Trying to create the “right” diet to manage multiple sclerosis is not easy. As a Nutrition Coach specializing in MS I’m sharing my top 3 nutrition tips for managing multiple sclerosis. 

Starting My MS Diet as a Nutrition Coach

When I was first diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2016 I was overwhelmed with understanding the best foods to eat to manage MS… and I’m a Nutrition Coach. So let’s just start there. 

If you’re feeling frustrated or getting down on yourself because you don’t have this MS diet thing figured out yet, drop the guilt, because it’s not your fault. 

Nutrition should be so simple.

I think Michael Pollen simplified it best with his approach “eat food, not too much, mostly plants.”

Keep it simple… especially when we’re dealing with brain fog and fatigue. 

Vegetables Galore!

When we look at all the different diets out there, the one thing that they pretty much all have in common is eating more vegetables. 

So let’s just start there. 

How much should you eat? 

Simple. More than you’re eating right now.

If you’re not yet having one serving of veggies everyday, start there. 

Then gradually increase to having one serving of veggies at each of your three meals. 

I know your mind immediately goes to veggies at breakfast. 

How does that work?

Well, if you eat eggs, you have a veggie omelet or veggie egg muffins. 

Or you can add spinach to a smoothie. 

Or maybe you have the non-traditional breakfast route like me and have dinner leftovers for breakfast. (I actually have a blog post on alenebrennan.com of 17 Wahls Protocol breakfast ideas that you can check out.) 

Or if you still hate the idea of eating veggies for breakfast you can decide that you’re going to fit veggies into your afternoon snack with carrots or bell peppers and guac or celery and nut butter.

Should You Buy Organic Veggies?

Organic vegetables are often the better option, but it that doesn’t fit into your budget, don’t let it stop you from eating conventional vegetables.

I recommend checking the Environmental Working Group Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen list. Which veggies do you eat most that are currently on the dirty dozen list? Can you start buying them organic? That’s a great place to start.

Now which are the best veggies?

From a nutritional standpoint, there’s a lot to be said. 

My Favorite Veggies for MS

If you’re looking to support mitochondrial health and myelin production, leafy greens are an excellent addition to your diet. 

Leafy greens are powerhouses from an antioxidant standpoint too.

They have vitamin C and vitamin E, which protect the body from oxidative stress and reduce inflammation. 

They’re also rich in folate, which plays a crucial role in promoting nerve function and supporting healthy DNA.

• Leafy greens include
• Spinach
• Arugula 
• Spring mix

The darker the better, but also don’t make yourself miserable eating bitter kale if you hate the taste of kale. 

Go with the path of least resistance, which veggies to you like the most… or maybe you need to ask which veggies do you hate the least? 

Start there.

If you hate leafy greens but you actually like roasted brussels and bacon, start with brussels and bacon. 

Just start. Start eating more veggies – one meal at a time. 

By doing so this naturally leads you to my next step…

Eat less processed foods

We start by focusing on what we’re adding in because if we were to focus on what we’re eliminating first and we don’t put anything in its place then we’re just left feeling deprived and hungry. 

Nobody wants to feel deprived or hungry. 

So by making your first step adding in more veggies, there’s just less room for the processed foods. 

It’s known as the crowding out theory. 

You make less room for the foods that you’re trying to eat less of or eliminate… in this case processed foods. 

Basically anything that’s in a package. 

I’ll say one of the biggest ways to help eliminate these foods which tend to be our snacky type foods like chips, pretzels, crackers and cookies – even if they’re “allergy friendly” they’re still not doing much for our health.

But one of the best ways to make this elimination process easier, is to make sure that you’re eating a balanced diet at meal times. 

What’s a Balanced Diet?

That means getting in quality protein like chicken, turkey, salmon with healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, olive, nuts, seeds and coconut, along with some veggie based carbs – so basically eating veggies. 

I mention this in the context of eating less processed foods because eating a balanced diet at meal times will help to keep you feel more satisfied between meals, support better energy and even reduce cravings. 

So you don’t feel like you’re at battle with cravings as much. 

Choose Healthier Options to Sugar

Your sugar cravings definitely start to fade the better you’re eating, so if that’s something that you struggle a lot with right now, know that it can get better in time. 

When you start to eat more veggies – giving your body the nutrients that it needs to function best – you’re addressing potentially nutritional deficiencies that you may be experiencing. 

But my point here is simply to choose healthier options for sugar. 

So right now if you’re reaching for the cookies, cake and ice cream every night you tune into netflix, can you start by sticking with a single serving size.

Then maybe one night a week you choose to have a date instead of candy. 

Or you have frozen banana whip instead of hagen daz ice cream. 

No some people feel that they need to go cold turkey with sugar – if they have one bite of something sweet then they’re want the entire package, by all means go cold turkey. 

Or if you’re the type of person that says, you tell me that I can’t have something then I’m going to obese over it until I finally cave. Then, go for the more gradual approach. 

You have options. 

My overall point, is not to overcomplicate food,

Keep it simple. 

• Eat more veggies.
• Less processed foods.
• Choose healthier food options. 

And in time you’ll start feeling better which is when motivation often kicks in. 

We think that we have to wait to be motivated to take the first step. 

But in my experience both personally and professionally, more often than not you have to be willing to take that first step when you don’t feel motivated. 

Don’t lack motivation, stand in your way of feeling better and managing MS. 

Start small but start today. 

Now It’s Your Turn!

What foods help you to best manage MS? Share in the comments below.