The study used a case-control approach. This research method compares characteristics and factors about the people being investigated (in this case, those with a demyelinating event) with those of other people in the population without this particular neurological illness to see how the people with the demyelinating event differ from the controls; this can help identify factors that may be causative or protective in developing the demyelination. Cases were adults aged 18 to 59 years when they received their first clinical diagnosis of a central nervous system demyelinating event. Controls were people who had not had a demyelinating event. For each case, two controls who were the same sex, of similar age, and lived in the same part of Australia, were selected from the Australian electoral roll. Cases and controls were asked to provide information about pregnancies and live births. The researchers then compared the data collected from cases and controls to assess the association between having children and risk of MS. They used a statistical technique called regression analysis so they were able to include other information such as the amount of skin damage, antibodies to glandular fever and region of Australia in their statistical models. This meant that they could allow for differences in sun exposure and rates of glandular fever infection that we know are associated with MS risk, so that the true effect of number of pregnancies could be isolated.

A strength of this study is that it included people as cases only when they were first diagnosed with a clinical central nervous system demyelinating event whereas other case-control studies have included women with MS whether or not it was recently diagnosed. This better allows for the possibility that women’s decisions about childbearing can change as a result of being diagnosed with MS. This study was extremely well conducted from an epidemiological point of view. We know that over time, more and more women are being diagnosed with MS compared with men. It is possible that this increasing preponderance of women with MS could be due the fact that women are having less children than they have in the past.
This is a really important study. For years, many women with MS have felt pressure to not have many children for a variety of reasons. This study strongly suggests a protective effect of pregnancy on the disease process in MS.

Similarly, daughters of people with MS, who are at considerably higher risk of MS than the rest of the population, can take some comfort in knowing that having children of their own will provide some protection against developing the disease, along with the well known protective effect of adequate sun exposure and vitamin D supplementation.

To view the study please click the download button below.

Those of us who have been successful when following a lifestyle modification program for multiple sclerosis (MS) believe in our bones that healthy living effectively treats MS. After all, there does not seem to be any other way to explain going ten, twelve and even more years without a relapse once we start living ultra healthy.  The recent study published by Professor George Jelinek, M.D., provides more scientific support for our views. While the study has its weaknesses (e.g., relying on self-reports of subjects rather than measures such as MRIs), most drug companies would be elated to offer any drug that could offer such great research results.If you haven’t read Jelinek’s new report, you can see it here: Remarkable five year follow up results of OMS retreats.

Moreover, the results of Jelinek’s new study are simply consistent with a plethora of research being published everyday by researchers all over the world. Increasingly it is apparent that nothing beats ultra healthy living in preventing disease–whether it be cardiovascular, liver, or neurological disease. It is interesting indeed that the very diet that helps treat MS helps prevent and treat heart and vascular disease as well as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

The following table probably shows why Jelinek’s OMS program has such good results–unlike other proposed MS ultra healthy living programs, it is based on solid research. For example, Jelinek’s program recommends avoiding red and organ meats which studies throughout the world are now showing contribute to heart disease, neurological problems and even early death. (As the table shows, studies have reported that red meat increases mortality by 31% in men and 35% in women, and red meat increases the risk of cancer mortality by 27% in men and 50% in women.) At the same time, Jelinek’s proposed diet includes legumes which studies show can contribute to extremely long lives. While the table includes only a few of many studies, it helps summarize the overall picture: Jelinek’s OMS program intelligently reflects the best of current scientific research.

All and all, many studies are showing the healthiest diet includes whole plant foods and fish–an abundance of fruits and vegetables, low glycemic foods, small oily fish (such as sardines and salmon), nuts, legumes and whole grains. At the same time, an ultra healthy diet excludes red and organ meats, large fish, and sweets. Jelinek’s proposed diet reflects these research findings to a “t”. In summary, Jelinek’s OMS approach contributes not only to neurological health but also to all around good health and vitality.

