Tag Archives: diet as a cure for ms

The #1 Thing That Saved Me

As I’ve mentioned before, diet is everything. There is a lot of advice out there about which diets people with MS should consider to minimize inflammation. However, no one diet will work for everyone. We’re all different. We must choose a diet that is tailored to our own bodies. Early on, my nutritionist suggested I take a food sensitivity test administered by a company called Immunolabs. I believe it was the #1 reason my symptoms reversed and I haven’t had another episode.

It’s a blood test and doctor or medical professional will need to prescribe it for you. Once you take it, Immunolabs will test your blood’s reaction to a number of foods. Then, you’ll get a report listing the foods that are causing your inflammation. For example, my body was really sensitive to ginger. Ginger is one of the top things people recommend as an anti-inflammatory cure, but in my case, the ginger I was taking was causing all kinds of issues. That’s why it’s important to understand which foods are right for you.

Once you figure out which foods that are causing issues for you, you eliminate them for a period of time. In my case, my doctor recommended 8 weeks. She said this amount of time would “give my gut time to heal.” After the elimination period is over, you can then start to add those foods back into your diet, but I cut back on eating many of them permanently. I also try to listen to my body when I’m eating something to determine if I’m having any adverse reaction. If my body doesn’t like something, I stop eating it.

I hope this information helps. Take great care.

Organic Food’s Fight with My Wallet

Fruits and Veggies2 As I mentioned, one of my goals is to incorporate more fruit and vegetables into my diet.  I have eaten pretty well for a long time, but I have never made the leap to organic foods.  However, now that I have this MS diagnosis, the idea of putting pesticides– something that is designed to exterminate life– into a body that I’m trying to help heal itself seems like a bad idea.  The only issue is that organic foods are soooooo expensive.

So what to do?

We all know that Whole Foods (a.k.a. “Whole Paycheck”) is an option, so I’m glad there is one in my area.  It has been a great source for a lot of tasty gluten-free foods, but if I’m going to be juicing, I need to purchase organic produce in bulk.

I researched growing my own produce, but since I live in an apartment, that’s a challenge.

Finally, I researched options to purchase organic produce in bulk online, and I found a place in my area that allows me to do just that!!! Most major cities have businesses that offer this.  Google: “Organic produce delivery [your city]” and see what you find.

The place near me that delivers is actually cheaper than the grocery store, so I’m psyched.  Now my wallet and organic food can live together in harmony.

Organic juicing, here I come!!!

Do you eat organic foods? Are you able to do it cost-effectively?

Not All Juicers Are Created Equal

When I told someone today that I have MS, they suggested I check out The Gerson Institute. Apparently, this place has helped people cure many diseases through diet. One of the things they suggest is juicing. I am going to purchase a juicer and if you are considering doing the same, here are a few resources that may help you with that decision:

http://www.harvestessentials.com/whatjuicisri.html

http://gerson.org/gerpress/gerson-guide-to-juicers/

Apparently, masticating, twin-gear juicers are the best. However, after a lot of research, I ended up buying the Omega VRT 400HDS juicer from Overstock.com. It’s only a single-gear juicer, but it appears that it’s much easier to clean than some of the twin-gear juicers. Since this is my first juicer, I think I need to have something that makes juicing as easy as possible. I also searched for an Overstock.com promo code and got an additional $40 off!

Do you have a juicer? Which one do you have and how do you like it?

The Game Plan

So let’s talk about how I am going to approach curing myself.  My first step was to research if anyone else had done this before.  I Googled “people who have cured MS” and found this article: https://medium.com/cured-disease-naturally/11d2ebe47162 about a woman who used diet to “cure” herself.  Now, I understand there isn’t a real cure for MS, but my goal is to stop the progression so that I can live a happy and healthy life.  Here’s my plan in a nutshell:

  • Diet. Revamp my diet to minimize glutens, dairy and red meat.  Increase the amount of fruits and veggies I consume — foods that are high in nutrients. I am also cutting out alcohol for the foreseeable future.  Sugar is going to take a back seat in this process too.  I am really looking to consume foods that come from the earth in as close to their natural state as possible.  I have also added B12 and Vitamin D supplements into the mix.
  • Exercise. Continue to run and exercise.  Running relaxes me.  Since I believe stress has contributed to my MS, I am planning on incorporating any form of exercise that will help me reduce stress.  I plan on continuing to run, but I also want to experiment with yoga, Tai Chi, and anything else that will be FUN and relaxing.  Hell, if I am going to leave this Earth at some point (as we all are- MS or no MS), I might as well have fun!
  • Positive Mental Attitude. I am a firm believer that your mind is incredibly powerful and it and your attitude can really keep you healthy.  When I lost the vision in my left eye, one doctor told me it would take 90 days to come back.  I thought to myself “90 Days! Let’s shoot for two weeks instead.” I then embarked on a journey of meditation and mind exercises where I saw my body healing itself.  It’s been about two weeks and my vision has almost completely returned.
  • Support. Support is going to be a key component in this process.  I have a wonderful neurologist and I’m also working with a great naturopathic doctor.  I have also told close friends and family who have been wonderful.
  • Medication? The jury is still out on whether I will use traditional medication to slow the progression of MS.  Although I understand the value of meds, I really don’t like them.  My neurologist suggested I go on Copaxone, but I may see what he thinks about Naltrexone.  We’ll see.

That’s it so far.  I’m sure things will change as time goes on.

Are there things you are doing to help manage MS? Please share!