Last Updated on December 7, 2023 by Cathy
There are many different versions of the Paleo diet. For multiple sclerosis (MS) an extremely nutrient-dense version of the Paleo diet benefits MS sufferers. It not only stops the progression it can reverse some if not all symptoms.
People tend to think of the Paleo diet as just another fad diet. The Paleo diet includes lots of protein, a nutrient-dense Paleo diet includes more vegetables for vitamins and minerals. Looking into the nutritional benefits you’ll realize everyone should be eating a nutrient-dense Paleo diet.
History of the Paleo Diet
According to Wikipedia, gastroenterologist Walter Voegtlin created the Paleolithic diet in the 1970s. He suggested people should eat like our Paleolithic ancestors to be much healthier.
The “Paleo” diet became popular by Loren Cordain with his book The Paleo Diet, released in 2001. The diet resembles what our prehistoric ancestors would have eaten. He has since released many books based on the Paleo diet, he also has a website ThePaleoDiet.
The Paleo Diet includes:
- Vegetables
- Fruits (mostly berries)
- Nuts & seeds
- Healthy oils
- Grass-fed meats
- Free-range poultry
- Wild-caught fish
All grains and dairy products aren’t allowed since they weren’t part of the caveman’s diet. Processed foods of any kind are off-limits. There are many paleo treats on the internet using natural sweeteners. However, limit natural sweeteners since they weren’t readily available back then.
Many skeptics of the Paleo diet argue that it isn’t accurate. Prehistoric man didn’t live as long as people today so their diets can’t be better. It’s not so much what they ate, it’s all the processed foods, we eat today causing diseases.
Roger McDougall
The Paleo diet has been around for a very long time, even before the 1970s. It just didn’t have the name “Paleo” attached to it.
Roger McDougall was a screenplay writer starting in the late 1930s. He even won Academy Awards for a few of his films. Diagnosed in 1953 with a severe form of MS he ended up blind and in a wheelchair within a few years.
Instead of following doctor’s recommendations, Roger decided to change his diet. He chose to use a holistic approach which brought him positive results. He said, “stick to those foods which had been consumed by man since the very beginning.”
“ I based my diet on the food consumed by the hunter-gatherer, before mankind settle down in agricultural communities, grew cereals and tended cattle.”
– Roger McDougall
In other words – the Paleo diet. He cut out gluten, dairy, sugar, and any foods that showed up on his food allergy test. It took him years before he was able to start living a normal life again. But as he said, “a slow improvement is surely preferable to a slow, hopeless degeneration.”
Can’t argue with that statement!
The Roger McDougall story is the inspiration I discovered many years ago. It changed the way I eat and I haven’t had an MS attack since.
Nutrient-Dense Paleo Diet
Today, there are many different versions of the original Paleolithic Diet (Paleo) diet. Autoimmune Protocol, Whole30, and The Wahls Protocol are a few and all based on the Paleo Diet. Depending on what you’re after depends on which version you need.
Most people choose the Paleo diet to lose weight so they stick with the original version. Others, like me, are wanting their chronic disease to reverse. Since MS affects the central nervous system it’s going to take a little more effort to heal. This is why eating a nutrient-dense diet is so important.
The current standard American diet provides little nutrients. It’s high in refined grains, sugar, and processed oils. We are a thriving country with a high amount of people living with a nutrient deficiency.
Today, there are more diseases than ever before. Including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. Whole foods will give your body the nutrients it needs to thrive.
Eating for MS
Many people start eating a Paleo diet leaving out key nutrients toward healing. This includes organ meats, sea vegetables, fatty fish, many vegetables, and clean water. Learn to eat organ meats also known as offal, like heart, liver, or tongue. They’re loaded with vitamins and minerals. Including B vitamins, vitamin A, folic acid, magnesium, and more.
I hated liver as a kid but now we eat it all the time, my husband even requests it. Here is our favorite liver recipe: Seasoned Liver & Onions recipe (it tastes better than it looks).
The nice part about buying organ meats – it’s very cheap compared to other meats. However, if you just can’t stand the taste of organ meats try eating sardines or take a supplement. I recommend Grass Fed Beef Liver by Ancestral Supplements.
Concentrate on including more micronutrients for vitamins and minerals. Foods with high nutrient density supply more energy to cells. The Wahls Protocol is perfect for reversing MS. She includes lots of vegetables and the missing key ingredients into her diet plan.
10 Nutrient-Dense Foods
- Berries
- Bone Broth
- Collard Greens
- Garlic
- Kale
- Liver
- Salmon
- Seaweed
- Sprouts
- Watercress
Sugar Addition
Sugar is addicting, even as babies we love sugar. Unfortunately, refined sugar is extremely unhealthy. Doctors now know it’s not high fat causing heart-related conditions its sugar. It also causes obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 Diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.
It feeds a yeast overgrowth called Candida and cancer. Many people with MS also have Candida and don’t realize it. Candida can punch through your gut lining. It then enters the bloodstream and wreaks havoc throughout the entire body.
How To Get Started
Everyone is different so there is no right or wrong way to start, only to get started. When I started I went cold turkey, unfortunately, it was one week before Thanksgiving. It was very hard and I was so depressed, I don’t recommend this route.
It’s easiest to start slowly. Start one week by removing gluten next remove dairy and so forth. Start cleaning out your refrigerator and pantry. If you have anything left, give it away or throw it away. No more pizza or quick boxed meals, keep processed foods out of the house. Out-of-sight, out-of-mind.
Keep it simple and you will succeed!
In the End
Our current diet habits are slowly killing us, it’s time to change. The Paleo diet promotes a healthy body which can benefit people with MS. This is not just a diet, it’s a lifestyle change for the better.
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