Swank MS Diet

[gnet511]

Has anyone ever heard of the Swank diet? If so is this a scam? Please let me know any experiences.

I was searching the web and came across this.

Thanks!

[Redwings]

No, the Swank diet is legit, with limitations. It's been around for some 50 years. It's limitation is that it concentrates on fat content. When I looked into it about 10 years ago, it was based on research that was conducted at the time of the diet's conception, which means that even in the year 2000, the supportive studies were still from the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Can anyone tell us if the supportive information has been updated with more current research?

Ten years ago, the core of the Swank diet was controlling saturated fat intake. Fat intake is important because it affects how clogged with fat the blood vessels -- particularly the microvessels -- are and how efficiently the vessels function. Considering that, to some extent, MS is a disease that's affected by vascular integrity (i.e., the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier), having unclogged blood vessels is important.

From what I could tell, the total fat allowed on the
Swank diet -- which is supposed to be the key to controlling MS -- really wasn't that much different than what was allowed on the South Beach Diet, which was popular at the time. For me, that took all of the legitimacy out of it being some kind of special diet to help MS. It became nothing more than just good advice about healthier eating.

Since the inception of the Swank diet, much more has been learned about the role of gluten and molecular mimicry in the diet that can aggravate MS. Anti-inflammatory diets and food regimens such as the Best Bet Diet for MS seem to have broader scientific rationale than Swank. However, the newer, broader diets are more restrictive and harder to stay on than Swank. If you have the self-discipline, the Best Bet and other anti-inflammatory or MS-specific diets might work better for you than Swank to control your symptoms. But if you need something simpler to follow, Swank is much better than no plan and eating badly.

The fans of Swank will have something more enthusiastic to say about it, so stay tuned.

[MrsBones]

Has anyone ever heard of the Swank diet? If so is this a scam? Please let me know any experiences.

I was searching the web and came across this.

Thanks!

The Swank diet has been around for many years, somewhere around 50,I believe. It's not a scam as in trying to sell you any kind of fake cure.

The diet was developed and tested by Dr. Roy Swank to at least alleviate symptoms and at best slow disease progression. Many people have used the Swank diet ,or a variation of it, and report great results.

There is virtually no solid "proof" since a proper study of it would require the participants to be basically locked up without any other treatments and have every bite of food and beverages prepared for them. As I said before, many are quite happy with it, so who's to say?

My neuro said that as long as it is a sensible diet that doesn't impact other health issues and I continued traditional treatments as a safety net, he'd have no problem with me trying it. I had no desire to stop the DMDs but saw no reason not to try and help them along.

I didn't see any difference, but I may haven't given it enough time. I do enjoy red meat a bit too much.

Do some searching here and Google "MS diet" and you'll find a few other diet that are supposed to help symptoms and/or progression. Make sure before you try any diet that it's appropriate for both your health and lifestyle.

[Sequoia]

As both of the previous posters have said, the Swank Diet is not a scam. It was the first of the MS-specific diets, followed decades later by the Best Bet Diet popular in the U.K. and now the MS Recovery Diet (an Americanized version of the BBD).

Also, Dr. George Jelinek is an Australian emergency room physician who has MS himself and has written two books on living with MS, including dietary suggestions. His newer book is Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis: An Evidence-Based Guide to Recovery.

There are also books for the Swank Diet and the MS Recovery Diet, and websites for the Best Bet Diet, the Swank Diet and the MS Recovery Diet.

In other words, there's a lot of information available that you can use in making a decision whether you want to try any of these diets.

None of them have a lot of hard scientific evidence supporting them, but all have substantial anecdotal evidence for their effectiveness. (Anecdotal evidence, in case you're not familiar with the term, is patient testimonials.)

All of them are basically healthy, so there's no harm in trying one of them from a medical/nutritional standpoint.

[Chais Papa]

Recently researchers described inflammation of the brain as the biggest risk to progression of MS. The inflammation is what causes the damage. I would take a look at the anti-inflammatory diet that Sir Voor mentioned in a previous post. This is pretty much what I follow and others have reported positive results.

The most important diet is the one you can follow and benefit from. good luck and eat well

[Sequoia]

The Best Bet Diet and the MS Recovery Diet are anti-inflammatory in nature.

Personally--and remember, I'm not a medical or nutritional professional--I'd recommend the MS Recovery Diet.

The book: The MS Recovery Diet by Ann D. Sawyer & Judith E. Bachrach

The website: http://msrecoverydiet.com/

The book contains a wealth of information, is well-written and user-friendly, and gives good recipes.

It's also important to acknowledge, I think, that Tara's own dietary recommendations for us differ in part from the regimens advocated by the MS-specific diets we've been discussing on this thread.

[Abby]

I have followed the Swank Diet since 1987, three months after I found out I had MS. I have done very well on it. No major flares or progression of disability. My MRI's showed no new leisons, but I added copaxone in 1998, just because it seemed prudent. Any diet requires some adjustment at first, but now it is just the way I eat. I don't have to give it much thought. At the very least it is a healthy way to eat, resulting in weight loss and more energy...at best it may have helped me a great deal. I see no downside. The Swank website can answer most of your questions.