Please note that the table rows highlighted in yellow provide special alerts  and comparisons for those with MS. As mentioned, the research quite consistently shows problems with red and organ meats for everyone and for those with MS. Likewise, research consistently shows benefits in eating legumes and whole grains–for everyone and for those with MS. While other programs for living with MS encourage eating of troublesome red meats and discourage eating of legumes, Jelinek’s OMS program both avoids meats and includes healthy legumes and grains. It is is this all around scientific approach that makes Jelinek’s OMS approach most helpful. When all is said and done, the research will likely show that Jelinek’s OMS program is the one that is most helpful for those with MS.

Many of the suggested diets for those with MS have much in common–all suggest eating generous amounts of vegetables, for example. Those that are suggesting eating red meat and organ meats while avoiding legumes are likely, however, to lead to problems. Even if eating red and organ meats worked for MS, early death from heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease becomes more likely when eating these foods. All in all, Jelinek’s programs makes sense! Bravo! As usual, we never have enough research. Let’s all push for this whenever we can.

A side benefit of an ultra healthy living program is that it will even help with the abs. While our friends may get rotunder and rotunder, we all soon become leaner than average. What’s not to like? Looking good has always been the fun part of adopting the OMS program.

The Mana Centre, Coromandel, NZ

I was diagnosed with MS on Christmas Eve 1998. My neurologist at the time initially thought I had a tumour on my spine. When he told me the results of the MRI, he said “I’m sorry, it’s not cancer, it is multiple sclerosis”. For quite a while my only noticeable symptom was numbness in both legs and feet. Gradually over the years my balance and mobility deteriorated. I have seen three neurologists over that time; I have only been offered steroids but no advice.

I found George’s book in February 2010 and started following the program. It wasn’t until now that I have been able to attend a retreat.

I have just come home from the MS retreat at Mana in the Coromandel; a wonderful setting, and an amazing and inspirational experience. There were 23 fellow people with MS all with varying degrees of disability, some recently diagnosed but all amazingly honest, brave, generous and very funny at times! George, Sandra and Craig are well respected medical professionals with an amazing ability to present the evidence and inspire hope.

George clearly explained exactly what we needed to do, and also explained the scientific studies that support it. The evidence is compelling. Craig taught us the importance of mindfulness and meditation and we had plenty of opportunities to practice. Sandra had many practical tips and pointers to help us on our way. We heard from a young doctor who has overcome her disease by following this lifestyle choice. She looks amazing and has just taken her final Psychiatry exams, after being initially advised by her neurologist that she could only hope to be a part time GP not a psychiatrist! Her insights into the power of the mind and the role of emotions were
very useful.

I became close to the others on the retreat and we have already formed a support group. I found that talking about my feelings of helplessness, anger and frustration allowed me to release some of that built up pressure inside that I didn’t know I had, it was a very healing experience. I came away from the retreat inspired and very hopeful.

I have read the book several times over, and I thought I was following the program as my condition is starting to improve. I now know that there is more I can do; meditation and mindfulness are a daily part of my life starting now.

My GP has been an amazing support and is pleased to see that I am now empowered to take control of my MS. She is always willing to organise blood tests, prescribe high dose vitamin D, even offering meditation sessions in her surgery. If you don’t have a supportive GP, my advice is to change doctors! This is George’s advice too.

Wendy Wood
February 2012
Murchison, New Zealand

Enough sleep is key for beating multiple sclerosis for lots of reasons. It also helps you look like a million dollars.

Those of us with multiple sclerosis (MS) know only too well that a nasty common cold can worsen MS symptoms and make us downright miserable. For this reason, avoiding colds and other infections is key. One way to avoid colds is to get enough sleep — especially over the next few months for those in the northern hemisphere where winter is around the corner and the common cold season is about to start.

