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Nutrition can be overwhelming, especially when you are trying to manage Multiple Sclerosis. Between brain fog, fatigue, and the sheer volume of dietary advice out there, it’s easy to feel stuck. You want to keep your MS symptoms stable, but you need guidance that is realistic and doable. That is exactly what this post offers.

As a nutrition coach specializing in MS, I’m sharing my top three simple nutrition tips to help you take confident steps toward managing your symptoms through food.

Start by Eating More Vegetables

When I was first diagnosed with MS in 2016, even as a nutrition coach, I felt overwhelmed by how to structure my meals. But the one piece of advice that holds true across almost all health-focused diets is to eat more vegetables.

So let’s keep it simple. No need to overthink. Start by eating more than you are right now.

If you are not currently having a vegetable every day, that is your first step. Once that feels easy, aim for one serving at every meal.

Not sure how to eat veggies for breakfast? If you eat eggs, you can make a veggie omelet or try veggie egg muffins. You can also blend spinach into a smoothie or follow my lead and have dinner leftovers for breakfast. I have a blog post with 17 Wahls Protocol breakfast ideas that might give you inspiration.

And if you still do not love the idea of veggies in the morning, no worries. Add them to an afternoon snack instead. Think bell peppers with guacamole or celery with nut butter.

Leafy greens are a great place to start. They support mitochondrial health and myelin production. Rich in antioxidants, folate, vitamin C, and vitamin E, they help protect your body from oxidative stress and support nerve function.

But do not force yourself to eat what you hate. If kale is too bitter for your taste, skip it. Maybe you love roasted Brussels sprouts with a little turkey bacon. Great, start there. Choose vegetables you enjoy or at least tolerate. The goal is to just start.

Eat Less Processed Food

This second step naturally flows from the first. When you start adding more vegetables, you begin crowding out the processed foods without even trying. This concept, known as the “crowding out” theory, helps you make room for healthier foods while gradually reducing reliance on packaged and processed options.

Processed snacks like chips, crackers, and cookies, even the allergy-friendly versions, are still not doing much for your health. The best way to reduce them is to make sure you are eating a balanced diet at meal times.

A balanced meal includes quality protein such as chicken, turkey, or salmon, healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, or nuts, and fiber-rich vegetables. Balanced meals help you stay full between meals and reduce cravings, which means you are less likely to reach for processed snacks later.

Choose Healthier Alternatives to Sugar

Sugar can be a tough habit to break, but it does get easier as your diet improves. By eating more nutrient-dense foods like vegetables and healthy fats, you begin to correct nutrient deficiencies and stabilize your energy, which helps curb sugar cravings.

That said, we are all different. If going cold turkey with sugar works best for you, go for it. If that feels too restrictive, start small. Replace a nightly dessert with fruit a few times per week. Swap ice cream for frozen banana whip or trade candy for a Medjool date.

You do not have to be perfect. You just need to make a better choice than yesterday. Progress builds on itself, and you will begin to notice the difference in how you feel.

Final Thoughts

If you take away one message, let it be this: keep food simple. Eat more vegetables. Eat fewer processed foods. Choose healthier sugar alternatives.

You do not need to wait until you are motivated to take action. In fact, action often comes first and motivation follows. If you are waiting to feel inspired before making changes, you might be waiting a long time.

Instead, start small, but start today. These simple changes can set the foundation for improved energy, reduced inflammation, and better management of your MS symptoms.

Tune into this week’s special episode of My MS Podcast: 3 Steps to a MS-Friendly Diet
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