Using Food to Manage MS

Last Updated on January 9, 2024 by Cathy

When you’re first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) it’s scary. Doctors want to get you on one of the pharmaceutical drugs as soon as possible. But, they don’t suggest using food to manage MS.

Did you know that some doctors get paid for getting their patients onto one of the MS medications? I haven’t been on any MS drugs since 2005 so I can’t say anything about any of the newer drugs. 

But I can tell you, the drug I was taking made me worse. It caused many side effects including weekly flu-like symptoms and suicidal thoughts. I couldn’t figure out why I was thinking like that until I looked up the side effects and there it was. Another side effect was DEATH.

You’ve probably had MS for a very long time before your diagnosis. So you have time to decide if you want to start one of the medications or not. I’m not going to tell you if you should start one or not. Do your research and stick to your gut instincts. Don’t let anyone bully you into something you don’t want to do – that includes your doctor.

I am going to tell you that it’s possible to stop the progression of MS. By living a healthy lifestyle and eating the right foods. It’s also possible to reverse some if not all of your symptoms. But the main objective is stopping the progression of MS.

Foods to Buy

Vegetables should be the majority of what you eat. They should cover three-quarters of your plate. Buy organic as much as possible to avoid pesticides, growth hormones, and antibiotics. If you’re unable to buy organic then only buy organic if it shows up on the Dirty Dozen List. This list includes the top twelve produce with the highest amounts of pesticides.

Produce with the most pesticides (starting with the highest levels):

1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale
4. Nectarines
5. Apples
6. Grapes
7. Peaches
8. Cherries
9. Pears
10. Tomatoes
11. Celery
12. Potatoes

Avoid all grains and dairy. Having MS also means you have a leaky gut. A leaky gut is where the lining of the gut separates allowing food particles and toxins to pass through. 

I follow The Wahls Protocol because it’s a nutrient-dense diet. It’s a paleo-based diet but focuses on more vegetables to help heal the central nervous system. If you would like to learn more check out this post – What is the Wahls Protocol? Or read her book The Wahls Protocol.

What Dr. Wahls recommends daily:

• Leafy green vegetables – 3 cups
• Cruciferous (sulfur) vegetables – 3 cups
• Colored vegetables – 3 cups (1 cup of red, 1 cup of blue/black, 1 cup of yellow/orange)
• Fruit especially fruits lower in sugar. Such as avocado, berries, green apple, grapefruit, avocado, lemon, lime, or green banana.
• Grass-fed meats (beef, bison, lamb, game meats, etc.)
• Pasture-raised poultry (chicken, duck, goose, turkey, quail, etc.)
• Wild-caught fish and oily fish with omega-3’s are best (mackerel, salmon, sardines, etc.)
• Seaweed, it’s a good source of iodine and trace minerals
• Bone broth and beef are more nourishing personally I prefer the taste of chicken 
• Organ meat (offal) once a week. They are high in vitamins and minerals (we eat liver and onions, check out my recipe for liver and onions)

Be careful when buying poultry. Most organic poultry sold in stores are still fed Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). Look for poultry that’s fed organic feed and certified to be free of additives. Such as antibiotics, pesticides, and other substances. 

The US banned growth hormones in poultry but it is fine for farmers to use growth hormones in other animals. Farmers use growth hormones to increase the growth of their animals. Then they will get paid more when sold to slaughterhouses.

As the saying goes – you are what you eat.

Unfortunately, the central nervous system is one of the slowest systems in the body to heal. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. 

UPDATE: I currently eat a mostly plant-based diet that is low in fat, including healthy fats. I do occasionally eat meat such as steelhead my son caught or pasture-raised chicken. – Everyone is different when it comes to which food is best to manage MS. Eat a diet that includes nutrient-dense foods to help manage your MS. Fruit, vegetables, herbs, and spices are the foods that will help you heal.

What’s for dinner?

Keep it simple. I rarely follow recipes, but if you need a recipe check out the recipes on my website. There are also many Paleo recipes online and in cookbooks that can help you out. I usually just throw things together and it comes out tasting pretty good.

Aim for as many vegetables as possible. Drinking a green smoothie every day is a great way to get more vegetables into your diet. I have a few smoothie recipes on my website like Easy Power Green Smoothie.

Add nut butter, matcha green tea, protein powder, and fresh ground flaxseeds. Seasonings like cinnamon and turmeric. Liquids like nut milk, real cranberry juice, or kombucha. Experiment with different ingredients while you’re making your smoothies.