Studies show again and again that those who sleep enough not only live longer, they also get fewer colds. One study report from 2009, Sleep Habits and Susceptibility to the Common Cold, reported that the risk of getting a common cold is three times greater for those who sleep less than seven hours per day than for those who sleep eight or more hours per day.

If this does not make you want to sleep more, consider that other studies show that those with MS do better if they get enough sleep. Of course, sleep should not be overdone because exercise, etc. is important too.

Some do have difficulty falling asleep at night. Some ways to overcome this problem include: getting exercise each day, stretching before going to bed, avoiding coffee and tea for several hours before going to bed, avoiding eating protein before going to bed, eating a snack with carbohydrates shortly before going to bed (a bowl of popcorn or rice works well), etc.

Finally, remember as we always do on the Intelligent Guide that what is good for our health is good for our looks. As usual, what makes us feel good makes us look good too. Fun!

“Roxon rejects plea on drugs.”

MS Australia blocks access to lifestyle therapy.

The first headline actually came from the front-page of The Age, 21st June 2011. Have not seen the second one yet, but the first made me wonder why? How come the drug companies are so good at getting widespread coverage, when non-patentable things like therapeutic lifestyle changes are ignored?

Maybe it is because of a perceived lack of evidence. Well, consider this. The published research that evaluated the outcomes for people with MS who attended the Gawler Foundation’s residential program Prof. George Jelinek and I established, demonstrated results that no known drug comes close to matching.

This research re-tested people one year and 2.5 years after attending the program. Over this period, the normal expectancy for people with MS is that their mental health and physical health would both steadily deteriorate. Whether on drug treatment or not, and in the absence of a definitive meta- analysis of the wide number of studies that have examined this question broadly, it seems reasonable to suggest that the average deterioration in physical and mental health over this time frame would be about 5%.

So what did our people show? After one year, the specific MS mental health composite figure (a figure that aggregates a number of relevant psychological assessments) had improved by 13%. Was it all in the mind? How about this? The physical health composite figure actually improved by 15%!

What about at 2.5 years? Better or worse? Did the benefits stick? Well no, they got even better! The mental health composite was now up by 15%, physical health by 17%.

There is no known MS drug that has shown these levels of benefit. In our study, the people did not get worse, they got statistically significantly better! Can you imagine the front-page news that such a break-through drug would produce? So what happened with our research?

Well first, it was quite hard to even get a medical journal to publish it. Then, no front-page news. Not even any page 17 news. We were fortunate that the ABC’s 7.30 Report ran a good story on George and the results; but then no other media took it up.

And MS Australia? Well, enthused by the research results, the Gawler Foundation had arranged with the MS office at Blackburn to recommence presenting the 12 week lifestyle based program that was presented there back in the early days when we first commenced the residential programs. But that was cancelled.

MS Australia to their credit used to hand out copies of George’s book to any newly diagnosed MS patient that asked for it (many of these books were actually paid for by a private benefactor). That service was also stopped.

It would be nice to think there was some sound reason for these two cancellations; but they did cause me to wonder. If a drug was blocked or withdrawn that was as effective as this program, we would have the headlines like at the heading of this blog.

Are the drug companies so good at convincing the public, the health professionals and the media that health solutions are their exclusive domain and the only thing worth taking seriously?

Surely it is obvious that Nicola Roxon rejected the new drugs requested for the PBS because the Government simply cannot afford them. Pharmaceutical medicine has become very expensive.

Surely it is obvious that lifestyle related disease is lowering life expectancies generally and fuelling the explosion in chronic degenerative diseases. Surely it is obvious that the treatment of chronic, degenerative, lifestyle related diseases starts with a healthy, therapeutic lifestyle. Surely it is obvious that a lifestyle program is relatively cheap and very cost effective. The MS research demonstrates the potency of such a remedy.

