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I would like, first of all, to define what I
will, and will not, be speaking about. I will not be addressing the diagnosis of
MS, nor its development, nor even its manifestations in the body, because I am
sure that whatever there is to know along those lines, you already know.
Additionally, I am not a Doctor: my area of expertise is the effect of diet on
the functioning of the human body.
I hope you will humor me while I develop a
metaphor that will carry us through much of what I have to say this evening! I
would like you to imagine that when we are born into this world, we are handed a
redemption slip for a house: one person, one house. No favoritism, no choosing.
We get the house our ticket entitles us to: it
may be a castle, it may be a shack: it may be sturdily constructed, it may have
hidden defects within the walls: it may be built to last a lifetime, it may be
shoddily constructed, and begin to fall apart in just a few years. Whatever the
case, this is what we will have to live in all our lives.
Now let us suppose that things begin to go
wrong in our own personal house: perhaps the wiring in the walls is shorting
out, perhaps the roof is leaking, the paint is peeling .Perhaps we have been
holding wild parties in our house and broken the windows, or been smoking
heavily and stained the ceilings . Whatever the cause, suddenly all is not well
in our private world. Probably, if we are not fix-it-up people, it takes us
quite a while to find out precisely what IS wrong - and then we are told we need
the proper expert to fix it. Some of us won't be able to afford the proper
expert: some of us don't want to deal with the mess that the repairs will cause:
- we may even decide we can live with the inconvenience for a while, which of
course usually means that by the time we get round to taking care of it. it will
be much harder to fix! Some of us may have a tree fall on our roof and have to
take care of the devastation immediately, or a flood may undermine the
foundations.
Let us now take this metaphor a step further,
and say that the house-fixing experts out there have a very mixed success
record. You have personally spoken to people who have had their roof fixed, only
to have the walls fall in on them: or when the ceiling was replaced, the wiring
in the walls caught fire. You don't know what to do. Then you begin to hear from
people who say they have had some success re-building their houses themselves.
They say "it will never be a castle, but at least the roof no longer leaks,
and the windows are fixed - it should last me for years, and I feel good about
it"
You think "I could never do that".
But this is not true: my message this evening is that EVERYONE can make their
house a better place to live in! It doesn't make sense to let it fall down
around you when on all sides others are saying "this is what I did, and it
helped" - and they are also telling you that it DID NO HARM.
Do you remember when the American Heart
Association said that diet could not have anything to do with heart disease? Do
you know what they say now? Do you remember when the Cancer Foundation said
there was no connection between diet and Cancer? Do you know how long the FDA
spent refusing to accept the connection between Folic Acid and birth defects?
Nearly 10 years!
It is my personal opinion that nearly every
degenerative condition of our physical 'house' is diet-connected, and can be
improved by diet. Those fortunate people who have been issued sturdy houses may
only need to perform a little preventative maintenance every now and again, but
those of us who have shakier structures have a more intensive programme to
follow.
To digress from houses for a moment, let me
take a few moments here to lay out for you my personal understanding of the
state of nutritional research and MS at the moment.
It seems to be generally
agreed that at the root of this problem is disturbed metabolism of
Fatty Acids.
Possibly there is a genetic
factor at work,
Possibly a geographic factor:
women in Northern latitudes are at higher risk for MS, leading to
a theory that Vitamin D deficiency may be causative.
Possibly even there is a link to
breast-feeding since MS has increased greatly in the years when
breast-feeding declined.( a six fold increase between the years
1920 and 1980). Interestingly, ADHD has also increased during that
time, and the link to Essential Fatty Acids is present there too.
Certainly there is an allergic
factor (nearly always a food - often milk) at work,
and also an auto-immune
involvement.
Then there is the interesting
research suggesting that the incomplete breakdown of formaldehyde
causes damage to the CNS.
Most recently, Australian
research suggests that rather than auto-immune attacks on the
myelin, the first stage is apoptosis, or cell death, caused
perhaps by a virus. (see RESOURCES
for more info)
in 2006, a link between exposure
to aluminum, low silica levels and MS was discovered, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=37943
This is a very complicated and difficult
situation to address nutritionally, comparable almost to the total collapse of
your house, where every system has to be assessed and repaired to make it safe
to live in again.
From a nutritional point of view, it is hard to make order out of all these
things: so many things have to be addressed: allergies, faulty absorption,
stress, immune dysfunction, inflammation, toxic metals - this is one of the
reasons why MS sufferers looking at a nutritional approach are so often daunted
:"Do we have to take so MANY things?" To go back to the house, when
the entire structure has collapsed, its not going to help just to fix the
plumbing: what is needed is a complete programme that addresses all the
identified problems in order - that way, you will end up with a home that fills
your needs!
