Given that there is no cure for ataxia, the first thing you might think is, well, alrighty then, pass the cheeseburger, extra large fries and strawberry shake. I mean, what are we worrying about our girlish figure for? Mama wants some fries.
Truth is, there is a lot of food out there that is known to exacerbate symptoms and, since we aren’t curing anything today, the best option we have is to decrease things like dizziness and lack of balance. A good diet also helps support a good body weight, which is important to improve movement and lower stress on joints. It also helps increase energy and lessen fatigue. Damn it, I guess it is time to begin the ataxia diet. (But first, maybe one last piece of pizza?)
What is not on the diet?
Simple carbohydrates: high fructose corn syrup (didn’t care for that much anyway), sugar, artificial sweetener, cookies, candies, cakes, pastries, and white flour (it’s becoming fairly clear I should basically avoid baking, yet one more reason Corby will be mad I own a mixer). What else is not on the diet? Fruit juice, especially citrus (adios mimosas), freshly baked bread (bummer), dark chocolate (damn it), bananas (okay, I am getting a little angry now), or hard cheese. NO. NO. NO. NO. Hard cheese? Really? I mean, maybe dizziness isn’t really that bad.
Okay, I am reading this fact sheet again. It only says “limited consumption.” So, perhaps I can just “limit” to one really amazing cheese every other week. Also on the naughty list are raw onions, sulfite containing foods (dried fruits), nitrate containing foods, MSG, pizza, sour cream, chicken liver, nuts, and soy.
And now I am way more intolerant than my dear friend Dan. He just doesn’t tolerate soy. I apparently don’t tolerate an entire section of the grocery store.
So, what is on the diet?
Protein, unsweetened fruit, starchy vegetables, legumes (the Kumararatne women are going to stay busy making their favorite Amy Sri Lankan lentils), rice and pasta. Fiber and probiotics are also on the diet. All sorts of vitamins are on the diet including CoQ-10, which I am now taking daily at the behest of my doctor. (I’m a total coke whore.) Soft cheeses are on the diet. RED. WINE. IS. ON. THE. DIET. Thank frickin goodness. Also on the diet is chocolate skim milk, which makes zero sense to me. I’ll have to ask the doc about that one.
Going on a diet is never fun. Trust me. I’ve unsuccessfully attempted more than a few in my short lifetime. I’m now at Amy 13.0. But this is non-negotiable. I will do whatever it takes to be the healthiest, strongest, least dizzy version of myself as I can be for as long as I can be it. So, pass the probiotics…and the coke.
the vanishing magician 
If you use whole wheat flour and honey or maple syrup in very small amounts, can you eat bread? King Arthur Flor makes a “white whole wheat flour” that is 100% whole grain, and it is lighter then regular whole wheat. (It is milled from a white wheat berry instead of a red wheat berry.). Just a thought. I had to take out all dairy and soy for a couple years for Miles. Soy flour is often in “healthy” bread. Coconut aminos are a great soy sauce substitute. I sometimes wish I’d stayed off dairy…it was hard at first, but I managed to stay at my ideal weight for so long, and as soon as I reintroduced dairy, I gained 30 pounds. 😦
For a bit of hope, a friend of mine was diagnosed with MS and went on a pretty radical diet change. She managed to completely reverse her symptoms, to the point that it was like she had never had it. Her diet was slightly different (I know she ate a lot of nuts), but also very restrictive. And she looks/feels better than she has in her entire life! So, a long way of saying, you go girl! You can do it! And thank goodness for red wine!
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Red wine! Yeah! Maybe a peppermint patty? Good luck with the dietary adjustments.
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Sounds like a red wine and soft cheese party is in order 🍷🧀
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Give “critical health news” a shot. They tend to have great diet advice when battling illness and disease. The show has really helped me to improve my heart issues. Best of luck in your battle. I’ve never met you …but will be sending my love every day.
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