How to Improve Nutrition for Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable neurological disease that affects the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and optic nerves) in an estimated 400,000 Americans. Nutritional changes and the body's responses will help those diagnosed with multiple sclerosis improve their health, fitness and functionality.

Instructions

• 1

  Maintain a detailed dietary journal and note your body's responses. Eliminate foods or food combinations that elicit or increase symptoms.
  Digestion begins in the mouth with chewing and the moistening of food. Digestive enzymes in saliva are protective and healing to the gut therefore chewing your food thoroughly is beneficial to digestion and health.
  Read all labels carefully and choose simple, unprocessed foods over processed foods to eliminate additives which may elicit symptoms.

• 2

  Limit your consumption of fat, especially saturated fats, according to the book "The Multiple Sclerosis Diet Book" Dr. Roy L. Swank. Hard fats or saturated fats are found in butter and domestic animals (cows, lamb and pork.) Dr. Swank recommends a daily saturated fat intake of 15 grams (3 teaspoons) and an unsaturated fat (oils) intake between 20 and 50 grams a day, including 5 grams (1 teaspoon) of cod-liver oil. Substitute oils in place of butter and margarine.

• 3

  Eat plenty of good proteins. Wild salmon, mackerel, herring and tuna provide anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and large quantities of protein.
  Skinless breasts from antibiotic-free and hormone-free, free range chickens supply quality protein.
  Game meats, (deer, bison and elk) furnish high quality protein and contain a much lower ratio of adipose fat to intra-muscular fat than domestic animals

• 4

  Choose complex carbs over simple sugars. Simple sugars, like candy, pastries and soda have little nutritional value and cause a quick spike in blood glucose levels creating fatigue. Complex carbohydrates, fruits & vegetables, are high in nutrients and keep blood glucose levels constant.
  Raw fruits are digested better when consumed separately from fats and proteins, thus are best eaten as snacks between meals.
  Gluten grains elicit allergic reactions in many Americans and should be reduced or eliminated from your diet.
  Sugar and aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal and Spoonful) intake may lead to increased inflammation and/or neurological symptoms and should be replaced by honey or fruit sugars.