A method for alleviating a symptom of multiple sclerosis or other autoimmune or inflammatory disease includes a step of identifying a subject having multiple sclerosis or other autoimmune diseases. A fasting mimicking diet is administered to the subject for a first predetermined time period, the fasting mimicking diet providing less than 50% of the subject's normal caloric intake. A non-fasting diet is administered to the subject for a second time period following the first time period. The non-fasting diet provides the subject greater than 60 percent of the subject's normal caloric intake but a calorie intake necessary for the subject to return to a normal healthy weight.