During the course of my
research on MS, I came across a remedy which, while it is not natural
and therefore would not normally be something I would mention, has had
such a high success rate that I would be remiss not to bring it to
your attention.
Here
is an interview with the Doctor who has investigated LDN's use
(http://lowdosenaltrexone.org/ldn_and_ms.htm)
Here are testimonials of
actual people who use LDN
Here
is how to find a Doctor who will recommend LDN - you will need to
register to join the Forum. (http://ldn.proboards3.com/index.cgi?board=looking)
Like any treatment, it is
enhanced by supplements, nutrition and exercise, but it holds out such
promise! Please let me know if it helps you!
Here is my program, and those who follow it do
not get "cured", but they do feel significantly better.
1) Try to identify stress factors and
either eliminate or neutralize them. This means following the wise old adage -
if you can change things that worry you, do it! If you can't change them,
don't worry about them! This is easier to say than to do, I know: but IT CAN
BE DONE! External stresses of this nature affect your body by
stimulating, among other things, adrenal response. This in turn compromises
your immune system. Both of these situations increase nutritional requirements
meaning that if your are already consuming an inadequate diet you are more
likely to become sicker, and if you are eating well and supplementing, you are
going to need more. A point of interest here is that a Doctor Reder M.D.
of Chicago autopsied ten MS patients and compared their adrenal glands to
those of three patients who died of ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) He
found that in all cases the adrenals of the MS patients were one third larger
in size and weight. It seems that MS patients are highly reactive to stress.
2) Allergy identification. The two
most serious allergies for MS patients appear to be milk & dairy
generally, and gluten. Definitely you should test to see whether these are a
factor for you , and if they are (if you had ear infections as a child, be
pretty positive they are!) consider them poison, and eliminate them totally.
Other substances may also be a problem for you -an effective way you yourself
can check to see what intolerances you have is to try the
Coca
Pulse Test or the
Rotation
Diet.
3) Exercise. There can be not doubt
that loss of muscle control and range of movement can at least be minimized by
performing Yoga exercises. These are gentle movements designed with purpose,
that can help you at any stage. There are good books and videos that you can
purchase to guide you. Very often contractures and reduction in mobility come
about from not taking steps immediately to counter-act them - use it or lose
it, the saying goes, and it is very applicable here! It's worth remembering,
too ( and repeating to oneself over and over when the flow of energy is low)
that exercise ENERGIZES you!
4) Proper diet. Absolutely essential
for MS sufferers is a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly
green leafy vegetables. Avoid sugars. The other important factor is AVOIDING
ALL SATURATED AND TRANS FATS, and concentrating instead on polyunsaturated
oils . Fish oil is very beneficial, corn oil is pro-inflammatory and should be
replaced in your kitchen with olive oil. Be sure that you are
avoiding foods to which you are allergic or intolerant.
5) Supplementation. This is a long
list - don't be alarmed! But believe me when I say that this program works
with many people to help MS. It seems to be most successful with people who
have been recently diagnosed, but even those with long-standing problems
frequently experience improvement.
A high potency multi- vitamin.
Rationale: MS means high nutritional
requirements: this is insurance that you are getting all the nutrients, even if
you are restricting your diet. Make sure that the brand you buy is
hypo-allergenic, or you may do yourself more harm than good - and if it has
colorings or preservatives, look for another brand!
Extra folic acid and B12, extra B6 - There
is much evidence that the absorption of B 12 is impaired with MS patients: Dr.
Reynolds of King's College hospital in England was surprised to discover this
deficiency among humans, but when two of the patients he treated with B12 had
been followed for more than a year, and their conditions had not deteriorated.
Dr. Reynolds measured B12 and folic acid levels in 29 cases of Ms, and
discovered low B12 in all of them - 9 had also low levels of Folate. We suggest
the sub-lingual B 12, as it is hard to absorb. In fact, I feel it would be of
benefit to MS patients to have the acidity of their stomach secretions
measured, as hypochlorhydria is associated with low B12, and a host of
health problems.
Many of the enzymes needed for protein
formation, and energy, are dependent on B6. It is also involved in the metabolic
pathways of fatty acid conversion.
Vitamin D (I recommend Cod Liver Oil or
Vitamin D3)
The Role of Vitamin D in Multiple
Sclerosis, Brown SJ, Ann Pharmacother, 2006 May 9 [Epub ahead of print]. (Address:
Drug Information Service, Skaggs School of Pharmacy, College of Health
Professions and Biomedical Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr.
