Gluten-free Diet

Kevin · Newbie Joined: Aug 08, 2008 Posts: 4

Hello all-

So many articles I have read have mentioned that the elimination of Wheat and Gluten in your diet can help slow down the effect of MS for futute exasterbations.

What have the rest of you heard? Is there a real MS diet that has been proven to work?

Thank you in advance for your replies.

Kevin

cheerleader · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 2:31 pm Post subject:

Hey Kevin-
My husband's done really well on the Swank diet, and he also steers clear of wheat and gluten, too. No more white foods. He feels better and has more energy than when he goes off this regimen....he noticed this during the holidays last year when he had lots of sweets, and felt really bad. Many folks with MS also have celiac disease and food allergies. Might be worth your while to take some allergy tests.

Check out the Swank diets and the Best Bet diet, search on these boards and google them...these are the eating plans most recommended by people with MS....and they are the experts!

Good luck to you as you learn more about how to take control of MS-
AC
_________________
Husband diagnosed RRMS March 2007
pursuing endothelial healing
Copaxone, Swank, supplements, laughter

jimmylegs · Family Elder Joined: Mar 12, 2006 Posts: 1999

hi kevin i don't follow a particular diet even though some of the ideas might be beneficial. "proven to work" is probably not quite written in stone anywhere!
my mom gets some relief from plain old arthritis pain by avoiding white flour and sugar - could help anyone.
overall, i have tended to avoid any ms suggestions that rule out particular foods, although i was off bread for a while (i think that led to some of my other subsequent problems however).
i was a ruler-out of foods for many years prior to dx, and overall have decided the road to repair is not down that same road. i decided that even though the immune system's potential inflammatory response to some foods was possibly problematic, that it would be more on track to correct an out-of-whack immune response than to reject foods altogether.
that said, i'm not one to chow down on junk food either. i'm a fan of minimal processing/alteration.
all in all, i think it's a matter of finding personal balance. and i'm not averse to some of the regimens out there - i used the klenner protocol (somewhat modified) to excellent effect in 2006. that's more about supplements than diet, but whatever. you might find something out there that works just as well for you. cheer's suggestions are a great start.

daverestonvirginia · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:37 pm Post subject:

There is a diet called the Best Bet Diet (BBD) which you can find more information about at the web site direct-ms. I have been on the BBD for over two years and I believe it is helping me. The BBD is gluten and dairy free. I know at first glance that sounds pretty restricting, but it can be done and it actually is not that hard.

Wonderfulworld · Family Elder Joined: Aug 28, 2006 Posts: 291

I have been on a gluten-free diet for the last 5 years. I found out I was a coeliac - I have had MS 10 years.
It is easy to get a blood test from your GP to see if you are a coeliac.
In the last 5 years my MS has greatly improved but I started Copaxone at the same time, and stuck to taking some regular supplements, so it's hard to say what thing is working exactly.
I feel a lot better off the gluten, I wish I'd known years ago I was a coeliac. IT's estimated to be 1 in 100 people!