When Multiple Sclerosis Shut My Body Down, I Chose Foods Over Meds Print 8 LikeDislike By Julie Zozos My Body Shut DownFour years ago, I was at the gym when my body suddenly shut down. My mind was telling my body to move, but my body wouldn’t listen. It was terrifying– I couldn’t physically move! After resting for a bit, I was able to leave the gym and walk to my car; but once I got there, I once again could not control my body. I panicked and called my husband. He then called an ambulance to take me to the hospital.I wasn’t just tired, it was Multiple SclerosisAt the hospital, my body continued shake and I was in pain all over. After an MRI, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, MS. I didn’t have most of the symptoms normally associated with MS, but I did have some odd symptoms I couldn’t explain. I used to have days where I simply could not function properly because I felt like my head was out of sync with the rest of my body. Additionally, every couple of months I was bedridden for 2 to 3 days. As a very active and healthy person, this blew my mind. All of a sudden, because of Multiple Sclerosis, I couldn’t get out of bed and function like a normal person! My Symptoms were Reversed!I decided to drastically change my diet because I do not believe in prescription drugs. After changing my diet, some of the MS symptoms I was experiencing were reversed. I will occasionally get stuck in bed, but it is very rare. This only occurs when I have gone too long without eating, or if I am extremely stressed.Another MS symptom used to get was arm pain. Every month around the same time, arm pain would flare up and cause me incredible discomfort. I used to just lay on the floor and hyperventilate until the pain passed. That Multiple Sclerosis symptom has subsided since I changed my diet.I also suffered from what I called “Out of Control Fatigue.” I would become so fatigued that I would pull into my driveway and literally be unable to physically get out of my car. I would actually need to take a nap in my car in my driveway until I satisfied the fatigue with rest. This still happens occasionally, but it’s not nearly that bad.I also had chronic stomach discomfort for years. Since my dietary changes, my stomach discomfort has been so much better! It all relates to what I eat from day to day. Because of my very limited food choices, it is easier to determine what still bothers me and what doesn’t. This makes it easier to continue to eliminate trigger foods. Above all, Know Thyself:The reason for treating myself through my diet is simple: I do not believe prescription drugs are the “cure all.” Most of them cause side effects, and then you end up taking more to counteract the side effects. It then becomes a vicious cycle that you may never escape. Additionally, I experienced two Multiple Sclerosis episodes similar to what happened when I was diagnosed in 2011, and they were both triggered by a prescription drug that I was taking for two completely different reasons. Hence my fear of prescription drugs.I am now able to continue my active, high functioning lifestyle with only one precaution: I do not do multiple activities in one day. I have had one small episode since my diagnosis, and it was triggered by overdoing my activities in one day. It passed within about an hour, and I was able to drive myself home.Since my diagnosis, I have made it a priority to find ways to understand myself from every angle. I will seek professional help when need be, but it only makes sense to take advice when I feel it is consistent with the feedback my body is giving me. When you understand yourself, then you can better incorporate what professionals of all nature might have to offer in your healing process.Here are some of my favorite MS healing recipes:Black Rice with Capers and Hemp HeartsBlack Rice, Chicken Sausage Veggie Crock Pot SoupCrock Pot Tri-Color Pepper Chicken Sausage StewLooking to reverse your MS or autoimmune disease? Learn how Dr. Wahls reversed her MS symptoms by adopting a nutrient-rich paleo diet in her book The Wahls Protocol. Want more? You might also like:Living with Hashimoto’s? MS? Lupus? 3 Reasons to Give Up Gluten NowFinding Relief from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) with a Paleo DietSuccess Story: After a Longtime Struggle, How I Finally Beat MSNote: PLEASE consult with your doctor before making any changes to your diet or medications. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Is Collagen Good for Pregnant Women? Collagen supplementation has become increasingly popular for many reasons, from improving the appearance of skin to helping strengthen gut and joint health. As the primary building block of the body’s skin, muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, an...
What is Mushroom Coffee? What is Mushroom Coffee? What is mushroom coffee, and what does mushroom coffee taste like? This relatively new trend began to gain popularity around the 2010s and has grown to capture interest in all sectors of the food, health, and coffee indus...
Raw VS Cooked Vegetables: Benefits and Success Stories What You Need To Know About Raw VS Cooked Vegetables Interested in a raw food diet but unsure about how to get started? Proponents of a raw food lifestyle eat only uncooked and unprocessed foods because it is believed that heating food destroys i...
What To Know About The Bone Broth Weight Loss Diet What To Know About The Bone Broth Weight Loss Diet With all the mail I receive from people who are excited about starting the bone broth weight loss diet, there’s one question I’m hearing a lot: “Can I do this diet if I’m a vegetarian, pe...
5 Benefits of Exercise as You Age First of all, why is it important to stay active as we age? As we age, we can feel less stamina and agility than we did when we were younger. But this doesn’t mean we should stop moving altogether. In fact, it’s the opposite! By incorporating re...
Tips on How to Help With Constipation As a Functional Nutritional Therapist, one of the most common digestive complaints I hear from my patients is that they suffer from chronic constipation. They aren’t alone. In the U.S, we spend billions of dollars on over-the-counter and pharmaceu...