Diet and MS - Have you Tried a low fat diet?
 

I have been researching lately about diet and how diet helps MS people. I am considering the Swank diet and have read some accounts of people with great results. What I am wondering, is if low fat and restrictive diets work so well for people, why doesn't my neuro recommend the diet or at least mention looking into it? I know they are doing trials in this area but regardless I am open to make changes that will help! Have you tried diet or vitamins and found great results? I only take BetaSeron, Vitamin D3 and Nuvigil.

I don't know if dieting helps!!
 

I have tried Nuvigil and I can say it didn't agree with me. The first few days, I had energy to spare but I lost my appetite and 5 pounds in a week. I pretty much eat low fat and healthy anyway. I think you have to see what works for you. I am so fatigued at times that lifting food to my mouth and chewing seems like running a marathon.

I have always been watching my health. Low blood pressure, low cholesterol. Besides the MS, I am in good health. If you try the diet, give it time and don't expect a miracle. I don't deny myself anything, food wise. I subscribe to moderation. I don't diet, I changed my diet.

I am fairly carefull too. I have been at the same weight for 10 years although I did lose about 8 pounds when I was diagnosed with MS. The Nuvigil really affected me for the first three weeks and so I had to cut the dosage to 1/2 a pill per day. I work full time and this gets me through the day! I eat what I want too but in moderation. Front page article on stem cell transplants and MS on the fron page of the Houston Chronicle on Monday! I know what you mean about the fatigue. I don't think anyone can understand what MS tired really is although my friends think they do!

i tried low fat, low carb, Gluten free...tons of diets behind me. I didnt start to feel better till I switched off of the pre processed stuff. We dont eat anything out of a box. We can have mac and cheese, we just need to make it ourselves. We can have soup, we just make it from scratch.

Since removing 90% of the chemicals in my life (msg, Aspertame, HFCS, high sodium foods...) I feel dramatically better, and notice it quickly when we fall off the wagon. Went to Chili's one day, and Applebees a few days later, and we ate some pre processed stuff at a benefit dinner and I felt like I gained 100 pounds after it. I was slugish, cranky, foggy, and grouchy. My skin was again reddish, and blotchy and my tummy really unhappy.

I do hear tons of folks rave about the swank diet tho. Me? I want and need some fat in my diet. I simply couldnt give up all that it asks of me.

I have noticed that too. If I eat anything with too much fat (no fried chicken for sure) I don't feel well. I also gave up Aspatame some time ago. I really think I could work on salt. Not sure about no fat either! Thanks for the info!

Because low fat diets don't 'work so well for people' when it comes to MS. Don't get me wrong, a low fat diet is a healthful choice in the general sense, and all doctors (IMO) should promote healthy diet and excercise (instead of opting first for the prescription pad) but a low fat diet hasn't been shown to have an impact on the disease progression of MS, and that's why neurologists don't offer it as an alternative to existing therapies.

if you simply google "why dont low fat diets work?" you can come up with TONS of places that are against low fat diets. Such as

http://weightoftheevidence.blogspot....e-fallacy.html

That being said I think that anytime we start excluding foods from our diets we end up missing them, or our bodies will end up needing some part of whatever it was we gave up.

I believe we need to limit many things, but NOT exclude them. Such as Sugar, or White things. White flours, and White rice and tons of other white things. If a product isnt naturally white, and we process it till it is, you know we have stripped out many of the good parts in an effort to make it last longer, or taste better.

IMHO we should not be eating a low fat, nor a high fat diet. We should be moderate in all that we do. Eating a treat wont kill you, but eating a tray of brownies each day can do some damage. Eating meat/beef or other red meats wont kill you now and again, but having it every night isnt good for you. The American or Western diet is showing itself to be very UNhealthy.

its a confusing puzzle and its hard to know what to eat.

I agree. I came back to add that in spite of the 30 year vilification (is that a word?), of whole fats, saturated fats and cholesterol ... they're absolutely necessary for our bodies and optimum cellular health.

The statin drug industry will vehemently disagree of course but their agenda is different from mine.
$$$$$ vs. health/balance.

Watching your fat and sugar meal content is ok if you re trying to lose weight, but even then it's the quantity that counts. The less you eat, the less calories and thus you lose weight.

Eating less of the animal fat is also a good healthy choice, But Dej and Becca are right, we/our bodies need a certain amount of fats....moreso as children but adults need them too.

