Living positively with MS

It may sound hard to believe, but Joanne Stewart says that eventual Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis after months of ill health was the best thing that could have happened to her.

Of course it was a blow; of course she was initially devastated as was her devoted partner Euan, but instead of letting the disease ruin her life, Joanne picked herself up, dusted herself down and set about trying to combat her illness.

So the research began with Euan fully committed to finding some way to alleviate his partner’s discomfort. He discovered that while no-one really knows why MS is contracted, diet does seem to be a factor, or at least it can be a factor in preventing further relapses and slowing progression of the disease.

Euan tracked down two diets – The Best Bet Diet and The Swank Diet and after some discussion, Jo went with the latter; the whole family opting to switch to the diet developed by Dr Roy Laver Swank after years of study, research and experience with MS patients.

“Naturally any diet can seem very restrictive when you first start,” smiles Jo, as she is cooking one of the diet-friendly meals. “I used to crave deep fried mozzarella but with perseverance I eventually got used to the diet rules. The idea of deep fried anything now sounds awful.”

In actual fact the diet that Jo is very strictly adhering to is a refinement of The Swank Diet, compiled by Australian Professor George Jelinek. Diagnosed with MS, he immediately starting looking for ways to halt the progression of the disease.

When Jo read his book ‘Taking Control of Multiple Sclerosis: Natural and Medical Therapies to Prevent its Progression’ she was immediately impressed with the research and conclusions. “When someone actually has the disease and writes about how they are dealing with it, particularly when they are working within the medical profession, you tend to think there may be some truth to what they are saying,” she smiles.

Jo is always smiling. She is so bursting with energy and enthusiasm it is impossible to believe she is suffering from what can be a very debilitating disease.

Diagnosed in February 2007 she started the diet a few weeks later and says she has never felt so well. “I am slimmer, full of energy, have no pain and I feel just great.”

Jo felt so strongly about the benefits of following this diet combined with meditation and stress avoidance that she contacted Professor Jelinek, she tells me “He was very encouraging. It makes me want to promote this diet and share my good fortune".

And by everyone, Jo means everyone. “It is not just a diet that can help stop the progression of MS, it works for those diagnosed with vascular diseases (potentially preventing strokes) and rheumatoid arthritis (potentially increasing mobility). it will help people with obesity and those who just want to lose weight or simply eat more healthily and find that lost energy.”

She is fighting the system however as the diet is not really recognised in the UK. A course of beta interferons is the normal treatment for MS. Jo is not currently on any prescribed medication, however, an MS-friendly diet can work in combination with this treatment. She believes the diet she is on to be the best one for her and would love MS friendly-diets to be recognised and promoted by the health authorities in the UK and by the MS Society.

As she talks, Jo becomes more and more animated. In a somewhat evangelistic way, she wants to get the message out to everyone about eating more healthily, that what you put inside you really does matter. She envisages ‘Eating Well in the UK Ltd’ as a chain of cafes selling dishes that health conscious people can eat and enjoy. She has already begun concocting recipes.

Being an accountant, Jo can do the sums and knows she needs investment to make her dream a reality. She has the drive and enthusiasm as well as the motivation, knowing that the diet she is on is helping her cope with her MS and knowing it could also help others.

Having been diagnosed with a debilitating illness, Jo has had to turn her life around and that has been life affirming. She has no regrets and simply wants to enjoy her life to the full and help others do the same.

About MS

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common disabling neurological condition affecting young adults. Around 85,000 people in the UK have MS. It is the result of damage to myelin - a protective sheath surrounding nerve fibres of the central nervous system.

When myelin is damaged, this interferes with messages between the brain and other parts of the body. For some people, MS is characterised by periods of relapse and remission while for others it has a progressive pattern. For everyone, it makes life unpredictable. Visit www.mssocietyscotland.org.uk for more information

The Swank Diet

The diet advocates a very low saturated fat intake and encourages the use of ‘good’ fats, vegetables, vitamins and minerals.
This is a quick reference to the SWANK diet:
1. Saturated fat should not exceed 15 grams per day.
2. Unsaturated fat (oils) should be kept to 20-50 grams per day.
3. No red meat for the first year.
4. After the first year, 3 oz. of red meat is allowed once per week.
5. Dairy products must contain 1% or less butterfat unless otherwise noted.
6. No processed foods containing saturated fat.
7. Cod liver oil (1 tsp. or equivalent capsules) and a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement are recommended daily.

Visit www.swankmsdiet.org for more information on the diet.
If you would like to contact Jo send an e-mail to: eatingwell-uk@jostewart.net

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