The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) defines multiple sclerosis (MS) as a chronic, unpredictable neurological disease that attacks the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and optic nerves). Myelin, the fatty covering of nerves, is targeted in the attack. Researchers and patients are finding success lessening MS symptoms with nutritional changes.
Prevalence of MS
MS is a modern disease whose prevalence has risen in the past 50 years. MS is most prevalent in the United States, Canada, Northern Europe, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 400,000 cases in the U.S., 75,000 in Canada and 85,000 in the United Kingdom. Diets in these regions possess common features: high consumption of processed foods, saturated fats, dairy and cereal grains, plus deficiencies in vitamin D and fish oil.
Processed Foods
Processed foods contain additives including steroids, hormones, antibiotics and chemical agents for storage, preservation, coloring and flavoring. These chemical products are new to the human diet. Humans ate natural unprocessed foods for generations. The recent addition of unnatural chemical additives to the human diet marks a dramatic change in nutrition and may be leading to health problems such as MS. The digestive system may have a difficult time breaking down these products, and the immune system may confuse these foreign agents or their byproducts with body tissues of similar molecular structure. According to Ashton Embry at DIRECT-MS.ORG, this is called molecular mimicry.
MS Symptoms
The progress, severity and symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary among individuals. The most common symptoms--vision problems, numbness, tingling, fatigue, weakness, muscle spasticity, pain and tremors (disturbance of balance and coordination)--occur in relapsing episodes, called neurological incidents, followed by remission periods.
Neurological Incidents
Neurological Incidents begin quickly and last two to six weeks. The exact mechanism that triggers them is under investigation. Through extensive research, Dr. Roy Swank believes the trigger is a high intake of saturated fats, which causes vascular changes and a breach in the blood-brain barrier. Other medical researchers believe the ingestion of chemically altered foods and their byproducts causes the body's immune system to attack the myelin. Most of these professionals believe a combination of these two factors triggers the symptoms of MS.
Nutritional Changes
MS patients Jacque C. Rigg, author of "Curing the Incurable," and Roger McDougall, an Oscar-nominated screenwriter, used a diet low or free of food additives to restore their health and functionality and lessen damaging, debilitating symptoms of MS.
References
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society: What is Multiple Sclerosis?
- Direct MS: Diet Research into the Cause and Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis--Nutrition
- Direct MS: Diet Research into the Cause and Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis: Roger McDougall
- "The Multiple Sclerosis Diet Book"; Roy Laver Swank and Barbara Brewer Dugan; 1987
- "Curing the Incurable"; Jacque C. Rigg; 1999
