Last Updated on October 17, 2023 by Cathy
The cause of multiple sclerosis (MS) is due to chronic inflammation. This includes pathogens such as viruses and environmental toxins such as heavy metals. Eating mostly fruits, veggies, herbs, and spices can reduce inflammation in your body.
The standard American diet triggers inflammation in the body. It consists of ultra-processed foods, added sugar, high fat, and sodium. Artificial ingredients and chemicals loaded in it cause diseases. This is the diet I ate when I was growing up.
A typical breakfast for me was cornflakes with half-powered milk and half-real milk. To cover the taste I added lots of refined sugar. After school, I snacked on toast made from white bread with margarine and cinnamon sugar. Dinner was meat with a vegetable like canned peas and more margarine. Sometimes a salad made with iceberg lettuce and tomatoes drowned in salad dressing. I usually didn’t eat the salad and rarely ate vegetables or fruit.
The standard American diet, or SAD, usually involves:
- Lots of processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats
- High consumption of red and processed meats
- Fewer fruits and vegetables
- Linked to health issues like heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes
Even if you are eating a “healthy diet” you may be eating foods that are harmful. For example, people consider dairy healthy, but not for someone with MS. Studies found women who drank more milk had more flares. Plus, countries that consume more dairy have higher rates of MS.
MS Diets
There are many diets for MS to choose from. I’ve been on many of these diets and what I found is, there is no perfect diet. Everyone is different and everyone is dealing with different pathogens and toxins. What I experienced will be different compared to what you experienced.
All MS diets work, but they don’t work for everyone. You have to find which diet works best for you. After 8+ years of eating a strict Paleo diet, I realized it wasn’t working for me. After my bloodwork, I discovered I was at risk for heart disease. Plus, I received a diagnosis of osteoporosis. – Both are diet-related.
The Paleo diet is healthy and has helped many people. For me, I was including too many healthy fats and not enough fruits. I avoided most fruits thinking it fed my Candida. But, I finally read fruit is high in fiber which helps lower blood sugar.
I should have realized this sooner since my son is a type 1 diabetic (an autoimmune disease). Diabetics count carbohydrates (carbs) so they know how much insulin to take. When dosing insulin they subtract the grams of fiber from the total grams of carbs.
Don’t be afraid to eat fruit. Fruit is high in antioxidants, fiber, minerals, and vitamins. This is exactly what you need to heal!
A nutrient-dense diet is the cornerstone to healing MS, choose foods like fruits and vegetables. They nourish your body with important vitamins and minerals that remove toxins and germs.
Stop eating foods that feed diseases including:
- Dairy including whey
- Gluten
- Refined sugar
- Artificial flavors and sweeteners
- Natural flavors
- Corn (it’s mostly a GMO)
- Soy (it’s mostly a GMO)
- MSG
- Canola oil (it’s mostly a GMO)
- Pork (it’s high in fat and prone to parasites)
- Farmed fish (it’s washed in toxic chemicals due to parasites)
- Processed citric acid (processed citric acid is mostly derived from corn)
Pathogens and Environmental Toxins
Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik
A 20-year study found Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the leading cause of MS. They found over 99% of people with MS were previously infected with EBV. However, EBV is not the only factor. For me, I believe my trigger was due to mold, Streptococcus, poor diet, stress, and mercury exposure.
People get exposed to mercury through various sources including:
- Eating fish contaminated with mercury. Especially large predatory fish like tuna, shark, swordfish, and king mackerel.
- Dental amalgam fillings (silver fillings) can release small amounts of mercury vapor.
- Certain industries, like manufacturing, release mercury contaminating the air and water.
- Older thermometers and fluorescent light bulbs can contain mercury.
- Skin creams and cosmetics from other countries might have mercury in them.
- Some vaccines, like the flu vaccine in multi-dose vials, have thimerosal, a type of mercury.
Healthy Foods
Image by timolina on Freepik
You can either choose to eat foods that cause diseases or foods that fight diseases. Don’t think eating mostly plants will be boring – it’s not just salads. Eating mostly plant foods has many health benefits and improves your quality of life. Plus, it’s delicious.
When choosing foods, opt for nutrient-dense options. To get the most nutrients, eat foods such as spinach, blueberries, and lean meats. Eating nutrient-dense foods helps you achieve better health and supports your immune system.
