When Dr. Terry Wahls was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) at the age of 45, she was determined to pursue standard treatment. Her diagnosis was made in 2000 and within three years of living with MS she was wheelchair-bound. (1)
With the unexpected deterioration of her condition, Dr. Wahls decided there must be other treatments to help improve her lifestyle. Her research found strong ties to diet and health leading to a complete reversal of her bedridden state. (1)
The Diagnosis
When Dr. Wahls, a medical academic at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine began stumbling due to weakness in her left leg, she sought medical assistance. When it was discovered she also had abnormal spinal fluid, spinal cord lesions, and diminishing vision, she was diagnosed with MS. (1)
Caught off guard by her diagnosis she was willing to try the latest drug treatments available at the time. While living with MS her health continued to deteriorate. She found she could barely sit for more than 10 minutes at a time before becoming fatigued. When she became almost entirely bedridden she began researching alternative treatments. (1)
Research for Alternative MS Treatment
In her research, Dr. Wahls noticed the relationship between MS and proper nutrition. This discovery encouraged her to experiment with the roles nutrition, exercise, and the environment played in the progression of her condition. (1)
Dr. Wahls, who was knowledgeable on the human microbiome, considered how microbes found in the gut might be affecting her health and the regulation of her immunity. (1)
Brain Fog
The first challenge Dr. Wahls addressed was the “brain fog” she was experiencing. Living with MS causes a change in cognitive function including the senses, memory, attention, verbal fluency, executive function, and visual perception. (1, 2)
She researched the vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and antioxidants her brain needed to maintain proper function. She found that poor gut bacteria were associated with foods such as refined sugars, grains, processed, and packaged food. Knowing this, she removed all processed foods from her diet, eating up to nine servings of nutrient-dense vegetables each day. This supported a healthy microbiome. (1, 2, 3, 4)
Dr. Wahls set up a protocol based on her new diet and stress management to improve brain health and function. As a result, she eliminated the weakness and pain that had left her bedridden. (1)
Dr. Wahl’s MS Diet
The nine servings of nutrient-dense vegetables included:
- Dark leafy greens such as chard, collards, kale, spinach, beetroot leaves, and watercress
- Sulphur-rich, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and radishes
- Deep colored fruits and vegetables such as carrots, beets, and berries (5)
The animal-based omega-3 fatty acids included:
- Modest amounts of grass-fed meats
- Omega-3 rich fish such as wild salmon, rainbow trout and sardines (5)
She also consumed seaweed and completely removed all refined sugars, processed foods, grains, dairy, eggs, and pasta from her diet. (5)
Essential Microbes
Although the diet is not a cure for MS, Dr. Wahls found microbes are essential to our well-being. In fact, the microbiome in the gut helps detect autoimmune problems. As well, with a vegetable-rich diet, you are more likely to have a mix of microbes that will assist with healthier outcomes. (1)
MS Controversy Over Diet
As controversy rages over whether or not diet can influence the course for patients living with MS, both Dr. Wahls and Australian Dr. George Jelinek, M.D., of the University of Melbourne have had success in the development of diet and lifestyle protocols for MS. (6)
Despite flak from researchers such as Michael Rasminsky, M.D., Ph.D., of McGill University in Montreal, Wahls and Jelinek continue to pursue their theories undergoing clinical and epidemiological studies respectively. (6)
While Dr. Rasminsky is adamant that their results could be tied to an MS remission, Wahls and Jelinek are willing to overcome the difficult task of showing the relationships between diet and disease. (6)
Further Findings
Studies co-authored by Dr. Wahls all point to the need for further research. However, they also found:
- Diet quality may impact the development and severity of MS symptoms (7)
- Lipid profile variables are associated with improvements in fatigue in progressive MS patients on a diet-based multimodal intervention (8)
- Modified Paleolithic diet, nutritional supplements, stretching and strengthening exercises, neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), and stress management techniques decreased the perception of fatigue and improved health-related quality of life, especially for those with a mild-to-moderate disability and relatively lower baseline consumption of gluten, dairy products, and eggs. (9)
Dr. Wahls’ studies show promise for a healthy diet as an alternative treatment to improve quality of life for MS patients.
