An observational study has found an association between frequent fish consumption and slower MS progression.
There are things we can and should do about our multiple sclerosis and there are things we cannot and should not do. There are some things that still need more research before they can be wholly recommended for people with MS and there are some things that, while more research is forthcoming, are already considered best practice as they do no harm and are good for one’s health either way. Eating fish is now one of those.
In addition to recent research indicating that smoking speeds MS progression, that intermittent fasting (or intermittent calorie restriction) can improve cognitive measures, new data published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry found that consistently increased consumption of both lean and oily fish reduced the risk of progression in over 2700 patients enrolled in the Swedish MS registry.
Eating more fish can’t hurt
Researchers followed the patients for 15 years post diagnosis and, while this was only an observational study and other factors were not considered, the results were significant. This means that, while the results are promising, they are only associations and not yet proven to be causations.
Still, eating more fish can’t hurt. It’s another lifestyle modification that could help.
Those who consistently ate fish either weekly or daily had significantly better progression outcomes than those who consumed fish “never/seldom or one to three times per month”.
The study evaluated 24-week confirmed disability worsening (CDW), and progression to EDSS (Expanded Disability Status Scale) 3 and to EDSS 4.
While fresh fish can be expensive or difficult to come by depending on where you live, the researchers did not differentiate benefit between lean and oily fish. They also didn’t discuss any differences in frozen or tinned fish.
Lean fish, with a fat content under 3%, is the likes of most freshwater fish and white fish, such as cod, haddock, pollock, sole, and halibut. Oily fish species have a fat content higher than 3% and many of these fats are considered beneficial to our overall health and include salmon, trout, mackerel, tuna and herring.
Some people, of course, don’t like fish. Fair enough. Do you, however, like taking your injections, your infusions, or paying for your oral prescriptions? Do we like going to the gym and working out? Do we enjoy other aspects of our self-care that we know or assume are beneficial to our MS wellbeing? Not always, but we do them anyways because they are something we have control over that may well do us a bit of good.
If you smoke – QUIT. Now!
If you haven’t given intermittent calorie restriction a go, it can’t hurt. And now, eat more fish. It won’t, as Thomas Jefferson referred to such things, pick your pocket nor break your arm, so let’s all give it a go.
Wishing you and your family the best of health.
Cheers
Trevis
Trevis’s new book, Living Well with Multiple Sclerosis, is now available. Follow him on the Life With MS Facebook page and subscribe to Life With Multiple Sclerosis.
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