How Diet Affects MS: A Fight MS with Food Case Study

In the Fight MS with Food Project we are looking at the effect of a customized anti-inflammatory diet on the progression of multiple sclerosis in already diagnosed patients. Our goal is to halt the downhill slide of the typical MS patient by identifying and eliminating inflammatory triggers in their diet and environment.

In April, 2013, I began working with a 15-year old MS patient, “G.,” who lives in a rural area in the Pacific Northwest. Here, G.’s mother tells his story of how targeted dietary changes have helped him avoid further exacerbations and even regain motor functions:

“G.’s first attack was Sept. 2010, when he lost the sensation of cold on his right arm and leg.  At that time he did not show any loss of mobility and the MRI scans were normal.  (On going back over my notes-I keep journals of Doc visits on all my children-I had recorded that he complained of abdominal pain and soreness.  Sore to touch that lasted from the 9/17 to 9/21 when it went away.  He also had soreness in his neck on the back side.  I don’t know if this is significant.  Kind of looks like it to me though.  At least very interesting.)

It wasn’t until his April 2011 that he lost the feeling on the left side of his body (arm, face, leg) and staggered when he walked.  He had to use a wheel chair in the hospital but refused one for home and instead used two hiking sticks.  The MRI showed 10 lesions.

Despite the prognosis of needing  a wheel chair for life, he was determined to walk and eventually, over a month’s time, went down to one walking stick and then to none.  It wasn’t a perfect gait, but he was walking without assistance.  He went on to have small MS exacerbations in the fall and following spring of 2012.

It wasn’t until after attending a church youth camp in July 2012 that he had another more substantial attack where his right arm, leg and speech were affected.   He recovered from these, too, but not 100%.  We noticed he would drag a foot up the stairs (clump-clump pause, clump-clump pause). The next round of MRI scans showed more lesions and the Doc wanted to double his Avonex shots.  He was starting to get increasing side affects from this medication at the shot site and also flu symptoms and depression.   This was early 2013 and our search for some different answers led us to you.

He did not start to have full recovery of his mobility and fine motor skills until 4 weeks after he took the MRT and began the LEAP diet in April 2013. While his dragging a foot up the stairs (clump-clump pause, clump-clump pause) cleared up in the first few months after beginning the diet to an even  left, right, left, right going up the stairs, what we noticed in Dec./Jan., 2013, which may have occurred sooner, was actually running and or trotting up and down the stairs with no balance or coordination issues!

His father and I noticed he was doing this, reflected on the change, and gave thanks to God for leading us to you, the LEAP test and the diet.

We want to continue this because it is working. G. never had a relapse after his nasty bronchial cold over Christmas, either, which is a first. This is a big deal to us as he has always had some relapse after bronchial colds in the past.

I am looking out my window watching my 16-year old son chop and split wood.  He basically has a log camp set up at the edge of our small forest.  He recently used his chain saw that he bought with his own money that he saved to saw down some dead trees as he and his father work on forest management on our property.  (The trees were smallish, but none the less a great accomplishment.)  He gets great pleasure out of being able to do these things that he loves.

He is healthy and so strong and I know that without a doubt he would not be able to do these things if he was still on the path we were on before the diet.”