Hi, I’m currently reading a book called “The Raw Cure” by Jesse J Jacoby, and although I don’t intend to follow a 100% raw food vegan diet, I have found that by eating raw during the day, then having a cooked evening meal, I have more energy. I stopped eating meat months ago as I noticed my body was using loads of energy to digest it and I basically couldn’t walk for hours after eating. I’ve now reduced the amount of fish I have as well and increased the amount of green veg that I have, and I have noticed a difference. I’ve followed the Best Bet Diet since 2008, and although I’ve had some success, am now changing focus from ‘foods that are bad for MS’ to ‘foods that supply your body with nutrients so that it can start to heal itself’. When you look at these self-help guides, they all seem to be based on 4 points: 1, Diet 2. Exercise 3. Sunshine 4. Eliminate stress/meditate. After all these years, I think I’ve now hit on a diet that seems to work for me, plus I’m meditating and trying to remove stress that’s hanging around from the past. Anyone else going down this route? I don’t ever intend to take prescription drugs. I can’t be the only one, can I? Heather
Hi Heather,
I’ve gone down this route. I ate a raw food diet in 06 (ish) and yes, it made a huge difference to my energy levels and other symptoms, such as cognitive fatigue.
I stopped it as the online support just wasn’t there. I’m not a vegan, I need to eat protein and there are an awful lot of rawfooders who regard it as a type of religion and it made me feel very uncomfortable.
I’m low in B12 as well, so I adapted the diet after a while and whilst I’ve had relapses since, my general levels of wellness and energy aren’t too bad. I’ve never gone back to the levels of disability and fatigue that I had before the diet experiment - but like all things to do with MS, it won’t work for all and it’s difficult to do and expensive as well. I don’t regret my diet experiment at all, even though I couldn’t bear to eat another salad for about 3 years afterwards.
But…what’s so terrible about prescription drugs?
I’d be dead by now without my BP pills. No one knows for sure what caused my hypertension, but it’s deadly. I’ve already had an assymptomatic stroke and that’s with 4 drugs to help control the BP.
I’d be fat and miserable and dull without my thyroxine and as for amitriptyline, well I don’t want to even think about life without that.
I know that Rebif has done what its supposed to do - slow down/stop the relapses. I’d be in a very bad way now if I’d carried on with 8 or more relapses per year - now it’s 1 every 3 years and that’s after 13 years on the drug.
It’s good to try anything - as long as you can afford it, but maybe not a great idea to throw the baby out with the bathwater. This diet can make you feel great, but there’s no point in denying yourself essential pain-killing drugs, just because someone has written that the diet will cure all.
I can help with tips or book recommendations. There are some excellent books, although they are quite expensive as well. Nearly all the kit that goes with this diet is expensive. The Champion juicer, the blender, the dehydrator, but I managed to find some kit on eBay.
K
Hi Heather,
I am mainly vegan (except for chicken once a week) largely following the paleo diet. I steam the vegetables that I cant eat raw such as cabbage and brocoli, and then drink the water with a green tea bag. I avoid sugar, salt, processed food, bread,grains, dairy etc.
Been on it about a year and wished I’d tried it before I went onto a DMD (Tysabri) but I was going downhill fast. I think you are doing it the right way, as at least to will be able to gauge the difference. Everything with MS just seems to be trial and error, my latest fad in turmeric!. I agree with sunshine when you can find some, and exercise but mediation is something I must try.
All the best,
Peter