Good health and it's effect on the body can't every be underestimated. If
your health is as good as it can be, then even with multiple sclerosis (MS), you are
doing a good thing for your body. That’s why a good diet plays a key roles in living
well with MS. If your body isn't kept healthy, then your immune system can't
be healthy. For your immune system to be at its best, despite its issue
with MS, a proper diet must be maintained.
Maintaining a health body weight and eating just the right amount of calories
your body needs for energy is important. If a person eats more calories than
they can use, the body will store the extra calories in the form of fat to use
later. But if a person accumulates too much stored body fat, obesity can result.
It's possible to maintain a healthy weight by choosing nutritious foods and
participating in physical activity.
Several key lifestyle choices can affect your risk for developing disease. The
leading preventable cause of death in the United States is smoking, closely
followed by obesity. Choosing to avoid tobacco and maintain a healthy body
weight will greatly reduce your risk of developing diseases such as heart
disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.
The body uses three dietary fuels: carbohydrates (carbs), proteins, and fats.
Each provides energy (calories) the body needs to keep it running smoothly. Most
foods contain a combination of carbs, proteins, and fats. But compared to carbs
and proteins, dietary fats provide double the amount of energy.
Eating the proper foods is also important to maintain strength. Fast weight loss
plans and diet pills don’t normally offer proper nutrition values. Diets that
severely cut calories only cause the body’s metabolism to slow. It's important
to eat a well balanced diet that is full of fruits and vegetables, lean
proteins, healthy fats, low fat dairy, and healthy fiber. Eating several small
meals a day keeps the metabolism going and the blood sugar levels even.
Nutritional Basics
Nutrition and eating habits affect people with MS the same way as those without
MS. Those with MS, however, tend to have a lot more to deal with making proper
nutrition and diet more critical. That’s why it’s important to develop healthy
eating habits and to stick with them. MS is so very unpredictable and
uncontrollable, but what you eat is something you can control.
An important goal for us all is to maintain a healthy weight. This is simple in
theory, but not always easy in practice. What you need to do is the same as
everyone else - watch your calories and exercise regularly. Calories are a
measure of the energy in the foods we eat. The calories we use fuel our bodies
and the calories we don’t use get stored as fat which over time can become extra
weight.
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Whether you have MS or not, sticking with healthy eating habits takes some work.
A good rule of thumb is to "follow the pyramid." The US Department of
Agriculture’s Food Guide Pyramid can show you how to make healthy choices. It
may not be the best plan, but the newer pyramid does break it down to the
basics. The biggest thing is to eat a well balance group of foods and don't over
eat.
Making healthy choices isn’t always easy, that’s because food isn’t just about
nutrition. Food has always been about emotions, culture, relationships, and
lifestyle. If you need to make changes in what and how much you eat, start
slowly and take it easy, and always involve your doctor. Remember that change
doesn’t have to happen overnight. In fact, it can be healthier if it doesn’t.
Multiple Sclerosis Diets
There have been many different MS diets that claim to treat, or even cure, MS
symptoms. The truth is that the proof that they work is very limited. Most have
not been carefully tested in controlled studies. The few that have been tested
have produced mixed results.
Be careful of all special diets, not just ones that claim to help with MS. A
diet may be popular and/or receiving a lot of attention in the news, but that
doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Some special diets may be harmful because they
include amounts of certain vitamins that could hurt you or exclude important
nutrients.
MS specialists recommend that people with MS follow the same low-fat, high fiber
diet that is recommended for people without MS. All individuals are unique, so
always talk to your doctor before making any major changes in your diet.
Nutritional and Botanical Supplements
Here is a list of supplements that are generally suggested for those with and
with MS. Prior to taking any of these supplements, however, it's important to
consult ones doctor:
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Digestive enzymes to be taken as directed with meals |
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Vitamin C 1000 mg: three times a day with meals |
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Lecithin granules: 1 tsp three times a day with meals |
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Vitamin E: 400-800 IU daily |
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Selenium: 150-300 mcg daily |
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B vitamin complex as directed on formula |
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Multivitamin formula as directed |
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Potassium: 300-1000 mg daily in divided doses |
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Flax seed oil: 1-2 Tbs. daily |
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Ginkgo biloba standardized extract: 40-80 mg three times a day |
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MyPyramid, released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in
2005, is an update on the ubiquitous U.S. food guide pyramid. The new icon
stresses activity and moderation along with a proper mix of food groups in one's
diet.
It stresses a well balanced diet as well as physical activity. This is just a
general guild that can be taken as a good place to begin since every individuals
needs are different.
It tries to make a better attempt this time at showing the need for a broad and
more balanced diet. It also shows a bit more of reality in that it mentions
those discretionary calories, as long as it's in small amounts.
MyPyramid contains 8 divisions with 6 food groups from left to right:
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Grains
- recommending that at least half of grains consumed be as whole grains
Vegetables
- emphasizing dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, and dry beans and peas
Fruits
- emphasizing variety and de-emphasizing fruit juices
Oils
- recommending fish, nut, and vegetables sources
Milk
- a category that includes fluid milk and many other milk-based products
Meats and beans
- emphasizing low-fat and lean meats such as fish as well as more beans, peas, nuts, and seeds
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The two other categories: |
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Physical activity
- represented by a person climbing steps on the pyramid, with
at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day
recommended (and in some cases 60 or 90 minutes)
Discretionary calories
- represented by the narrow tip of each colored band,
including items such as candy, alcohol, or additional food
from any other group.
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