Nutrition
For many people with multiple sclerosis, making positive changes to their diet is an important way of regaining some control and improving their quality of life while living with an unpredictable and chronic health condition.
Eating well will help you to live well. Eating well can also help you to better manage symptoms such as constipation, fatigue, weight fluctuations, bladder urgency, and it may help to reduce relapses
[1]. It will certainly contribute positively and significantly to your overall health and wellbeing.
Studies show everybody can benefit from improving their diet, as genetics don't appear to influence how multiple sclerosis may progress
[2]. Also, we know that certain nutritional facts are important for everybody's general health, plus there have been numerous nutritional studies conducted in people with multiple sclerosis which have produced interesting results
[3]. These studies are referenced throughout our Eat Well Live Well section.
Information regarding nutrition and multiple sclerosis is growing as more studies and further research continue to become available. Our recommendations and guidance will be refined over time as new evidence emerges.
In the Eat Well Live Well section you will find:
- Eat Well Live Well nutritional tool tailored for you: An interactive section enabling you to receive specific nutritional information based on your age and symptoms
- Healthy eating guidelines: general and multiple sclerosis-specific information
- Fat facts
- Superfoods
- Supplements
- Fatigue & nutrition
- Bladder issues & nutrition
- Constipation & nutrition
- Depression & nutrition
- Swallowing issues & nutrition
- Well-known specific diets for multiple sclerosis
- Tips for success
- Recipes healthy recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. These recipes have been collected by a nutritionist with a focus on multiple sclerosis. They are easy to prepare, and low in saturated fat, sugar and salt. Our focus is on recipes which contain Omega 3s and anti-inflammatory ingredients.
[1] Hadgkiss EJ, Jelinek GA, Weiland TJ, et al. The association of diet with quality of life, disability, and relapse rate in an international sample of people with multiple sclerosis. Nutritional Neuroscience 2014
[3] Tettey P, Simpson S Jr, Taylor B, Blizzard L, Ponsonby AL, Dwyer T, Kostner K, van der Mei I An adverse lipid profile is associated with disability and progression in disability, in people with MS. Mult Scler. 2014 Nov;20(13):1737-44. doi: 10.1177/1352458514533162. Epub 2014 May 14.
Eat Well Live Well
Nutritionist, Nicola Graham, developed the Eat Well, Live Well section of the MS website. Nicola talks about great foods to eat, superfoods, supplements, MS specific diets and food that can help with fatigue, constipation and mood. (Recorded 16 December 2020)
Handouts: Eat Well, Live Well