I am newly diagnosed and will be starting Avonex soon. In reading the National MS site, they talk about whole foods and a healthy diet. I am trying to stay away from chips, candy etc. But I am looking at my "light" yougurt and low-cal cranberry juice and wondering if I need to worry about artificial sweetners.
I don't think I can go cold-turkey with no sweets at all. Having this funky disease is bad enough.
This dicussion has been held here MANY times and you will find proponents of both theories. There are some here that eat totally health oriented diets and swear by their results. There are others who feel MS is punsishment enough, eat as you please and enjoy.
I try to eat a balanced diet but have no problem with enjoying Mickey D fries every now and then. I use artificial sweeteners on occasion but still use sugar also. Best wishes for chosing what works for you.
I pray that you have as good a result with Avonex as I have. It has been a miracle for me.
I completely agree with LaLady. Everyone needs to do what their own body says. One of the most important things when you have MS is to have a positive attitude I know that sounds easier than it really is. I have someone tell me to not eat the chocolate and all sweets, my response was "are you trying to kill me?" But seriously, I am watching what I eat more than before but not limiting myself with things that make me happy (cool whip!). I think we hear a lot about diets because many people have bladder problems with MS and certin diets probably make it easier.
SIt down have a cookie and enjoy!
Holly
I went to a holostic nutritionist and was able to learn about good foods and not so good foods, it was well worth $$, plus is opened my eyes to a whole bunch of food that is good to eat, and I don't feel like I am missing anything, but if I do, I eat what I desire, you have to do that or eating healthy will be difficult to do
I also learned about vitamins and nutritional supplements and that was helpful, this whole MS thing is all about learning to live a different way, and I like this new way
I guess everything in moderation.I've read about the swank diet and listened to others.Its what ever makes you satisfied.Balancing everything out.I know if we are traveling and eating all our meals out,kinda sends my system off balance.I eat a variety of foods some healthy some not so healthy.I continue to eat my M&M's each night.
You can always pick up organic chocolate and sweets without poisonous preservatives. Also, I find lots of fruit really seems to help with sugar cravings... i.e. raw pineapple, etc. Yogurt is great too.
I think a lot of the reason they tell you to watch what you eat, is because we are already a society of overweight people, and having MS, tends to make people more inactive, thus packing on pounds more easily. I joined weight watchers 4 and a 1/2 months ago, and have lost 37 pounds (14 more lbs to reach goal! Yeah!!!) , and I feel great. I've learned so much from everybody in the group... great ways to splurge without the calories and still satisfy your sweet tooth. I have been using artificial sweeteners, which I didn't before, but I haven't had any ill effects from them. I know a lot of people say that they cause symtoms like MS, but everything that I have read says that just isn't true. I guess everyone has to make their own decision about using them or not though. When I started my diet, I weighed my options... one hand (the excess weight is bad for your health and can add to your problems) on the other hand I could do nothing, and keep on as I was, but then my mother in laws diabetes acted up and she needed to diet on doctors orders, so we joined together, and I don't regret the decision. I still splurge occasionally and have things that are totally way off base for any diet, but that's what keeps you on track. If you deprive yourself, you'll fall off the wagon, and people tend to fall hard. I know... this isn't the first time I've dieted, but I took the slow approach this time, a few weeks I've gained instead of losing, but that's OK... I'm still 37 pounds lighter than I was when I started and I'm enjoying buying new clothes for the first time in years. Hope this helps you some... try skinny cows (ice cream sandwiches... they're wonderful), sugar free fat free pudding and jello also makes great snacks... and splenda is great if you decide to use artificial sweeteners, they have both the regular sugar and the brown sugar, and I use them regularly.
These are all such terrific comments...!! To add to the spectrum, I guess I'm on the extreme end of the diets suggested for people with auto-immune disorders. I've read some compelling information about why certain foods are eliminating for people with MS. I also have Type I Diabetes (since I was eight years old) and I was DX'd with MS at age 23. So much of what is "not allowed" makes much sense in my situation. Sugar (diabetes) so I started diet sodas at a very young age and continued them through my MS DX. However, artifical sweetners made my sweet tooth worse and I noticed this is other friends of mine (they didn't have diabetes). We called ourselves Diet Coke Heads. I no longer use any artifical sweetners. They are a derivative of formeldahyde. I've had various experiences with other foods like pasta, potatoes and dairy products that has caused me to eliminate them as well.
My energy is better, I have lost 35 pounds and I'm sleeping better!
Thanks for all the great comments. I am also at that age where it is next to impossible to lose weight, it was a lot easier just a couple of years ago. I had added some weight before being diagnosed, I think part of it was due to depression. I am on Lexapro now, feeling much better and have started dropping a few pounds.
Sounds like as with everything else with this DX, it depends on the person. Just glad to know there wasn't some major finding like "artificial sweetners cause more relapses" that I wasn't aware of.
These are all such terrific comments...!! To add to the spectrum, I guess I'm on the extreme end of the diets suggested for people with auto-immune disorders. I've read some compelling information about why certain foods are eliminating for people with MS. I also have Type I Diabetes (since I was eight years old) and I was DX'd with MS at age 23. So much of what is "not allowed" makes much sense in my situation. Sugar (diabetes) so I started diet sodas at a very young age and continued them through my MS DX. However, artifical sweetners made my sweet tooth worse and I noticed this is other friends of mine (they didn't have diabetes). We called ourselves Diet Coke Heads. I no longer use any artifical sweetners. They are a derivative of formeldahyde. I've had various experiences with other foods like pasta, potatoes and dairy products that has caused me to eliminate them as well.
My energy is better, I have lost 35 pounds and I'm sleeping better!
Having this funky disease is bad enough. 
There are some here that eat totally health oriented diets and swear by their results. There are others who feel MS is punsishment enough, eat as you please and enjoy.
But seriously, I am watching what I eat more than before but not limiting myself with things that make me happy (cool whip!). I think we hear a lot about diets because many people have bladder problems with MS and certin diets probably make it easier.
Re: Healthy diet?? 
I had added some weight before being diagnosed, I think part of it was due to depression. I am on Lexapro now, feeling much better and have started dropping a few pounds.