What is missing is widespread support for the uptake of a therapeutic lifestyle – as a treatment. All too often we still hear of people with MS or cancer who are taking their lifestyles seriously being dismissed by their friends. “There, there dear, a little bit of this won’t hurt you”. Rubbish. Do it often enough and it may well incapacitate you if you have MS, or even kill you if you have cancer. How often do we hear of well-meaning, but one has to conclude uninformed doctors dismissing the therapeutic benefits of lifestyle changes?

It is about time families, friends, health professionals and the media gave the therapeutic benefits of lifestyle changes their due recognition and active support.

For the doctors, anyone diagnosed these days with either MS or cancer needs to be counselled at first diagnosis regarding their lifestyle, just as would happen for anyone diagnosed with heart disease or type2 diabetes. I contend that given the evidence, not to do this probably constitutes professional negligence. If there was a drug with the same benefits, and it was not recommended, that would be negligent, so why not with lifestyle intervention?

For the media – for goodness sake, get past the incessant publicity machine of the drug companies and support people in need. A healthy lifestyle offers so much, yet making personal change is not so easy and I suspect many people do not even know how potent it can be. Here the media has the potential to be a driving force in improving recovery rates from major illness, and to preventing them as well.

For friends and family? Recognise the important of what someone with MS or cancer eats and drinks, whether they exercise or not, the quality of their relationships, the state of their mind, whether they meditate or not, their spiritual views. These things do affect their health, their state of mind, their mobility, even their survival. Making lifestyle changes and sustaining them for life requires good and active support. The best way to do this if you really care about someone, is to share in the changes; to actually make them yourself. Of course to do this has a potentially major side effect, chronic good health for yourself!

Finally, a disclosure of interest statement. I no longer work for the Gawler Foundation or present the MS programs. George does, along with staff from the Foundation. I do continue to actively promote a healthy lifestyle and support people actively working on their health and wellbeing. So my vested interest is in the health and wellbeing of people with MS and cancer. My concern is that the media and the system are letting them down and we all need to do something more about it. I do recommend anyone with MS or cancer to attend the Gawler Foundation’s programs. In my informed opinion, there are no residential programs anywhere else in the world that have such a body of experience to draw upon, have such a high quality or are as truly comprehensive in their scope.   Let your friends and your politicians know.

RESOURCES

RESEARCH click here

RELATED BLOGS
Recovery from MS is possible: Gawler blog 21 Feb 2011
Eating for recovery: Gawler blog 25 Oct 2010

BOOKS
Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis; George Jelinek
You Can Conquer Cancer; Ian Gawler
The Mind That Changes Everything; Ian Gawler

WEBSITES
Prof Jelinek
The Gawler Foundation
Ian Gawler

PROGRAM
Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis – healing program for MS

Doing little things to avoid infections is important in beating MS. This includes excellent teeth brushing and flossing. I recommend a power toothbrush. ------------------------------------

Most experts agree that beating multiple sclerosis (MS) requires avoiding inflammation and infections. Why is that? Because MS involves mis-educated t-cells that attack the myelin rather than germs.  That’s why we eat an anti-inflammatory diet and avoid infections.

The research shows that both viral and bacterial infections can cause a worsening of MS symptoms or relapses. One study, for example, suggests that about 50 percent of relapses may be the result of infections. Other studies have shown that MS relapses are more likely to occur with almost any type of infection. For example, one study found relapses were more likely to occur in the presence of upper respiratory infections. Both viral and bacterial infections are culprits — making MS worse.

The culpability of infections makes sense. Since infections trigger production of t-cells, there are more mis-educated t-cells around to attack the myelin when infections occur.

Avoiding infections is important, and my blog includes some suggestions for avoiding infections. In addition, it is wise to pay attention to oral care because poor oral care can result in gum infections. At the suggestion of the staff at the University of Minnesota’s Dental School, I personally added use of a power toothbrush to my own brushing routines a few years ago. I am glad I did. My need for visits for dental cleaning dropped by more than 50 percent and some inflammation in the gums disappeared. In addition, my teeth now look and feel like a million bucks — sizzling, as we say, and drop dead gorgeous.

