Surges in the brain's electrical impulse mechanisms can lead to seizures. While many people experience a single seizure for a host of reasons, you may receive a diagnosis of epilepsy if you have two or more seizures that are unprovoked, or happen for no apparent reason. The seizures can cause temporary staring, confusion, loss of consciousness, or jerky and uncontrollable movements in your arms and legs. A number of triggers can set off an epileptic seizure.
Causes
Most seizures have their origin in physical conditions such as missing your medication or undergoing fluctuating hormones. Missed sleep can trigger an epileptic seizure. Excessive use or withdrawal from illegal drugs or from alcohol can set your body up for a seizure. Side effects of other illnesses that may be exacerbated when you eat, such as diarrhea, vomiting or nausea can leave your body in a weakened state and trigger seizures. Physical stress from being sick is a common precursor to seizures.
Reflexes
Seizures caused by external stimuli are a side effect of a condition called reflex epilepsy. Complex thought patterns, sometimes revolving around food or the act of eating, can trigger a seizure if you have this disorder. The act of eating may trigger a seizure in rare cases, reports the Epilepsy Foundation. More common are stimuli such as flashing lights or games that contain quickly changing images. Soaking in hot water or light touch and tapping also can precipitate a seizure.
Variations
Reponses to outside stimuli vary between individuals with epilepsy because the brain abnormality varies. You should pay attention to when seizures occur so that you may be able to prevent future episodes by avoiding the stimulus that seems to trigger a seizure. According to the International League Against Epilepsy, various processes involved with eating can be the culprits. Using a knife or eating utensil can affect the non-dominant areas of your brain and trigger a seizure. Seizures that occur during the act of eating may result from lesions on the brain and also occur while brushing your teeth or kissing. The taste of food triggers seizures when the temporal and frontal areas of the brain are involved.
Responses
Some people respond with seizures when different food tastes, smells and textures are combined. Others react to the smell of certain foods. Food-related epilepsy usually is apparent from the onset of the disease, reports the International League Against Epilepsy, and usually has little variation. The predictability of the response is a positive aspect of the disease because that makes it easier to prevent. In addition to avoiding the foods that set you off, you can try eating in a different manner, such as pureeing the disturbing food and drinking it through a straw or from a cup. Some people with eating epilepsy do not bite into whole foods like fruit, but instead cut it up into small pieces before eating it.
