Cooking Well: Multiple Sclerosis
Read Cooking Well: Multiple Sclerosis Online
Authors: Marie-Annick Courtier
I dedicate this book to my friends, Susie and Jackie, who have both been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis
.
—Chef Marie
We have long known that proper nutrition plays an important role in guarding health and preventing the onset of disease. The
Cooking Well
series was created to help you learn more about the important role of nutrient-rich meals when living with your particular disorder. With
Cooking Well
, you will discover that there are many enjoyable ways to prepare delightful, great-tasting meals that are packed with a variety of healthful benefits.
Chef Marie-Annick Courtier, a well-known culinary and health expert, has utilized her background in nutrition and health studies to create easy to prepare meals that are good for you and so delicious that you and your entire family can enjoy them together. Chef Marie was born in Paris, where she acquired a knowledge of fresh, flavorful food that she incorporates into her healthy recipes. Today, Chef Marie is a widely-published author who also owns and operates a personal chef service.
Hatherleigh has a long history of providing our readers with books that help people improve their lives, whether through exercise, nutrition, or mental well-being. We are pleased to share with you the message of good health in the
Cooking Well
series.
—Andrew Flach, Publisher
PART I:
Understanding Multiple Sclerosis
Living with Multiple Sclerosis
PART II:
The Importance of Nutrition
Dietary Suggestions for a Healthy Lifestyle
Foods to Avoid, Foods to Choose
PART III:
The Meals
A Chef’s Secrets for Easy, Quick Meals
As a doctor and patient with Multiple Sclerosis, I am familiar with the day to day challenge of managing this condition and keeping up with the latest news on treatment. We’ve come so far since 1990, when there were no therapies available to alter the course of Multiple Sclerosis. Currently, we have six therapies to slow down MS and six more that are in either clinical or pre-clinical testing (including two oral medications). This is wonderful news.
However, those of us who have MS know that, because MS abuses our brains and spinal cords, we must do everything we can to keep our bodies in the best shape possible. We routinely go to physical, occupational and cognitive therapies and attend informational meetings and support groups. Yet one aspect of therapy that we commonly overlook is eating well.
Many of us know that we should eat foods that are rich in fiber and protein, and that we should avoid saturated fats and cholesterol. But, on a day to day basis, our meals are often lacking. It can seem daunting to prepare healthy meals several times each day, so we tend to stop trying. After awhile, we come to believe that we simply don’t have enough time or energy to devote to a proper diet.
I know we can do better. The recipes in this book will open your eyes to how easy and fun it can be to maintain a balanced diet. With the fresh, healthful ingredients in these appetizing meals, you will provide your body with the nutrients it needs to keep you healthy. Diet can be an effective therapy for guarding your health, and it’s time to make it a priority.
I feel it is our duty as patients with MS to make sure that we keep our bodies in the best shape possible while the doctors and scientists continue to work toward the ultimate goal for our disease—the cure.
Vincent F. Macaluso, MD
5/14/09
UnderstandingMultiple Sclerosis
Living withMultiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder of the human central nervous system (CNS). It is a progressive disease from which 2.5 million people in the world suffer, about 400,000 of whom live in the United States. This number is increasing by 200 people monthly. The disease is much more common among women and its impact on family life can be very devastating. Symptoms vary from weakness, spasticity (tightness), balance problems, bladder problems, slurred speech, pain, fatigue, cognitive problems, numbness, and blurred vision. Practicing a healthy lifestyle has shown to help many patients with MS. Exercising regularly, reducing stress, not smoking, learning about yourself and your limits, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a healthy diet are crucial for better well-being.
As of today, there is actually no specific scientific data or studies done on any specific diet for MS patients. However,
many people report major improvements in their well-being once they change their eating habits
.
Identifying individual food sensitivities and allergies plays an important role and designing the right diet for each individual is primordial. In the last few years, a significant collection of information on eating habits for people suffering from MS has the medical corps rethinking the importance of diet. It is possible that certain foods may even contribute to causing MS or increasing its symptoms. A list of specific foods to avoid has emerged, as many people have reported improvement after eliminating them from their diet. Other diseases, such as Celiac Disease, call for avoiding similar foods. In many cases, people reported decrease of symptoms, flare-ups and, for some, even almost complete relief from MS symptoms, allowing them to live a normal life as long as they maintained a healthy lifestyle. Eating a low fat diet with foods high in anti-inflammatory properties seems to have helped many people with MS. Consequently, this will be the focus of this book.
Many people struggling with diseases, weight problems, or allergies, often don’t make the connection between their eating habits and their lifestyle choices. They often do not realize how much their emotions influence everything they do in their life, including the food they eat or finding excuses not to exercise. Unfortunately those emotions can trigger eating habits that will be the cause for more pain, worse symptoms, and be very detrimental to their health.
Consequently,
it is imperative that each individual look into his or her lifestyle and emotions to see how they affect food choices
. It is recommended that you do this with your physician, registered dietitian, psychologist, or care giver.
MS patients should not smoke, as tobacco negatively impacts many organs of the body and is the leading cause for lung cancer. If you do smoke and have trouble quitting, consult your physician and psychologist. Here are a few tricks to get you started on improving your health. Start by looking into your daily routine to determine what may cause bad eating habits. For example: Do you eat a bunch of pastries or donuts in the morning, knowing you should have a more balanced breakfast? Do you often skip lunch, not feeling like eating? Do you snack all day and, consequently, are not hungry for a healthy dinner? Do you reach for the cookie jar when you are stressed? Do you drink soda when eating out? Those are just a few examples to get you thinking about what you do on a daily basis.
How theRight Diet
Can Help
Eating well can make a big difference in how you feel
. But how should you begin to make a change, and how will you know what steps to take? Start to think about the time you felt well and when you started not to feel well. Review your journal to see what you did in the last 48 hours—what you ate, what you drank, if you ate out, over-exercised, worked too hard, skipped or change your medicine, or just went through treatment after a relapse. If you are no longer keeping a journal, it is time to start again. Can an emotional event or a stressful situation be triggering the problem? Is a situation making you irritable or frustrated? Are you anxious about a situation (moving or pregnancy)? Are you depressed for any reasons? Do you have sexual tension? Did you just introduce a new food into your diet? Did you go off your diet? Did you have a sleepless night or wake up many times for different reasons? Are you traveling or did you return from a vacation and resume work right away? Has the weather changed dramatically? Some patients have reported relapses a few days after weather changes. Beware and watch for seasonal changes, and try to relax more than usual during those times. Rest more by taking a one or two hour nap during those days (this is a good suggestion for any day you feel tired or somehow off.) Are you constipated to the point you are not feeling well? Sometimes the answer is right in front of you and a little thinking can elicit it.