As so often is the case, what is good for MS is good on the ‘drop dead gorgeous’ front. Viva la healthy living.

P.S. Here’s a great tutorial on Proper Brushing. (Many get a bit lax about brushing correctly so it helps to review information on brushing technique every now and then.)

Hathcock Paper

A report published in the Times on November 29, 2010 (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/health/30vitamin.html?_r=2&hp) has created some alarm amongst people taking vitamin D supplements. The NY Times report alluded to the deliberations of a 14 person expert committed assembled by the Institute of Medicine in the US. This group has been meeting regularly since March 2009, attempting to frame Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for vitamin D and calcium, that is they were looking at coming up with the Estimated Average Requirement, which is the amount estimated to satisfy the needs of 50% of people in the American population. The report was released on November 30, 2010. A press release from the IOM states that “Most Americans and Canadians up to age 70 need no more than 600 international units (IUs) of vitamin D per day to maintain health…”. They suggested an upper safe limit of supplementation as 4,000IU per day. The report also noted that all North Americans are receiving enough calcium and vitamin D.

Most people reading this report would be very surprised about these findings. Haven’t we been reading paper after paper about the worldwide epidemic of vitamin D deficiency due to sun avoidance? But the findings can be explained partly by the purpose of the committee, which was to update longstanding and out of date dietary reference values for vitamin D and calcium. DRIs were introduced in 1997 to broaden existing guidelines known as Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) that were used in the US, Canada and Australia to provide nutrition advice with a substantial margin of safety. The RDA was essentially the minimum intake required to meet the requirements of 97-98% of healthy individuals. Additionally, the findings can be partly explained by such committees’ requirements for absolutely proven evidence, much like the Cochrane Collaboration. Most people reading the reviews in the Cochrane Database are struck by the fact that it is almost impossible to prove anything in medicine, and that most of their reviews come out with the conclusion that there is not enough evidence on a particular topic to make definite recommendations, and that more research is needed. The IOM committee for example, made the recommendation that there is evidence that vitamin D was helpful in bone health, but had not been proven to be helpful in any other condition. If we had taken the same approach when Doll and Hill’s groundbreaking epidemiological study came out in 1950 about cigarette smoking causing lung cancer, we would have lost thousands more lives to lung cancer while we waited for definitive proof.

The truth is, as we have long said on this website and in the books ‘Taking Control  of Multiple Sclerosis’ and ‘Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis’, there is compelling evidence that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of developing MS, and that vitamin D supplementation reduces that risk and very likely reduces the risk of progression of the disease. Most of the evidence supporting these contentions is outlined on this site and in the books; a lot of it appears in the What’s New section, and is very recent, certainly appearing after this committee began preparing its report. For instance, the Southern Tasmanian Longitudinal Cohort Study showed that for every 10nmol/L increase in blood vitamin D level, there was a 12% decrease in the risk of relapse. Further, this was a clear dose-response curve, and extrapolating their data to a zero risk suggested that a level of around 150nmol/L was the minimum protective level. There is much supporting data around this issue on this site and in the books that readers can look into for themselves.

The problems with the IOM report are that this was not their brief, to examine what supplement amount would be best for people with serious illness, just to look at an average requirement for healthy people. And this was just an average amount needed for maintenance, not even for the prevention of serious illness, let alone its treatment. New data are appearing all the time on the potential of vitamin D to prevent a variety of cancers in addition to heart disease, depression, hypertension, diabetes, and so on, as well as osteoporosis. The IOM focused completely on bone health. But as we have long said here, higher doses and higher blood levels of vitamin D are required for management of autoimmune illness than for maintenance of bone health.

