Myasthenia Gravis Diet Plan

Newtrist Nutritionist Myasthenia Gravis Diet Plan consists of potassium-rich foods such as bananas, avocados, potatoes, apricots, and oranges. Soft-cooked and mashed vegetables that are easy to chew and swallow are good for Myasthenia Gravis.

• Early morning drink @ 6:30 am: Orange juice
• Breakfast @ 9 am: Overnight oats with berries and apples
• Mid-morning meal @ 11 am: Banana-Almond smoothie
• Lunch @ 1 pm: Boiled white rice with fish curry
• Evening snack @ 4 pm: Shredded chicken salad with lettuce
• Dinner @ 7 pm: Soft-cooked quinoa upma with vegetables

What is Myasthenia Gravis?

Myasthenia Gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular condition that causes weakness of the skeletal muscles after some activity and increases the resting time. The muscles connecting to the bones the muscles needed for the contraction of the muscles of the hands and legs are affected.

The weak muscles affect the process of chewing, swallowing, facial expressions, speech, eyes, and eyelid movements. Both men and women are affected by Myasthenia Gravis. It is a non-contagious and non-hereditary disease.

Infants may rarely acquire the temporary condition through the mother’s antibodies which are called Neonatal Myasthenia. The symptoms may disappear within a few months after the birth.  

Myasthenia gravis is caused mainly due to the antibodies that affect the transmission of nerve signals. A miscommunication in the transfer of signals between the nerves and muscles at the neuromuscular junction causes the disease.

Myasthenia Gravis is diagnosed through physical and neurological examination of the muscle strength, coordination of the muscles, and loss of sense of touch.

Blood tests reveal high levels of acetylcholine antibodies during Myasthenia Gravis. CT and MRI scans show the presence of a thymoma in the chest.

What are the symptoms of Myasthenia Gravis?

The main symptoms of Myasthenia gravis are

• Difficulty in chewing and swallowing
• Shortness of breath
• Trouble in speaking (Dysarthria)
• Weakness of the hands, legs, fingers, and neck regions
• Muscle weakness of the eyes (Ocular Myasthenia)
• Double vision (Diplopia)
• Drooping of the eyelids (Ptosis)
• Changes of expressions on the face.

Respiratory failure may result due to severe myasthenia which requires immediate medical attention. Weakness of the legs may affect your mobility and weakness in the neck region causes difficulty in holding up the head. Increased chances of choking are observed in this condition. Anything you eat or drink might come out through your nose and cause discomfort.

The weakness of the jaw muscles makes it hard to chew food, especially if you are eating hard foods and meats. Muscle weakness can go on and off and improve with adequate rest and eating healthy foods.

Myasthenia Gravis may rarely affect pregnant women who are already affected by this condition. The symptoms may worsen during the first trimester or after childbirth.

What are the types of Myasthenia Gravis?

The types of Myasthenia Gravis are

• Ocular
• Generalized
• Transient neonatal Myasthenia

Ocular Myasthenia Gravis causes weakness of the muscles of the eyes and eyelids. Drooping eyelids and double vision are common symptoms of this disease. Weakness of the eyes is the first symptom of Myasthenia Gravis which transforms into a Generalized form within 2 years.

Generalized Myasthenia Gravis is generally found in body parts such as hands, arms, legs, eyes, neck, and throat regions making it difficult to swallow foods, difficult to speak, and movement of the arms and legs. You may find it hard to stand up and walk after sitting for a long time.

Transient neonatal Myasthenia Gravis affects babies born to a mother with Myasthenia Gravis. The antibodies are passed on to the fetus through the placenta, leading to a similar autoimmune response in the baby due to its weak immune system.

What are the stages of Myasthenia Gravis?

The stages of Myasthenia Gravis are

• Class I – Class 1 Myasthenia Gravis involves the weakness of the eye muscles causing symptoms such as double/blurred vision whereas the other body muscles remain normal.
• Class II – A mild weakness of the arms and leg muscles starts to develop during Class II Myasthenia Gravis in addition to eye weakness. Weakness of the limb and axial muscles develop during this stage.
• Class III – Weakness of the oropharyngeal and respiratory muscles is found during this stage. This stage involves weakness of muscles other than ocular muscles.
• Class IV – This stage involves the progression of the weakness to a severe stage. The weakness makes a person use feeding tubes for the intake of food.
• Class V – Class V Myasthenia Gravis requires intense care with intubation and with or without mechanical ventilation.

Myasthenia Gravis Diet Plan

Myasthenia Gravis Diet Plan consists of foods that are soft to chew and easily digestible. Vegetables and a few hard fruits that are cooked to perfection are best suitable for Myasthenia gravis.

