About the expert
Focus: Multiple sclerosis, nutrition, and mitochondrial health
Dr. Terry Wahls is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa and a board-certified internal medicine physician. She developed the Wahls Protocol after reversing her own progressive multiple sclerosis through intensive dietary and lifestyle intervention. She has conducted peer-reviewed clinical research on therapeutic diet in MS, including randomized controlled studies showing improvements in fatigue, motor function, and brain volume. She is the author of The Wahls Protocol (2014) and The Wahls Protocol Cooking for Life (2017).
Expert discussions with Dr. Terry Wahls
Reversing Multiple Sclerosis Using Functional Medicine | Dr. Terry Wahls
Dr. Terry Wahls shares her journey from progressive MS and wheelchair dependency to functional recovery through a nutrient-dense dietary protocol she developed. Her approach centers on 9 cups of medicinal vegetables daily, elimination of grains and dairy, and targeted mitochondrial support. She has since studied elements of the protocol in clinical trials at the University of Iowa, reporting improvements in fatigue and other outcomes in some participants — with broader independent replication still being the key open question.
Can diet and lifestyle change the course of MS?
One doctor with advanced multiple sclerosis rebuilt her diet and lifestyle around mitochondrial support and recovered dramatically. Her story is real and inspiring, and small trials of her approach show benefits for fatigue and quality of life. It is a promising adjunct under study, not a proven cure, and it is not a reason to stop disease-modifying treatment; any changes belong with your neurologist.