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Lifestyle changes with positive results?

I’ve recently been diagnosed with MS and am willing to make any changes necessary…

I’m looking to see what lifestyle changes people have made that positively impacted their symptoms. Here are a list of misc. questions I have as well

1. What foods should I completely cut out?
2. What foods should I try eating more?
3. What vitamins should I be taking?
4. What changes have you tried that didn’t make any difference?
5. What previous habits do you THINK have lead to your diagnosis?
6. What triggers your MS symptoms?

  1. Plus another question!!
    7. What other health problem do you (or family members) deal with?

    1. I'm sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis . I have to say I admire your resilience during it. The questions that you are asking are fantastic questions and will really support you in managing your diagnosis well. It's really empowering to see what we can do to feel best in our body.


      I've always looked at it from the perspective that, there may not be a cure but there certainly is a lot that I can do to feel as good as possible in my body each and everyday. So I too asked very similar questions during my diagnosis.


      You are also certainly in the right place for the questions as we have many articles and resources on this site to address many of them.


      I'll share a few links below to help get started


      https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/interview-dr-terry-wahls-paleo-principles-functional-medicine-adopting-healthy-behaviors



      https://multiplesclerosis.net/natural-remedies/vitamins-supplements



      https://multiplesclerosis.net/infographic/mental-health-infographic



      https://multiplesclerosis.net/guest-expert/flare-exercise



      This is just a sampling of the incredible resources that we have here on this page and of course our community's feedback is a gem in and of itself! I'm glad that you're here to be part of that too.
      - Alene, moderator

      1. Hi ,
        We're so glad you found this community and appreciate you reaching out.
        A recent diagnosis can certainly be overwhelming.
        Many in this community have found dietary adjustments beneficial.
        I do hope some will chime in here with their personal experiences.
        I'm also including a link on diet information from one of our patient leaders: https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/diet-nutrition-suggestions
        Always know this community is here for you, reach out anytime.
        ~Doreen (Team Member)

    2. Hi, !


      In addition to the great resources Alene shared, I wanted to dig a little deeper into your questions and share some info with you. Apologies in advance if it feels like information overload, but you asked some really GOOD questions and they can't all be addressed in one comment. I do hope other community members will see your post and chime in to answer your questions.


      I know Alene touched on the subject of diets and MS and I just wanted to reiterate that some diets have worked very well for our members while others haven't seen much in the way of improvements. Much like MS presents differently in each person and people respond differently to conventional treatments (medication), it stands to reason that even natural/nutritional treatments won't work the same from one person to another. That said, a health diet low in processed foods and junk is always a good idea. And some individuals have had luck with the Wahl's protocol. Here's some helpful basic information on the common diets you will read in MS communities -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/diet-nutrition-suggestions. There are also some great comments at the end of the piece from other community members.


      As far as MS triggers, well, that also varies widely from person to person. Some people are triggered by heat, others by cold. Some are triggered by stress. Here's a compilation of our communities top triggers -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/top-common-triggers. It may take some trial and error you to pinpoint your own triggers.


      When it comes to other health conditions, many people do deal with more than one health condition, but that's not always the case. Being diagnosed with one autoimmune condition like MS, you have increased odds of being diagnosed with another autoimmune condition (Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, etc). And, as we age, we are more likely to be diagnosed with conditions like osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, etc.


      I know this isn't a full answering of all your questions, but I hope this gives you a good place to start!


      Best, Erin, MultipleSclerosis.net Team Member.

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