Skaggs, Bldg 217, Missoula, MT 59812-1522, USA. Fax 406-243-4353. E-mail:
sherrill.brown@umontana.edu ).
Summary: In a review of studies related
to the role of vitamin D in the prevention and treatment of patients with
multiple sclerosis (MS), it was concluded that supplementation with vitamin D
may help to prevent the development of MS and may help to decrease the
exacerbation of MS symptoms in persons already diagnosed with MS. After
searching Medline (1966 through April 2006), International Pharmaceutical
Abstracts (1970 through April 2006), and additional references found from
identified articles, several studies involving vitamin D and MS were identified.
Supplementation with vitamin D was associated with a 40% reduced risk of
developing MS according to the results of a large, prospective, cohort study.
Supplementation with vitamin D was found to decrease the exacerbation of MS
symptoms, according to four smaller, uncontrolled studies. Finally, in a study
involving mice, supplementation with vitamin D was found to prevent the
development and progression of an animal model of MS. The author points out that
in general, the studies to date have been carried out in small populations, and
the results may be confounded by variables such as additional vitamin and
mineral supplementation. Despite these limitations, the results of this review
suggest that vitamin D may indeed have an important role to play in the
prevention of MS and as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of patients with
MS.
Vitamin E - This
is very important for MS patients, because of the danger of oxidation of the
fatty acids. Make sure that the E you are buying is d alpha tocopherol, and
labeled so there can be no doubt. Synthetic Vit. E has only one third of the
biological activity of the natural. Aim for between 1200and 2000 i.u a day,
working up gradually - particularly if you have high blood pressure. Vitamin E
is essential for oxygen transport in the body, and protects cell membranes from
oxidation.
Vitamin C, with bioflavonoids and rutin.
I also suggest taking Pycnogenol, because of the research connecting it
to micro-circulation, of extreme importance to the CNS. It is a bioflavonoid.
Vitamin C is an immune system supporter, and an antioxidant. It also mediates in
the conversion of fatty acids to prostaglandins, which are (among other things)
inhibitors of inflammation. At least 1000 mg p.d.
Multiple mineral. Mostly for rounding
out your protection. It is unfortunate that the Calcium orotate researched by
Dr. Nieper in Germany, and used so successfully in MS cases, is still not
available in this country due to the actions of the FDA. I hear, though, that it
may be again soon. In a multiple mineral you will find zinc and manganese, which
are very important to the immune system, and to several enzyme systems.
Silica - I recommend orthosilicic acid,
which has research to support the link to lowering aluminum in the body.
Phosphatidyl Choline - One of the
constituents of myelin - essential for proper nerve function. This can be taken
in concentrated capsule form, or as lecithin granules, or in both forms. 2
tblsps of the granules, or 3 capsules of the concentrated form is usually
recommended.
Evening Primrose oil - source of EFAs
Of all the supplements, this is the one that has perhaps generated the most
excitement because of the incontrovertible benefits. One group reported by 65%
that they saw an improvement in general health, and of these 43% said their
condition had stabilized. Depending on the strength of the capsules, from 3 to 9
a day are recommended.
Fish liver oils .There is an
interesting body of thought that suggests one of the factors in MS which
accounts for its prevalence in more northerly climates, is that in previous
times when diets were more specific to the region in which you lived, there were
sources of Omega 3 fatty acids available to those living further North which are
ignored nowadays: this is why fish from cold waters, and plants that grow in
colder climates such as canola and flax, are richer in Omega 3s. These oils are
essential for the brain and nervous system - MaxEpa supplements are a good
source - aim for approximately 1000mg p.d.
Adrenal, and pantothenic acid . The
reason for this is the observed problems MS people have with their adrenals,
plus the stress involved in the entire MS situation. Adrenal extracts support
the system, and pantothenic acid helps adrenal function.
Octacosanol This oil comes from wheat
germ, and helps with the fatigue and exhaustion - it increases energy and
endurance, and also is a source of a waxy alcohol thought to be a component of
myelin. Aim for app. 30 minims p.d, or 2000 mg.
Proteolytic enzymesThis
is some very exciting new research carried out by Dr. Christine Neuhofer, M.D.,
herself an MS sufferer. She and her colleagues have treated more than 350
patients with enzyme therapy. In one study, out of 107 patients they found that
45 improved markedly, and 26 remained stable. 24 dropped out for financial
reasons, and only in 12 cases did deterioration continue. ( Those patients had
all been treated with azathioprine, which destroys the immune system). The
protocol for taking these enzymes is complicated, and set on a case by case
basis, but using the enzymes at one's own pace is not harmful, and could be very
helpful.. I recommend either Renewlife's Repair, or Inflazyme by American
Biologics or Wobenzyme.