To look a little more closely at what the IOM said, their recommendations about not taking large doses of calcium were actually sensible, and we have been arguing this for some time, based on good evidence. Enough said. But with vitamin D, firstly they demanded too high a standard of proof that vitamin D is helpful in conditions other than bone disease, like MS, and secondly they raised the old spectre of toxicity, saying “The onus is on the people who propose extra calcium and vitamin D to show it is safe..” Well, we have very responsibly advised people not to take calcium supplements, as they suggest, because the evidence shows that calcium supplementation is not safe.

But as far as vitamin D goes, the IOM report did not show supplementation is dangerous, they just demanded proof that higher doses are safe. Of course, proving something is safe is much harder than proving something is dangerous. Just one case report of someone coming to harm from taking 10,000IU a day of vitamin D a day would be considered proof that it is dangerous. But, clearly, they were unable to provide that proof, as that hasn’t been reported. Indeed, Hatchcock et al’s 2007 review paper noted that the estimated blood level associated with hypercalcemia, the major toxic side effect was 600nmol/L, and that the safe Tolerable Upper Intake Level of vitamin D was 10,000IU per day. That paper is downloadable above right for those wanting to see the evidence first hand. The IOM’s report conveniently ignores the fact that people in sunny countries often have levels around 200nmol/L without taking supplements, a level that would require at least 10,000IU of vitamin D a day if one was achieving this with supplements. It also ignores the reality that just by standing out in the sun with bathers on in Melbourne at midday today for 10 minutes, you would make 15,000IU of vitamin D. Why would the upper limit of safe intake be 4,000IU, as suggested by the IOM?

It is important for people with MS trying to do the best for their health not to be deterred by such reports. The approach at OMS is to make recommendations based on a distillation of the best and most recently available evidence that will allow people with MS to immediately and safely apply new research to their condition, without having to wait for years for scientists and expert groups to catch up. In this case, it is about balancing risks: the risk of what will happen to people with a serious progressive neurological disorder like MS waiting until such groups decide that vitamin D supplementation is proven beyond doubt to prevent and improve the outcome from MS far outweighs the remote potential risk of toxicity from supplementation at the doses we recommend. To date, such side effects have been reported only in people taking 40,000IU a day or more. We reiterate, people with MS should check their vitamin D levels annually aiming for a blood level of vitamin D that is high-normal, around 150nmol/L or more, but not above the top of the normal range which is about 225nmol/L depending on the laboratory (even though this allows for a margin of safety probably up to about 500nmol/L). This can be achieved with regular low dose sun exposure plus vitamin D supplements; if sun exposure is low or not possible, this may require supplementation with doses up to 10,000IU a day.

Every neurologist I have seen likes a hammer and tuning fork. Personally, I prefer some sensible laboratory tests. I suggest these for the savvy person with MS.

As someone with multiple sclerosis (MS), I have noticed that some neurologists do not bother keeping up with research or can get lazy about working to enhance wellness for those with MS. For this reason, I think it is usually wise to consider being a pro-active patient and sometimes a pest. This is called “being your own best advocate”.

As part of being your own best advocate, planning a periodic checkup checklist is a good idea because it can help you increase your wellness. Below are the laboratory tests that I suggest when appropriate.  I have also posted these on my website, The Intelligent Person’s Guide to Beating MS. If you recommend others, please leave a comment. We can all learn from each other!!

Mercury — If you have been around broken thermostats or thermometers containing mercury or if you eat a lot of fish, it is wise to request testing of your mercury levels at a periodic checkup. Mercury can cause neurological symptoms similar to those caused by MS. For more information on the mercury issue, the Food and Drug Administration in the USA has an excellent table showing Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish. I usually eat only salmon and sardines because they are relatively low in mercury.

Lead — When I was first diagnosed my neurologist ordered a test to determine the level of lead in my system. Those who are exposed to higher levels of lead from paints, etc., are wise to have this test done at least once too.

