When Multiple Sclerosis Shut My Body Down, I Chose Foods Over Meds

My Body Shut Down

Four 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 Sclerosis

At 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 Hearts

Black Rice, Chicken Sausage Veggie Crock Pot Soup

Crock Pot Tri-Color Pepper Chicken Sausage Stew

Looking 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 Now

Finding Relief from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) with a Paleo Diet

Success Story: After a Longtime Struggle, How I Finally Beat MS

Note: 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.