Epilepsy is a neurological brain disorder that affects the nerve cells and their activity in the brain.  The nerve cells in the brain are disrupted by abnormal electrical activities causing seizures and other unusual behavior.  Seizures can be Generalized (affecting all areas of the brain) and they can also be Partial or Focal(affecting a certain part of the brain’s activity.  They often cause people to have involuntary muscle spasms and movements they can’t control in addition to losing consciousness.  Some seizures are less intense and people experience a brief moment of unawareness, being conscious yet puzzled at the same time, or something as easy as a staring spell.  Seizures play a major role in the conditions of Epilepsy, but they are two different things.  Some people can experience seizures once, while others experience them repeatedly.

Abnormal and repetitive behavior can usually indicate a neurological brain disorder, but having a seizure is the most apparent sign of Epilepsy.  Signs and symptoms of Epilepsy vary since there are various types of seizures that range from mild to severe.  Reoccurring seizures for long periods of time usually denotes that the disorder is present.  Depending on the type of seizure one experiences, the signs can be confusing so Epilepsy should only be diagnosed by a physician.  The signs and symptoms that are commonly associated with the condition and seizures include:

Partial Seizures

• Shift of emotions in an instance or sudden change in familiar things such as the way things look, smell or feel without losing consciousness (an example of a Focal Seizure).
• A moment of unawareness or unconsciousness occurs and can cause people to experience a mental pause, staring spells, lip smacking, tingling, nausea, dizziness, limited and repetitive movement such as twitching, chewing, or abnormal hand gestures (an example of Focal Dyscognitive Seizure). 

Generalized Seizures

• Similar to Partial Focal Dyscognitive seizures, Absence Seizures can cause a person to go into a daze while experiencing a brief moment of unawareness.  Eye blinking and lip smacking are most common when people experience Absence Seizures.  Absence Seizures often occur during childhood and are also referred to as Petit Mal Seizures (French for small illness).  This type of seizure is one of the milder one’s people can undergo in regards to Generalized Seizures.
• Myoclonic seizures involve sudden muscle spasms or forceful movements of the body.  These kind of seizures can cause involuntary movement of the entire body or just the arms and legs.  People often experience a forceful jerking or twitching movement.  Myoclonic seizures are the only Generalized Seizures that occur while the person is still conscious.
• Clonic seizures specifically cause repetitive jerking movement the face, neck and arms. They are similar to myoclonic seizures in that they both cause involuntary movements. 
• Tonic seizures are when the muscles, which tend to be in the back, arms, and legs, in the body stiffen up.  
• Atonic Seizures have similar symptoms to Tonic seizures.  Instead of the muscles stiffening up, people undergo a loss of muscle control on both sides of the body.  This type of seizure enables the muscle tone and often results in the person falling or collapsing.  Atonic seizures are also referred to as Drop Seizures.
• The most intense kind of seizures are Tonic-Clonic Seizures and can feature similar characteristics to all of the Generalized Seizures.  People who experience Tonic-Clonic Seizures lose consciousness while undergoing muscle stiffness and involuntary body movement, which can consist of jerking, shaking or rhythmic movements.  The Tonic-Clonic Seizures can be severe enough to the point where people can bite their tongue, cry out, and lose control of their bladder.  Tonic-Clonic Seizures are also known as Grand Mal Seizures.  

There’s no real detectible cause for Epilepsy, but the condition has been linked to several factors.  Epilepsy is often confused with being an autoimmune disorder, however, it is not considered to be one.  In some cases autoimmune disorders can contribute to Epileptic conditions.  Most of the causes of Epilepsy have been linked to certain physical activities, genetics, or developmental issues.

• Genetics could play a role in Epilepsy as certain family members can have similar brain structures, or specific genes have been linked to the epileptic condition.
• Brain trauma or injuries from accidents or sports activities
• Brain Infections like meningitis, encephalitis or the AIDS virus
• Developmental issues like neurofibromatosis, Autism or Cerebral palsy
• Conditions that affect the brain such as tumors, strokes and lack of oxygen in the brain.
• Prenatal issues can cause epileptic conditions.  A lack of nutrition, infections, or oxygen deficiencies can contribute to the development of the child.
• Prolonged febrile convulsions are seizures that can occur as a child that stem from high fevers.
• Lack of sleep
• Heavy alcohol use
• Drug abuse from medication, cocaine and other drugs
• Abnormal levels of sodium and blood sugar (hypoglycaemia)

https://www.dherbs.com/news/4708/4669/Epilepsy-Seizures/d,ai.html

• Certain vitamins have been proven to help decrease the amount of seizures people with Epilepsy have.  Consuming natural supplements and eating foods that are high in folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin D and vitamin E can help control the seizures.
• Zinc deficiencies have also been implicated.  The deficiency hasn’t had much support behind it, but incorporating more zinc can help.  Natural Zinc supplements are one source in addition to foods that contain a high amount of zinc such as pumpkin seeds, cashews, spinach, sunflower seeds, shiitake mushrooms, Napa cabbage, and dried apricots.
• Magnesium deficiencies have also been linked to being a probable cause for Epilepsy, but there is not a lot of research that supports this.  Increasing the amount of magnesium can help with the recovery process.  You can increase the amount of magnesium by consuming all dark leafy greens like kale, spinach and Swiss chard, sesame seeds, Brazil Nuts, avocado, bananas, cashews, almonds, and more.  You can also try a natural magnesium supplement that supplies you with the nutritional value.
• Processed foods, sugar, and caffeine can contribute to seizures.  It’s best to eliminate foods that aren’t natural and add to the cause.  Keeping a diet that provides your body with the essential nutrients is best.  Raw food or Vegan based diets are best.
• Acupuncture has been linked to helping with the conditions of Epilepsy.  It helps change the brain’s activities, helping to reduce the amount of seizures one experiences. 
• Putting yourself in control can help.  Most people can detect symptoms that are associated with them having a seizure personally.  Mentally taking control can help lessen how severe seizures are or calm the body into preventing them from occurring.  Things like meditation, relaxation time, walking, breathing methods, smelling a strong odor, or even just telling your body “no” can help.  This natural remedy is also known as Biofeedback.

• Berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries etc.)
• Cherries
• Citrus Fruits (lemons, oranges, grapefruits)
• Tomatoes
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Bell Peppers
• String Beans
• All dark leafy greens like kale, spinach and Swiss chard
• Good Fats (olive oil, coconut products, avocados, almonds)
• Shitake or Portabella Mushrooms
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Flaxseeds
• Sunflower Seeds