This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

About 3 weeks ago i started a Gluten/Diar/Legumes/Red meat FREE diet,

as i read candida yeast overgrowth is not good for MS / CCSVI
and after a 'spit test' i clearly have candida

I also started taking a herbal anti-candida supplement called Candex around the same time. 2 days ago i stopped this but kmy legs are still weak/stiff so this must not have been causing the weakness.

i consume food which is free from the aforementioned ingrediants.
there is a brand in the UK ('Free From') Bread, pasta, treats. which doesnt taste as nice as the gluten/diary ones but is a bareable alternative


After a few days of starting the diet/candesx my legs have become very much weaker, i feel stiffer and my legs drag notably more.
its now been 3 weeks since starting the diet and im still in this state, maybe a bit worse

i have read the toxin die-off affect can happen with an anti-candida diet but i am worried i am getting permanently worse!

has anyone else experienced this worsening of symptoms (mainly mobility) when they follow a similar diet?

does it improve back to your pre-diet starting mobility ?
if so how long did it take

omg candida again.

have you had a zinc test? are you taking any supplemental zinc?

removing gluten and legumes from your diet would reduce your zinc requirement, but removing red meat would take away one of your best bets for dietary zinc intake, so i'm not sure what you are trying to achieve.

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my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

i take 75mg of zinc and 2mg copper, i also take the following supplements daily:

Calcium 800mg, Magnesium 500mg, Fish Oil 200mg,
Vitamin B50, C 500MG, D3 5000 IU, E 1000IU, Selenium 200mcg, Acidophilus,

i have read diary, gluten, red meat, legumes and refined sugar are detrimental for MS patient:

http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm/fuseact ... /pageid/39

that is a great supplement list.

dairy is supposed to be pro inflammatory which is why it's considered a no-no. in fact if you have enough anti-inflammatory foods in your diet (such as the fish oil) you should be fine.

gluten and legumes are a zinc drain and that's why you need to avoid them if you are NOT taking 75mg of zinc per day.

red meat provides important nutrition so even if you are cutting back, ensure no less than a serving per week.

refined sugar is bad for everyone so avoid away

can you please list some of your current sources of food energy?

also i would suggest that your daily zinc supplement level may be too high, especially if you are cutting foods which actually drain zinc from your system.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-H ... fessional/
Health Risks from Excessive Zinc
Intakes of 150–450 mg of zinc per day have been associated with such chronic effects as low copper status, altered iron function, reduced immune function, and reduced levels of high-density lipoproteins [79]. Reductions in a copper-containing enzyme, a marker of copper status, have been reported with even moderately high zinc intakes of approximately 60 mg/day for up to 10 weeks [2]. The doses of zinc used in the AREDS study (80 mg per day of zinc in the form of zinc oxide for 6.3 years, on average) have been associated with a significant increase in hospitalizations for genitourinary causes, raising the possibility that chronically high intakes of zinc adversely affect some aspects of urinary physiology [80].

i know you are taking that 2mg copper, but that would balance a 50mg intake, not 75mg of zinc.

more info from whfoods.com:

What is the function of copper?
Copper is an essential component of many enzymes. Each of the copper-containing enzymes discussed below has a distinct function, indicating that copper plays a role in a wide range of physiological processes including iron utilization, elimination of free radicals, development of bone and connective tissue, and the production of the skin and hair pigment called melanin.

Iron Utilization
Approximately 90% of the copper in the blood is incorporated into a compound called ceruloplasmin, which is a transport protein responsible for carrying copper to tissues that need the mineral. In addition to its role as a transport protein, ceruloplasmin also acts as an enzyme, catalyzing the oxidation of minerals, most notably iron.

The oxidation of iron by ceruloplasmin is necessary for iron to be bound to its transport protein (called transferrin) so that it can be carried to tissues where it is needed. Because copper is necessary for the utilization of iron, iron deficiency anemias may be a symptom of copper deficiency.

Elimination of Free Radicals
Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a copper-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the removal of superoxide radicals from the body. Superoxide radicals are generated during normal metabolism, as well as when white blood cells attack invading bacteria and viruses (a process called phagocytosis). If not eliminated quickly, superoxide radicals cause damage to cell membranes. When copper is not present in sufficient quantities, the activity of superoxide dismutase is diminished, and the damage to cell membranes caused by superoxide radicals is increased. When functioning in this enzyme, copper works together with the mineral zinc, and it is actually the ratio of copper to zinc, rather than the absolute amount of copper or zinc alone, that helps the enzyme function properly.

hope that helps!

_________________
my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com