Diet & MS Research

[ElliotB]

Wouldn't taking a Zn supplement and/or eating foods that contain zinc have the same effects?

Many foods contain zinc and since zinc is an essential trace mineral (which means our bodies only need a small amount of it (8 mg for adult women and 11 mg for adult men) to maintain good health). Although a relatively a small amount may be needed, the importance of zinc should not be underestimated. A healthy level of zinc has been linked to an improved immune system and faster wound healing.

Foods containing zinc include oysters which contain more zinc per serving than any other foo and red meat/poultry which provide the majority of zinc in the American diet. Other good food sources include beans, nuts, certain types of seafood (such as crab and lobster), whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products.

[jimmylegs]

in this study, the fortified bread is tested as both zinc supplement and as a zinc containing food. along the lines of the way white flour is fortified with iron and b vitamins in north America (although as has been pointed out elsewhere, levels of these essential nutrients are not restored via this practice to levels seen in whole wheat, making the use of the term 'fortified' questionable). also similar to the way iodine is added to table salt. vitamin d to milk.

while a zinc supplement alone can be expected to have negative impacts on at least copper and iron status, this study shows that these known consequences did not occur with the use of fortified bread.

I had been having some concerns about the status quo fortification of wheat flour with iron, and the potential consequences for zinc status over and above wheat's gluten content. the second abstract provided above gives some evidence that this is not the case. i'm relieved to hear it and will be looking for more research along similar lines.

[jimmylegs]

i can relate (minus the social media ssp, selling etc bits)

Why we fell for clean eating
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... ean-eating
"In the spring of 2014, Jordan Younger noticed that her hair was falling out in clumps. “Not cool” was her reaction. At the time, Younger, 23, believed herself to be eating the healthiest of all possible diets. She was a “gluten-free, sugar-free, oil-free, grain-free, legume-free, plant-based raw vegan”. As The Blonde Vegan, Younger was a “wellness” blogger in New York City, one of thousands on Instagram (where she had 70,000 followers) rallying under the hashtag #eatclean. Although she had no qualifications as a nutritionist, Younger had sold more than 40,000 copies of her own $25, five-day “cleanse” programme – a formula for an all-raw, plant-based diet majoring on green juice.

But the “clean” diet that Younger was selling as the route to health was making its creator sick. Far from being super-healthy, she was suffering from a serious eating disorder: orthorexia, an obsession with consuming only foods that are pure and perfect. Younger’s raw vegan diet had caused her periods to stop and given her skin an orange tinge from all the sweet potato and carrots she consumed (the only carbohydrates she permitted herself). Eventually, she sought psychological help, and began to slowly widen the repertoire of foods she would allow herself to eat, starting with fish. She recognised that the problem was not her veganism, per se, but the particularly rigid and restrictive diet regime she had imposed on herself."

not to say my diet was identical, but i can relate to the ideological uninformed piece for sure. thank goodness for some science education.

[Zyklon]

Oil-free? Worst idea ever. We need good quality/healthy oils.

[jimmylegs]

so very, very true. one of my last clear downhill turns before dx (sudden weight loss) was when i quit putting nuts and seeds in my lunches for work (which was all physical - i was not a desk jockey).

[NHE]

The brain is 60% fat. Be a fathead. All the cool kids are doing it.

[jimmylegs]

yep sometimes i can't believe i came out of the stupid years with a brain that still kind of works a little...

[THX1138]

yep sometimes i can't believe i came out of the stupid years with a brain that still kind of works a little...

"Stupid years", maybe I shouldn't even start...
There was a time, when I thought of beer, I would sometimes think of it as a complex carbohydrate (I even told a few people of my, astute observation. You see, even in drinking, I had a health conscious mindset.
Another one was that in 2009, my leg would kick a few times when I first straightened it out when waking in the morning. Right around that time, at a moving sale, I had picked up some books on healthy eating. I read something about calcium being needed for "proper muscle contraction".
When I thought about the muscle problems I had in the morning, I thought to myself that my muscles certainly weren't contracting properly. So I started supplementing with calcium, for a few months. It was also around this time that I had a test for vitamin D and the result was 38; I thought, "I can make this better". I started supplementing with five to ten thousand IU per day of vitamin D. I did this for about a year.

[jimmylegs]

well i tried to add a witty image comment but don't have time to fight with resizing atm.

suffice to say, yep i hear ya.
'if fewer animal products for a little while is measurably good, then NONE forEVER should be AWESOME!!!'
'if a little d3 is good then lots must be better, right??? cofactor what now?'
'oh hey let's throw LOTS of high purine foods at this recalcitrant low uric acid level. that should work out great. right? RIGHT???'

