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An MS patient’s Question via email to Cherie Binns, RN BS MSCN:
I
attended the seminar at the Melville Marriott on Long Island on 7/22/17. I was very
interested in what you had to say. Can you tell me how you changed your diet?
Did you take any supplements? I know you
exercised in the pool. I am going to try that. Please let me know how you
changed diet, what you excluded. I’d love to hear from you by e mail or phone.
I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you so much
attended the seminar at the Melville Marriott on Long Island on 7/22/17. I was very
interested in what you had to say. Can you tell me how you changed your diet?
Did you take any supplements? I know you
exercised in the pool. I am going to try that. Please let me know how you
changed diet, what you excluded. I’d love to hear from you by e mail or phone.
I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you so much
It’s the Little
Changes that Matter
Changes that Matter
Diet is very different for each of us, just as our MS is
different. I will certainly tell you what I have done and the impact I
feel those changes have had but you need to take the time for yourself to find
out what is right for you. I would start with simple modifications and
not radically overhaul your diet as you are more likely to make it a lifestyle
change and stick with it if you work that way. My advice is to avoid fads
like the Wahl’s Diet and Paleo Diet and do this in a way that does not
negatively impact family meal time or the budget.
different. I will certainly tell you what I have done and the impact I
feel those changes have had but you need to take the time for yourself to find
out what is right for you. I would start with simple modifications and
not radically overhaul your diet as you are more likely to make it a lifestyle
change and stick with it if you work that way. My advice is to avoid fads
like the Wahl’s Diet and Paleo Diet and do this in a way that does not
negatively impact family meal time or the budget.
I have a couple of siblings and a daughter who are lactose
intolerant so I started there and eliminated dairy food. It takes a
couple of weeks once you eliminate something altogether to see if there is any
change (negative or positive) so do this one food group or item at a time.
You are far less likely to crave and binge on a “forbidden
food”. Because steroids over the years had created osteoporosis and
I was breaking bones left and right in my early 50s, my Primary Care Physician
(PCP) suggested that I add non-fat plain yogurt to my morning fruit because of
the high calcium content. That did not seem to bother at all and I still
do that daily. I can eat hard cheeses because most do not contain lactose
while soft cheeses do. Those changes actually improved fatigue and hip
pain for me.
intolerant so I started there and eliminated dairy food. It takes a
couple of weeks once you eliminate something altogether to see if there is any
change (negative or positive) so do this one food group or item at a time.
You are far less likely to crave and binge on a “forbidden
food”. Because steroids over the years had created osteoporosis and
I was breaking bones left and right in my early 50s, my Primary Care Physician
(PCP) suggested that I add non-fat plain yogurt to my morning fruit because of
the high calcium content. That did not seem to bother at all and I still
do that daily. I can eat hard cheeses because most do not contain lactose
while soft cheeses do. Those changes actually improved fatigue and hip
pain for me.
Then I began to read labels and stopped buying prepared entrees
and vegetables which contain preservatives, salt, sugars, dyes and other
additives. Again, fatigue seemed to be the first of the MS symptoms to be
helped by that. Glutens came next. I stopped with the breads and
pastas and what I had known, since my teens, to be an “irritable gut”
calmed right down. Pain all but disappeared and my sleep improved and
energy increased. Those changes have been in the works now for about 8
years. When I am traveling, I cannot always eat as I would at home and I
notice that (especially with breads, pastas, added salt, etc) I do not feel as
well and my energy is sapped and there is more joint pain and patches of
neuropathy that have been quiet will reactivate.
and vegetables which contain preservatives, salt, sugars, dyes and other
additives. Again, fatigue seemed to be the first of the MS symptoms to be
helped by that. Glutens came next. I stopped with the breads and
pastas and what I had known, since my teens, to be an “irritable gut”
calmed right down. Pain all but disappeared and my sleep improved and
energy increased. Those changes have been in the works now for about 8
years. When I am traveling, I cannot always eat as I would at home and I
notice that (especially with breads, pastas, added salt, etc) I do not feel as
well and my energy is sapped and there is more joint pain and patches of
neuropathy that have been quiet will reactivate.
I have this style of eating down and it is second nature to
prepare a meal in less than a half hour from scratch. My husband admits
to more energy and better sleep since he adapted to what I was eating as well.
prepare a meal in less than a half hour from scratch. My husband admits
to more energy and better sleep since he adapted to what I was eating as well.
As far as supplements, all of them were recommended by my Dr.
I take calcium with D because I am an older postmenopausal woman with
thinning bones. I take additional Vitamin D and the levels are checked
every 3 months and dose adjusted as necessary. I take Fish Oil because
my triglycerides were high and my Dr. wanted to see if that helped before
putting me on a Statin that had a pile of side effects. And when I was on
an interferon and my liver enzymes were elevated, I was on Milk Thistle to
bring those levels back in line and allow me to stay on my meds.
I take calcium with D because I am an older postmenopausal woman with
thinning bones. I take additional Vitamin D and the levels are checked
every 3 months and dose adjusted as necessary. I take Fish Oil because
my triglycerides were high and my Dr. wanted to see if that helped before
putting me on a Statin that had a pile of side effects. And when I was on
an interferon and my liver enzymes were elevated, I was on Milk Thistle to
bring those levels back in line and allow me to stay on my meds.
My exercise routine consists of about 30 minutes a day in a cool
water jacuzzi (no jets) stretching and strengthening using resistance tubing.
My endurance is far better now than it was before I started this and I
can now walk a half mile or mile on a cool evening with my husband where I
could not do a half block before starting this.
water jacuzzi (no jets) stretching and strengthening using resistance tubing.
My endurance is far better now than it was before I started this and I
can now walk a half mile or mile on a cool evening with my husband where I
could not do a half block before starting this.
You don’t need to deny yourself. Make small changes till
they become habit and second thought then add more small changes. What I
do is no longer diet or exercise, it is just being more aware of what goes into
my mouth and what I do with my body and I believe I am healthier, more
productive, less impacted by my MS as a result.
they become habit and second thought then add more small changes. What I
do is no longer diet or exercise, it is just being more aware of what goes into
my mouth and what I do with my body and I believe I am healthier, more
productive, less impacted by my MS as a result.
By Cherie C. Binns RN BS MSCN
July 31, 2018
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