Cooking Well: Multiple Sclerosis (3 page)
Read Cooking Well: Multiple Sclerosis Online
Authors: Marie-Annick Courtier
While traveling, keep the same attitude that you have when you are eating out close to home
. Be even more vigilant. It is best to bring your own food, but sometimes this is not possible (such as when traveling by airplane.) When booking your flight, most airlines will gladly reserve a low-fat meal for you. Vegetarian meals may be good, as they are often based on cheese and carbohydrates. Ask specifically what foods are included in the meals. At the airport, look for food that is freshly prepared in front of you and as close as possible to your nutritional plan. Take with you enough snack foods to last you a day or two in case of schedule delays. Nuts, raisins, and dates are easy to carry. You will be able to find bottles of water or milk in most places.
When traveling abroad, be even more careful than you would be at home
. Foods are not prepared the same way and many unknown ingredients may be a real problem to your health. Stick with plain grilled, steamed, broiled, or baked main courses with rice, potatoes, or steamed vegetables as side dishes. If you have no choice, pick the healthiest option and eat what you know is safe for you. Be careful with raw foods, as sanitation may not be as thorough as at home. Always ask for a bottle of water to be opened in front of you. Don’t miss the opportunity to go to a local market and purchase some fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy snacks such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, dates, or whatever you may be able to keep in your hotel room.
Don’t forget to wash the vegetables and fruits with a bottle of water mixed with a little vinegar. This will help kill bacteria not visible to the eye. If you have a refrigerator in the room, stock it with milk, yogurt, or cheese to meet your daily calcium needs. Read all food labels carefully. If you don’t understand the language, this may be a problem. See if the concierge or a person speaking your language at the hotel can assist you. Be on your guard at all times. If you take supplements or specific medications, make sure you have enough for your trip, plus a week’s worth as back-up. Standards overseas are not always the same as in the United States.
Foods to Avoid,Foods to Choose
Nutrition
To improve your health, you need to take care of yourself and the first step is to respect your body by giving it the food that will benefit it the most. Your meals should include a wide selection of fresh wholesome foods to satisfy not only your personal taste, but also your nutritional needs. Eating a variety of food is also important to avoid boredom and get the proper nutrients. As explained earlier, it is not always easy particularly during the winter when certain vegetables and fruits are not available or when you don’t feel well. Substitution with organic frozen or canned foods is then necessary and only encouraged during such times.
You may also have to take into consideration your food sensitivities or allergies. At first, this can be difficult to deal with. Take time to think and be patient, soon you will realize it is not really a big deal and there are many ways to deal with it. If you think you may have allergies and have not yet been tested, be sure to contact your medical provider. This is very important as often foods can trigger aching pains, weakness, headaches, and many other symptoms.
When dealing with food sensitivities or allergies, think about how you can replace the offending food with something that you like and that has similar, if not healthier, nutritional values. For example, you can’t eat cow milk, which is an important source of calcium that MS patients need, and you love cream of broccoli. Just substitute fortified unsweetened soy milk for cow milk in your favorite recipe—problem solved! Be aware, though, that soy milk does not offer the same nutrition value as cow milk. Look for a brand that has Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Calcium added.
How much food should you eat? For sure, most of us have a natural desire to eat more than we really need. Knowing that, all we have to do is be sure to
eat less and watch out for the food that our body does not really need or should not receive. It may be a simple formula, but it is very effective.
Which foods are most beneficial to a person with MS? As was said earlier, the secret lies in consuming a vast diversity of food that agrees with you, in the right quantities. Eating more foods containing anti-inflammatory properties is also beneficial. To select the right food for your body, you need to understand the basics about nutrients. Here is some very basic information to help you.
Carbohydrates
are a main source of energy for the body (calories) and are necessary for the proper use of fats by the body. Complex carbohydrates are better for you and are found in many grains, dried beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, or cream of millet. Fibrous complex carbohydrates are found in broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, peppers, spinach, zucchini, and many other vegetables. Simple carbohydrates are found in many sugary items such as cereals, breakfast bars, crackers, candies, and many commercial desserts. Those are not healthy for you. On the other hand, simple carbohydrates found in small amounts in fruits such as apples, bananas grapefruit, oranges, pears, pineapples, or peaches are healthy for you and should be part of your daily allowances. Unrefined carbohydrates can possibly be a problem for some MS patients and are found in brown rice, wheat flour, and many products containing wheat. These can be important in a diet as they help eliminate waste and substitution needs to be explored carefully.
Fats
are an indispensable part of every cell. They are a source of energy (calories), supply essential fatty acids and carry fat-soluble vitamins. Hormones are manufactured from fats, which make healthy fats indispensable to the good functioning of our body and even promote weight loss. Fats are also a good source of lubrication for the joints. There are three types of fats: saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated.
Saturated fats
are fats that raise bad cholesterol levels and are associated with heart disease. They are solid at room temperature and are found in animal products such as meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, packaged foods, and solid shortenings. The worst of these is hydrogenated fat (or partially hydrogenated), also called trans fat, which is found in many processed foods and should be eliminated from your diet. Check labels carefully. Coconut oil, palm oil, and non-dairy creamers contain high levels of saturated fats and should be eliminated as well.Unsaturated fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated)
are healthier for you, but keep in mind that they are still fats, and that you should carefully control your daily intake. Monounsaturated fats have one double bond in their chemical structure and are liquid at room temperature. They lower bad cholesterol and raise levels of good cholesterol. They are found in olive oil, canola oil, or avocado oil.Polyunsaturated fats
have two or more double bonds in their chemical structure and are liquid at room temperature. They have positive effects on blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation, and even influence the amount of fat stored by the body. They are found in fish oil, flaxseed oil, grapeseed oil, and walnut oil.
