Epilepsy and Diet

[DogtorJ]

Hi Everyone,

Some of you now know that I have been working on this amazing topic for the past 5 years following my personal diagnosis of celiac disease (gluten intolerance). It was not long after my diagnosis that I read that celiac children that were placed on gluten free diets often had dramatic improvement in their seizures. This really snagged my interest for some reason, as we have all been taught that epilepsy in the dog was "idiopathic" (my new, least favorite word).

I have been recommending the low glutamate diet (described on my site below) for epilepsy for the past 4 years with phenomenal results. It is working very well in humans as well (I am now working with some human doctors and neurologists trying to get this into mainstream medicine). Glutamate is a non-essential amino acid (one that our body makes all that it needs from other proteins). It is also the parent protein in MSG, the neurostimulating chemical we use as a flavor enhancer. It works by stimulating the nerves in our taste buds. But many of you know that it also brings on migraines and stimulates pain in people with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and other chronic pain syndromes. It can also trigger seizures in people. Wheat gluten is 25% glutamate by weight. Oh oh. Now you are getting a glimpse of where this is going. Our diet is LOADED with this non-essential amino acid and the restriction of this protein can have very positive results.

I would love to hear from anyone who has an epileptic dog. I am in the process of getting together numbers of pets that have responded to present to my profession. I will be speaking at the annual meeting of a major veterinary association in September and presenting this data. I had so many coming in at once that I lost track a couple of years ago (especially when I started hearing about more and more human cases). I also had a lap top crash on me and I lost some data. So, I am trying to round up as many cases as I can.

The main foods that we have used so successfully in epileptic dogs are the potato-based diets from IVD (innovative Veterinary Diets, now distributed by Royal Canin) and the Dick Van Patten Natural Balance. The former are sold through vets and the latter are carried by select pet shops. The responses have been tremendous with many of the non-responsive cases being totally explainable. The following summary style paper will help, I think.

Please remember: When we approach epilepsy this way, we must be very strict, especially at first. It can take a while for all of things that are out of whack to get back to normal (brain, liver, and immune system health being the keys). I still use medication when necessary but the majority of my patients are on no anti-seizure meds with the others requiring much less than average, often simply to protect the pet against mistakes being made by well-meaning family members, neighbors, or kids.

So, please either post your cases here or Email them to me directly (or both, for the benefit of others) if you would. My Email address is in my profile.

Thanks for your help,
John

 

[DogtorJ]

The Epilepsy Diet (the G.A.R.D.) Made Simple- Part 1

Here is the summary-style article that I placed on my site at the beginning of the epilepsy and GARD sections of my site (http://dogtorj.tripod.com/id2.html). Hopefully this step-by-step description will help you all to see the rationale behind these diet recommendations and give you a good idea of why this approach can work so well. There are other factors involved (such as the effects of air quality and other environmental issues) that can hinder the response. But I have yet to have an epileptic patient that did not show some positive response to the diet change. Once you grasp the full impact of what these foods are doing to our pets (and us), then this should not be hard to believe.

Here is a link to another forum on which I started a testimonial thread that contains Emails testifying to its effectiveness in both pets and people.
http://lab-retriever.net/board/showthread.php?t=47643.

Hope this helps,
John



The Epilepsy Diet Made Simple
By Dogtor J.
©2005 DogtorJ.com


Many of you have expressed the need to have this work simplified, especially health professionals trying to make sense of my recommendations. I do understand and will vary from my stated philosophy, that being that I do not believe in fast-food medicine and that the more you understand, the better you will be able to apply these principles. We do live in a world with the fast-food mentality and this has reduced our time, patience, and the mental energy needed to really deal with the vital issues that face us. Sad but true.

So, here are the nuts and bolts of “the G.A.R.D“....the glutamate/aspartate restricted diet...that has helped so many pets and people with epilepsy, ADHD, insomnia, fibromyalgia (pain syndromes), chronic fatigue/depression, IBS/heartburn, and much more. It should make perfectly good sense. If not, once again, I have not done my job....yet.

