MS has been hammering me since 1998 and nothing seems to slow it down. On 4/20/2011 I finally decided to go 100% on the Wahls diet. This is my 2 month (or so) report.
Dr Wahls' story is compelling. (see
www.terrywahls.org) In 2007 she wasn't too far physically from where I am today. She changed her diet and by 2008 she could walk and ride her bike! That will get the complete attention of someone like me!
My version of the Wahls diet:
Lots of veggies, esp. sulfur-rich and leafy greens and bright colors.
Small amount of fruit, some grain (but no gluten!)(I do quinoa and rice), small amounts of meat (chicken, turkey, or seafood)(I avoid beef and pork).
ZERO gluten, dairy, sugar, yeast, legumes, red meat, eggs, processed food. I think the first 3 on this list are the important ones.
Low starch; I do eat half a banana or a bit of corn on occasion. But never a potato or potato chips.
Wahls is sort of the Swank diet of today, except I'd say it trades an emphasis on low-fat for an emphasis on veggies.
Wahls = Paleodiet + anti-inflamatory diet + extra veggies.
I started on this 100% on 4/20, so right now I'm on day 62, 2 months. Before, I was 90% on the diet - it isn't far from how I ate normally... but if you walked in with a pizza before 4/20 and offered me a slice, I'd have one. Today - no thanks.
For me, the hardest things to totally give up were pizza, bacon, and cheese. Pretty much everything else is EZ.
My wonderful wife Janelle is on board with the diet and the food prep - out of necessity; I can't do it.
I'm hoping for an ironclad effect by day 90; something I couldn't do on 4/19. I feel close to it now... or maybe I'm just trying to talk myself into it...
Do I tempt fate by explicitly testing? I haven't yet... I want to, but only if the answer is "YES"!
Today I think I would be impatiently jumping the gun. So for now I'll wait.
I have a specific test in mind: Can I transfer from the floor to my electric scooter completely unaided?
This is an ability I lost around January of this year, and I'd dearly love to get it back. For me, I'd love to get *anything* back; MS has been a 1-way downhill ride. Once I lose an ability, it is gone.
The best feedback so far has been the nurses at the hospital from my most recent stay in hospice (5 days every 5 weeks); several folks mentioned I seemed more energetic & looked better.
Either way, my motivation to continue the eating regimen remains strong.
Dr. Wahls says (in a email to my wife) it will likely take 3-4 months to see any changes & possibly more in my case since
1) My disability is fairly advanced. (edss 8 - 8.5)
2) I'm a man; in general, if you have MS, it's good to be a woman, guys often have a tougher progression. No one has a clue why.
I just added a daily green drink to my diet - Janelle has used Green Magma for years... it is most definitely an energy drink; I had my first one in the evening & stayed awake all night! I think I'll switch to the morning.
Go to
www.vitacost.com & search on Green Magma & read the user comments; you too may become a True Believer! There are other brands to try too, and judging by the comments they each have a loyal contingent of followers.
So - bottom line, after 2 months of a strict diet - nothing tangible but hopefully I'm knocking on the door.
For me starting a new eating protocol was only tough the first few weeks. Then you adapt. Just don't bring a pizza into my room!
No matter how much willpower we may have, we'd prefer to never use any of it.