Ελληνικά 
English Diet & Exercise
What does “healthy living” mean to you?
People think of different things when they hear the term “healthy living.” Many people with epilepsy report good health despite their seizures. Others find that seizures affect their overall health in a number of ways. For example,
- Seizures could lead to injuries and accidents, such as broken bones, head trauma, or pneumonia.
- Some side effects of seizure medications can affect thinking, mood, bone health, or other body systems.
- Other conditions associated with epilepsy can cause more problems than the seizures.
How “healthy” are people living with epilepsy?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other researchers have been looking at the health of people with epilepsy and found some startling numbers. These studies looked at people with “active epilepsy” – defined as taking seizure medication for epilepsy or having a seizure within the past year– compared to people with a history of epilepsy or no epilepsy
Adults with active epilepsy are
- More likely to have unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking cigarettes, being less active, and sleeping less than people without epilepsy.
- More likely to have other chronic health problems and report poor health
- More likely to report problems affecting their mood or emotional health, thinking or cognition, and ability to work
- More likely to report unhealthy days if they have had 1 or more seizures in the past 3 months
Children with epilepsy have more problems with
- Self-care
- Movement and using their hands
- Learning
- Communication
- Behavior
How does your overall health impact your seizure control?
This section stresses the importance of looking at our overall health and wellness, in addition to how seizures and epilepsy affects us. A key part of managing seizures is staying healthy or getting as healthy as we can. It also means looking at how our health affects our seizures.
- Other illnesses or treatments for other health conditions can make a person more likely to have a seizure. Paying attention to these seizure triggers is an important part of seizure management.
- Other illnesses can affect a person’s safety or make them at greater risk of injury from falls with seizures. Assessing your overall health should be part of knowing one’s risks and developing safety plans.
Living with Epilepsy
Seizure Preparedness
Staying Safe with Seizures