1) There are 4 known "foods" that can induce villous atrophy of the duodenum*: gluten, casein, soy, and corn. The gluten comes from the gluten grains: wheat, barley, and rye. Casein comes from cow's milk products and is mostly absent in goat's milk. The absence of casein in goat's milk is what makes it the "universal foster milk." (*The duodenum is the first section of small intestine after the stomach. The villi are the tiny, finger-like projections that absorb nutrients. Atrophy is the wasting away/destruction of these villi.)

2) Adhesives are made from these four foods. Powerful, industrial-strength glues are made from gluten, casein, and soy. Corn is also used to make adhesives but those made from this food are weaker, used for paper/cardboard products whereas those made from the other three can be used to make glues capable of holding metal together. The glycoproteins from these foods are clearly VERY adherent.

3) Simple-stomached animals (non-ruminants) are incapable of completely breaking down these "glues". Celiacs are the proof. These troublesome glycoproteins DO adhere to the duodenal villi after passing from the stomach, surviving the acid designed in part to break it down. This is the known pathophysiology of celiac disease. This adherence and the ensuing immune response causes serious damage to the duodenal and even jejunal villi.

4) The duodenum is responsible for the absorption of calcium, iron, iodine, B complex, vitamin C, and many trace elements (zinc, boron, manganese, lithium, magnesium, and more). In fact, 95% of the intestine's vitamin D activity (involved in calcium absorption) takes place in the proximal (first) one third of the duodenum. (Here's the rub: I have yet to meet a doctor...veterinary or human...that knows or remembers this simple truth concerning the absorption of nutrients taking place in the duodenum. In fact, I have had a number of doctors look me in the eye and tell me that it absorbs "nothing". This is unfathomable to me, although I did not know this either, until I began my research. Therefore, I am NOT throwing stones here. But I am very disappointed in the educational process that we as health care providers go through if basic truths like these are lost.

5) The official number now being published by the medical profession (Johns Hopkins University and Mayo Clinic) is that 1:122 Americans have celiac disease (gluten intolerance). This is a staggering number and a vast change from "a rare disorder affecting less than 1:5000 people" that was being purported at the time of my diagnosis 5 years ago. BUT remember: wheat is only one of the four gut-damaging foods and is only the number two human, dog and cat allergen. Cow milk is number one. Casein intolerance is bound to be even more prevalent.

6) The allergies to these four foods (gluten grains, cow's milk, soy, and corn) are formed at the time the damage to the gut is taking place. These four foods are the top human, dog, and cat allergens for a reason. They are the PRIMARY allergens- those that do harm to the gut and elicit an immune response in the process. All other foods allergens are SECONDARY to this damage, drawing an immune response as they pass through the damaged gut. This is called the "leaky gut syndrome" and this is the accepted pathophysiology of adulthood food allergens in celiac disease, not a theory.


7) There are antibody-sized glycoproteins that we derive from foods that are now termed "lectins". There are good and bad lectins in our food components, with the most damaging being from the same four foods listed above. For a great paper on this subject and a good discussion of their involvement in immune-mediated diseases, click on this link (http://www.krispin.com/lectin.html).


8) Glutamic acid (glutamate) and aspartic acid (aspartate) are two NON-essential amino acids. Our bodies manufacture all of the required amounts of these two amino acids from other proteins. Glutamate is one of the principle neurotransmitters in our brain. The amount of glutamate at the synapse is regulated by the adjacent glial cell (astrocyte), which removes excess glutamate from the synapse to prevent over-excitation of the impulse-receiving neuron. Glutamate is not only neurostimulating, it is potentially neuro-lethal. Excessive glutamate at the synapse is the described pathomechanism in Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), with that excess leading to the death of that neuron. Similarly, the "glutamate cascade" is the known cause of brain death regardless of the cause of our bodily death. Therefore, it is clearly very important for the synapse to have the proper level of glutamic acid present at any given moment. Excessive glutamate can lead to overstimulation of neurons (e.g. seizures, reduced pain threshold, sleep disorders, and emotional disturbances) or neuronal death (e.g. ALS).

