I’ve had several readers request that I publish the foods to eat/foods to avoid guidelines that I’m following on this damn diet. So here it is! The following is taken from Healing Multiple Sclerosis, by Dr. Ann Boroch, published by Quintessential Healing, Inc. Publishing, 2007. (Pages 189-195.)

Foods To Eat
Food Group Items
Animal Protein Beef; buffalo; lamb*
Chicken
Duck
Eggs
Fish (no shellfish)
Turkey
*Grass-fed; three- to four-ounce servings once or twice a month; most people with MS do best avoiding any red meat entirely because it can increase inflammation; prepare rare to medium rare.
Oils (cold-pressed only) Coconut oil (can be used for cooking)
Flaxseed oil (not for cooking)
Grapeseed oil (can be used for cooking)
Olive oil (can be used for cooking)
Sesame oil (can be used for cooking)
Sunflower-seed oil (not for cooking)
Note: At restaurants eat what is served; be more stringent when using oils at home.
Grains (whole and unrefined only) Amaranth
Barley*
Breads
(wheat*- yeast- sugar and dairy-free)
Brown rice
Buckwheat
Kamut*
Millet
Oats*
Pasta (brown rice or spelt only)
Quinoa
Rye*
Spelt*
*Avoid barley; kamut; oats; rye; and spelt for three to six months if you are gluten intolerant.
Nuts and Seeds (raw and unroasted only) Almonds
Brazil
Chestnuts
Hazelnuts
Macadamia
Nut butters (almond and macadamia only; can be raw or dry roasted)
Pecans
Pine nuts
Pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed butter
Sesame seeds (also raw tahini butter)
Sun flower seeds
Walnuts
Note: Limit quantity to a small handful at a time and chew thoroughly.
Dairy (antibiotic- and hormone-free only) Butter (small amounts)
Clarified butter (ghee)
Vegetables All (except corn and mushrooms)
Red potatoes; sweet potatoes and yams (limit to three servings a week)
Note: Limit or avoid nightshade-family vegetables for the first three months: eggplant; tomatoes; peppers and potatoes because these can cause inflammation.
Condiments Apple cider vinegar (raw and unfiltered only)
Dry mustard (or mustard with apple cider vinegar)
Fresh herbs (basil and parsley; etc.)
Mayonnaise (made with apple cider vinegar only)
Pepper
Rice vinegar (unseasoned and unsweetened only)
Sea salt
Spices (without sugar; MSG or additives); favor ginger and tumeric (anti-inflammatory)
Beverages Herbal teas (red clover; peppermint; green; etc.)
Unsweetened almond milk; rice or soy (not more than two ounces at a time)
Unsweetened mineral water Water (filtered; purified or distilled only)
Fresh coconut water
Beans and Legumes All (except peas and fermented soy products)
Note: You may need to avoid this group entirely for two to three months because of allergic reactions and high starch levels that raise blood sugar.
Miscellaneous Carob (unsweetened)
Salsa (without sugar or vinegar; except apple cider vinegar)
Fruits Apples (green only for the first month)
Avocado
Blueberries (discard if you see any visible mold)
Coconut (small amounts of milk; unsweetened)
Lemons and limes
Note: Limit fruit intake to one piece per day; about the size of a medium apple in volume. Avocado serving and lemon or lime juice can be additional to your one fruit per day.
Sweeteners Stevia Xylitol (only in small amounts such as mints or lozenges)
Foods to Avoid
After three months you can return the starred (*) foods to your diet. Add one food every third day and see if your body reacts, i.e., rapid heart beat, itching, bloating and gas, constipation, fatigue, or worsening of your MS symptoms. If so, keep these foods out of your diet for another three months and try again.
Food Group Items
Animal Protein Bacon (except turkey bacon without nitrates and hormones)
Hotdogs (except chicken or turkey hotdog without nitrates and hormones)
Processed and packaged meats Sausages (except chicken and turkey without sugar; hormones or nitrates)
Shellfish
Tuna (canned)
Vegetables Corn*
Mushrooms
Dairy Cheeses (all including cottage and creme cheese)
Buttermilk
Cow's milk
Goat's milk and cheese (raw)*
Ice cream
Margarine
Sour cream
Yogurt
Condiments Catsup
Gravy
Jams and jellies
Mayonnaise (unless made with apple cider vinegar)
Pickles
Relish
Salad dressing (unless made with apple cider or rice vinegar and sugar-free)
Sauces with vinegars and sugar
Soy sauce and tamari sauce
Spices that contain yeast; sugar or additives
Vinegars (all except raw; unfiltered apple cider and unsweetened rice vinegar)
Worcestershire sauce
Beans and Legumes Fermented soy products (miso; tempeh; etc.)
Many people are allergic to all soy products so it may be best to avoid them altogether.
Peas*
Oils Canola oil (small amounts are ok)
Corn oil
Cottonseed oil
Partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils
Peanut oil
Soy oil
Nuts and Seeds Cashews*
Peanuts and peanut butter
Pistachios*
Grains Breads (except wheat*-; dairy-; yeast-; and sugar-free)
Cereals (except wheat*-; dairy-; and sugar-free)
Corn* (tortillas and polenta)
Crackers (wheat* and/or white flour)
Kamut*
Pasta (except brown rice and spelt)
Pasteries
Tapioca
White flours
White rice
Whole wheat*
Miscellaneous Candy
Chocolate
Coffee
Cookies
Donuts
Fast food and fried foods
Gelatin Gum (unless sweetened with stevia or xylitol)
Lozenges/mints (unless sweetened with stevia or xylitol)
Muffins
Pastry
Pizza
Processed food (TV dinners; etc.)
Smoked; dried; pickled or cured foods
Beverages Alcohol Caffeinated teas (except green tea) Coffee (caffeinated and decaffeinated) Fruit juices Sodas (diet and regular)
Fruits Apricots*
Bananas*
Berries* (all except blueberries)
Cherries*
Citrus* (all except lemons or limes)
Dried fruits (all apricots; dates; figs; rasins; cranberries; prunes; etc.)
Guava*
Grapes
Juices (all sweetened or unsweetened)
Mangos*
Melons*
Nectarines*
Papayas*
Peaches*
Pears*
Plums*
Persimmon*
Pomegranates*
Sweeteners Agave nectar*
Artificial sweeteners (such as aspartame; Nutrasweet; maltitol; mannitol; saccharin; sorbitol and sucralose (Splenda)
Barley malt
Brown rice syrup
Corn syrup
Dextrose
Fructose and products sweetened with fruit juice
Honey (raw* or processed)
Maltodextrin
Maple syrup
Molasses
Raw or evaporated cane juice crystals
White sugar

9 thoughts on “MS Diet Treatment Plan: Foods to Eat & Foods to Avoid

  1. Dear Janna:

    There’s an interesting article in the May 2013 issue of “Smithsonian.” It’s titled “Did Iran’s Revolution Spark An Escalating Health Crisis?”

    The article states: “MS has skyrocketed in Tehran, increasing almost sevenfold between 1989 and 2005.” And also, “Scientists have long recognized a link between lack of sunlight and multiple sclerosis.”

    It’s thought that maybe the requirement for modest dress for all, and especially for women to be entirely covered from head to toe, is depriving them of Vitamin D.

    Sondra

  2. I have CIDP (chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy) which is also autoimmune and similar to MS in many ways. I’m printing this list out and am going to try and incorporate it more in my diet. Thanks! 🙂

  3. Dear Janna;
    I shared and saved your list and clicked to follow you on Twitter.
    I have been following a similar healthy diet and exercise it definitely helps.

    Thank you and kind regards AL

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