Two diets that benefit people with MS

A secondary analysis of a study published last year has found that the Wahls diet (paleolithic) or Swank diet (low-saturated-fat) are associated with better cognition, reduced fatigue, and improved quality of life in people with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS).

The Wahls and Swank diets are two of a handful of diets that are designed specifically to live well with MS. The Wahls diet is named after Dr Terry Wahls, the American doctor who created it. It features foods our ancestors would have eaten in the paleolithic era, before processed foods were created, such as meat, fish and vegetables – especially green, leafy ones.

On the Swank diet, people must avoid any processed foods containing saturated fat or hydrogenated fats, and meat is completely eliminated for the first year.

For more information on the types of diets which may be helpful for people living with MS, download our Choices booklet Diet and Supplements from www.ms-uk.org/choiceslife.