9) Glutamic acid is the parent protein in MSG (mono sodium glutamate). MSG is used as a neurostimulator, acting to sensitize the open-ended nerves in our taste buds so that food will taste better. MSG is a KNOWN trigger of seizures, as is its sister amino acid, aspartic acid- the parent protein in artificial sweetener in aspartame (Nutrisweet). Both are neurostimulators (and "excitotoxins", as Dr. Russell Blaylock terms them) and the very proof lies in the purpose for their use in the food industry.

10) It has been commonly held that blood sources of these two neurostimulating amino acids do not cross the "normal" blood brain barrier, that layer of cells that protect the brain by limiting the passage of certain blood components into the brain. This contention is only partly true, as there are areas of the brain that are not protected by the normal blood brain barrier. Also, the key word in the above contention is "normal". The question is whether we have normal barriers any longer. Air pollution, hydrogenated oils, and normal immune/allergic responses are known to alter the permeability of the blood brain barrier. Therefore, with 90% of prepared foods containing trans fats, with most of us living in highly polluted environments, and with huge populations of us experiencing significant allergies, it is reasonable to question the integrity of our "normal" blood brain barrier.

 

[DogtorJ]

The Epilepsy Diet- Part 2

11) Wheat gluten is 25% glutamic acid by weight. Casein from cow's milk is 20% glutamic acid by composition. Soy protein has much more glutamate than either of these two. Corn contains the least amount of these two non-essential amino acids but it DOES potentially do harm to the intestinal villi and IS a very common food allergen. This has become even more of a problem as we have genetically modified corn, the evidence of which came in the recent news concerning Starlink corn (CRY9C), the culprit in the "Taco Bell shell" fiasco a few years back. The reader should really search out the complete story.

12) 70% plus of the calories of the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) come from dairy and wheat alone, the number one and number two food allergens in humans, dogs, and cats. Remember: The damage they do to the gut is the root cause of the allergies. These foods are loaded with glutamate. Allergic reactions affect the blood brain barrier. The products made from these foods are often very high in refined sugar and hydrogenated oils.

13) Cow milk products, wheat, and soy are the leading sources of dietary estrogens. Dairy products have been related to breast cancer, prostate cancer, endometriosis, and polycystic ovaries. Dairy and soy have been both incriminated in altering the onset of first menses in our children, with dairy first bringing that age down from 15 to 12.5 years and soy bringing it further down to 8 years of age (in 16.7% of our little girls). Estrogens are both inflammatory and immune suppressive. Their role in breast cancer is well documented, setting the stage for the viruses that cause breast cancer. (Put "virus, breast cancer in your search engine.) Estrogens play a role in catamenial seizures (inflammatory), PMS (obvious), and in the immune suppression that helps unleash the opportunistic viruses that we have acquired over our lifetime, including Epstein Barr and others that occupy our brain. Put “virus, seizure” or “virus, epilepsy” in your search engine and read about the viral agents known to be involved in seizures.

14) The damage to the duodenal villi results in a chronic, progressive malabsorption of the nutrients it normally absorbs. Again, those nutrients include calcium, iron, iodine, B complex, and vitamin C along with numerous trace minerals. Evidence of this malabsorption is everywhere you look in this country- osteoporosis, iron deficiency anemia, thyroid diseases, folate deficiencies, and immune incompetence. Celiacs represent the worst of the worst, acting as a "who's who" of what goes wrong with humans, dogs, and cats. Growth abnormalities, juvenile bone diseases, dental issues (cavities) , and iron deficiencies are obvious evidence of the malfunction taking place in the duodenum. In veterinary medicine, the most food allergic breeds have the worst juvenile bone disorders and suffer the worst cartilage failure as adults (intervertebral discs, heart valves, and supportive ligaments such as anterior cruciate ligaments). The evidence of the chronic malabsorption of calcium and vitamin C...the building blocks for our skeletal system (collagen) is EVERYWHERE once we see this KNOWN process is taking place. What we can't readily see is how normal enzyme systems (e.g. those in the liver, kidney and brain) that control blood and neuronal glutamate levels suffer from the deficiency in those vitamins critical to the function of that enzyme. What we DO see is the consequences- the effects of the excess glutamate in the brain in the form of seizures, pain syndromes, insomnia, and neurodegenerative diseases. Another element that is difficult to accurately measure is the competence of the immune system. But you do not have to be a doctor to know that an individual that is not getting adequate levels of vitamins and minerals would have a less than perfect immune system. Celiacs stand out here once again, leading the pack in immune incompetence (e.g. fighting mono, shingles, and herpes), immune-mediated diseases (lupus, rheumatoid disease, etc), and cancer (e.g. a 50 fold increase in colon cancer). Put “cancer, virus” in your search engine.


