Weight Management

Since following the diet, we all feel much more healthy and have lost quite a bit of weight. Given that I already had a fast metabolism, I have lost perhaps a little more weight than I needed to and feel the cold a lot more than I used to. Is there a way to put on weight when following this diet while keeping within the guidelines? Any help much appreciated.

Generally, most people in Western countries who follow this diet will find that they lose some weight. Usually that is a positive thing, moving towards a healthier body weight and better balance between intake and energy expenditure. Some people can get a bit confused about the dietary requirements and become too restrictive in what they eat, especially in cutting down fats. Mostly, over time, the weight slowly optimises; but for people who are worried, it is worth eating more fruit, which has a higher calorie content, or if fats have been cut down too much, having more extra virgin olive oil with meals (eg for bread dipping, or over vegetables or salad).

Dang, I eat a lot of walnuts and sunflower seeds (too many) so I'm always thinking about cutting calories. I can't say I ever had a problem with losing weight.

I lost 10kg over five years when I first went on the diet. And I was already thin - I went from 60kg to 50kg, and at 176cm that is VERY thin. So for the last two years my boyfriend has made dessert every night, a sort of Jelinek-friendly triflish soymilk-custard and fruit dish, and I try to have hommus and crackers every evening before dinner. And I try to eat a slice of Jelinek-friendly cake every day. I'm now back up to 56kg, and rising!

Hello. It's good to read the posts in this thread. I have a friend who's daughter is suffering severe weight loss after the birth of twins (she has always been on the thin side). She was diagnosed with MS in 2002 and has only just discovered George's book, which she is reading. She is depressed and has lost all interest in food (she is drinking a protein rich weight gaining drink each day). Her family see the need for her to adopt the Jelinek diet to help her control her MS, but are worried that she will loose weight which she can ill afford to do. Although she was able to breast feed her first child for 8 months, she has had to stop breast feeding the twins after just 4 months.

It is a common misconception that this diet causes weight loss. But first things first. She urgently needs to check her vitamin D status, and should consider re-commencing breast feeding. Low vitamin D is closely correlated with depression. If it is low, she needs the usual mega-dose to get levels up urgently. It is also important to get some regular exercise, preferably outdoors, as this helps enormously with depression, and will also assist with getting adequate vitamin D. It might also be worth looking at getting some counselling regarding the depression, and I am not sure to what extent she has help with raising the twins, but she certainly sounds like she could do with some.

Recent research confirms that breastfeeding is protective for the mother against further MS attacks while she is breastfeeding. It will also help her babies get their vitamin D levels up once she takes the megadose, through the breast milk. That will reduce the risk of the babies ever getting MS, and once the children stop breastfeeding, vitamin D supplements should start as per the instructions on my website. These need to be given to the other child as well.

To the diet. She should stop the milk-based products straight away. She should concentrate on nuts (almonds, cashews, etc), seeds and grains, preferably uncooked (through which she will get adequate fats to help with stopping tiredness), particularly soy products such as soy milk, tofu and tempeh, as well as legumes like chick peas. There are lots of possibilities like soy shakes, soy smoothies, etc. This will provide plenty of protein. She should also have plenty of carbohydrate rich foods (even if they contain refined sugars if need be in the short term ), until her weight stabilises. Thus she needs lots of fruit, vegetables (like potatoes) and pasta.

You didn't mention whether she is taking any medication, but if she is on one of the interferons, she should stop. That could be contributing to the depression, and research shows that women who stop breastfeeding to go back on interferons actually have an increased risk of relapse.