Arsenic — If you work in one of the construction trades around materials that are treated with arsenic, it is smart to include an arsenic test in an annual checkup. Arsenic can cause severe neurological problems such as memory problems and anyone working in the trades using arsenic coated lumber, for example, needs periodic tests for arsenic poisoning. (Coatings for lumber used in decks often contain arsenic in some parts of the world.) If you have too much arsenic in your body, you will want to address this problem promptly.

Vitamin B12 — Many, for some poorly understood reason, do not absorb vitamin B12 well even if there are adequate supplies of vitamin B12 in the diet. Since a vitamin B12 deficiency can cause neurological problems similar to those caused by MS, it is important to have your level tested at least a few times to ensure that your level is always at the higher end of the normal range. More than one case of vitamin B12 deficiency has been misdiagnosed as MS. Also, if your B12 level is low, you will feel better if you correct this deficiency.

Vitamin B6 — Vitamin B6 does not get discussed much but low levels of vitamin B6 are quite common. I discovered a few years ago my own level was running low after I experienced what seemed to be MS related problems with my feet and some nasty arthritis pain. Fortunately, I happened to see an article about vitamin B6 deficiencies so I requested a test and, sure enough, my level was low.

Like the other B vitamin deficiencies, a vitamin B6 deficiency can cause problems similar to those found in MS. Specifically, vitamin B6 deficiencies can cause neuropathy in the extremities, often the feet. Also, low levels of vitamin B6 can cause worsening of arthritis. For these reasons, an annual vitamin B6 test for at least a few times is smart. This is more important as we age because vitamins do not absorb as well in older individuals. If you do find out that you have a vitamin B6 deficiency, do be careful about not taking too much vitamin B6 as I did. (I now know the effects of too much B6, pins and needles, etc., in the extremities. Fortunately, I have figured out the amount of B6 I must take to keep my level at the the higher end of the normal range — and my arthritis pain has largely disappeared.)

Vitamin D — Of course we all know about the importance of vitamin D to those with MS so not much needs to be said. If you know how to keep your vitamin D level at the high end of the normal range, a vitamin D test once a year is still a good idea. If you are having problems keeping your vitamin D level at the high end of the normal range, vitamin D tests once every three months until you have mastered the art of achieving a healthy vitamin D level are wise.

Lyme’s Disease — More than one case of MS has turned out to be Lyme’s Disease, a treatable disease. I suggest that anyone who has possibly been exposed to the virus causing this disease have the test to rule out Lyme’s Disease.

That’s it. Those are the tests I recommend. I hope others can share any recommendations they have too. It is interesting that our doctors often focus on disease while we focus on increasing wellness. Personally, I think our approach works better and the research increasingly suggests our wellness oriented approach is smart. We are so far ahead of the doctors in many ways!

It is interesting that some doctors will be reluctant to order needed laboratory tests. I have encountered this problem myself and offer two suggestions for dealing with it. First, if a doctor is just too difficult, a new doctor is a good idea. In other cases, the doctor needs some education because not all doctors are MS specialists and many just are not up-to-date in the treatment of MS. I know one doctor who was a bit reluctant to order needed vitamin D tests, for example, but when she learned about the importance of vitamin D to those with MS, she started ordering the tests regularly. Sometimes we have to educate the doctors as part of being our own best advocates.

Viva la healthy living! Remember: nothing will make you look drop dead gorgeous faster than following an MS diet and an ultra healthy lifestyle.

Copyright 2010 Rebecca Hoover

Judy Graham was diagnosed with MS when just 26 years old. It is a testament to her extraordinary positivity and self-reliance that she did not just accept the prevailing medical paradigm in 1974 of inevitable progressive neurological deterioration. Her willingness to embrace lifestyle-based therapies to help overcome the illness is now reflected, 36 years later, in a healthy body and mind with barely discernible disability. Let us be honest. In 1974, unlike today, there was little if any evidence that modifying lifestyle factors could have any influence on the progression of this illness. Swank had published his hypothesis about dietary saturated fat and its correlation with MS incidence in 1950, and the first serious proposal that vitamin D insufficiency could have an influence on the development of MS was published by Goldberg in the year Judy was diagnosed. But there was little to suggest that the progression of the disease could be modified by lifestyle change. How many of us would have had the courage and perseverance to investigate these possibilities, start action groups, apply the findings to our own lives, and blaze a trail for the millions of people with MS around the world who had accepted as fact their progressive descent into disability?

