My twin loves junk food, but a veggie and fruit diet is helping him combat MG
My brother was that guy who didn't like lettuce or tomatoes on his burger
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As I chatted recently with my twin brother, Aaron, on a video call, I noticed he was sipping a smoothie. This was very odd to me.
Aaron is a serious fitness nut, and before he developed myasthenia gravis (MG), he was always exercising. But he was never a healthy eater; we are both fast-food aficionados. But we’ve just turned 50 and have been encouraging each other to be healthier. Still — a smoothie?
“Dude, are you drinking a smoothie?” I asked him. He laughed.
“Yeah, doctor’s orders. They want me to cut down on junk food, control my portions, and not gain weight.”
“How long have you been drinking smoothies?” I asked.
“About three years.”
I’ve been writing this column for more than a year, and this was the first I’d heard of this. Hearing about his biweekly Soliris (eculizumab) infusions was already a shock to me. But this? Aaron was that guy who didn’t like a lot of lettuce or tomatoes on his burger. Our hero was TV dad Al Bundy, the type of guy who spat out vegetables and ate his steak on a stick.
Fruit and veggie smoothies for a healthier life
Aaron told me his doctor didn’t want him to develop a weight problem, as added weight would only worsen mobility issues and flare-ups. A healthier, even partially vegan diet would introduce more nutrients into his body and could also make his medications more efficient, he said.
“My doctor said I should stop with the junk food, lower my cholesterol, and drink smoothies,” Aaron said. “I still eat junk food; I just cut down a lot.”
A study on MG and nutrition reports that a patient who adopted a whole-food, plant-based diet for five months experienced a significant drop in weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. It also noted that a plant-based or Mediterranean diet could be beneficial for people with MG because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
Aaron said he is drinking fruit and veggie smoothies almost daily, and the change is helping with the difficulty he has swallowing and chewing. I needed to know what he put in them.
“Today, it’s carrot, cucumber, spinach, beets, and, yuck, ginger,” Aaron said, almost like a kid. “Other days it’s blueberries, strawberries, bananas, raspberries, apples, grapes, oranges, watermelon, and mangoes.”
Aaron said finding the right combination of fruits and veggies can be tricky. He’s not a fan of kale or tomatoes, but he blends them anyway.
“You have a blender?” I asked incredulously.
“I have two blenders,” he laughed.
Note: Myasthenia Gravis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Myasthenia Gravis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to myasthenia gravis.
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