Last Updated on December 7, 2023 by Cathy
There are many diets for multiple sclerosis (MS), including Swank, Paleo, Wahls, and many more. So, how do you know which diet is best for MS?
Everyone with MS is different, no one diet is going to be perfect for everyone. Since MS is caused by chronic inflammation the best option is to remove foods that cause inflammation. Start by removing common foods known to cause inflammation. Then you will need to tweak the diet to fit your individual needs.
Years ago, when I discovered using food as my medicine, I started with the Swank diet. Immediately I started feeling better but not 100%. Wanting my body to keep improving, I kept changing diets. I even tried a ketogenic diet but lost too much weight, you can read more about it here: Why I Failed the Wahls Paleo Plus.
Today, I don’t follow one diet in particular, I follow a combination of different diets to fit my needs. But, they are all based on the Paleo diet. For example, I’m currently fighting a yeast overgrowth so I’m doing the Wahls Protocol (Paleo-based) and a Candida diet.
People follow the Paleo diet for many different reasons. It seems like the biggest reason is to lose weight. It’s a great way of eating healthy and losing weight without starving yourself.
Reasons to start the Paleo diet:
- Lose weight
- Strength training and performance
- Feel better in general
- Serious health issues
Optimal Health
While losing weight is a huge accomplishment. The underlying issue is eating for optimal health. Not everyone who’s eating a clean diet is hoping to lose weight. My son has Type 1 Diabetes, and I had the opposite problem. Due to our autoimmune diseases, we were both malnourished and underweight.
Once we started taking better care of ourselves and eating right, our bodies were able to gain weight back. The same goes when you’re trying to heal an autoimmune disease. Remove the foods causing inflammation and it will calm your immune system down.
Tips to gain weight:
- 1-3 cans of full-fat coconut milk each day
- Add more healthy fats
- Avocados – alone or added to smoothies and dressings
- Eat a starch with fat
- Fudge made with equal amounts of coconut oil, nut butter, and cacao, add vanilla and raw honey to taste
- Lara bars (read ingredients)
- Lift weights to gain more muscle
- Nuts and nut butter
- Sweet potatoes – eat protein to slow down the absorption of glucose
For more tips on gaining weight check out The Paleo Mom – How to Gain (or Maintain) Weight on The Autoimmune Protocol.
Inflammation
There are many triggers to MS, you will need to become a detective and figure out your causes. Certain foods are the biggest contributor to chronic inflammation. Eating them every day creates an inflammatory response. Leading to obesity, digestive problems, skin issues, and chronic diseases.
Triggers to MS:
- Poor Diet
- Infections (bacteria, parasites, viruses, and yeast overgrowth)
- Environmental toxins (heavy metals, mold, pesticides, etc.)
- Chronic stress
- Hormones (adrenaline, cortisol, etc.)
Remove these foods to start the healing process:
Grains
Grains are not the same today as they were even 20 years ago, especially in the U.S. They no longer have any nutrients, and they also cause blood sugar levels to spike. Wheat and corn are mostly GMOs and heavily sprayed with pesticides. If bugs won’t eat them, we shouldn’t either.
Some people do eat rice and gluten-free oats, but I don’t eat them. I’m trying to reverse all the symptoms MS left me so I avoid any foods that could cause a setback.
Dairy
Dairy is highly promoted as being healthy. What they don’t talk about is how many people have a milk intolerance. Lactose, casein, and whey in milk products cause many health issues. Including acne, allergies, blood sugar spikes, and more.
Refined Sugar
Refined sugar is extremely bad for anyone whether they are healthy or not. Granted it tastes good, that’s why there are so people addicted to it. But it contains no nutrients and is highly inflammatory causing many health problems.
Refined sugar is hard to avoid, it’s hidden under many different names. Plus it’s in just about every processed food. The only way you can completely avoid refined sugar is by reading all labels and cooking at home.
Problems with refined sugar:
- Contributes to weight gain and obesity
- Feeds bad bacteria, yeast overgrowth (Candida), and cancer
- Messes with hormonesOverloads the liver
- Raises bad (LDL) cholesterol
- Raises blood sugar levels
- Releases dopamine, making it highly addictive
- The leading cause of heart disease
- This leads to insulin resistance
Unhealthy Fats
For decades doctors told us to avoid all fats but not all fats are bad for us. The American Heart Association recently stated to avoid all saturated fats. Saturated fats don’t cause cardiovascular disease.
Researchers now know saturated fats don’t cause cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or cancer. Instead, they provide energy, help us feel full, and much more. There are two types, long-chain and medium-chain saturated fat. The long chain comes from eggs and animal fats such as bacon. Medium-chain such as coconut and palm oil increases energy to your cells. They are less likely to increase insulin resistance.
Instead avoid highly processed fats, trans fats (partially hydrogenated), and processed vegetable oils. They are high in omega-6 fatty acids and are usually genetically modified. These are usually the cheap oils found in plastic containers in grocery stores.
Avoid these inflammatory oils and fats:
- Canola
- Corn
- Cottonseed
- Grapeseed
- Margarine
- Peanut
- Safflower
- Shortening
- Soybean
- Sunflower
- Vegetable
- and any other “imitation” butter or oil
Healing Foods
Eat foods that are high in antioxidants to reduce the damage caused by inflammation. Eat an equal balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They promote heart health, brain function, and nerve tissue.
Foods To Include:
- Fruits especially berries
- Healthy Fats, avocados, and oil, coconut oil, nut oils (not peanut), olive oil, palm oil
- Herbs
- Low in carbohydrates
- Nuts (soaked)
- Organic, Grass-fed, and Finished Meat and Wild Game
- Organic, Pasture-raised Poultry
- Seeds, fresh-ground flaxseed, sesame seeds
- Vegetables including dark leafy greens, colored, and sulfur
- Vitamin D supplement
- Wild Caught Fish
If you’re starting out it can feel overwhelming but there are a lot of foods you can eat. These are nutrient-dense foods that will help remove inflammation and toxins from your body.