And so to 2010, and Judy’s new book ‘Managing multiple sclerosis naturally’ is published, building on her seminal work of 1989, ‘Multiple sclerosis: a self-help guide to its management’. Judy’s Preface clearly lays out her philosophy, that she ‘takes a wide overview of all possible solutions’. This philosophy differentiates the book from many other MS self-help books, where a particular solution or facet of dealing with MS is advocated, and makes it particularly valuable for the person newly diagnosed with MS who is hungry for information, and wants to explore all avenues. In keeping with most other authors on the subject, Judy starts with nutrition, discussing issues that she feels are particularly important in food sensitivities, supplements and oils. Incorporating many anecdotes of people with MS throughout the book, she moves on to physical therapies such as exercise and physiotherapy, and presents a comprehensive overview of other complementary therapies. Finally, she provides a clear prescription for living a healthy life, with good discussions of triggering factors and the mind:body connection, finishing with ‘MS can be a great spur to doing all the things you always wanted to do and living life to the fullest’. This apparent paradox is one of the interesting things that I see happen to many people when they turn around the pessimism and despair of diagnosis and begin to see MS as an opportunity to live a more authentic life.

I wonder how many lives Judy Graham has touched in her 36 years of having MS. What a wonderful thing it is for someone newly diagnosed with MS to open her book and see the very first chapter headed ‘MS can be controlled’. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone newly diagnosed with MS, and indeed at any stage of the illness. Further, health practitioners managing people with MS would do very well to read this book and tap into the genuine hope that Judy provides for all of us in the MS community.

Professor George Jelinek MD

Good to read these posts!

 It seems many people with MS are hoping that having treatment for CCSVI will improve their MS symptoms without doing anything else.

The word needs to get around that diet, supplements and lifestyle changes are also important as they may prevent the stenosis being bad enough to treat (as in my case after 37 years of MS) and can also work together with the CCSVI treatment in stabilizing or reversing MS.

It’s not just a lifestyle thing but also a lifelong thing – you need to do these things for the rest of your life. 

The diet needs to be anti-inflammatory. In my opinion, food sensitivities can play a role in MS inflammation so someone needs to give up the particular foods which bring on a reaction in their case. In mine it’s eggs, bananas and coffee. But these could be fine for someone else – you need to be tested to find out which foods are causing YOU a reaction.

The diet also needs to be high in nutrients, particularly the Omega 3 essential fatty acids found in eg salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, fish and flax oil and low in saturated fat.

Vital supplements are high dose Vitamin D ( I take 6000 iu), Omega 3 (3g a day), and the whole range of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. I take a boxful of supplements every day. Many of these nutrients are anti-inflammatory, others modulate the immune system, or both.

On top of that, you need to do daily exercise – however tired you think it will make you. Any exercise will do! De-stressing also important, and meditation

 I just want to put one thing straight. Word is getting around that I do not have ANY stenosis. This is not true. I DO have mild stenosis on one side only, which is apparently an unusual result. But it is too mild to treat with angioplasty which, after all, is an invasive procedure even if it isn’t dangerous.

Dr Tom Gilhooly of the Essential Health Clinic in Glasgow is telling those MS patients who show negative for CCSVI – with no stenosis of the jugular veins – to take the diet and supplements route. He is also saying that to those patients who show positive stenosis.

He also recommends Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) for the immune system. This drug also works on reducing MS bladder symptoms.

Judy Graham, Author: ‘Managing Multiple Sclerosis Naturally’.