I think MS needs a little fat for strength and energy. JMHO!!

Here, have a chocky chip cookie.....my bad..:D

You are so funny! I definately do not need to lose any weight. I LOVE my sweets but I generally watch my calories pretty carefully as well as general fat intake. I have been doing fairly well since diagnosis. Have had problems digesting too much fat (no deep fried foods for sure) But I normally eat what I want and I feel pretty well!

Remember that susan woman in the 1980s that used to dance and scream "FAT MAKES YOU FAT!" and she advocated that we should cut ALL fat from our diets. Remember how sick folks got? They pulled her off the air after about a year because so many folks were sick from eating zero fat diets. Our bodies NEED fat. We need it for our joints and organs to function. Anytime you restrict in one direction or the other you are gonna run into a struggle.

Eat clean, in modeation and include as many fresh items as you can. Shop the outter isles of the grocery store, and forget the middle. Only processed foods (if you can call them food) live there.

Hi I'm new here!
Don't do low fat diets!!!!!!!
My partner has MS, when we were first dealing with the shock, I found the swank diet on the internet and bought the book. At the time he still lived with his parents who did all their cooking/food shopping, so I gave the book to his mother to read.
It helped her realise that chinese takeaway, KFT and mcdonald's 3-5 times a week for dinner is NOT healthy. As she was on a standard modern/processed/western diet (as many people in society are, they don't know any better), the swank diet book served a purpose in helping my partner's family realise they need more whole foods, they never ate fruit before.

However that's where the 'benefits' of the swank diet ends.

If you're coming from a crappy diet to start with (processed foods, high salt, trans fats, high carbohydrate) then yes the swank diet is probably better than eating junk food, drinking alcohol.

Anyway my partner realised pretty quickly the swank diet sucked. big time. No red meat, no fat? But yet the book promotes marijuana?!? And the information in the book is soooo outdated.

Anyway this led me to research for a better ideal diet, fit for human consumption. We've come a long way in self education- first I discovered sugar is so unhealthy. Then I discovered high carb diets are unhealthy. Then further readings led me to lean towards the paleo diet / primal diet.

If anyone here haven't heard of these, paleo diet is based on what our ancestors ate, and that modern diseases like MS only came about since agriculture (grains, wheat etc) was introduced into our human diet. We have not evolved to eat grains and wheat. We never ate grains/legums/dairy prior to the agriculture revolution.

So I personally follow a high protein, high fat diet. I'm continuing to educate my partner about the benefits, but deep down he doesn't want to acknowledge he is different and can't fit in (so much to my despair he still eat bread, drinks, smokes).

There is an interesting video for those interested in the paleo diet and how MS came from the modern diet, google "The Paleo Diet and MS- Dr. Loren Cordain video"

sorry for the long rant- i mean post.

Hi Tigerlilly and welcome to NeuroTalk!

I've changed my diet drastically since being diagnosed. It's an ever evolving process for me.

You're right that any extreme is not good for you....MS or not. Things need to be balanced and in moderation.

I'm really trying to eat cleaner and healthier. Most everything I ingest daily is organic. I cannot afford to completely change everything in my pantry to organic but the things I eat/drink the most are definitely organic.

I hope your boyfriend benefits from the change in his diet. You're very thoughtful to try and help him this way. MS is a hard disease to try and understand. I hope you find help and information here. :hug:

Hi TL, welcome to NeuroTalk.:)

Eating a well balanced healthy diet could possibly cure all illness and yet, it's the hardest thing for us all to do. I'm not even sure a truly healthy diet is even available to us now..

Following an ancient diet could be a good thing, maybe....but remember, we didn't live very long, in the old days..:eek: :D

I eat pretty close to the "makers diet" which helps me alot. I hope you find your balance. :hug:

I have been doing the Swank diet for over 5 years and have been very comfortable with it. It is not a "no fat" diet, it is moderation. It does allow red meat and eggs - calculated on a weekly basis instead of daily. It allows as much chicken (white meat) and fish that you can eat and which fat content doesn't count toward daily fat allotment. So that allows for that hunk of stinky cheese I love. Swank diet is not much different than the American Heart Assoc. diet.

My neuro did suggest following a low fat diet that was high in omega 3 fat and mentioned that Swank was an option. I have had flares in the past 5 years, but they have been mild and I haven't had lasting issues. Who knows if it is my drug of choice, Swank or just luck that is keeping things at bay for now? But things are working for me so I'm sticking with it.

