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Hey i'm new
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:26 pm
by brent
Hey guys!
This is my first post here. My name's Brent and I'm 28. Recently I got diagnosed with MS, which came as a big shock. When I learned that MS is so hard to manage I freaked out and had no idea what to do with my life.
Then after a while I started reading about managing MS, its symptoms etc. I found a lot of stories of people living with MS some good, some bad, some scary and some that filled me with hope.
I'm still fairly new to this topic and I hope I'll be able to find some help or advice on this forum. If you guys could give me a few pointers about what topics I should read or where I should start that would be great.
I guess that's all for now. I'm looking forward to talking with all of you.
Best,
Brent
Re: Hey i'm new
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 3:50 am
by jimmylegs
hi brent welcome to the forum
if you're interested in lifestyle approaches there are all kinds of options to investigate in the diet and natural approach forums. if you've chosen a treatment, there's more than likely a relevant forum for that too. the ccsvi topic (surgical intervention) is also popular. I can answer questions about the nutrition angle if that approach interests you. again, welcome!
Re: Hey i'm new
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 4:16 pm
by lyndacarol
brent wrote:I'm still fairly new to this topic and I hope I'll be able to find some help or advice on this forum. If you guys could give me a few pointers about what topics I should read or where I should start that would be great.
Welcome to ThisIsMS, Brent.
If you like to read, start your reading with two books:
Multiple Sclerosis: The History of a Disease by T. Jock Murray, OC, MD, and I think
The Multiple Sclerosis Diet Book by Roy Swank, MD, PhD and Barbara Dugan is a good second book to read or even have. You may be able to get these through your local library.
Since I believe insulin is a major player, from this day forward, I encourage you to eat a healthy diet (a good idea whether or not you have MS) – a diet that will not trigger insulin production. Many people find that diet can influence the symptoms of MS. In my opinion, this means a low-carb diet -- remove all sugar (including beer, wine, etc. which have sugar), remove all artificial sweeteners, including sugar alcohols like sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, mannitol, maltitol, lactitol, etc. (These promote insulin production, too.), remove all trans fats (These also increase insulin.), and white flour, white bread, white potatoes, white rice (in fact, all carbs so far as possible; in some people, whole wheat raises blood sugar higher than table sugar does – triggering more insulin) from your diet.
My suspicion is that Fatty Liver Disease is also involved in MS, since visceral fat (belly fat) secretes cytokines (like poison to the internal organs), which lead to increased insulin, which leads to inflammation which leads to more visceral fat… And the cycle goes round and round. Diet is important; in fact, you may find the account of Dr. Terry Wahls and her dramatic improvement in MS interesting (
http://www.TerryWahls.com).
Re: Hey i'm new
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 11:27 pm
by brent
Hey guys thanks for your support. I hope you won’t mind if I ask some questions.
lyndacarol wrote:My suspicion is that Fatty Liver Disease is also involved in MS, since visceral fat (belly fat) secretes cytokines (like poison to the internal organs), which lead to increased insulin, which leads to inflammation which leads to more visceral fat… And the cycle goes round and round. Diet is important; in fact, you may find the account of Dr. Terry Wahls and her dramatic improvement in MS interesting (
http://www.TerryWahls.com).
I've always been a bit of a health freak so I try to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly but frankly the MS diet scares me. It removes so many ingredients that not much is left haha. I remember reading about Swank’s diet somewhere but it’s the first time I heard about Terry Wahls. I’ll have to read up on that so thanks for the link lyndacarol! You seem well oriented in dietary issues, did you get all that knowledge on your own or did you at some point consult a dietician?
jimmylegs wrote:hi brent welcome to the forum if you're interested in lifestyle approaches there are all kinds of options to investigate in the diet and natural approach forums. if you've chosen a treatment, there's more than likely a relevant forum for that too. the ccsvi topic (surgical intervention) is also popular. I can answer questions about the nutrition angle if that approach interests you. again, welcome!