Add vegetables with every meal including breakfast. I like to add vegetables to some of my meat dishes like my turkey spinach burger. Toss all of them into a big skillet and cook them with seasonings. This is my personal favorite. Check out my Easy One Pan Rosemary Chicken With Veggies recipe.

Soup is another easy meal to make, leftover soup is really good for breakfast. It’s also a good way to use up the vegetables before they go bad. Throw in any vegetables you have on hand. Add bone broth, water, seasonings, and coconut milk. Check out my Easy Paleo Chicken Vegetable Soup or Creamy Chicken “Zoodle” Soup.

As you’re cooking make a double batch, then freeze half of it for later. There will be some days you’re too busy or you just don’t feel like cooking. Always keep food on hand, if you don’t have anything to eat – that’s when you’re going to cheat.

Simple Snacks:

• Apple slices with almond butter (green apples are best since it has less sugar)
• Fermented veggies (carrots, pickles, sauerkraut, etc.)
• Fruit
• Green smoothie
• Handful of nuts
• Hard-boiled egg 
• Leftovers from the previous night
• Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
• Vegetable sticks (broccoli, carrots, celery, cucumbers, sweet peppers)

Water

Water should be your go-to beverage to keep you hydrated and help flush out toxins. But, sometimes you want something other than just plain water. Add fruit or veggies like cucumber slices to your water. 

Many people with MS have bladder issues so they back off on drinking liquids. But drinking water is essential for your body including brain function. Your body needs adequate water to stay hydrated and your brain to stay focused. 

Don’t get to the point where you “feel” thirsty, this means you are already dehydrated. If you notice your urine is a darker color you aren’t drinking enough water. You should be drinking LOTS of water to help flush toxins out of your body. Aim for 2 liters of water each day. I fill a glass liter bottle with filtered water and drink 2 of them each day. It’s easier than keeping track of how many ounces or glasses I’m drinking.

Herbal teas like green tea include antioxidants and they count as part of your water intake. Unfortunately, tea is a diuretic so if you drink a lot of herbal teas make sure you put minerals back into your body. You can do this by taking a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement.

Improve Your Lifestyle Habits

Besides using food to manage your MS you also need to live a healthy lifestyle and remove toxins. It’s impossible to remove all toxins from your life but you should remove as many as possible. If you smoke – stop! Use natural body care products and natural cleaning products. Buy a good quality air filter and water filter. Stop using candles or air fresheners, use essential oils instead.

It’s extremely important to keep moving! Go for a walk, swim, do yoga, or tia chi. I highly recommend joining OptimalBody Personal Fitness – this is what I use. It’s an online gym for MS, they even have exercises for people in wheelchairs.

Get plenty of good quality sleep. Your central nervous system repairs itself while you’re sleeping. If you struggle with insomnia try dimming the lights in your home before going to bed. Avoid drinking a few hours before bed to avoid having to get up during the night. Keep your bedroom cooler and dark. Use essential oils like Lavender or Sleep Aid to help you relax. 

Stress plays a HUGE role in your ability to heal. This has always held me back, it’s what caused my walking to get worse. It causes flares and it could be what triggered your MS.

We live in a highly stressful society but it’s how YOU handle the stress. Believe me, I know how hard it is to get stress under control. But, there are things you can do so you don’t get as stressed.

• Go for a walk
• Listen to music
• Meditate
• Play with your kids or your pets
• Soak in a warm tub
• Take deep breaths
• Watch a funny movie

Stop watching the news, get your finances under control, and clean up the clutter in your home. Sometimes you need to do something drastic. Like quitting your job, moving, or putting boundaries on negative people.

Using Food to Manage MS

When it comes to using food to manage your MS, add nutrient-rich foods to your grocery list. Foods such as berries, spinach, and kale are bursting with antioxidants. Choosing a diet rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties not only improves your overall health but also helps in managing MS symptoms and improves your quality of life.

I know it seems like a lot but you don’t need to do this all in one day. If you need to take it slow as long as you still moving forward. For example, start by removing gluten and later remove dairy. Then start working on cleaning up your environment.

Remember, when using food to manage MS include lots of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. Stay positive and believe you can heal – You Can Do This!

Free Wellness Library!

Subscribe for free and I’ll send you the password to my secret library filled with many printables for your wellness journey.

Using Food to Manage MS