15) The G.A.R.D. is primarily an elimination diet. It is "simple" but not necessarily easy. It is certainly much more easily accomplished in our pets tat in our own lives. In the dogs and cats, it can be a simple as changing from pet food "A" to pet food "B" after checking the ingredients. However, eliminating snacks and treats seems to be just as hard for some pet owners to do as it is for them to do in their own lives. What to eliminate becomes quite obvious, dictated by the condition being treated and degree of affliction. The "worst of the worst" require the strictest elimination, often showing marginal recovery without doing so but demonstrating significant improvements when enough is done right. Once the molecular nature of the immune system is understood, the reason for the variation is response is very clear.

16) The first to eliminate are the "big 4" (or the four horsemen of the apocalypse, as I like to refer to them)- gluten, casein, soy, and corn. This shuts off the damage being done to the duodenal villi, a step of paramount importance in the full recovery from any condition imaginable. Logic should dictate this to be true...and it does. This also eliminates the top four primary food allergens and main sources of glutamate, estrogens, and lectins. Could this step be any more important???

17) The next step is to eliminate the "crack cocaine" versions of these non-essential amino acids...MSG and aspartame. This can be difficult in the human diet and often requires intense research for the hidden sources of MSG. There are MSG and migraine support Websites that deal specifically with this issue. Diet drinks must be eliminated immediately. Put "aspartame syndrome" in your search engine and believe the testimonies that you read.

18) Eliminate the other sources (listed in the following article) of glutamate. Peanuts, for example, are VERY high in this non-essential amino acid, being soy's closest cousin. All legumes are rich in glutamate as are the bean family (not green beans), which include garbanzo, lima, black, kidney, and navy. Lentils are also rich in glutamate. Certainly, these foods are nutritious in other regards, but for those battling excitotoxin-related disorders, they should be limited until full recovery is attained. Then, perhaps as the body functions (enzyme systems, blood brain barrier, neuronal sensitivity, and tissue health) return to normal, these can be eaten again. Perhaps not.

19) RUN from hydrogenated oils. For an incredible read, click here for David Dewey's Hydrogenated oils- The Silent Killers (http://www.dldewey.com/hydroil.htm). You will see how these trans fats- one of man's worst creations- play a vital role in atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, and in neurodegenerative and immune-mediated conditions. Learn how they kill an American every 3.5 seconds. In the context of our discussion, they damage the blood brain barrier, disrupting enzyme systems, and allowing excess glutamate levels to build in the brain by preventing their exclusion. Thankfully, pet foods do not contain appreciable amounts of these deadly fats. But after reading David's article, you may have a clue why pet's do not suffer from clinical atherosclerosis...yet.

20) In summary: The G.A.R.D. allows the gut to heal, thereby reversing the malasorption of nutrients that are vital to the health of all tissues and systems, including the brain and immune system. It is also naturally hypoallergenic, which relieves symptoms and improves the function of the blood brain barrier. It is low in dietary estrogens, which in turn reduces inflammation and improves immune function. And mainly, the G.A.R.D. is low in the non-essential amino acids glutamate and aspartate, which clearly ARE crossing into the brain in the same fashion as their concentrated forms (MSG and aspartame), causing over-excitation of neurons. The elimination of the offending foods has resulted in phenomenal improvements in seizures, pain syndromes, insomnia, ADHD, bipolar disease, and even MS and ALS. Because these foods are also the primary food allergens, their restriction also relieves numerous symptoms such as nasal congestion, asthma, heartburn, IBS, skin allergies, ear problems, and more. And when the immune system recovers from the malnutrition and over-stimulation from which it has been suffering (being over-worked and under-paid, as I stated in The Answer), it can better handle the viruses, bacteria, mycoplasms, and air pollution it faces everyday. As we learn more and more about the role of viruses in cancer, immune-mediated diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases, we will easily see how our food choices have contributed so greatly to our downfall. Imagine an immune system capable of not only fighting off these opportunistic organisms but also even being capable of eliminating many of the ones that we have harbored for years.