I don't think there is a right or wrong approach in trying to manage this dumb disease, you have to do what works for you. No decision is permanent, you can try something and if you feel okay and it's easy, stick with it. If it doesn't work for you, move on and try something else.

I don't eat per the Swank diet exactly. I eliminated red meat (don't miss it at all) and eat below 15g of Saturated and Trans fats (virtually no trans) daily.

I still some dairy (very little), but the reduced fats (as above) and elimination of red meat were the big points of how I eat now.

I've been eating this way for 3 years now (approx) and when I go back to eating as I did prior (french fries, heavy foods... basically) I can feel the health difference within 2 weeks. Not on a one-off day, but if I eat a few days consecutively off the diet, I can physically feel it (I feel dreadful to be honest).

It's all about finding a balance and what works for each person. I don't take any DMDs, or Tysabri, or any pharmas geared towards slowing down progression (or claiming to). I haven't had a relapse in a long while now - knock on wood - and I owe it to healthy choices in diet and exercise.

My doctor is very pleased with my weight, fitness level, vitamin readings, etc. so I'll keep doing what works for me.

hi dmplaura, that's awesome you're not on any meds. my boyfriend is on tysabri, have you taken it?

yes eating a lot of fish is particularly good for their Omega 3's.

My main opinion I have against swank is that if someone aims to limit their fats (e.g. coconut oil, butter, dairy, olive oil, animal fat) and limit their protein (e.g. red meat, eggs) by lowering these two important macronutrient groups, that person will naturally start to consume more carbohydrates (grains, sugars, wheat etc). Balance is important, not a diet low in fat and proteins and high in carbs. Remember our bodies use protein to repair themselves, and 60% of the brain is made of fat. It is how humans evolved and their brains grew bigger with diets high in animal proteins.

And SallyC, sorry that is a misconception that "we didn't live very long, in the old days". Thanks to the invention of modern medicine, yes we live longer, but necessarily healthier. :eek: We have prolonged the life of those suffering, and also we're no longer dying from being chased by saber toothed tigers ;)

Swank is not a no fat or low protein diet. Eggs and red meat area allowed in moderation. With eggs you can have two yolks a week, but all the whites you want (you do not need to count the eggs used in baked goods), red meat is twice a week also (maybe once, I can't remember), olive oil encouraged over other oils. There are very few foods that are excluded, there are many that are discouraged (high saturated fat content) but as long as you count the fat you can eat them too.

It is not an all or nothing diet. Franky, I don't think it is very extreme or difficult to stick with at all, it seems to be one of the easier to follow diets with a lot of flexibility. In the book he stated that if it is too restrictive then people tend to fail. I still cheat now and then, it's not like it is going to kill me or I will have a relapse because I ate a brownie once. There are some other "MS Diets" that are far more restrictive.

Just FYI, nearly half an egg’s protein, and many of its nutrients, are found in the YOLK, so make sure to eat the whole egg! those precious gooey blobs of yellow contain a plenty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for the BRAIN including lutein, selenium, vitamin D, vitamin E, Omega 3′s, sulfur, tryptophan, choline, magnesium, B12, the complete amino acid profile! it’s also worth noting that egg whites alone can be allergens for many people with MS, i.e. best to eat the whole egg.

And if you're worried about limiting egg yolk consumption in fear of cholesterol- LDL (bad) cholesterol builds up in the arteries not from how many yolks in your diet, but in response to INFLAMATION. Inflamation is caused by a diet high in trans fat and processed carbohydrates, NOT from saturated fat from eggs (or butter or cream or red meat for that fact).

Also FYI, olive oils are high in omega 6 which can promote INFLAMATION. The typical Western diet is rich in omega-6 from corn, soy, peanut, safflower. When the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 ratio in your body is out of whack from too much omega 6, inflammation will arise (other things promoting inflamation are fructose, whole grains). The ratio for olive oil is 3:1, which isn’t great in and of itself. Omega-3s are found primarily in fish, algae, flax and nuts. so best to supplement with omega 3 fish oils and/or eat plenty of whole fish.

(Omega 3 and omega 6 are known as “essential” fatty acids because the body can’t produce them itself, hence they must come into our bodies from diet, but all in balance).