Sphingolin - a myelin basic protein.
This is based on some interesting research
that theorized ( and results seem to bear it out) that introducing into the
digestive system a substance similar to the body's own myelin sheath would cause
the foreign substance to be attacked instead.
Alpha Lipoic Acid - Reactive oxygen
species are required for the phagocytosis of myelin by macrophages.
van der Goes A, Brouwer J, Hoekstra K, Roos D, van den Berg TK, Dijkstra CD.
Department of Cell Biology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Vrije
Universiteit, BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.van_der_goes.cell@med.vu.nl
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of
multiple sclerosis (MS) and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). In
this study we showed that the phagocytosis of myelin by macrophages triggers the
production of ROS. We also demonstrated that ROS play a crucial role in the
myelin phagocytosis. Blocking the ROS production with NADPH oxidase inhibitors
(100 microM DPI or 10 mM Apocynin) essentially prevented the phagocytosis of
myelin. Furthermore, scavenging of ROS with catalase (H2O2) or mannitol (OH-)
decreased the phagocytosis of myelin by macrophages, whereas superoxide
dismutase (O2-) did not show this effect. In addition, Lipoic acid (LA), a
non-specific scavenger of ROS, also decreased the phagocytosis of myelin by
macrophages. In our results, we demonstrate for the first time that ROS appear
to play a regulatory role in the phagocytosis of myelin.
PMID: 9916881 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
CoQ 10 - Some studies have suggested a
deficiency of this nutrient in MS patients; it plays an important role in oxygen
transport and use in the body, and therefore is implicated in energy loss, and a
faulty immune system. I suggest between 30 and 100 mg p.d. for general benefits.
I would like to add a few thoughts here. There
are those who feel that MS is often accompanied by Candida
overgrowth: this is a whole other subject, one with which I deal on a daily
basis, believe me. If any of you feel that this is a factor with you, please
feel free to contact me and we will go in to what needs to be done for that
problem.
Another condition that is sometimes believed
to be a factor is hypoglycemia. Again, this is a subject that would require
another entire monograph! If you feel that blood sugar is a factor in your case,
just get in touch with me and we will address it.
Tryptophan - Research in November 2005
at Stanford University suggests that L-Tryptophan can beneficially influence
immune response in MS sufferers. The research at this point is only on
mice, but the resulting effect of fewer relapses, and less severe disease
modalities, was very encouraging. See RESOURCES at right for link to study.
(Science (2005;310:850-855)
Nov 2005) It has even been
suggested that immune-system-induced inflammation was reduced in the mice
to the point where some neurological function was regained.
Inosine - Some interesting research is
currently being done on the relationship between Uric Acid levels in the body,
and MS. See RESOURCES.
The supplement they are using is a rather
abstruse substance called Inosine, which was previously only known by body
builders when for a brief period it was recommended for muscle growth.
Perhaps they were on to something after all! The theory is that low levels
of Uric Acid contribute to the progression of the disease, Inosine raises uric
Acid levels, and therefore may be beneficial in stopping the progression of MS.
6) Attitude. This is my final entry -
and we're back to the houses again! You remember the experts? The ones that say
you can't repair your own house? There are hundreds of people out there who have
done just that: they have set about it with their own tools, and they have in
most cases repaired some of the damage to their dwelling, and in some cases
nearly all of it. It hasn't been easy - perhaps some of them can't use all their
rooms any more. Perhaps their favorite pictures have been destroyed. But they
are living lives of hope and determination, making the best of what life has to
offer. They are heroes under incredible odds.
I find them all the time on the Internet
exchanging tips and ideas, victories and defeats: and I have a tremendous
admiration for them! They have not only repaired the damaged and failing
structures we call our bodies through their own efforts, they have surrounded
them with beautiful and delightful gardens of the soul, and I salute them.
Staying positive, and being prepared to take part in your own destiny,
researching the possibilities, staying open to their potential - never losing
hope. Never give up - look around your house and feel you can say - I propped up
the foundations - I shored up the walls. When the lights went out, I found a way
- and this pleasant paint, these fresh curtains - I did it myself. I did my
best, and I NEVER GAVE UP!
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2006
research into MS and Vitamin B3 - NIcotinamide - http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=14531
More
information about the role of gluten in inflammatory disorders -
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-09/sumc-srf092402.php
The
role of Histamine in MS - possible Allergy connection -
http://www.tldp.com/issue/11_00/ms.htm
Details
of a study on the use of INOSINE in MS - http://www.msaa.com/updatable/hupp.html
Research connecting Viral
effects rather than Immune effects to MS -
http://www.thisisms.com/article63.html
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