Sound too good to be true? The bottom line is that this elimination diet works! And, it should make sense.... perfectly good, common, everyday horse sense. If it doesn't, then.........yes........I haven't done my job....yet.

John

 

[Renee750il]

Quite interesting. I'm looking forward to reading it thoroughly and giving it my full attention when I'm not stealing moments here and there.

 

[DogtorJ]

Overload

Thanks. It is a lot of info to take in at one time. As always, if anything you read does not sound right or does not make perfectly good sense to you, then please write to me at [email protected]. My site (below) goes into much more detail as well.

I hope you get something good from it.
John

 

[DogtorJ]

Interesting link

Here's an interesting link that sheds some light:

http://www1.wfubmc.edu/news/NewsArticle.htm?Articleid=1634

John

 

[chilover]

Very interesting. I have a dog with seizures. He was on lamb diet but I just changed him to Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Duck&Potate canned food. I give him also same brand's Potato&Duck treats. I switched him onto this food because it is less likely to cause allergies and has less protein which is good for his liver. We'll see what happens.

 

[DogtorJ]

Very interesting. I have a dog with seizures. He was on lamb diet but I just changed him to Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Duck&Potate canned food. I give him also same brand's Potato&Duck treats. I switched him onto this food because it is less likely to cause allergies and has less protein which is good for his liver. We'll see what happens.

Please let me know. I am in the process of collecting as many testimonials as possible for lecturing and publication purposes. My Email address is [email protected]. I would love to "talk" with you about other factors if you do not see a very significant improvement(with the main reasons for failure being non-compliance and air quality issues). TREATS/snacks are BIG problems as are eating other pet's food and well-meaning family members/children who keep feeding the patient. Veterinary vitamin supplements are often big offenders, too as they use alot of wheat, dairy, corn, and soy to make these supplements palatable.

The air pollution in many of our major cities is a HUGE factor in some cases, with pollution being both neurotoxic and immune suppressive, a dealy combo when things like viruses are involved. My worst on-line epi cases invariably live in the most polluted cities. My site has links to the EPA Website and pollution maps. This is not good news in most cases, I'm afraid.

But above all, be strict with the diet! It is certainly the most important thing of all.

Hope this helps,

John

 

[DogtorJ]

A typical Email response

Hi Anne,

Good to hear from you. Where do you live??? (What city and what direction in that city...N, S ,E ,W) Air pollution this time of year is a HUGE issue and I am hearing of numerous dogs decompensating right now. Do you keep seizure logs? I have received two in the past couple of weeks that showed the pet's seizures peaking late July/early August. Air pollution is both neurotoxic and immune suppressive, a deadly combo when viruses are involved in a process like epilepsy.

I would cut out the home-made biscuits for sure. All of the grains are high in glutamate, even the non-gluten ones. BUT spelt IS a gluten grain, so it could easily be one of the problems. How many biscuits a day does he get? Of course, it is the pet food marketing that makes us feel like we have to give a biscuit of some kind. They would be just as happy with a little piece of meat. I recommend fruits and veggies as treats when they will eat them. Some are happy with ice cubes.

And remember, meats are relatively high in glutamate. I think some of the epi dogs on raw diets are getting waaaaay too much meat in their diet. Most dogs foods keep the meat to 30-40% of the diet. Potatoes, veggies and fruits make up the rest. Spirulina should be OK but any of the grasses (eg alfalfa) could be high. I have not found a chart with the glutamate content of alfalfa.

Is he an allergy sufferer at all...ears, skin, GI signs? If so, the dairy products (even goat yogurt) need to be eliminated. The best thing to do for pets with epi and allergies is to have them food allergy tested (blood test through VARL...Veterinary Allergy Reference Labs) in California. This will help identify any secondary allergies (they can become allergic to any protein...rice, beef, chicken, eggs, etc...anything). Allergies do affect epi dogs by altering the state of the blood brain barrier.

