Multiple Sclerosis and Diet

Good nutrition is important for anyone, but especially is helpful when an individual is under stress or has special health needs. Nutrition is the building blocks for giving our bodies what they need to work properly and to fight disease. Making good food choices means putting into our bodies the proper vitamins nd minerals that our bodies need to function and to fight disease.

Healthy bodies and bodies that are fighting disease need:

Protein for growth and to repair cell tissue

In order to have energy, carbohydrates and sugars are required

Fats are needed to absorb the vitamins we eat and for the essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 that we get from fats

We need daily fiber for healthy digestion

Vitamins and minerals are important for several of our bodily processes, including the repair of tissue, for bone strength and to help absorb nutrients.

Water is essential for healthy bodies. The water is used to carry the nutrients that we eat to where they are needed in the body and water also helps with certain chemical processes that take place within the cells of our bodies.

Some Tips for a Healthy Diet

Avoid using saturated fat or hydrogenated vegetable oil when cooking and baking. Look for these in food labels like pastry, cakes and chocolate.

Eat smaller portions and several meals and snacks instead of 3 large meals.

You should strive for 5 portions of fruit and vegetables with at least one of them being a dark green, leafy vegetable.

Use polyunsaturated margarines, and for oils you can use corn oil, sunflower oil.

Instead of frying foods you can grill, bake, steam or broil food.

Choose lean cuts of meat and stay away from meats that are high in fat content like sausages, pâtés and beef hamburgers.

You should try to have at least 2 to 3 portions of fish each week. Omega 3 is really good for your body and is contained in fatty fish like mackerel, salmon and sardines.

Select low-fat dairy products (skim), including low-fat yogurt, and low fat cheeses.

Whole grain is a wise choice when selecting your bread and cereal and are a good source of fiber

You need at least 8 full glasses of water (8 oz. each). Stay away from drinks that contain caffeine, like coffee, tea and colas.

If you are eating a balanced diet, vitamin supplements should not be needed. Vitamins and minerals are really important to someone with multiple sclerosis for optimum ability for the body to heal and regenerate healthy cells.

One word of advise for the individual with MS, is to keep it simple. Plan meals around what is nutritious, but think about what will make meal preparation easier and cut out any extra steps that are not necessary.