Low Carbohydrates Diet for Multiple Sclerosis

According to information from the Mayo Clinic, multiple sclerosis is a disease which occurs where your body's own immune system begins rebelling, destroying the covering which encases nerves throughout the body. This results in symptoms which can include impaired vision, fatigue, motor-control issues, and dizziness. The most common treatment for MS is the administration of anti-inflammatory drugs to counter the inflammation that occurs during relapse, but another potentially viable aid for MS sufferers is adherence to a low-carb anti-inflammation diet.

Diet

• Follow a low-carb diet to potentially counter some of the inflammatory effects stemming from MS, mitigating symptoms of the condition. This advice comes courtesy of Dr. Barry Groves, Ph.D., a researcher specializing in dietary treatments for a variety of conditions. You will want to keep your carb intake under tight control while following this approach, allowing yourself no more than 20 to 30 grams a day, preferably spread out evenly across your daily meals. The only carbs you should consume are fruits and vegetables--avoid grains entirely as grains can trigger an inflammatory response. Good low-carb items from these groups include broccoli, lettuce, and cucumber--leafy green and fibrous foods. The bulk of your calories while on this diet should come from protein and fat in roughly equal amounts--just remember that one gram of fat has twice as many calories as one gram of protein, so aim to consume around two grams of protein for every one gram of fat to keep things balanced. Foods to consume while following this approach include hard cheeses, all types of meat, seafood, poultry, oils, nuts, seeds and fat-containing condiments such as butter and mayo.

Meals

• A sample meal plan while following this approach could be as follows. For breakfast, consume several eggs cooked to order with bacon or sausage and a small serving of broccoli or cucumber to increase your fiber intake. For lunch, eat some turkey breast with hard cheese and a salad made from lettuce and a few cherry tomatoes with olive oil dressing. For dinner, consume seafood of your choice with some almonds and spinach. Good snacks to include throughout the day include beef jerky, nuts, nut butters, and cheeses. While this will certainly not cure MS, it can help to further control inflammation when used alongside a traditional treatment regime of professional medical care.