The first thing I do for a pet that was doing well and then decompensate is to run lab work to check their liver and thyroid function. If a pet become hypothyroid or develops liver disease, they can decompensate in a hurry. There are other concurrent illnesses/conditions that can affect this as well so a full blood panel is in order when this happens.

Many of these dogs have simply had another viral/mycoplasmal flare up in their brain. This can be brought on by anything that compromises their immune system, including air pollution, allergies, vaccination, concurrent infections, and dietary non-compliance. Do you live in an area where Lyme disease is a problem? I now recommend a course of doxycycline antibiotics for those pets that are waaay out of control/non-responsive, especially of they live where Lyme disease is an issue. This can be tested for through blood but there are also other organisms (mycoplasma) that can do this to them. They cannot be accurately tested for at this point but are doxycycline responsive. This is a last ditch effort, however, unless you live in a hot bed for these diseases and see a lot of ticks.

Hope this helps,
John

 

[DogtorJ]

I posted this on another forum. Hope it helps.

A poster wrote:

My Vizsla has had epilepsy ever since he was 9 months old. For 2 months after the first few seizures he quit having them. Then they came back with a revgence. One night doing a search for more info on how I could help him and came across your website. The more I read it the more I thought why not give it a try. I took him off Iams Large Breed Puppy food and put him on Eagle Pack Holistic Lamb and Rice.

That was back in March. He still had seizures, lasting about 2-3 mins, but they we less often. Then I wondered ...what if I put him on a strict diet? I tried to switch him to Dick Van Patten Natural Balance, but he started seizing everyday. One day he kept after his 2nd seizure the emergency vet had me up his dosage and change his diet back. I took him off it and put him back on Eagle. He is now up to 120 mg of Pheno a day. He has seizures about 1 every other week again.

My response:


I would love to know more about this case. That, of course, it totally inconsistent with what we have observed over the past 4 years of doing this and there is usually a good explanation for this type of thing to occur.

Vizslas are an interesting breed and one of the few that we see that regularly show hives, for example. I saw one last week with them. The other two breeds we see hives in are the Boxer and Dobie, both very immune-challenged breeds. I have not seen nearly as many Vizslas as the other two, of course, but I could easily see why they would be difficult to control when they develop epilepsy.

I now look at epilepsy as a "syndrome" to use a convenient words. Many factors come together to cause the seizure to happen when it occurs. I have been receiving seizure logs from people over the years that tell an amazing story. Many dogs peak at predictable times...allergy seasons, short daylight months, and now...when the air pollution is at its worst. These secondary factors play big roles in how quickly the pet responds to the elimination diet for the same reason that they were causing the patient to seize worse at that time before the diet was changed. There are outside influences that cause these distinct patterns in many of my cases. (e.g. My worst epi dogs invariably live in the most polluted cities and many of their seizures peak between July 3rd and August 11th...the "dog days of summer...the hottest days in the northern hemisphere, due to the worsening air quality in our major cities during these months.) For an EPA link to pollution maps by state, click here: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/nata/maprisk.html

Once again, I am now convinced that the PRIMARY problem in epilepsy is an infectious agent (e.g. virus, mycoplasma) that is causing the cells (glial cells) that control the level of glutamate at the synapse to dysfunction, allowing the build up of glutamate at that synapse, triggering the seizure. The purpose of the diet is then multifold.

1) To provide an immediate Band Aid on the situation by dramatically lowering the available glutamate in the body and brain. This has stopped some serious seizures literally overnight. I am still amazed when this happens so quickly. It happens much more than I ever thought it would. BUT, it does NOT happen every time. Why that is so should be obvious...the primary problem is that the brain itself is dysfunctioning.

2) BUT, the diet also helps by reversing the process that unleashed the virus, etc to begin with. The bad diets of the past damaged the gut, caused malabsorption of nutrients vital to the health of the immune system, and caused a "crash" that allowed these agents to flare up and do the damage to the brain. This immune-incompetence from malabsorption has been proven over and over again in people like me with celiac disease. Our immunity is greatly diminished by our condition, resulting in a myriad of chronic conditions and early cancer.

