Just wondering if anyone has tried a fat based diet and what the impact on their MS has been? The internet seems to suggest that unsaturated fats are okay but not saturated fats. They apparently increase inflammation. But I wondered what people’s experiences were. I mean it’s using another fuel source other that glucose which I’m thinking as mitochondria are affected (which are the ‘power houses’ of the cell so likely why we get so much fatigue I’d guess), maybe a different fuel source might work. Certainly a fat based diet is known to help with epilepsy and diabetes. Anyway, please add your thoughts/experience
I eat fairly low carb (there’s Diabetes Type 2 in my family and I started eating that way to try to dodge that one) and inevitably low carb means fairly high fat because a person has to eat something. I eat mainly real fresh food (i.e. the sort of food that does not have an ingredients list because it IS the ingredient) and don’t worry about fat beyond trying to make sure I eat some oily fish.
There are lots of food tribes out there and they’re all terribly sure they’re right and as they are mutually contradictory they can’t all be, can they? Impossible to tease it out, really.
For for me it’s a matter of eating the food that I seem to run pretty well on and hoping for the best. This is the document that I like best when it comes to eating well with MS. I think the key is to find something that makes you feel well, whatever that is.
Hello @Comet I don’t think I would ever consider following a fat based diet - although to be honest I’m not at all sure what fat based means ! In general I follow the general guide that when it comes to diet ( and exercise ) ‘what is good for the heart is good for the brain’ which amongst other thing means cut down on saturated fats plus plenty of antioxidant rich foods etc etc. More particularly I tend to follow the sort of diet suggested on the website ( and publications) of Overcoming MS - Living well with MS. I don’t follow it religiously but it’s a useful guide . Some of the suggestions are echoed in places like the MS Society website including e.g eating plenty of omega 3 rich foods ( oily fish).
The Overcoming MS site is worth having a look at - lots of information on MS plus e.g various webinars, videos on exercises, and online or in person events
I tried focusing more on healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, nuts and fish, and I noticed my energy felt more stable during the day. For MS, reducing processed foods and balancing fats seems more important than cutting everything completely. I also liked reading the BetterMe top corporate wellness programs article because it explains simple ways to improve energy, stress and daily habits through nutrition, movement and healthier routines that can support overall wellbeing too.