How to Eat a Nutrient-Dense Diet

Last Updated on May 23, 2024 by Cathy

Since 2004 my diet for multiple sclerosis (MS) has changed quite a few times. I wanted to not only stop the progression but to reverse my symptoms. It wasn’t until I started to eat a nutrient-dense diet that my symptoms started to reverse.

My body is changing so my diet is changing to fit my needs. This past year I discovered I have an extremely high level of mycotoxins (mold). My body has a hard time detoxing so I need to adjust my diet to avoid foods prone to mold.

Get a free Reversing Multiple Sclerosis on the exact steps I took to reverse my symptoms at the bottom of this post.

Studies found that many patients suffer from various forms of malnutrition. That’s why it’s important to eat a nutrient-dense diet. For me, that was by following The Wahls Protocol. Through food, Dr. Terry Wahls was able to reverse her secondary progressive MS. She went from a tilt-recline wheelchair back to riding her bike. She has a very motivational TedTalk video which I recommend watching.

I was able to stop the progression of my MS when I first changed my diet from the standard American diet. But, my symptoms weren’t reversing. I knew that food was a very powerful tool. But it wasn’t until I started paying attention to my body that my symptoms started to reverse. Everyone is different, what triggered my MS isn’t going to be the same for you. But, if you look at the possible triggers below, I fell into every category.

Possible triggers to MS:

• Diet (processed foods, refined sugar, refined carbs, food allergies, etc.)
• Infections (bacterial overgrowth, parasites, viruses, and yeast overgrowth )
• Environmental Toxins (heavy metals, mold, pesticides, plastics, etc.)
• Chronic Stress (especially emotional stress)
• Hormones (cortisol, insulin, vitamin D)
• Genetics (you can’t change your genes but you can change your gene expression by living a healthy lifestyle)

Eating a Nutrient-Dense Diet

I was 15 years old when I had my first MS symptom so I’ve had many years of damage to my immune system. I chose The Wahls Protocol because I wanted a diet that was very highly nutrient-dense.

Here’s a basic outline of what I ate each day:

• 9 or more cups of vegetables including 3 cups of each
  – dark leafy greens 
  – colored vegetables (colored all the way through)
  – sulfur vegetables (asparagus, broccoli, cabbage)
• Grass-fed meat and organ meats (once a week)
• Pasture-raised poultry
• Wild-caught fish
• Seaweed once a week for iodine and trace minerals
• Bone broth, I usually drank chicken but my functional medicine doctor told me beef is better
• Fresh ground flaxseeds, I used a spice and coffee grinder to grind them
• Fermented foods, I usually ate sauerkraut 

Genetics

Eventually, through a 23andMe DNA test, I discovered I have a CBS mutation, which causes me to be sensitive to sulfur. So, I started eating two cups of sulfur vegetables instead of three. Plus, I increased the other groups to make up the difference.

When the body processes sulfur it produces ammonia which is toxic to the body. Normally, the body is able to expel the ammonia through urine. But for people with a CBS mutation, their body can’t expel the ammonia as easily so they need to eat less sulfur.

If the body has too much ammonia it can destroy brain cells. L-glutamine helps stabilize blood sugar and helps to reduce ammonia levels. The brain also becomes more susceptible to ammonia toxicity. People with a CBS mutation often have high levels of homocysteine. Studies show that high levels of homocysteine increase the risk of diseases. Such as heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s disease. Folic acid and B vitamins help to break down homocysteine.

You can get a blood test through your doctor or use an online lab, which I do. I like to use Walk-In Lab or Health Testing Centers. A normal homocysteine level should be between 5-15 micromoles per liter (µmol/L).

• 5-15 µmol/L = Normal 
• 15-30 µmol/L = Moderately Elevated
• 30-100 µmol/L = Intermediate Elevation
• Above 100 µmol/L = Severe Elevation

Candida

After one year of being on The Wahls Protocol, I realized that I had severe yeast overgrowth. Also known as Candida. I’ve probably had it most of my life due to a poor diet and too many rounds of antibiotics.

I also have the HLA-DR allele group which is a genetic risk factor for MS. It’s also a risk factor for fungal infections like Candida. Many people with MS have Candida and don’t realize it.

From my DNA test.

When the good bacteria in your gut die off Candida takes this opportunity to grow. Researchers discovered people with MS have more bad gut bacteria than healthy people. In other words, they have less good bacteria.

Candida grows by feeding off of sugar. Whether it’s from eating processed foods or from eating a high-carbohydrate healthy diet. Candida also feeds off of blood sugar. It’s important to eat a low carbohydrate diet, keep your blood sugar level, and try not to get stressed out.

I decided to combine The Wahls Protocol and follow a Candida diet. I followed the recommendations from the book Healing Multiple Sclerosis by Ann Boroch. After three months my symptoms began to reverse.

Here is a typical day of what I ate:

• I skipped breakfast because I was doing intermittent fasting from 8 p.m. through 12 p.m. the next day. Dr. Terry Wahls recommends it in her book plus I’m not eating and feeding Candida.
• My first meal was usually a green smoothie. I also cooked up a few chicken sausages by Applegate for more added fat and protein.
• My second meal was either a large salad or vegetable soup depending on whether it was cold or hot outside. I used different dark leafy greens and whatever vegetables I had at the moment. I always added seasonings like garlic, turmeric, and cinnamon. Cinnamon helps lower blood sugar levels. For the salad dressing drizzle with lemon juice.
• If I needed a snack I would eat an avocado, roasted vegetables, berries, or a green apple.

An important part of this diet plan was including supplements and herbal antifungals for Candida:

• Berberine 
• Vitamin C
• Omega Plus
• Perma-Clear (includes L-glutamine and probiotics)
• Vitamin D/K2
• Vitamin E (make sure it is d-alpha-tocopherol)
• Formula SF722 
• Antifungals such as pau d’arco, caprylic acid, oregano oil, and garlic

Supplements can interfere with certain medications so it’s best to speak with your doctor first.

Many of my symptoms reversed, and the biggest improvement is my heat intolerance is now gone. Unfortunately, due to stress, my symptoms stopped reversing about nine months later. But I haven’t gotten worse so that’s good. 

Last year, I had a hair analysis test that showed my potassium level was low and cortisol level was low. It also showed that my mercury level was high so I’m currently working on those and plan to get retested soon. 

Reversing nerve damage caused by MS is tough and it can get discouraging at times. But if you stay positive and focus on your goals you can do this!

Reversing Multiple Sclerosis

Get the password for my library with MANY wellness printables including the Reversing Multiple Sclerosis (the protocol I used to reverse my heat intolerance) here by filling out this form:

Resources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20444538

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/vitamin-d-levels-predict-multiple-sclerosis-progression

https://drjockers.com/cbs-mutation-low-sulfur-diet/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5650687/#S1title