While there has been a lot of discussion about the foods that you
should include in your MS diet, the coverage of foods you should not
eat has been lacking and can lead to confusion. If you have done any
reading at all on the subject, you will have no doubt heard of Dr. Roy
Swank. His MS Diet is considered by many patients to be one of the
foremost authoritative works on the subject of what you can and cannot
eat when you have multiple sclerosis.
Watch the Fats
Of all
the multiple sclerosis foods to avoid, saturated fats have always been
at the top of the list. Along with alcohol and cholesterol, saturated
fats have been proven to cause the production of PgE2. This substance is
known to be an inflammatory that is responsible for making MS
exacerbation far worse and more frequent.
Eat no meat, especially
red meats as they contain large amounts of saturated fats as well, in
fact the best option to stop eating any kind of meat with the exception
of fish as it is high in the Omega 3 fatty acids your body needs as an
anti-inflammatory. These essential fatty acids also help with
myelination and the renewal of cell membranes. Since you are not going
to be eating meat, you need to stop eating or drinking dairy products as
well. Cow's milk that is fed to babies has been found to cause MS in
young adults.
Out Process those Processed Foods
Most people
today tend to eat a diet that is high in processed foods; these are
often high in saturated fats, low quality ingredients with no
nutritional value and heavily processed flour. Not only do these foods
contain very little in the way of real nutrition, they often contain
products that have been linked to an increased risk of developing MS.
You
are also going to have to list anything with sugar in it on your list
of MS foods to avoid as it too has been linked to an increased risk of
MS. The list goes on to include chocolate, tobacco, fried foods and
many, many more. However, if you stop and look at the list, you will
find that all of these foods are not part of any healthy diet. When you
look at it in this light, whether you have MS or not you need to remove
the bulk of these foods from your diet anyway if you want to stay
healthy.-By
Gary P Owen