Healthy foods to eat include:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Herbs and spices
- Healthy oils
- Nuts and seeds
- Wild-caught fish
- Pasture-raised poultry
- Grass-fed meat
These foods help remove pathogens and toxins from the body. They support it by building your immune system by giving it the nutrients it needs. Choose organic whenever possible to avoid pesticides. Eating the right kinds of foods can help reverse your symptoms.
Don’t you want a better quality of life? – I know you do, we all do.
What You Can Eat
Image by timolina on Freepik
Like I said earlier, eating plant foods isn’t only eating salads. Some of my favorite meals include smoothies, stir fry, “potato salad,” and soups. The potato salad has cooked potatoes, greens, onions, tomatoes, and guacamole. Instead of butter, I use lemon juice with seasonings.
Here’s a typical day of eating for me:
First thing in the morning I drink 16 ounces of room temperature lemon water. It wakes me up, it’s hydrating, and it helps increase stomach acid (HCL). I usually drink two of these in one day.
Breakfast is usually Strep Detox Smoothie. Lately, I’ve been using red clover tea that I brewed earlier and cooled instead of plain water. Red clover has many health benefits including cleansing the blood and liver. Plus, a teaspoon of turmeric powder which is a powerful anti-inflammatory.
Since I have adrenal fatigue, I eat a snack in between meals to stabilize my blood sugar. It’s usually fruit like an apple, orange, or a small bowl of berries.
Lunch is typically a large salad. When I say large I’m talking a mixing bowl size. It’s a garden salad with fruit, nuts, or seeds with seasonings. For the salad dressing, it’s usually freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice mixed with raw honey.
For the afternoon snack most times I drink another smoothie. Sometimes I eat more fruit but not the same kind I ate earlier. Try peaches, pears, grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, kiwi, papaya, or mango.
Dinner can be a big salad or a cooked meal such as:
- Stir fry with pineapple
- Burrito bowl with cauliflower rice, tomatoes, cilantro, onions, avocado, and seasonings
- Fajita with veggies and herbs, I use cassava flour to make the tortillas
- Steamed sweet potato hash along with your favorite veggies
- Creamy Chicken “Zoodle” Soup
- Dairy-free, gluten-free pizza
Evening snack is usually one or two dates.
Make sure you drink plenty of filtered water throughout the day to stay hydrated, it also flushes out toxins. If you don’t like plain water add fruits, or herbs like mint or thyme.
Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free Pizza Recipe
The picture above is a pizza I made. I could buy a mix but since I already have the ingredients I may as well make it from scratch. Plus, the pizza mix could have an ingredient I avoid.
Ingredients for the pizza crust:
- 1 1/2 cups cassava flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup warm water
- Optional: herbs and spices for flavor such as basil, garlic powder, and oregano
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C)
- In a large mixing bowl mix everything together until you have a smooth dough. You may need to add more water or flour to achieve the right consistency.
- Place the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I use a pizza stone sprinkled with a little bit of flour before adding the dough. Use your hands or a rolling pin to press it out into a pizza shape. You can make it as thin or thick as you like, depending on your preference.
- Top with a thin layer of tomato paste that doesn’t include processed citric acid.
- Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the entire crust including the edges.
- Add your favorite toppings. In the picture above, I used sweet onions, red bell peppers, spinach, baby bella mushrooms, zucchini, oregano, basil, and garlic powder.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on the thickness of the crust.
The pizza crust is crunchy but it tastes delicious. After baking the pizza, I like to add fresh tomatoes.
Nutrient-Dense Foods Your Body Craves
Eating mostly fruits and vegetables doesn’t have to be boring. Experiment with different recipes but keep it simple. Here are some easy substitutes for popular ingredients:
- If you decide to eat less meat substitute it with mushrooms.
- Instead of rice make cauliflower rice.
- Don’t use milk use nut milk like almond milk or use coconut milk.
- Spiralize zucchini or cucumbers to use as noodles or spaghetti squash.
- If you’re craving ice cream make “nice” cream instead. Blend frozen bananas and fruit in a food processor until creamy. Use cherries if desired.
Remember to exercise, drink plenty of water, get a good night’s sleep, and lower your stress. Don’t listen to naysayers, believe you can heal. Many people have healed from their MS by changing their diet and lifestyle.
Supercharge your health and discover the nutrient-dense foods your body craves.
Image by Freepik
Resources:
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/epstein-barr-virus-may-be-the-leading-cause-of-multiple-sclerosis/
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/thimerosal.htm
Discover the Nutrient-Dense Foods Your Body Craves
