Talk to most multiple sclerosis (MS) experts and they’ll tell you the same thing: There’s no magic diet for MS that’s been proven to ward off symptoms or cure the disease. But that doesn’t mean your diet can't play a role in how well you manage MS.
The foods you eat are absolutely significant, says Barry Singer, MD, a neurologist at Missouri Baptist Medical Center and the director of the MS Center for Innovations in Care in St. Louis. “Diet is extremely important to overall health and fitness,” he says — crucial when you’re managing a chronic condition. A healthy eating plan may also help you better control MS symptoms, such as fatigue, bladder problems, and bowel dysfunction. And choosing nutritious foods may help you prevent some of the most common health conditions related to MS, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
“I like to use a car analogy when explaining a healthy diet,” says Mona Bostick, RDN, CSO, LDN, a nutritionist in Greensboro, North Carolina, who herself has relapsing-remitting MS.“If you want to have a finely tuned car, put good fuel in it and practice good maintenance. Food is the fuel. Put better fuel in your tank and you’ll feel better.”
Choose Low Fat, High Fiber Foods
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) suggests that people with MS follow the same dietary guidelines recommended to the general population: Eat foods that are low in fat and high in fiber. That’s because a diet low in saturated and trans fats (or “bad” fats) and high in fiber and other nutrients is a building block in establishing overall good health.
Nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts, and seeds provide your body with the fuel it needs. Saturated and trans fats, on the other hand, are associated with a number of negative health effects, and the American Heart Association recommends that you limit your daily intake of these fats to less than 7 percent of your total calories.
A low-fat, high-fiber diet is also a cornerstone in maintaining a healthy weight, an important health factor for people with MS. Not only does being overweight increase your risk of other conditions, such as heart disease, but it can make some MS symptoms more difficult to manage. For instance, excess weight can contribute to fatigue and may make mobility more challenging.
But healthy eating isn’t available in one-size-fits-all plans. “Always talk to your doctor about what would be healthy for you,” Dr. Singer says. Discuss dietary changes with your doctor before you make any adjustments.
Drink Plenty of Water
Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids is important for everyone because it prevents dehydration, aids in digestion, keeps muscles working, and more. And people with MS derive additional health benefits from drinking the recommended eight cups of water a day. To start, dehydration is a huge contributor to fatigue as well as constipation, both common symptoms of MS.
“Many people with MS have bladder urgency, and as a result they may drink less fluid,” Singer says. But adequate fluid intake is important for bladder health. In addition, a small study published in 2011 in the journal Disability and Rehabilitation reported that dehydration levels in people with MS could partly be due to a disability.
Another good reason to drink more water? Heat intolerance. Some people with MS experience a worsening of their symptoms when they become overheated because of hot weather, exercise, or taking a hot shower. If you’re sensitive to the heat, it’s important to stay hydrated so your body is able to naturally cool itself down with perspiration. An easy way to drink enough is to simply keep cold water within reach throughout the day.
Find New Uses for Yogurt
Low-fat yogurt is a smart snack option for people with MS for a number of reasons. First, yogurt is a bone-health power food: It’s high in calcium, and some brands are fortified with vitamin D. In addition, probiotics — good-for-you bacteria found in most yogurts — help with digestive problems, a common MS woe.
“Antibiotics and other medications, surgery, radiation to the gastrointestinal tract, and significant diet changes can all disrupt the microbial balance in the gut,” Bostick says, “allowing bad bacteria to sort of take over. This can result in digestion issues such as bloating, diarrhea, and other uncomfortable symptoms. Probiotics can help restore the balance.”
But yogurt has more than just snack potential. You can use it as a low-fat replacement for mayonnaise, sour cream, or cream cheese in recipes for soups, sauces, dips, and dressings. It makes a good dessert too
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