Living Well with MS¶
A Holistic Approach to Nutrition, Fitness & Active Living
What began as a simple exercise to more effectively track the portions, cost, and planning of my meals turned into something I've been thinking of doing for quite some time. I like to think that I've learned a thing or two over the years, living independently with MS, working, exercising, traveling (for the past 10 years, using a manual wheelchair). This will be a place to capture some of those experiences, sometimes in the form of a journal entry, other times with more focused articles. You can find out more about me and how this site came to be in the About section.
For now, I am focusing on my fitness program and meal planning. I thought it would be fun to leverage Anthropic Claude to break down my meals to more effectively track cost, protein, and carbs as well as to just help with general meal planning overall. In doing such, the context of what my physical output is, is important. So I also fed in my daily PT program. Additionally, I am about to embark on a new journey at the UW Health Fitness Center, and my PT Nicole has instilled in me the power of protein when approaching a fitness program, so thought the time was appropriate to take more granular measurements.
These words are my own (the words below, are not). My workflow is better described in the aforementioned About section. But for absolute transparency, some of the guides and research articles are written by Claude. I may be a bit wordy as I primarily use voice-to-text. So, I hope you like reading because I have a lot to say and at this point, could never think about recording my voice or presenting any content on any social media platform.
What's Included¶
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Nutrition Guide | Comprehensive nutrition guide with anti-inflammatory eating principles, meal options, caloric guidance for active wheelchair users, and practical implementation strategies. Includes the science behind dietary choices for MS. |
| Fitness Program | Structured exercise program including gym sessions, pool walking, daily stretching/mobility, core strengthening, and cardio. Designed for wheelchair users with focus on upper body strength, stability, and functional movement. |
| Meal Cost Tracker | Detailed cost breakdowns with ingredient prices, nutritional data, and meal comparisons. Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options with prices from local grocery stores. |
| Spreadsheet Download | Excel spreadsheet with formulas for calculating daily totals and comparing home-cooked vs. meal delivery costs. |
How They Work Together¶
These resources reinforce each other as part of a holistic wellness approach:
- Nutrition fuels training: The meal plan's protein distribution (20+ grams per meal) supports muscle maintenance and recovery from exercise sessions.
- Exercise informs caloric needs: The fitness program's intensity determines whether you need training-day calories (~2,200) or rest-day calories (~1,850).
- Cost tracking enables sustainability: The spreadsheet helps you understand the true cost of eating well, allowing informed decisions about meal delivery vs. home cooking.
- Daily activity counts: Beyond structured exercise, active living (errands, outings, household management) contributes to overall caloric expenditure and wellbeing.
Key Principles¶
Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition¶
Pescatarian focus with salmon 3x/week, abundant vegetables, omega-3 sources (pumpkin seeds, walnuts), limited saturated fat, and vitamin D supplementation (5,000 IU daily). This approach aligns with research showing improved quality of life and reduced disease activity in people with MS.
Active Wheelchair Living¶
This bundle rejects the "sedentary wheelchair user" stereotype. Caloric recommendations are based on actual activity: structured exercise (gym 3x/week, pool 1x/week, daily home exercises) plus active daily living (independent household management, errands, social outings, weekend activities like farmers markets, museums, and parks).
Practical Simplicity¶
Fatigue is real. All meal options avoid stovetop cooking, using air fryer, oven, and microwave only. Convenience products (frozen rice, steamer vegetables, meal delivery) are embraced when helpful. The goal is sustainable eating, not culinary achievement.
Who This Is For¶
This bundle may be helpful for:
- People with MS looking for practical nutrition guidance
- Wheelchair users who want caloric guidance based on actual activity levels
- Anyone interested in anti-inflammatory eating with concrete meal examples
- Caregivers or family members supporting someone with MS
- Healthcare providers looking for patient-developed resources
Important Disclaimer
These resources document one person's approach and are not medical advice. MS affects everyone differently. Always work with your neurologist, registered dietitian, physical therapist, and healthcare team before making significant changes to your diet or exercise routine. Use these documents as a starting point for conversations with your care team, not as a prescription.
Developed in Madison, Wisconsin | January 2026