Dr. Swank was way ahead of the majority of the medical profession in promoting a very low saturated fat diet. Today it is much easier to follow the diet than when I started on it, as there are many more low-fat and non-fat products available and product labeling is more detailed. I have no doubt that it has also been very beneficial to me in keeping my cholesterol level at a very low level. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has been diagnosed with MS.

151 of 155 found the following review helpful:


It Changed My Life  Aug 01, 2000 By Marty
I was diagnosed with MS in 1990. My wife and I found this book almost immediately. We both have medical backgrounds. This book made sense. All my neurologist offered was testing and drugs. While the high dose steroids did alleviate my symptoms I knew there had to be more that I could do. Because of the information in this book I made lifestyle changes. Initially we left off all meat and meat products. We left 1% milk ,eggs and low fat cheese on our diet. We maintained total fat grams to less than 30/day. We both started an active exercise programm and just as importantly got plenty of rest. ( early to bed early to rise so to speak). Over the years I have modified the diet. I pretty much eat what I want now except I have not started eating meat again. Today after 10 years I do not have any significant residual effects from MS. I drink plenty of water everyday. I have not tried any of the new medical treatments for MS. Because of "The Multiple Sclerosis Diet Book" I made changes in my lifestyle that I felt would be healthy for me regardless of having MS. I did not agree with everything in the book and sort of picked and chose what I felt would be best for me personally. I have not regretted my lifestyle change and thank Dr. Swank for making this book available. I think it still has some of the best advice available to MS patients.

58 of 59 found the following review helpful:


It works!!! It really works!!!  Nov 20, 2005 By Makalaka
I was diagnosed in 1994. At that time what is now known as the "CRAB" drugs were just beginning to be heard of and not a lot of relief was available besides steroids and other unpleasant prescriptions.

I wasn't satisfied with being sent home and told to learn to live with my disease so I began to do research on what was available to treat multiple sclerosis. I came across information on Dr. Roy Swank and his clinic in Oregon. Since I was not in a position to become a patient of his, I did the next best thing. I bought his book and went to medical libraries where I obtained copies of all articles he had published. After reading every piece of research he had written as well as his book I came to the conclusion I had nothing to lose by trying his diet.

After eleven years of following the diet I am pleased to report that I have had NO progression of my multiple sclerosis, no disability, and a slender healthy figure to show for my choice. I walk between 4 and 5 miles a day, am enrolled full-time in school (for a midlife career change) and still work part time as well as run my house and fulfill my role as a wife and mother. (I had my children after my diagnosis while on his diet. Healthy pregnancies and no trouble after!) My energy levels are good and my m.s. is and remains a thing of the past as long as I continue to follow Dr. Swank's recommendations of consuming less than 20 grams of saturated fats per day (I stay below 10 most days) and consuming an amount of between 40 to 50 grams of unsaturated fats per day as well as a relatively unprocessed whole foods diet - as he recommends. My family also thrives on the diet - which they eat to be supportive of me.

I also follow his recommendations of lying down for an hour every day (sometimes on the floor of the library at school) and making choices to promote less stress in my life. (I don't see the relatives that I can't stand at the holidays and things like that!)

Is it work to make this diet successful? Yes, although the habits you develop make the actual diet easier over time. Do I feel deprived at times? Not really - not when I think of what I have gotten in the way of benefits from the diet as a result, such as non-progression of my disease. No I cannot have a hot fudge sundae any more. But instead I can walk miles every day. No, I don't eat bacon and eggs for breakfast any more. But for that matter - there's a good question as to whether anyone who wants to have good cardiovascular health or avoid any number of diseases such as diabetes or stroke or such should be eating a high fat, highly processed, excess calorie diet anyway. I also love my slim athletic figure and the fact that I look terrific in whatever I put on as a nice little bonus for my self control. This is a lifetime commitment that I have been very happy to make. The diet works as long as you follow it!

One note - realize that this book was written in 1987 before much of the current batch of low and no fat foods were available and before there was such widespread good nutritional labeling on foods as there is today. Also know that the recipes in the back were written for a time when there were not so many low/no fat cookbooks available as there are now. The recipes are nice - especially the dessert ones for around the holidays - but are not what this book is all about. Instead what this book is about is explaning what the nuts and bolts are of how the diet works and what it takes.

Someone in an earlier review mentioned that there was no double blind study to prove whether or not the diet works. I have to ask how in heaven's name would one do a double blind study of diet. The only way that a study can be done of any diet and how it does or does not have an effect on health is exactly the way that Dr. Swank and Co. have done this - through reports and observation of the short and long term results (level of physical activity and stamina, MRI results, neurograde disability scale, etc.) of those that changed their diets as opposed to those who did not. This is the exact same methodology that has been used to track down the fact that a diet low in fats reduces the risks of cardiovascular disease. To dismiss the results of Dr. Swank's research because of his methods means that you must therefore dismiss all research on the effects of diet in cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, and most other areas of health where diet plays a part in the disease process.

As far as the accusation that the studies have not been long term I have trouble understanding how Dr. Swank's following of his patients since the 1950's is not long term. As of the time this book was written in 1987 he had been tracking his original group for 35+years. Since then he has written at least one (and I believe two) follow-up articles that track that original group for now more than 50 years. He is also currently working on a revision of this book hopefully to be published in the next year or so. (Yes - he is 96 and still very physically and mentally active and actively writing and researching. He also follows his own diet - that in itself being an excellent advertisement for the diet!)

As for the person who states that if a diet could cure or control M.S. there would be no sick people around may I point out that there are still people who have cardiovascular disease even though it is known that diet modification can prevent most of it and that there are still people who smoke even though it is known that smoking causes cancer and emphysema and other diseases.

The nice final punchline for me - I am healthy, slim, active, use none of the CRAB drugs - or any other drugs for my multiple sclerosis, or anything else for that matter - and have a terrific outlook on what my next fifty to sixty or so years will be like! Roy Swank's diet takes some choices, self-discipline and commitment but the rewards I am reciving are well worth the investment in myself.

For more info on Dr. Swank's book and additional citations of his research do a web search on - Roy Swank multiple sclerosis diet - to find more articles by other physicians and other researchers that are supportive of his work and to find his excellent website.

Update - November 29, 2008 A quick note to let readers know that Dr. Swank died on November 16, 2008 aged 99 years and 8 months. Clearly - following his own diet led to a very long and healthy life! Based on my results and his I am still a completely happy and healthy follower of Dr. Swank's diet. Thank you Dr. Swank for the gift of health that you have given us who chose to follow your teaching!

41 of 41 found the following review helpful:


it is a very helpful book  Aug 03, 1998
This book is great. It helps you understand many aspects of Multiple Sclerosis and gives you a comprehensive natural therapy. The recipes are very useful....however, I must say that Swank agrees with the use of dairy products as well as other animal products,as long as they are low fat (no animal product is 100 percent fat-free), and other researches have shown that animal products in general can be detrimental to MS. So this is a good book, but people with MS should know not to stop there when finding alternative therapies for this illness. Also, Swank includes a section warning women against pregnancy, and as a person with MS I have gone through two pregnancies and my condition has only gotten better... this book fails to explore in detail pregnancy, childbirth and lactation in a woman with MS. Two books that I highly recommend for those with MS are "Natural Health, Natural Medicine" by Dr. Andrew Weil; and "Multiple Sclerosis" by Judy Graham

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