Living with MS can sometimes make it harder to manage your weight, and both weight loss and weight gain can be a problem.
Create healthy food habits.
It's a key part of a weight loss strategy. Choose snacks and meals that are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals and low in added sugar, salt, and saturated fats. It might be easier to eat healthy if you: Plan a weekly menu.
The importance of exercising with MS
If you are experiencing weight loss and weakness then swimming is a good choice, because the water supports your body and doesn't put pressure on your joints. There are also low impact exercises that you can do, like yoga, tai chi and strengthening exercises.
There are a number of potential causes for weight gain when you have MS. These can include: Depression, anxiety and stress which can lead to unhealthy eating for comfort. MS symptoms such as fatigue and spasticity which can mean that you are more inclined to skip exercising, leading you to become less active over time.
67% of people with MS and 71% of controls without MS were either overweight or obese.
The Overcoming MS diet
The OMS diet recommendations are similar to the Swank diet. It advises cutting out dairy and meat, and eating less fat – particularly saturated fat. It also recommends flaxseed oil as an omega 3 supplement and vitamin D supplements if you don't get out in the sun much.
Several long-term studies show a close connection between saturated fats and the development and progression of MS. People with MS who avoid saturated fats, such as those from meat and dairy, but consume unsaturated fats, such as those from fish and flaxseed oil, typically have reduced progression of MS.
Cycling, running or rowing make you use different groups of muscles and work your heart and lungs. Exercises that work just the arms or just the legs can also be helpful. This is sometimes known as 'cardiovascular' exercise.
The pathological process in MS is a dynamic process involving changes in cellular turnover and metabolism.
Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) struggle with intestinal issues. There is evidence of the link between gut health and MS. Bloating is a common result of these issues.
The most commonly proposed primary mechanisms of fatigue in MS involve the immune system or sequelae from central nervous system damage. Specific causes are thought to include proinflammatory cytokines, endocrine influences, axonal loss, and altered patterns of cerebral activation.
Although demyelination may not directly cause facial swelling, people with MS may find themselves at a higher risk of facial swelling from the development of secondary diseases and the treatments they take to manage their MS.
MS itself is rarely fatal, but complications may arise from severe MS, such as chest or bladder infections, or swallowing difficulties. The average life expectancy for people with MS is around 5 to 10 years lower than average, and this gap appears to be getting smaller all the time.
In multiple sclerosis (MS), two types of atrophy are common: muscle atrophy (due to disuse of specific muscles) and brain or cerebral atrophy (due to demyelination and destruction of nerve cells).
A cup of soothing green tea may help. A small study found that some of its compounds, including one called EGCG, may help ease these symptoms. People saw results after they drank green tea every day for at least 3 months.
Caffeine is a widely used treatment for fatigue, one of the most common MS symptoms. There are ongoing studies into coffee and fatigue at the moment, but there is certainly no evidence of harm in MS, and it is very likely that many people would find some benefit.
Processed foods, dairy products, red meat, and fried foods are some of the most common offenders. These foods can cause inflammation not only in the gut, but also in other parts of the body.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, an anti-inflammatory diet should include foods like tomatoes, leafy greens such as spinach and kale, and fruits like strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges. There's some evidence that consuming these foods could be beneficial for MS.
Feeling fatigued is one of the most common and troublesome symptoms of MS. It's often described as an overwhelming sense of exhaustion that means it can be a struggle to carry out even the simplest activities.