[THX1138]

well i tried to add a witty image comment but don't have time to fight with resizing atm.

suffice to say, yep i hear ya.
'if fewer animal products for a little while is measurably good, then NONE forEVER should be AWESOME!!!'
'if a little d3 is good then lots must be better, right??? cofactor what now?'
'oh hey let's throw LOTS of high purine foods at this recalcitrant low uric acid level. that should work out great. right? RIGHT???'

Right

[jimmylegs]

hahaha i think it was the brain damage talking :S good ol hindsight!

[jimmylegs]

hmm interesting. wonder if they were able to adjust for phytate content in various FVLs.
without a closer look, the dairy piece is just counterintuitive to me. personally, i consume dairy daily but that's bc i like it on my oats or in tea/coffee - not because i think it's particularly good for me! #exvegan

A survey of current dietary habits within a large population of people with multiple sclerosis
http://www.neurology.org/content/88/16_ ... .002.short

ABSTRACT

Objective: To provide an overview of current dietary characteristics in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Background: Individuals with MS commonly ask healthcare providers whether dietary modifications could benefit their MS. However, very little is known about their current diet and whether diet composition differs across clinical characteristics.

Design/Methods: In 2015 the North American Research Committee on MS (NARCOMS) registry participants completed a short dietary screener questionnaire (DSQ), originally developed and used for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The DSQ is designed to provide a general assessment of diet composition when full dietary information is unavailable. We used it to obtain estimated intakes of fruits, vegetables and legumes (FVL), dairy/calcium, added sugars, whole grains/fiber, red meat, and processed meat. We compared the responses across demographic and clinical characteristics.

Results: The 7418 (68%) responders consumed a predicted daily mean of 2.5 (SD: 1.0) cups of FVL, 733.1 (285.7) mg of calcium from foods, 15.5 (7.5) g of dietary fiber, 1.2 (0.6) cups of dairy, 9.5 (6.0) tsp added sugar, and 0.5 (0.5) servings red/processed meat. Individuals with higher intakes of FVL tended to be of Caucasian ethnicity (age, gender-difference in means=−0.10 cups/day; P=0.04) and were less likely to be overweight (age, gender-difference in means=−0.14 cups/day; P<0.001). Individuals with progressive MS (vs. relapsing-remitting) tended to consume more FVL (age, gender-difference in means = 0.06 cups/day; P=0.03) and fewer dairy foods (difference in means=−0.05 cups/day; P=0.006). Lower intake of dairy foods was also associated with more severe disability (age, gender-adjusted difference in means=−0.07 vs. no disability; P=0.001). Other dietary components did not differ with respect to disease subtype or disability.

Conclusions: This large cross-sectional survey suggests that diet composition in people with MS may vary by clinical and disease characteristics. Prospective studies are needed to assess how specific dietary components may affect MS symptoms and general health.

[jimmylegs]

Saturated Fat: Friend or Foe? (2017)
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.10 ... 43027-0_21

Abstract
Reducing consumption of dietary saturated fat (SFA) has been part of dietary recommendations for many years as a means to prevent cardiovascular outcomes. Yet, recent research has challenged this very basic concept in preventive nutrition. Data have suggested that LDL-C raising effect of dietary SFA may be influenced by its dietary source, cheese having less hypercholesterolemic effects than butter. Observational cohort studies have generally failed to find significant associations between intake of SFA and risk of coronary heart disease. In large intervention studies, substituting vegetable oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids for SFA have not yielded consistent results in terms of cardiovascular benefits. In the end, there is no absolute consensus on the importance of SFA in a heart-healthy diet. As emphasized in this chapter, more research is required to put this debate at rest. In the mean time, focusing on whole foods and dietary patterns, without overly emphasizing the importance of SFA in the diet, seems entirely reasonable and appropriate.

[jimmylegs]

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) Makes Food-Based Recommendations in the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2016)
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2016/0315/p525.html

Key Points for Practice
• Diets should include nutrient-dense foods in all food groups and in the proper amounts.
• Intake of added sugars and saturated fat should be limited, and sodium intake should be reduced.
• Nutrient-dense foods should replace those that are less healthy, taking into account cultural and personal preferences.

Saturated fats [max] 10% of calories per day

but what is the min?

[jimmylegs]

Nutritional assessment of macronutrients in primary school children and its association with anthropometric indices and oral health
fft: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/do ... 1&type=pdf

"1.6 percent of children have received saturated fat less than 75% recommended dietary allowance...

"only with saturated fat deficiency did we find a statistically significant difference for permanent teeth and a tendency toward statistical significance with deciduous teeth.

"This study highlights the important role of saturated fatty acids in prevention of dental carries."

so is the minimum 75% of 10%? not interested in promoting cavities...!