All Disease Begins In The Gut but What About MS?

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Last Updated on September 6, 2024 by Cathy

Woman sitting on a rock overlooking mountains with overlay: All Disease Begins in the Gut but What About MS?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is s chronic inflammatory disease. It attacks the central nervous system which can lead to severe disability. Over 2,000 years ago Hippocrates said, “All disease begins in the gut.” But, what about MS? – Some believe that it does.

MS doesn’t necessarily begin in the gut but it does means if you have MS your gut is unhealthy. Several studies compared the gut microbiome of people with MS and people without. What they found is, that people with MS have more bad bacteria in their gut than people without MS.

It is unclear if an unhealthy gut increases a person’s risk for MS or if MS causes an unhealthy gut. Either way, if you have MS you have an unhealthy gut.

“All disease begins in the gut.” – Hippocrates

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Epstein-Barr Virus

In January 2022, a 20-year study found Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the main cause of MS. As EBV lives in your body for many years it starts to inflame the central nervous system. Researchers found it took about 7-10 years after an EBV infection for an MS diagnosis.

EBV is a highly infectious, opportunistic disease. Once a person has the virus, an EBV protein can increase the risk for autoimmune diseases. MS is not the only disease linked with EBV. Other diseases include lupus, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and some cancers.

Without EBV the onset of MS would not happen.

To Learn More About The Study Read:

Epstein-Barr Virus Is The Leading Cause Of MS

Epstein-Barr Virus Triggers MS

However, 95% of all adults have EBV and only a small percentage have MS. This proves there is another factor involved. They believe it has something to do with the HLA-DR gene.

The HLA-DR*15 gene is the greatest genetic risk to MS. The HLA-DR gene is also a risk of fungi infections.

Living with MS means you are dealing with many health concerns including:

Food sensitivities
Gut dysbiosis
Infections, both bacterial and viral (EBV)
Leaky gut
Nutrient deficiencies
Toxin overload

Getting to the root cause is like a puzzle. As you address each layer the pieces begin to fall into place. By eating and living a healthy lifestyle you build a strong foundation for your body to heal.

EBV may be the main cause of MS but it is not the only cause.

Root Cause of MS

It took me many years to figure out what my root cause was. The more I learned about my body, I realized why I ended up with MS.

What led me to my first MS symptom:

I was born with the HLA-DR gene which puts me at a higher risk for MS.
As a baby and throughout my childhood, I took many rounds of antibiotics. This destroyed my gut health and caused yeast overgrowth.
According to the EBV study, I got EBV when I was about 5-10 years old. EBV increases the risk of MS by 32 times.
Had a food sensitivity to eggs starting as a young child. This was a clue that I had a leaky gut.
As a typical American, I ate a low fiber, high-fat diet with very few vegetables.
Since I lived in the northern hemisphere it caused a vitamin D deficiency.
My first MS symptom, optic neuritis, happened when I was 15 years old.

Fix Your Gut

Young woman laying down holding stomach.

Fortunately, there is a natural solution. It not only kills EBV but also yeast overgrowth and it heals your gut. This builds a strong and healthy immune system which can reverse your MS symptoms.

By eating foods that promote health and avoiding foods that feed disease your body can heal.

First, work on lower inflammation in your gut. By removing common foods that cause sensitivities you should start to see improvements. To keep it simple focus on foods that Mother Nature made.

Avoid foods that are heavily processed and contained ingredients that are unrecognizable. Buy organic vegetables and fruit as much as possible. If cost is a concern buy organic only if it’s on the Dirty Dozen list. This is a list of produce with the most pesticide residues.

To see the Dirty Dozen list visit the Environmental Working Group website.

Don’t buy meats that are conventionally raised. They contain antibiotics, growth hormones, and dyes. Plus, the animals eat GMO grains and soy to help fatten them up. Instead, choose animals raised as close to nature as possible such as:

Wild-caught fish
Pasture-raised poultry
Grass-fed meats and organ meats

Foods to avoid for gut health:

Alcohol
Artificial sweeteners
Caffeine
Dairy
Legumes (beans, peanuts, soy)
Eggs
Gluten
Grains
Nightshades
Processed foods

Foods to Include

The standard American diet is not a gut-friendly diet. Instead, eat whole, natural foods that heal your gut such as:

Vegetables –

Eat a wide variety to get the most nutrients. Include dark leafy greens, colorful all the way through, and sulfur veggies. They include fiber, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to heal.

Herbs –

People have used herbs for thousands of years. They are not only used to add flavor to foods but they are also used for medicinal purposes. They are anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-viral. Include herbs in all your meals and smoothies.

Healing herbs to include:

Basil
Chives
Cilantro
Cinnamon
FennelGarlic
Ginger
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Tarragon
Thyme
Turmeric

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High-quality protein –

Eat high-quality meats. Protein is a macronutrient, meaning you need more to stay healthy. Protein helps fight off infections and keeps cells healthy. Without enough protein, tissue can break down leading to muscle loss. – That’s the last thing a person with MS needs.

To keep conventionally raised animals healthy they get antibiotics. Unfortunately, antibiotics are becoming less effective. Not because of human use but because of the animals that we eat.

Foods high in protein:

Almonds
Brussel sprouts
Chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Flaxseeds, ground
Lean grass-fed meat
Pasture-raised poultry
Pumpkin seeds
Wild-caught fish

Herbal teas –

Wicker mat with yellow flowers and herbal tea.

Herbal teas are another good option. They not only help boost your immune system, but they can also help support a healthy gut. Thanks to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, and polyphenols properties they help soothe the gut.

Herbal teas that help the gut:

One of my favorite herbal teas for digestion is Lemon Ginger Tea by Yogi. It has a delicious blend of herbs that supports gut health.

All Disease Begins In The Gut

Not all disease begins in the gut and not all doctors believe the gut microbiome has anything to do with MS. But studies prove otherwise. Inflammation is your body’s response to foreign invaders. That includes casein (milk protein), fungi, parasites, toxins, and viruses.

Your gut has trillions of bacteria. When the bacteria becomes unbalanced it leads to disease. – Fix your gut and your health will improve.

EBV hijacks your immune system causing it to produce more B cells. This in turn produces antibodies to fight EBV. However, EBV invades the B cells and reprograms them to protect themselves.

Focusing on improving your diet will lead to better gut health.

Gut Health Tracker

Subscribe for free and I’ll send you the password to my secret library filled with many printables including the Gut Health Tracker for your wellness journey.

Want to remember this health tip? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board.

Woman sitting on a rock overlooking mountains with headline: All Disease Begins in the Gut but What About MS?

Resources:

Epstein-Barr virus and autoimmune diseases

Gut microbe drives autoimmunity

Epstein-Barr virus protein can “switch on” risk genes for autoimmune diseases

Photo by Alexander Dummer, Sora Shimazaki, and The Lazy Artist Gallery by Pexels.com and by Mareefe from Pixabay.com.

All Disease Begins In The Gut but What About MS?