Belly Up
Congratulations! You have multiple sclerosis!
As a member to our exclusive club, you’ll get an ID card, learn the secret MS handshake (it’s no secret, just stick out your hand and it shakes by itself!), and enjoy thrice weekly mailings by charities looking for donations!
You celebrate your new achievement by sitting down to a finely prepared meal.
But what to eat?
As an MSer, you may wonder what foods are better for you?
And what foods should you avoid?
Is there a special diet you should follow?
Or is it all for naught?
Sorry to break it to you–but this isn’t “O” magazine–so I don’t have all the answers. Though you raise excellent questions!
In my research for this piece (all five minute of it), I realized there are as many MS diet recommendations as there are types of MS!
Some follow a vegetarian diet.
Some are vegans (sounds like an alien from “Star Trek”).
One MSer I know avoids all processed foods.
Others yet, follow the “Swank” diet. No the “Swank” diet wasn’t created by female lap-dancers. Developed by Dr. Roy Swank, MSers are encouraged to follow an extremely low fat diet avoiding all red meat.
Does it work?
Is there one MS diet that is more beneficial than the others?
Well, as I have said before–I am NOT a doctor. (Although when wearing a white lab coat–I look like one!).
So this Odd Sock can’t make a suggestion. As what works for me might not work for you. The only suggestion I can offer is to try it–if you feel better–good for you!
Me? I simply use common sense. Eat a variety of foods. In moderation. I also try to eat lower in fat. And watch the fried stuff. (I’ll fit into that two-piece NEXT summer, dammit!)
Bottom line, there is no miracle diet for MS. There is no miracle cure. If there was, your doctor would have told you.
So how about you. Do you follow any special diet for your MS?
What do you feel is the best way to feed your MS?
Belly up to the table and share your thoughts. I’m hungry for answers!
(Burp) Pardon me.
6 Replies to “Belly Up”
I follow the BOGO (Buy One Get One free) diet. I justify eating cookies, ice cream, and candy because they were BOGO. FYI…..this week Publix has Baby Ruth minatures BOGO. Yep, bought 2 bags……
Talk about humor! You brought up diets right when I was going to go out for Halloween candy. On a more serious note, I try to eat a balanced diet of nutritional food. It is a bit difficult for me as I won the trifecta. I have ms, diabetes and heart problems. When it all becomes too much for me I attempt suicide. I sneak out for a Culvers Snak Pac. It contains a quarter lb deluxe hamburger, fries and a soft drink. For those of you not from the midwest, Culvers is a fast food restaurant in this area famous for their “Butter Burgers”. Their food has too much fat, too many calories and too much salt to be healthy but they are very, very good.
All right, all right…so I bring up a tasty–I mean touchy subject!
Bob,
A “Butter Burger?” Hope it comes with its own heart catherization.
Bought the MS Diet Book (AKA The Swank Diet) in the late 1980’s, lost about 30 lbs. everybody told me I looked sick, too thin.
Although my pants fit looser, the diet did not improve any of my MS symptoms.
I now try to eat a balanced diet, two of everything, don’t want the calories going to one side of my body, if one butt cheek gets bigger than the other, who knows what my walking will be like than.
Keep up the good work; I really enjoy all your stories.
Bob, as a trifecta gal (chiari malformation, syringomyelia, and multiple sclerosis)….and originally from the Midwest….we also work to eat healthy and non-processed…
As a newly dx’d MSer, I’m really enjoying the humor with the odd sock postings! Since I’m laughing at myself, I get to laugh at others, right?
Keep on fellow MSers (sounds kinda off….but so are we) …question is, do I really gotta give up bread and pasta?
I’m a learning lurker as I integrate myself into this club that I didn’t want to join….
John,
Thanks for your insight with the Swank diet. Eating two of everything to keep your rear-end even…Wonder if that’s how Oreo came up with the idea for “double-stuff.”
Shel,
Welcome to the club. With your attitude, you are way above the clouds–keep it up!