• Early morning drink @ 6:30 am: Unsweetened Carrot juice
• Breakfast @ 9 am: Steamed mini idlies with sambhar and boiled egg
• Mid-morning meal @ 11 am: Mashed sweet potatoes/Pumpkin soup
• Lunch @ 1 pm: Soft-cooked tapioca scrambled and tempered with onions and mustard seeds
• Evening snack @ 4 pm: Hummus with boiled broccoli
• Dinner @ 7 pm: Minced chicken pasta with olive oil and creamy sauce

Foods to avoid with Myasthenia Gravis

Foods to avoid with Myasthenia Gravis are

• Dry foods
• Crunchy foods
• Salty foods
• All kinds of bread
• Tough meats
• Tinned foods
• Packaged foods
• Processed foods
• Foods high in caffeine
• Hot and spicy foods
• Fried foods
• Dairy products.

Avoid eating large pieces of food to refrain from choking and swallowing as a whole. Practice eating slowly and resting time between each bite and before meals. Avoid talking while eating meals. Be cautious when you eat liquids with chunks of food pieces such as cereals and milk, and bread pieces in a soup.

Foods rich in saturated fats and trans fats may result in diarrhea and stomach upset.

Best vegetables for Myasthenia Gravis

The best vegetables for Myasthenia Gravis are

• Potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Pumpkin
• Tomatoes
• Ladies finger
• Eggplant
• Tapioca
• Ash gourd
• Cucumber

Consumption of vegetables adds variety to the menu and helps in maintaining a healthy weight. Vegetables are low in fat and cholesterol. Reduce the salt you add to cook vegetables. Ensure the vegetables are cooked well are soft to consume and don’t tire your jaw muscles.

Good nutrition is required to relieve weakness and other symptoms of Myasthenia Gravis. The disease may have a bigger impact on health as the intake of foods is heavily challenging. Moreover, the medications used to treat the disease may reduce your appetite and metabolism.

Avoid foods that are very high in fiber if there are any gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea and stomach upset caused due to the medicines used to treat the condition.

Best fruits for Myasthenia Gravis

Some of the best fruits for Myasthenia Gravis are

• Bananas
• Avocados
• Oranges
• Apricots
• Dates
• Cantaloupe
• Tender coconut
• Honeydew melon
• Custard apples
• Ripe guavas

Fruits fights against the symptoms of Myasthenia Gravis such as fatigue and muscle weakness and reduce the intake of sugary foods. Fruits are rich sources of essential vitamins and minerals that provide instant energy and maintain a healthy body weight.

Stew the apples to make them soft that are easier to swallow. Make a puree of some fruits and strain a few juices of some fruits that contain seeds such as pomegranates. Include potassium-rich fruits such as bananas and oranges that aid in muscle contraction.

Myasthenia Gravis medications may lead to diarrhea which may lead to low potassium levels in the body. Steroids can carry the risk of weight gain during treatment. Fruits increase your energy levels and reduce the tendency to gain weight.

Consume 4-5 servings of fruits per day to fight muscle weakness and lack of energy. Try exploring a lot of fruit smoothies that are packed with nutrients reducing the need to chew.

Tips for Myasthenia Gravis

Some of the useful tips for Myasthenia Gravis are

• Cook all the vegetables and grains to a soft and mashable consistency that makes it easy to chew and swallow
• Choose foods that are low in saturated fats and cholesterol
• Avoid hard, dry, and crumble foods that include more chewing and make the jaw muscles tiresome
• Sit up straight in a chair to enable easy swallowing or tilt your head to a desirable comfortable position to ease swallowing
• Avoid hard meats and prefer soft meats such as shredded or minced chicken and fish
• Convert solid foods into gravies, curries, soups, broths, smoothies, and purees to promote easy intake of food
• Eat a large meal when your energy levels are at their peak. Eat smaller meals at frequent intervals ensuring sufficient rest in between meals in a day
• Cut fruits and vegetables into smaller sizes to consume small portions of food.
• Cut down the use of excess sugars and salt in the foods
• Limit the intake of dairy products, caffeinated drinks, and sodas. Yogurt can be included in the diet as it soothes digestive issues
• Avoid processed foods, canned vegetables, tinned foods, frozen foods, and packed foods such as chips and salty snacks.

Foods to prevent Myasthenia Gravis

Foods to prevent Myasthenia Gravis are healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pulses, lean chicken, eggs, and fish. These foods help in improving muscle weakness and improve metabolism. These foods should be cooked soft and delicately so that it is easy for the patient to chew and swallow.

Nutritious foods provide energy and prevent deficiency of essential nutrients. some of the Myasthenia Gravis medicines can lead to stomach discomfort and diarrhea which may cause loss of potassium and other nutrients from the body. It is advised to include potassium-rich foods in the diet to compensate for the loss and maintain an electrolyte balance.

No specific foods can prevent Myasthenia gravis as the disease is mainly due to the lack of transmission of neuro signals to the muscles.

Myasthenia Gravis FAQs