Why Diet Matters When You Have MS

If you’re living with multiple sclerosis (MS), you know that keeping up with medications, physical therapy and other management plans is important to taking care of yourself.

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What’s more, following a healthy diet can make a big difference.

It isn’t that healthy eating is a magic bullet for curing MS. But following a healthy MS diet can make a difference in how you feel and how your condition progresses.

“MS is a chronic disease that cannot be cured. But it can certainly be managed,” says registered dietitian Natalie Crtalic, RD, LD. “What you eat can make a real difference in how you feel and function.”

We talked with Crtalic about what a healthy MS diet looks like and how eating well can help you feel your best.

How your diet affects MS

Even though your diet won’t free you from MS, it can make a big difference in your overall well-being. So, consider what you eat to be one part of your overall strategy for managing MS. One more arrow in your quiver for living your best life.

Crtalic shares a few reasons why eating well is important for people with MS.

Reduce inflammation

At its core, MS is an inflammatory autoimmune condition. And eating a healthy diet can help keep inflammation in check.

People with MS have an overactive immune system that attacks their nervous system. That causes chronic inflammation throughout your central nervous system, which can be blamed for your MS symptoms like weakness, numbness, pain, stiffness and spasms.

“MS causes more inflammation in your body. But eating healthy foods can help to keep that inflammation at bay,” Crtalic notes.

Certain foods are known to contribute to inflammation. That includes red meat, saturated fats, added sugars and highly processed foods. Cutting back on these foods can leave room in your diet for nutrients that will help fight the inflammation that contributes to MS flare-ups.

Warding off other chronic diseases

MS isn’t caused by unhealthy eating. But a diet high in processed foods, sugar and saturated fats can leave you at risk for developing other chronic conditions that can affect your health and complicate MS.

Some of the most common and life-threatening and chronic conditions plaguing health in the United States have been linked to less-than-healthy eating patterns. That includes things like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even some cancers.

“It’s common to turn to food for comfort when you have a chronic illness like MS,” Crtalic acknowledges. “It’s stressful and upsetting, and emotional eating can make you feel better in the moment. But down the road, it can make things a lot worse if you develop other conditions that now also need to be managed.”

The best diet for MS

When you’re searching for what to eat and avoid when you’re living with MS, you’re bound to find lists of specific foods you should eat and foods you shouldn’t.

The reality, Crtalic advises, is that a healthy MS diet should include a variety of fresh, whole foods.

“There is no specific magic food,” she states. “It’s not that you have to eat this one thing and not eat the other thing. It’s about making overall good choices.”

How do you do that?

For most people with MS, the Mediterranean diet is the perfect starting point. “The Mediterranean diet emphasizes heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory foods. Those are the kinds of choices that are going to help you feel your best, avoid flare-ups and reduce your risk for other chronic conditions,” says Crtalic.

MS diet: Foods to eat and limit

Following a Mediterranean diet when you have MS isn’t about a list of foods to eat and avoid. It’s about creating a lifestyle that encourages high-nutrient foods and discourages added sugars and saturated fats.

“It’s a matter of eating more natural foods, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats, and focusing much less on processed foods, sugars and saturated fats,” Crtalic clarifies. “It’s a healthy diet for just about anyone.”

Here are some examples:

Eat more of this	Eat less of that
Lean protein, like fish and poultry, and plant-based proteins, like beans, nuts and legumes.	Red meat, like steak, pork, veal and lamb.
Whole fruits and vegetables.	Fried foods and baked goods.
Egg whites.	Egg yolks.
Fat-free and low-fat dairy products.	Cheese and full-fat dairy products.
Whole-grain products, like oats, quinoa, barley and brown or wild rice.	Refined flour products, like white bread, crackers and white rice.
Extra virgin olive oil.	Vegetable fat, butter, sour cream and mayo.
Eat more of this
Lean protein, like fish and poultry, and plant-based proteins, like beans, nuts and legumes.
Eat less of that
Red meat, like steak, pork, veal and lamb.
Whole fruits and vegetables.
Eat less of that
Fried foods and baked goods.
Egg whites.
Eat less of that
Egg yolks.
Fat-free and low-fat dairy products.
Eat less of that
Cheese and full-fat dairy products.
Whole-grain products, like oats, quinoa, barley and brown or wild rice.
Eat less of that
Refined flour products, like white bread, crackers and white rice.
Extra virgin olive oil.
Eat less of that
Vegetable fat, butter, sour cream and mayo.

Considering gluten and dairy

Some people with MS can benefit from lowering their intake of gluten or dairy. But that’s not an across-the-board recommendation.

“Gluten or dairy can be a trigger for some people with MS and other inflammatory diseases,” Crtalic notes. “But that’s not necessarily true for everyone. I always also encourage people to pay attention to how they feel after they eat those foods. If you do fine with them and don’t notice they make you feel worse, it’s definitely OK to keep eating those foods.”

But if you suspect a certain food or category of food is contributing to a worsening of your symptoms, try cutting it out for a week or two and see if it helps.

“If you feel better after cutting out dairy and/or gluten, it could be that those foods are triggers for you. If omitting them feels good, then that may be the right path for you. Listen to your body,” Crtalic advises.

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