Drum Roll, Please…
As I wrote about here, I signed up to be one of the Wahls’ Lab’s lab rats for their newest study, titled Efficacy of Diet on Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis. I attended the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics on December 30, 2022, for my baseline visit and assignment to my diet group for the next two years.
The visit involved testing of my walking, hand, vision, and thinking functions, a blood draw, a saliva sample, and a non-contrast MRI of my brain. Once the battery of tests was completed, the dietician met with me to assign me to my diet group. The voice in my head repeated over and over again “not Keto, not Keto”, and apparently my silent pleading worked because I found myself being assigned to the control group. It was immediately apparent to me that some participants are upset when assigned to the control group, as the dietician began pumping it up and advocating for the merits of my assigned group. I let her know that I was happy with my assignment. I just didn’t want to do the Keto diet. I would have done it, had I been assigned to that group, but I am utterly relieved to not be assigned to this group. I was worried that the dreams (nightmares) that I had been having about being assigned to the Keto group were somehow predicting the future. In good news, I don’t have a sixth sense, just an overactive imagination fixated on something that I was worried about.
Now, being in the control group is not carte blanche to eat McDonald’s. As the dietician was quick to point out, they want me to eat in keeping with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and not in keeping with how the average American actually eats. I made a few changes to my diet after reading The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles. In particular, where she advocated adding to my diet, I did those things. However, I did not cut anything out of my diet in response to Dr. Wahls’ book. While there’s some evidence that cutting out gluten and/or dairy may help with MS symptoms, there is no evidence that these dietary changes can alter disease course (at least not yet, but this is exactly what this study seeks to evaluate). Based on the evidence that exists to date, I am not prepared to cut out all gluten, dairy, sugar, sweeteners, nightshade vegetables, pulses, etc. (I would have if assigned to the Paleo diet group, out of the interest in getting an answer to the question, but otherwise I am happy to wait for the evidence). Adding to my diet, on the other hand, is relatively easy. So, I have added fermented foods to my diet (no, not talking about beer and wine, we’re talking sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles), as well as seaweed. I also attempted adding organ meat, but I am not a fan. I will probably try this again when my tongue is less afraid. I asked the dietician about these changes, and she confirmed that I should continue doing these things, which are entirely consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. While in the control group, I will receive what they call “gentle nutritional guidance”. I am allowed to incorporate these pieces of advice or ignore them as I see fit. The control group is the most flexible group.
I view membership in the control group as an important responsibility. I want to eat as healthfully as possible while a member of the control group. Why? If Paleo and/or Keto really makes a difference in disease course for MS, this is best proven against an otherwise healthy diet. If control group members eat unhealthily, this could result in the study diets incorrectly being identified as aiding MS disease course. Control group membership is an important responsibility, and one that I plan to take very seriously. However, I won’t be a dreadful dinner guest for the next two years, as I had noted may be the case in my previous post about the study.
I will be returning to Iowa City near the end of March for my three-month follow-up, and then again after 24 months. I’m looking forward to continuing my participation in the study and I am thankful for the opportunity to participate in cutting edge research.
Alright, I’m off to go and eat a piece of fruit… just because I can! I really would have hated Keto.
