Approachable Nutrition™

“Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do”
- John Wooden

Dear Friends,

Ever since I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (February 2001), I have learned the important role that diet plays in MS. Diet and its relationship to MS has been researched and studied for over 50 years. Today, I want to discuss the importance of “Essential Fatty Acids” (EFA’s). Since I began to incorporate EFA’s into my own diet, I have been able to make significant and important changes in my own health. See the delicious, quick and easy Salad Dressing recipe in the Recipe Section of this site.

• There are TWO types of Fat.

• Saturated - solid at room temperature - such as: fat on meat, butter, margarine and deep fried foods. These fatty acids are “saturated with hydrogen”.

• Unsaturated - liquid at room temperature these include oils from seeds, fish and vegetables. There are two forms:
  • Monounsaturated
  • Polyunsaturated

• Let’s focus on discussing Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids. Fatty acids are the building blocks of fat. For many years MS has been associated with polyunsaturated fatty acids. The human body needs fatty acids and it can make all but two of them. These fatty acids must be supplied by the diet and this makes them “essential”. An essential nutrient is a nutrient the body cannot make, or makes in insufficient quantities to meet its physiological needs. EFA’s are a main component of phospholipids, the main part of cell membranes. These phospholipids help the fluidity and integrity of the cell membranes, and the type of fat we eat plays a major role in the health of the membranes. EFA’s enhance cell membranes fluidity and flexibility and are important for energy production, insulation of nerves and transmission, maintaining body temperature (keeping it at healthy levels in the body), helps to decrease inflammation and protect tissues and other body functions.

• Some studies suggest that MS is more common in areas where the consumption of saturated fat (animal fat) is high. This indicates that saturated fat and not enough unsaturated fat may be linked to MS. Saturated fat such as butter, trans-fatty acids (i.e. margarine), processed meats all decrease the health of the cell membranes. There are several theories that could explain the possible decreased polyunsaturated fatty acids levels in people with MS.

• Two possibilities may be that people with MS have some type of abnormality in the fatty acid chemical pathway or people with MS just do not eat adequate amounts of these fatty acids.

• Dr. Roy Swank developed the “Swank Diet” used often since 1948 for people with MS. Dr. Swank’s theory is that capillaries feeding the myelin cells become plugged due to sticky blood platelets - a possible reaction to malutilization of fats leading to disturbed uptake of unsaturated fatty acids. His diet is restrictive with a very low saturated fat intake and a high polyunsaturated fat intake.

• The two important fatty acids are Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) and Omega-6 (linoleic acid). The current thought is that these two fatty acids decrease the activity of the immune system and also play an important role in decreasing inflammation when the correct balance is consumed. This is helpful since the immune system is overly active in people with MS. Another proposed theory is since polyunsaturated fatty acids are an important part of the lining of nerve cells, the myelin, it is possible that if there is a deficiency in polyunsaturated fatty acids this could produce an abnormality in the myelin.

Food sources of these Essential Fatty Acids

• Oil Supplements such as: flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, borage oil, fish oils, and cod liver oil.
• Omega-3 such as: flaxseed, cold-water fish, sardines, tuna, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, soy products, and dark green leafy vegetables.
• Omega-6 such as: nuts, seeds, grains, legumes, and most vegetables, fruit.
• We typically get enough omega-6 in our diets, it is very important to increase our intake of omega-3 oils. The best way to do this to eat cold-water fish (salmon) at least two to three times per week and supplementation with fish oils or flaxseed oil.
• One to two tablespoons of oil or approximately 1,000mg per day

Check out a delicious Flaxseed Salad Dressing Recipe, by clicking here.

To schedule a FREE half-hour consultation with Janeen please send an email

Janeen Goldsmith is a Certified Nutrition Therapist who specializes in working with people who have MS or other autoimmune conditions and who are seeking additional health support along with traditional therapies. Her practice is based on the principle that because everyone is different, each person’s nutrition program should specifically fit his or her lifestyle and preferences. Janeen’s goal is to help people eat better to feel better. She meets with individual clients in person, email and/or by phone. She also shares her knowledge through public speaking and teaching cooking skills to local Colorado residents.

Thank you for reading this article, which is part of Approachable Nutrition’s Get Healthy Newsletter (from Janeen Goldsmith, Nutrition Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis). I value your interest and support. If you are not on the mailing list to receive notification of these feature articles, please sign up here. Also know that I never sell your personal information to any third party. And, it is always easy to unsubscribe from email newsletters or change your email address: you can do that right from the bottom of any newsletter. If you have feedback, suggestions, or questions about my newsletter or practice please send me a private note through my contact form.

References

Bowling, Alan, M.D., Ph.D., Alternative Medicine and Multiple Sclerosis, Demos Medical Publishing Inc., New York, NY.,2001, p.74-77.

Murray, Michael, N.D., and Pizzorno, Joseph, N.D., Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Three Rivers Press, New York, NY., 1998.

Murray, Michael, N.D., and Pizzorno, Joseph, N.D., Encyclopedia Nutritional Supplements, Prima Publishing, 1996, p. 239-274.

Whitney, Cataldo, Rolfes, Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition, Wadsworth Thomson Learning, Sixth Edition, p.144-145.