As a family caregiver to someone with multiple sclerosis (MS), you may spend a lot of time trying to come up with ways to improve their lives and health. You’ve probably thought about what they eat and if dietary changes might help to manage their MS symptoms. There are a lot of different diets out there that are touted for their possible health benefits and for weight loss. Knowing how popular diets may affect MS symptoms and general effects of the foods your aging relative eats may help you decide the kinds of changes that might help.

A Look at Popular Diets and MS

There are a number of popular diets that people have suggested might help with MS symptoms. Some of them are:

-Gluten Free: Gluten is often named as a culprit in various health problems, including MS. However, WebMD says there’s no research indicating that going gluten-free will make a difference in MS symptoms. In fact, people with MS aren’t any more likely to have a gluten intolerance than anyone else.

-Paleo Diet: This is a trendy diet that focuses on berries, nuts, and lean protein. The diet’s creators say that the body can better absorb the nutrients from these kinds of foods than from more modern foods, like dairy and carbs. Again, there isn’t much scientific proof that the Paleo diet helps with MS, though.

-Mediterranean Diet: The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest ways to eat. Foods the diet focuses on are fish, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and legumes. Though there’s no proof that it will affect MS symptoms specifically, it may improve overall health.

Is There an MS Diet?

So, if none of these popular diets help, is there one that will make a difference in your aging relative’s MS symptoms? According to the Mayo Clinic, there isn’t a specific diet for people who have MS. In fact, they say “Some special diets can actually be harmful because they contain too much of certain vitamins or not enough of others.” Instead, they recommend that people with MS follow an overall balanced diet just like anyone else.

If you’re concerned about what your older family member with MS eats, elderly care can help them to follow a healthier diet. An elderly care provider can assist with planning healthy meals and shopping for the ingredients. Elderly care providers can also cook meals for the senior, even making meals ahead of time to be warmed up later.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elderly Care in Morgan Hill, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855

Sources

Webmd.com
Nationalmssociety.org
Mayoclinic.org

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andy@hcprosonline.com

CEO at HomeCare Professionals

Andy Howardis a Bay Area Native who holds a BA in Political Science (University of Colorado at Boulder, ’97). After college Andy worked in the surging tech industry.His Grandmother however, would suffer a significant decline in health and ultimately needed in-home care. The experience of a loved one depending on outside help to age in place proved to be pivotal for Andy as he left the tech industry in 2002 for an opportunity in the home care world with a large provider. After having success in home care, but being frustrated by corporate constraints Andy founded HomeCare Professionals in 2005.He methodically built the company one client at a time by focusing on hiring quality caregivers to ensure positive outcomes. Currently Andy serves as the CEO of HomeCare Professionals and is also highly active in the non-profit organization California Association of Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) which advocates for a higher standard of in-home care for those who wish to remain living at home in California.

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