Multiple sclerosis is a challenging medical condition affecting the central nervous system – brain and spinal cord. Here the immune system destroys the myelin sheath protecting the nerve fibers. Patients suffering from multiple sclerosis experience numbness in limbs, Lhermitte’s sign, unsteady gait, partial or complete loss of vision, and slurred speeches. Since there is no cure for this disease, neurologists advise a few dietary tips for multiple sclerosis to keep a check on symptoms.

Gluten-free Diet
Researches have established that multiple sclerosis patients are prone to celiac diseases. So, switching over to a gluten-free diet is one of the best dietary tips for multiple sclerosis. Gluten is a protein present in food sources like wheat, barley, and rye. It can damage the intestine, as the immune system mistakes gluten as a foreign threat.

Foods to eat in a gluten-free diet:

• Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds as a source of fibers
• Potato, chickpea flour, soy flour, and corn flour for supplying the necessary dose of starch
• Eggs as they are naturally gluten-free
• Meats and fishes as a source of protein.

Foods to avoid in a gluten-free diet:

• All wheat-based bread and pasta
• All types of baked products like cakes, muffins, cookies, pastries, and pizza
• Alcoholic beverages like beer.

Paleo Diet
The proponents of the paleo or paleolithic diet believe that the human systems are not suitable for the consumption of processed and preservatives-laced foods. The additives present in them increase the risk of cardiovascular ailments, cerebrovascular disorders, and coronary heart diseases. So, it is better to consume a natural, organic, whole-food-based diet.

Foods to eat in the paleo diet:

• Organic, grass-fed meat from turkey, lamb, pork, and beef
• Wild-caught seafood like salmon, trout, shrimp, and mackerel
• Eggs from free-range, pastured birds
• Fresh organic fruits and vegetables
• Nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pumpkin seeds.

Foods to avoid in the paleo diet:

• Sugar and fructose-rich, corn-syrup-based products like fruit juices, candies, and pastries
• Processed and additives-laced canned products like ready-to-eat meals
• Trans fats present in margarine
• Artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, and cyclamates.

Swank Diet
Switching over to the Swank diet is also one of the crucial dietary tips for multiple sclerosis. They are low-calorie and low-carbohydrate meals, which can significantly reduce the flaring up of symptoms. Dr. Roy Swank proposed this diet while working with his fellow dietitian, Aagot Grimsgard, in Canada.

Things to remember while being on a swank diet:

• The food should have a maximum of 15 grams of saturated fat per day
• Meals should offer 20-50 grams of unsaturated fat per day
• The total fat should not exceed 50 grams per day
• Consumption of at least two servings of organic and fresh fruits and vegetables
• Refrain from eating red meat in the first year
• Avoid processed food and dairy fats.

So, now you have got an idea about the dietary tips for multiple sclerosis . Follow them strictly to keep the symptoms under control.