[BigA]

I'll add my two cents.

I also follow George Jelenik's book and diet. Even if you do not follow his swank-based diet, you will gain knowlege and comfort reading his book. He HAS MS and so it has a certain legitimacy.

Although the other diets are more logical, Swank's was the only one actually studied for about 50 years. I would read his book "The Multiple Sclerosis Diet". It's out of print, but you can find a copy at the library and on Amazon.

Then go to http://www.overcomingmultiplesclerosis.org/ and read about Dr. Jelenik's diet. It's an updated Swank diet.


The most important thing to know is that you will feel better and chaning your diet is easier than you think.


Good Luck.

[Sequoia]

The MS Recovery Diet acknowledges Swank as its predecessor, too.

It just takes the Swank principles farther, in light of all the new information that has emerged since Swank did his pioneering work.

[Redwings]

For anyone who hasn't seen it, the Swank MS Foundation also has a website: http://www.swankmsdiet.org.

[gnet511]

Paleo Diet

Thanks everyone! I went to Borders yesterday and couldn't find the book ( now I know why). Does anyone have information on the Paleo Diet?

[Redwings]

The actual "brand name" Paleo Diet program is an expensive course costing hundreds of dollars. MS is addressed in the program, but the same kind of information can be obtained from doing web searches for the principles of a more generic "paleolithic diet." I haven't looked for them, but there must be books about it.

In a very oversimplified way, paleolithic eating means fruits and vegetables (preferably raw) or foods that are readily obtainable that require a minimum of preparation. That might include a buffalo steak or fried eggs, but not things like grains that require agriculture, then preparation and processing. Lacking a lot of high-fat, high-glycemic foods, the diet tends to be anti-inflammatory. (Again, very oversimplified.) There are other posters here who can give you more details.

The Best Bet Diet for MS is based on paleolithic eating principles. You can check it out at www.direct-ms.org.

[Sequoia]

The actual "brand name" Paleo Diet program is an expensive course costing hundreds of dollars. MS is addressed in the program, but the same kind of information can be obtained from doing web searches for the principles of a more generic "paleolithic diet." I haven't looked for them, but there must be books about it.

In a very oversimplified way, paleolithic eating means fruits and vegetables (preferably raw) or foods that are readily obtainable that require a minimum of preparation. That might include a buffalo steak or fried eggs, but not things like grains that require agriculture, then preparation and processing. Lacking a lot of high-fat, high-glycemic foods, the diet tends to be anti-inflammatory. (Again, very oversimplified.) There are other posters here who can give you more details.

The Best Bet Diet for MS is based on paleolithic eating principles. You can check it out at www.direct-ms.org.

The MS Recovery Diet is an Americanized version of the Best Bet Diet (the latter originated in the U.K. and is popular among MSers there). Both diets have things in common with the Paleo Diet, but are less restrictive. For example, the BBD permits grains as long as they contain no gluten, as does all but the strictest version of the MS Recovery Diet. Also, cooked food is a feature of both diets.

If you want a readily available book, try The MS Recovery Diet by Ann D. Sawyer and Judith E. Bachrach. It's available through Amazon, or your local bookstore can order it for you, or your library may be able to get it for you.

The book is very well written and informative, plus there's a recipe section. I own it myself, and follow many of its principles.

There's also a website:

http://msrecoverydiet.com/

[jphillips]

Is gluten an irritant or an inflammatory food if you are not gluten sensitive? I really like these diets, I have checked into the Swank, the BBD, the MS Recovery diet, and the overcoming MS diet. The only problem I have with them is eliminating gluten. That's a whole food group. But if its causing inflammation then bye!

Can anyone tell me if its suggested to eliminate due to a gluten sensitivity or is there benefit to everyone to stay away from it?

[Sequoia]

Is gluten an irritant or an inflammatory food if you are not gluten sensitive? I really like these diets, I have checked into the Swank, the BBD, the MS Recovery diet, and the overcoming MS diet. The only problem I have with them is eliminating gluten. That's a whole food group. But if its causing inflammation then bye!

Can anyone tell me if its suggested to eliminate due to a gluten sensitivity or is there benefit to everyone to stay away from it?

You'll get different answers on this one.

Tara herself recommends eliminating gluten for everyone. It's one of the most common food sensitivities, and in sensitive individuals it's inflammatory.

Sensitivity is not the same as outright allergy, however, nor is it the same as Celiac Disease.

The MS Recovery Diet and Best Bet Diet are gluten-free, but I believe Overcoming MS is not, unless a person has a proven allergy to gluten (please correct me if I'm wrong here, Jelinek fans).

I really can only speak for the MS Recovery Diet, as it's the only one I'm thoroughly familiar with. The recommendation there is to eliminate gluten and stay off it for a good, long while...but it may then be reintroduced cautiously while watching for any adverse reaction.

Eliminating gluten is not eliminating a whole food group. The food group involved is grains, and grains which don't contain gluten may still be eaten. In practical terms, a gluten-free person can still have bread, pasta, cereal, and so forth...but only made from the gluten-free grains.