Diet and MS: The Wahls Protocol!

 

It’s March, which is designated as the MS (multiple sclerosis) Awareness month.

This has become near and dear to my heart because I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis about three years ago.

I’ll work with you and show you how I have managed to keep my symptoms at bay for the last several years through diet and lifestyle.

I have learned a lot about this through my good friend Dr. Terry Wahls. She’s the author of The Wahls Protocol, and there’s a new version of her book coming out in the next few weeks. It will be available for pre-order very soon.

Dr. Wahls was in a tilt recline wheelchair for seven years. By following a healthy diet and lifestyle, she got out of her wheelchair and started to live her life again. [TWEET THIS]

In Dr. Wahls’ book, she talks specifically about different levels of diet that will help you reduce inflammation, repair neurons and tissue, and ultimately improve health. For people who’ve been eating a standard American diet, sometimes making these changes can be challenging. She breaks it down into three different levels. I like the simplicity of her approach because you start with level one, then you move up to level two and ultimately to level three.

 

Level One

Level one involves removing gluten, dairy, and eggs from the diet. For a lot of people, this can be challenging. Fortunately, because so many people with MS (multiple sclerosis) are intolerant or sensitive to dairy and gluten, there are a lot of great alternatives. Getting these foods out of the diet is accomplished by eating nine cups of fruits and vegetables a day. This includes three packed cups of green vegetables, three cups of pigmented colored foods, and three cups of sulfur-rich foods. 

Nine cups sounds like a lot of food and it is. I’m 6’2 and about 225 pounds and it’s hard for me to eat nine cups of fruits and veggies a day. When you eat those foods, you do not find yourself hungry in between. You don’t typically snack, and it starts to change your gut. It changes your microbiome and ultimately you start to feel a lot better.

 

Level Two

 

Level two is to reduce your non-gluten grains, legumes, and beans. You don’t necessarily eliminate it, but you reduce it to about twice a week. This includes incorporating more seaweed and organ meats into your diet. I’m personally not a big fan of organ meats, but I found that there’s a company called Paleo Valley that makes them in capsules. If you’re not a fan of liver, you can take the capsules and get the benefits. They’re packed of different nutrients and are good for your nervous system. Another thing is to start adding fermented foods into the diet. These are soaked nuts, soaked seeds, sauerkraut, and so forth.

 

Level Three

Level three is Dr. Wahls’s version of a KETO diet. On this level, you’re eliminating all grains and legumes. Instead of eating nine cups of vegetables a day, you go to six cups a day.

Why nine to six?

Well, that reduction is what’s called intermittent fasting, so you’re only eating twice a day instead of three times a day. You’re still eating the same foods, but you’re eating twice a day. That extra meal is those extra three cups. Otherwise, you want to take those six cups and divide it between the greens, sulfur-rich compounds, and pigmented foods.

 

Also, this step includes adding in coconut oil or full-fat coconut milk into the diet. Your brain and nervous system are made up of a lot of fat. The more healthy fats we add to the diet, the more we contribute to rebuilding neural tissue. With diet, it’s a progression. It’s not like you just have to go all-in to level three. If you’re able to do that, that’s great. If you follow her and watch her videos, you’ll see that she continues to eat this way and does very well.

Making These Changes

I waver between level two and level three. Level three for me is a little bit harder just because I don’t enjoy a lot of the high-fat diet. It’s about what works well for you. If you or anyone you know has been living with MS (multiple sclerosis) , start with diet.

 

When possible, eat organic, locally grown, and what’s in season. These are the general principles we apply to any chronic illness. [TWEET THIS]

If you’re interested, pick up a copy of her book. Thank you for joining me today, and follow me for the next few blogs as we’ll talk more about MS and things you can do to help stop it in its tracks and hopefully overcome it.

Thank you, for joining me as we continue our series about MS (multiple sclerosis).

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Hope you enjoy the tips and leave your comments below!

Thanks so much.

Darin Ingels, ND, FAAEM, FMAPS

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