the narcoleptic allergic girl
When I first discovered in 2002 that I could control my neurological symptoms through a strict diet instead of medication, I thought I was the only one. My body became my own personal science experiment. But recently through the Narcolepsy Network and Celiac.com forums I have found others who've discovered the same exact thing. In fact, Dr. Iris Bell did a quick little study on the subject at Stanford back in 1976, so the concept is nothing new. I am frequently asked about my diet, and how I figured out what to avoid, by other people with Narcolepsy. So I've decided to post it all here. That way, if you want to pick my brain, you can just click a button! :)
I am convinced that there are some (perhaps not all) people with Narcolepsy that would greatly benefit from this kind of diet if they tried it. After all, aren't we always striving to live better with less reliance medication? Everyone has a different list of foods, but there is quite a bit of overlap between them. I am a research scientist by profession, and someday I hope to study the links between diet and Narcolepsy further (if I can ever get into grad school.) But, for now, I will simply share my thoughts and personal experimentation with you. Thanks for reading!
The following foods trigger my Narcolepsy. "N" denotes nap-inducing "food coma" foods, and "C" means it paralyzes me for a time. "GI" means gastro-intestinal problems.
This is simply a list of foods I avoid. I found them through trial and error while on an elimination diet, and afterwards. I am not recommending everyone else quit these foods. Everyone I've talked to seems to have a slightly different list, and the only way to find out what foods are triggering your symptoms, if any at all, is to do an elimination diet and slowly reintroduce them one at a time. So please don't take this as a guildeline for any sort of "Narcolepsy Diet." This is not medical or scientific advice. It's just what I discovered for myself.
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