Proteins
are a good source of energy and the major building materials for all body tissues. They also help produce enzymes and hormones, which regulate the body’s functions. You’ll find proteins in meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairies, dried beans, legumes, soy (edamame), tofu, and nuts. Vegetable protein and lean animal protein (chicken, turkey, fish, egg whites, and low-fat dairies) are recommended. Eating proteins containing a large amount of healthy unsaturated fat, particularly Omega-3 fatty acids, is also essential for your well-being. Those can be found in fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, or anchovies.
Vitamins
are chemical compounds found in many foods which help regulate the body’s functions and flight infectious diseases. Contrary to belief, vitamins do not provide energy. Vitamins B (meats, poultry, nuts, legumes, green vegetables, dairies, and whole grains) and C (citrus, berries, green vegetables, papayas, tomatoes, livers, and potatoes) are not stored in the body and need to be eaten every day. However Vitamins A (dairies, green leafy vegetables, yellow vegetables, livers, and fruits), Vitamin D (dairy products, eggs, tuna, cod, mackerel, sea bass, liver oils, and sunlight), E (vegetable oils, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, wheat germ, and whole grains) and K (dark green leafy vegetables, alfalfa, and tomatoes) are stored by the body.
Minerals
are essential for the body to function properly and play an important role in our metabolic process. Minerals do not provide energy. Calcium (milk products, salmon, broccoli, and oysters), Chromium (onion, broccoli, meat, lettuce, and grape juice), Copper (vegetables, liver, legumes, cereals, and oil), Iodine (seafood, yeast breads, dairy products, eggs, and wheat germ), Iron (beef, poultry, beans, lentils, tofu, eggs, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, grains, and dried fruits), Magnesium (dark green leafy vegetables, watercress, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, bananas, cashews, tofu, vegetables, and legumes), Manganese (grains, cereals, tea, pineapple, strawberries, and starches), Sodium (salt), Potassium (fruits, vegetables, meat, and milk), Selenium (meat, seafood, grains, molasses, and Brazil nuts), and Zinc (oyster, meat, dairy products, eggs, and wheat germ) are all minerals.
Fibers
cannot be used by the body and therefore do not supply energy. However, they are important for the proper function of the intestines and may prevent cancers. Soluble fibers slow down the absorption of food in the stomach, and may be associated with reducing blood cholesterol, and maintaining the proper blood sugar level. Soluble fibers are found in oats, dried beans, lentils, peas, fruits, and vegetables. Insoluble fibers speed the digestive system and may reduce the risk of cancers. You find them in whole grains, dried beans, cereals, brown rice, and wheat pasta.
Water
is indispensable for the body to function well. Water regulates the body temperature, assists in the digestive process, and transports nutrients and waste. Water is present in mostly everything, but certain foods contain much higher amounts of water than others (watermelon is mostly water). Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water can also be used for making tea. The best known anti-inflammatory sources for tea are white and green tea. They also help stimulate the immune system and help to get rid of free radicals which are harmful to the body. Pure organic cranberry juice, no sugar added, is helpful with urinary tract infection, but should be drunk only when necessary, as it has a negative effect on bone density. Pure organic prune juice will also help with constipation.
Every nutrient’s role is to supply energy to the body. That energy is measured in calories. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats can be used by the body to supply energy.
1 gram of carbohydrate supplies 4 calories
1 gram of protein supplies 4 calories
1 gram of fat supplies 9 calories
As you can see, fats contribute a lot more calories which is why you need to keep your fat intake in line to stay healthy.
Now that you understand the role of nutrients, how many do you really need to function well?
For most people, the general healthy guideline is about 1400-1500 daily calories for women and 2000 to
21
00 daily calories for men
. Keep in mind that those numbers may vary based on your lifestyle, level of activity and exercise, and if you are trying to gain or lose weight. Consult your physician or registered dietitian for your adequate daily calories.
To emphasize good healthy habits, we also need a healthy meal plan. Such a plan must emphasize a low-fat diet that contains healthy fats and high fiber intake. As a guideline, a meal should contain one portion of protein-rich foods (3 to 4 ounces for women and 6 to 7 ounces for men), one or more portions of vegetables low in starch (1 cup for women and 2 cups for men), and one portion of healthy whole grains or vegetables high in starch (½ cup
for women and ¾ cup for men of cooked whole grains or a small potato for women and a little larger for men). If weight loss is desired, limit your carbohydrates and starches (potatoes, rice, pasta, baked beans, yams, or sweet potatoes). This includes vegetables and fruits that contain high sugar levels (corn, peas, squash, plantains, or bananas). You should also eat two portions of fruits daily, preferably with breakfast, lunch, or a snack. On a daily basis, every meal should include an organic low-fat dairy product such as low-fat milk (cow or fortified soy milk), low-fat plain yogurt, and low-fat cheeses. Finally, drink plenty of water throughout the day to hydrate and to help cleanse the body of toxins.
Red meats
are not prohibited but should be eaten occasionally. You may treat yourself every two weeks with 3 ounces of organic beef (for women) and 4 ounces of organic beef (for men). It is best to substitute beef with buffalo, venison, ostrich, or elk, which have less saturated fat. Buffalo and venison are very similar in taste to beef. Lamb, liver, kidney, heart, or tongue may also be eaten on rare occasion. Make sure the meat is always from an organic source.