Jimmylegs thanks for your contribution. I'd love to know more about the appropriate nutritional approach. Since lyndacarol already told me what food I should avoid, maybe you’d be able to suggest some topics that describe food products that actually help with MS? You also mentioned CCSVI treatment. Frankly I’m really unsure about surgical treatment. Do you have any experience with the CCSVI method and would you recommend it as a treatment option?
Best Brent
Re: Hey i'm new
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 3:36 am
by jimmylegs
hi there, my approach is very much what you might term nutriceutical, ie emphasizing nutrient dense whole foods in a measured way and in a variety that is on balance, anti inflammatory. this link details the whole thing:
http://www.thisisms.com/forum/regimens- ... c2489.html
in general it's my opinion that nutrient levels should be optimized as early as possible.
I don't have experience with CCSVI, just stating that it's popular. I don't use any pharma treatments either - not so far anyway!
Re: Hey i'm new
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 2:56 pm
by Ash3
You gotta love jimmylegs. I have the dmd approach and eat,etc. all in moderation. It all can become overwhelming but each and everyone of us is different. You have to find what works best for you and having a support system and a good group of doctors helps a whole lot. Ash3
Re: Hey i'm new
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 5:06 pm
by lyndacarol
brent wrote:Hey guys thanks for your support. I hope you won’t mind if I ask some questions.
Questions are always welcome! Sharing ideas will lead to progress against this awful disease, I think.
lyndacarol wrote:My suspicion is that Fatty Liver Disease is also involved in MS, since visceral fat (belly fat) secretes cytokines (like poison to the internal organs), which lead to increased insulin, which leads to inflammation which leads to more visceral fat… And the cycle goes round and round. Diet is important; in fact, you may find the account of Dr. Terry Wahls and her dramatic improvement in MS interesting (
http://www.TerryWahls.com).
I've always been a bit of a health freak so I try to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly but frankly the MS diet scares me. It removes so many ingredients that not much is left haha. I remember reading about Swank’s diet somewhere but it’s the first time I heard about Terry Wahls. I’ll have to read up on that so thanks for the link lyndacarol! You seem well oriented in dietary issues, did you get all that knowledge on your own or did you at some point consult a dietician?
My opinions on diet come from my own experiences and reading. I have no formal education in that area. I have only consulted a dietitian once when seeking information about lowering my insulin level.
Re: Hey i'm new
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 2:08 am
by brent
Thank you for all the replays and useful links. Now I feel confident enough to look through other sections of the forum and maybe start posting something there without making a complete fool out of myself haha. It really is great to know that such a supportive community for MS exists!
Re: Hey i'm new
Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 9:52 pm
by kushy28
Hi every one,This is kushy nice to be a member here interested in knowing new things.
Re: Hey i'm new
Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 2:45 am
by shellyb21
I am new here too but not to ms I have decided to not totally but mostly wheat
its hard eating more beans and foods that are gluten free I have still had pizza but losing weight and feeling better want to push to get back into running if my body will let me once I get another 100lbs off I believe what we eats make a difference
Re: Hey i'm new
Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 12:43 am
by brent
shellyb21 wrote:I am new here too but not to ms I have decided to not totally but mostly wheat
its hard eating more beans and foods that are gluten free I have still had pizza but losing weight and feeling better want to push to get back into running if my body will let me once I get another 100lbs off I believe what we eats make a difference
Hey Shelly as far as I can see many people with MS place great emphasis on a balanced diet. I think that keeping an average BMI and reducing or eliminating certain products from a diet, based on current research about MS specific diets and eating habbits in general is always benificial for your health regardless of your MS status. The tricky part it seems is that many people associate various foods with worsening or improvement of MS related symptoms. The more I read on this forum the more convinced I am that the help of a proffesional dietician in managing MS is necessary.
kushy28 wrote:Hi every one,This is kushy nice to be a member here interested in knowing new things.
Hey Kushy nice to meet you :] thisisms has been a great resource for me so far. I hope it'll be as good for you as it is for me!