Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune condition as a result of which there occurs demyelination of the nerve cells especially in the regions on the brain and the spinal cord. It can be a debilitating condition which can also lead to progressive degeneration if left untreated. There is as yet no known cause for multiple sclerosis but it seems to be affecting a larger number of people annually across the world.

While MS is an auto-immune condition that is medically treated by administering specific immunosuppressants, long-term research indicates that specific foods are to be avoided while other foods are beneficial in an alleviation of symptoms. However, since in the case multiple sclerosis symptoms may appear and disappear with no specific periodicity or pattern, it is often hard to identify if a specific food or diet alone is effective.

Generally, a high consumption of saturated fats has been linked to the appearance of an aggravation of symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

One of the currently recommended diets for those with Multiple sclerosis is the popularly known Swank diet which was developed by a neurologist, Dr. Roy Swank who was among the first to consider the relationship between diet and aggravation of MS symptoms. Dr. Swank drew a correlation between the increased prevalence of multiple sclerosis in places where people consumed a diet that was heavy in saturated fats, especially in USA, Canada, and parts of Europe and Australia as opposed to the relatively low occurrence of MS in places like Africa and Asia. He hypothesized that the consumption of fat-rich foods leads to the aggregation of blood cells which in turn created blocks in the blood vessels thus impairing the blood-brain barrier. His theory revolved around his idea that the elimination of fat-rich foods from one’s diet would prevent the blockage of blood vessels, thereby preventing or reducing the formation of lesions in the central nervous system.