3) The diet also improves enzyme system functions in the body for the same reason. Enzymes are a combination of a vitamin and a protein and these systems are compromised by the vitamin malabsorption caused by the bad diets. Why do people feel better on vitamins? What are they really doing? Most people don't think of that but everyone knows that vitamins are important. They are more than that. They are essential. For example, the enzyme systems in the liver are responsible for regulating the blood levels of glutamate. People with some neuro conditions (including epilepsy) have been SHOWN to have higher circulating levels of glutamate. Why does liver disease worsen seizures? This is not hard to understand, is it?

4) The diet reduces allergens, which play a secondary role by "compromising" the blood brain barrier. The action of histamine and allergic reactions causes the blood brain barrier (that normally limits the amount of glutamate entering most parts of the brain) to become more permeable (open) to glutamate, allowing glutamate to flow into the brain. This makes sense in the normal person as glutamate becomes the antidote to the depressing effects of the histamine. The histamine makes the victim drowsy, thereby warning them that they have done something wrong. It also helps to immobilize them so that they stop doing what they were doing in the first place that caused the reaction. The glutamate then wakes them up...snaps them out of it. If we were wise, we would see this for what it was...a warning system that we were making a mistake. Wild animals learn this way. We, on the other hand, are "too smart" for our own good and simply develop drugs to cover this all up.

The key to the success of the diet is being strict. Many of the initial failures have been explained by "cheating", often on the dog's part...eating other pet's food, visiting the neighbors, taking hand outs from well-meaning family members/children, or stealing food. I had a patient that was totally controlled on the diet that ate a waffle 6 months after being seizure free and had a cluster within 5-6 hours. In some, it does not take much. I think they get much better and more resilient to mistakes as time goes by. I think a year of being strict is critical, especially in humans.

But back to the virus for a moment. The array of viruses that love the brain and have been isolated from there (including in healthy individuals) is impressive. Herpes viruses love the brain (as do the paramyxoviruses of canine distemper and human measle and mumps.) How do Herpes behave...remitting/relapsing symptoms, right? So, why would a dog respond quickly to the diet, only to have a few relapses before going totally seizure-free on the diet. They had not gotten healthy enough to completely suppress the virus, right? They had a few flare-ups before the immune incompetence was completely reversed. This has become very apparent from the Internet cases I have received. And once again, air pollution is both neurotoxic AND immune suppressive, a deadly combo when viruses are around. (Why has lung cancer gone up as cigarette smoking has gone down??? As of 2005, lung cancer kills more people that colon, breast,and prostate cancer combined!!! THis was just on NBC's Today show. We say that we are what we eat. That's very true. But we are also what we breathe.)

And this is one of the reasons why some people swear by supplements. They aid in this process, especailly in the rapidity of the healing process. This makes sense...we are down in essential vitamins and the supplementation helps this. Sort of a "duuuuh" thing isn't it? But why don't they always heal right away? Some are just too sick at the time they are started. OR, they are still on the diets that are blocking their absorption. THIS is one of the keys as to why there was such a huge controversy over the megavitamin craze OR the vitamins we are using actually contain the very things we are trying to avoid (look at the labels of chewable veterinary vitamins. ERRRRH)

One last comment. I have now had a few people tell me that their pet did better on the IVD food than the Dick Van Patten. It is too early to state this for sure but a few people are pretty convinced. MY new favorite food is the IVD venison and potato. This one makes the most sense right now. I am a little concerned about the possible mercury content of the fish-based diet and may take it upon myself to actually have the mercury content tested in the fish food versus the venison. Mercury in fish is a very real issue, even in fresh water fish, as the mercury comes mainly from air pollution from coal-burning power plants and other air borne sources. (The FDA now recommends that pregnant women eat no more than one serving of tuna per month. Wow!)

I hope this helps. Please PM or Email me, especially if you have cases like this one that did not respond.

John

 

[DogtorJ]

Testimonials

Here is a thread that I started on a Labrador forum that I plan to use as a storehouse of testimonials I have received concerning the G.A.R.D....the glutamate-aspartate restricted diet. It has testimonials about pets and people who have responded to this diet. I have only started adding Emails I have received over the past 4 years, so there are more to come.

http://lab-retriever.net/board/showthread.php?t=47643

Hope this helps,
John