intake is restricted to 20 net grams per day.  For people who intend to lose weight, this phase can lose up 6-8 pounds every week. The foods allowed during this induction are meats, cheese and cream, and a cup of vegetables. Foods and beverages containing caffeine and alcohol are strictly prohibited.

2. Ongoing Weight Loss

The ongoing weight loss phase of this Atkins Diet plan includes the increase of carbohydrate intake by 5 grams per day.

3. Pre maintenance

During this phase, carbohydrate intake is increased again until it reaches the maximum number of carbohydrates allowed in the program.

4. Lifetime Maintenance

This is the final phase of Atkins Diet Plan. This phase intends to carry on routines practiced in the preceding phases. During this period, it is expected that the end-of-diet mindset has gone out of your system.

Ancho Mancho Chili

Ingredients

• 5 pounds Boneless beef chuck stew meat
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons Olive oil or vegetable oil, divided
• 1 Medium onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons Ancho chile pepper powder or Mexican-style chili powder
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can Diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 3/4 cup Dry red wine or chicken broth
• 4 Large roasted garlic cloves, mince

Preparation

Heat oven to 325F. Toss beef with salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add one-third of the beef and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and repeat two more times with beef and oil.

Add the last 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to Dutch oven and cook onion until lightly browned. Stir in chile powder, tomatoes, wine and garlic; bring to a simmer. Return beef and accumulated juices to Dutch oven. Cover and bake 2 1/2 hours, stirring once halfway through cooking time, until beef is very tender.

BACON AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

SALAD:

• 6 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 cups romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
• 2 cups frisee or curly endive, torn into bite-size pieces
• 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
• 1 ½ slices low-carb  white bread, torn into 2-inch chunks
• 8 ounces goat cheese, cut into 6 slices
• 1 egg, beaten

DRESSING:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ¾ teaspoon pepper

Preparations:

FOR SALAD:

Cook the bacon in a big nonstick skillet with medium heat, turning just once, until it's crispy, for about 6-7 minutes. Move it with a slotted spoon to paper towels. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings. In a bowl, mix romaine, frisee, and chives; set aside. In a food processor or blender, process bread to make crumbs; spread crumbs on a plate. Place goat cheese slices cut side down on work surface and press lightly to flatten. Dip each slice in egg; let excess drip off. Place in crumbs; press to coat evenly and completely. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel; add oil and heat it over medium heat. Add goat-cheese patties and cook until it turned brown, about 2 minutes for every side (reduce heat if browning happens too instant or cheese is melting). Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Remove skillet from heat.

FOR DRESSING
Add reserved bacon drippings, olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and pepper skillet. Whisk to combine. Add warm dressing and bacon to bowl with greens. Toss to mix. Arrange salad on individual serving plates and top with goat cheese.

Artichokes With Lemon Butter

Ingredients:

• 4 whole artichokes (preferably pointed-leaf, not globe artichokes)
• 4 lemons
• 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Trim the stems of the artichokes up to about two inches. Boil 4 quarts of water in a big pot . Slice 3 lemons in halves and squeeze the juice into the water. Add the lemon halves, together with the coriander seeds and salt. Put the artichokes in the cooking liquid, and place a cover made of a heavy plate to prevent them from floating. Boil it for15 minutes, until a knife, inserted where the stem reaches the bottom, comes out quickly. In a small bowl, melt butter in a microwave or saucepan. Mix in the juice of remaining lemon, with salt and pepper. Serve per person a whole artichoke, together a ramekin of the butter sauce and a large bowl for discarded leaves.