Advice about Diet to Reduce Inflammation in MS
When the body senses danger from a virus or infection, the immune system kicks into gear and attacks it.
Inflammation is a major component in most autoimmune diseases, especially multiple sclerosis. Therefore it is advisable to eat a good amount of food that reduces inflammation and reduces the consumption of food that contains inflammatory agents. Here are some simple changes you can make in your diet that may help you live well with MS.
THINGS YOU SHOULD EAT TO REDUCE INFLAMMATION
Fish, especially fatty fish, fish oil, olive oil, walnut oil and grapeseed oil, should be a part of your diet. The fat in these types of food, omega-3-poly-unsaturated fat or omega-9-poly-unsaturated fat, reduces inflammation. However, if you add these types of oils to your diet, you should reduce the intake of other types of fat so that you do not get too much.
You should also eat a lot of vegetables since these also reduce inflammation.
THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT EAT TOO MUCH OF
Do not consume soy and corn oil since these types of fat increase inflammation. Most food you buy that is ready to eat from the factory or restaurant contains these types of fat. You should therefore reduce the consumption of food you do not cook yourself.
Bread, cereals and products made of corn or cereals also increase the inflammatory response, especially if they contain wheat. Wheat causes a special type of inflammation in the intestines called celiac disease in some individuals, but may also trigger inflammation of the non-celiac type. However, full-corn cereals and full-corn bread are valuable types of food, so you should not stop eating them. But if you eat bread or corn products at every meal, you should reduce your intake and eat more potatoes, beans and peas.
THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT EAT AT ALL
You should absolutely not consume fat that has been chemically altered to give it another consistency. This type of fat has a very negative effect on health and maybe a very potent inflammatory agent. Margarine, snacks, fast food and ready-made cakes or cookies often contain this fat. Unfortunately, this type of fat is also often added to bread. A good idea could be to bake bread yourself.
7 FOODS TO AVOID WHEN YOU HAVE MS
Most saturated fats are found in animal products and byproducts, such as red meat and dairy, and in foods containing palm or coconut oils.
Commercially baked cookies, crackers, pies, and other packaged foods contain trans fats.
In addition to saturated fats, cow's milk contains proteins, which may negatively affect some people with multiple sclerosis. To see if eliminating cow's milk from your diet helps your symptoms ensure you get plenty of calcium, protein, and vitamin D from other foods.
A lot of sugar, especially sweets, not only adds weight, but when you overindulge, you crash afterwards, contributing to fatigue. Sugar can also cause brain fog and mood swings.
Blood pressure can be increased by too much sodium, and people with MS have been found to have lower life expectancies when they have high blood pressure and other vascular conditions.
No evidence suggests that avoiding gluten will benefit people with MS. However, reducing gluten may be an option if other measures aren't helping to reduce inflammation caused by MS.
WILL YOU TRY AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET FOR YOUR MS?
It's hard to put effort into something when you don't know if it helps with your MS. I find it helpful to think about the other benefits these foods offer. These include a decrease in general aches and pains, a reduced risk of Alzheimer's and dementia, a better mood, and a reduced risk of cancer. Oh, and antioxidants to fight aging.
I feel better when I eat an anti-inflammatory diet. But I still eat other foods, especially if it's hot outside and I want ice cream.
Be persistent and flexible! Keep experimenting with foods; eventually, you can make anti-inflammatory choices without thinking twice.