The spotlight on Multiple Sclerosis is a cause close to our hearts at Nuzest.
My own diagnosis at 24 years old was the driving force behind the company. Good nutrition and the products we have created deserve much of the credit for the fact that more than a decade later, I still live a full and active life.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system. It’s chronic, meaning that the disease is progressive and debilitating. It's also very complex and affects everyone differently, with people responding uniquely to treatments and protocols.
It stands to reason that it’s the same with diets—while we believe good nutrition is a must, there is no hard and fast rule about which diet is ‘the one’ to follow. No diet claims to cure the disease, but they all have the potential to improve the outcome of MS, along with assisting in the management of effects it has on day-to-day life, like fatigue and recovery.
Let's take a look at four well-known ‘MS diets’ and what they have in common.
- The Swank Diet: proposed by Dr. Roy Swank in 1949, the Swank diet is low in saturated fat, high in Omega 3s, and focuses on whole foods.
- The Overcoming MS Diet: a modern adaptation of the Swank diet developed by Dr. George Jelinek, which promotes a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle, including plenty of added fish, Vitamin D, and other micronutrients.
- The MS Hope Diet: created by MS sufferer (conqueror?) Matt Embry, this diet is based around fresh foods and supplementation.
- The Whals Protocol: a paleo diet extremely high in vegetables, it's the only one on the list that strongly advocates consuming meat and animal products (though still only in moderate amounts).
All of the aforementioned diets have loyal followers, and all of them have been known to make significant improvements in the lives of MS sufferers. Despite some differences—namely, whether to reduce or completely eliminate red meat and animal fats and whether or not grains and legumes are permissible (Jelinek says yes, Whals says no, and Embry is on the fence so long as they don’t contain gluten), these diets have some notable similarities:
- Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and berries, with the key being variety. Fruits and vegetables provide micronutrients, like vitamins, antioxidants, and thousands of naturally-occurring phytonutrients.
- Limit consumption of saturated fats.
- Consume plenty of Omega 3s and essential fatty acids through eating fish and supplements.
- Reduce or avoid dairy (though in the case of Swank, this is less specific and more due to the saturated fat content).
- Ensure you are getting enough B Vitamins, especially B12.
- Keep your Vitamin D3 stores high, either though sun exposure or supplements.
While each diet has its own twists, the foundation is basically eating a predominantly plant-based diet that is comprised of a variety of clean, whole foods to achieve adequate macro- and micro-nutrient intake.
To achieve the superior levels of nutrients it offers, we have fortified our Clean Lean Protein formula with the most body-ready forms of ingredients for maximum absorption. It’s completely vegan and free from gluten, dairy, plus it contains all nine essential amino acids. For me, Clean Lean Protein is the perfect complement to my MS diet and ensures my body is getting the nutritional support it needs every day.
