Managing MS | Tips for Living Well with Multiple Sclerosis

Tip 01 – Diet and Nutrition

Eat Well

While there isn’t one specific diet that will help your MS, making positive changes is likely to impact your overall health and well-being and can benefit the nervous system’s long-term health.

The following are recommended starting points:

Home cooked meals are better for you.
Prepare your meals at home as much as possible.

Look for fresh ingredients!
Incorporate a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables to meals whenever possible.

Choose whole grain options.
Opt for whole grain options to increase fiber intake and support digestive health.

Avoid Processed Foods.
Avoid or limit processed foods and added sugars as much as possible.

Tip 02 – Regular Activity

Exercise regularly

While it’s not certain which specific diet will help your MS, any positive changes you make are likely to positively impact your overall health and well-being and benefit your nervous system’s long-term health.

The following are recommended starting points:

We recommend applying a diverse range of exercises.

Cardio and aerobic fitness

Cardio/aerobic exercises are activities that increase your heart rate and make you breathe harder. They can help improve cardiovascular fitness, reduce fatigue, and improve your mood.

Recommended exercises include:

Recommended exercises include: Cycling, walking, dancing, water aerobics, running, stair-master, swimming, rowing.
Strength and resistance training

These exercises will help you build muscle mass and strength. They can help to improve balance and reduce fatigue.

Recommended exercises include:

Upper and lower body movements using weights, exercises using bodyweight only, or other forms of resistance such as resistance bands.
Core workouts

Activities that help strengthen the muscles of the core, which includes the abdomen, back, and pelvis. They can also help improve balance, reduce fatigue, improve posture, and mitigate bowel incontinence.

Recommended exercises include:

Pilates, planking and Russian twist exercises.
Flexibility and mobilty

Flexibility exercises help to improve the range of motion in your joints and limbs. They can help facilitate everyday movement and improve balance.

Recommended exercises include:

Yoga and stretching.
Neuromotor / functional fitness

These training exercises can help improve balance, coordination, and agility, as well as preventing falls and injuries at any age.

Recommended exercises include:

Tai Chi, yoga and any exercises which focus on hand-eye coordination.

Tip 03 – Mental Health

Improving Mental Wellbeing

Looking after your mental health is equally as important as looking after your body. Negative mental processes can affect your motivation to eat healthily, exercise, and how you interact with others.

We advocate for people newly diagnosed with MS to focus on the positive, which allows them to meet challenges head-on and maintain hope for the future.