Hi all I saw my neuro last week who reeled off a list of things for me to change Stop smoking as it wouldnt help my ms (i know i should stop anyway but easier said than done) Drink decaf tea not normal tea No coffee, fizzy pop, crisps, chocolate and cheese!! After that she told me to lose weight and exercise more! Has anyone else been told to stop smoking (obviously if any if you smoke) and to cut out these food and drinks? Sam x
Wow, my Neuro said nothing like that BUT I was a p/t fitness instructor before I was dianosed so I thnk he knew I wasn’t just going to stop!
I eat minimal amounts of gluten (there’s a current thread about the gluten summit!), having cut it out completely for other health issues before, I am 100% certain that gluten is tough to digest and I sleep better without it! With the silly meds that all seem to make you feel tired, it’s worth cutting back at least 
As for smoking, MS just gave me the final nudge to stop. With or without MS it’s a rotten habit and much tomy surprise, it was easy to give up this time. Maybe just knowing I had to try to give my body a fighting chance was enough… but e-shisha’s helped!
Good luck Sam, I know some people do follow special diets but it’s a lot to take on in one hit, and I don’t think any of the diets can guarantee anything. In terms of mobility, when things get tough then I guess having good core strength and not being overweight would certainly put you in the strongest position 
Sonia x
hi
if we are told to do something we are less likely to do it cos we feel forced. i have recently lost over 4 stone.
i have 2 cups of coffee a week. cos i like the taste but can go without. dont regularly drink fizzy juice-neither do the kids. they are kept as a treat. crisps i gave up years ago after seeing how much oil is in them-i do have the occasional bag, perhaps 8-10 in 6 months. the one thing i do eat is a curly wurly at 9pm every night!
if u feel u are being punished then u dont do it! if u can convince urself its ur decision then u r more likely to achieve it.
good luck-enjoy the mind games wih urself but YOU are in control
ellie x
Hello,
Nope never been told to do anything like that. I did give up smoking tho but that was for personal reasons, i have found i have much more “get up and go” now i have packed in the cigs.
I drink 2-3 cups of coffee a day, would never give it up. Ms has taken so much, its not taking my coffee!
I tried the gluten free diet but didn’t get any benefits from it, so i just stick to a healthy ballanced diet. Im a farmers boy so i do like to “live off the land”.
Darren
P.S
Giving up the Cigs is hard but well worth it, i used e-cigs to beat the habbit and now nicotine free for 2 years.
I’m thinking of taking up cigarettes, alcohol, fast food and hard drugs. Clean living hasn’t helped me so far. Tongue in cheek I know but hey being “good” hasn’t helped at all. Maybe it’s time to live fast…
They do know how to cheer up a person’s day, don’t they?
I am sure that she is absolutely right, obviously, but being handed down heart-sinking restrictions on top of an MS dx can feel a bit like being given extra lines when you have already been sentenced to detention.
I agree with Ellie that the real force for change here lies in you. The neuro can give a useful prompt, and she has done. But if you do decide to make changes for the better, do it for you.
Alison
p.s I had given up cigarettes, more or less, when I got first got sick with MS, and decided that this was a really good excuse to start again. Good thinking, yes? I gave up for good in the end and you are right, it isn’t easy, but it is worth it.
I wish I could give up both cigarettes & alcohol but they are the only things that keep me going these days 
I hate this disease with a passion it’s taken so much fom me and I’ll be damned if I’ll give up the things I enjoy most.
Hello Sammie. No! my my neuro said nothing about smoking or diet to me. I gave up smoking 10 years ago and its the best decision I ever made. The evidence is there Sammie so you don’t need me or anyone else to tell you…its not in my nature to preach…unless its my husband Lol As for diet in relation to MS, show me the evidence and I would give it some thought. There isn’t any to my knowledge. I like cheese and I intend to keep on eating it in moderation like I do all things. In general an healthy diet is always a good idea for everyone for the majority of time but life would be boring without a few little indulgences. That’s just my opinion of course
When I was diagnosed, back in 1998, my neuro recommended that I stop smoking …nothing else was suggested at the time.
So, I did give up smoking (…way before e-cigs had even been available) through will-power alone and I’ve very slowly & steadily gained weight since. Consequently, I don’t actually feel any heathier as a result !!
(…but I suppose 3st in 15 years of severely reduced physical activity isn’t too bad ??)
Dom
Thanks for the replies guys! I did want to lose weight and get fit as im getting married in september but being told to do it has made me reach for a big massive Toblerone hehe!! Naughty i know. I know she is only saying it for my own good, its just annoying. I left the appointment with so much paperwork on what i should and shouldnt eat and i have had a quick look and got annoyed! I did quit smoking 2 years ago then we started buying a house n started smoking again when it all got a bit stressful (poor excuse i know). Thanks again x
I’m with you. If someone tells me to do something I dig my heels in! Forget what consultant said. Your motivation is: Lose weight - wedding & ?honeymoon - think of the photos… Stop smoking - financial to pay for both the above Both are hard individually. Simultaneously - a nightmare… Good luck. I found WW helpful. And have kept 3 stone (of the 4 I lost) off. xx
Im going to concentrate on the weight loss first as last time i quit smoking i swapped the ciggys for jolly ranchers n other goodies n piled the pounds on. Stopping smoking is on my to do list but as far as the wedding is concerned i can just not smoke when it comes to pics, i cant breath in all day haha xx
My neuro told me not to change my lifestyle at all but I didn’t listen to a word of it, lifestyle is such an important factor in health I don’t want to take any risks if I don’t have to. I’ve given up grains, sugar, dairy and taken up exercise and vitamins. I was kind of shocked my neuro said not to change my lifestyle, it seems like a no brainer to me.
Amylou, I take my hat off to you. I can cope with GF but as it took me a long time to gain weight, I still eat rice puddings on a pretty regular basis - I don’t think I could cope without dairy and sugar!
I’m impressed 
Sonia x