Last Updated on November 13, 2023 by Cathy
The cause of multiple sclerosis (MS) is due to chronic inflammation. In 2022, a 20-year study stated Epstein-Barr virus is the main cause of MS. However, EBV is not the only factor. Other possible factors include bacteria, heavy metals, toxic chemicals, and other viruses.
Researchers found people with MS have more bad bacteria in their gut than healthy people. There are many studies trying to figure out why and how to fix it. There are also drug-modifying therapies (DMTs) for MS but these do not stop the destruction of MS. If they work, they only slow the disease process down. Plus, they come with horrible side effects including brain infection and death.
Quick Links to EBV and MS:
Researchers are also working on a vaccine for EBV which could mean the end of people getting MS. But, this does not help people who already have MS. Many people have used food to heal their MS. The best way to stop and reverse your MS is at the end of your fork.
What you eat plays a huge role in the outcome of your MS.
Food Is Medicine
Food today is not the same as it was 100 years ago. Today, food is heavily processed and loaded with high amounts of refined sugar. When you read a nutritional label you will find words you won’t recognize as food.
Suppose you were to look up which food is the most healing, you would find many different answers. But, if you were to look up which people live the longest you would find something in common.
The book The Blue Zone did just that. They found areas around the world where people lived the longest. They also had fewer chronic diseases.
In the book, here’s what they believe are the main principles of living a healthy life:
- Move naturally by making movement a natural part of the day
- Know your sense of purpose
- Take time out to help relieve stress
- Stop eating when you’re about 80% full
- Eat mostly a plant-based diet
- Drink alcohol in moderation
- Belong to some faith-based community (denomination doesn’t matter)
- Put family first (close friends count as a family)
- Social circles that support healthy behaviors
NOTE: It’s best to avoid alcohol while you are healing since it is hard on the liver.
The standard American diet is an inflammatory diet. It has added sugars, excess calories, high sodium, refined grains, and saturated fats. It’s also low in fiber from fruits and vegetables.
The number one cause of death in the U.S. is heart disease due to what people eat. Type 2 diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate. 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes, and 90-95% of them have type 2 diabetes. The cause of type 2 diabetes is due to a poor diet. (Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease.)
At this rate, 1 in 3 Americans will have type 2 diabetes by the year 2050. This includes young children. To avoid most chronic diseases eat more fruits and vegetables.
Steps You Need To Take
First, you need to stop consuming foods that are contributing to inflammation. Instead, eat real food that will heal your body. This means you’ll be cooking from home most of the time.
“Even if you don’t think you can cook well, you can cook better than the food industry.” – Michael Pollan
Foods to avoid include:
- Dairy
- Gluten
- Highly processed foods
- Corn (it’s a GMO)
- Soy (it’s a GMO)
- Artificial flavors and sweeteners
- Refined oils such as canola
- Farm-raised fish (they live in water with toxic chemicals)
Beware of conventionally raised red meat. In the 1940s, Dr. Roy Swank discovered areas that consumed more saturated meat had higher rates of MS. This includes drinking cows’ milk. One study found women who drank more cow’s milk had more MS flares than those who drank less.
Heavy metals were once linked with MS. The National MS Society says this is an “unproven theory.” But, there are many studies linking heavy metals, especially mercury, with neurological symptoms.
If you are getting an MRI with contrast you are receiving heavy metals.
Choose foods that are real and go bad after a short while. Eating a mostly plant-based diet with little meat will allow your nervous system to heal. It will also protect you from other chronic diseases. Such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and type 2 diabetes.
If you do eat meat choose:
- Grass-fed meat (avoid pork, pigs eat everything so they have higher levels of bacteria)
- Pasture-raised poultry
- Wild-caught fish (larger fish such as shark, swordfish, and tuna have higher levels of mercury)
Drink plenty of water. People with MS tend to drink less due to bladder issues. In order for your body to detox you need to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses (2 liters) of water each day.
A Typical Day
Eating fruits and vegetables doesn’t mean eating a salad every day. The best food to eat to heal from MS is fruits and vegetables. Find recipes on the internet and check your library for compliant cookbooks. Look for anti-inflammatory, Paleo, or plant-based recipes.
When I first changed my diet back in 2004 I felt like there was nothing to eat. Today, the food I eat is delicious and packed with nutrients. Now, I find what I cook at home tastes much better than at any restaurant.
Here’s what I eat on a typical day:
- Breakfast: smoothie
- Morning Snack: herbal tea
- Lunch: a big colorful salad with lemon dressing or orange juice mixed with raw honey
- Afternoon Snack: fruit or another smoothie
- Dinner: I keep it simple such as a veggie bowl with potatoes and other vegetables
Dessert: it’s usually fruit such as a date, on special occasions, it’s frozen banana and (insert fruit) ice cream or pie
Getting to the Root Cause of MS
Doctors believe MS is an autoimmune disease where the body is attacking itself. This is not true. Our body isn’t attacking itself, it’s attacking EBV and any other infection. Until researchers know exactly what causes MS you need to figure out what else is at your root cause.
Other possible infections:
- Another viral infection such as a varicella-zoster virus (shingles)
- Bacteria such as streptococcus (strep)
- Heavy metals (aluminum, lead, mercury, etc.)
Stress plays a huge role. It can make symptoms worse so it’s very important to get a handle on it. If needed see a professional. Chronic stress is what set me back and caused my walking to get worse.
Recommended Supplements
There are many supplements that claim to be the best. Make sure you are getting good quality supplements. Check to see if they are free from fillers, gluten-free, and non-GMO. Brands I recommend are Biotics Research, Pure, Thorne, and Vimergy.
Also take supplements that kill EBV such as:
Heal MS With Food
Healing from the Epstein-Barr virus is not easy. Plus, it will take time, the central nervous system is one of the slowest systems in the body to heal.
However, if you don’t start cleaning up your diet today you will regret it later. It can seem overwhelming at times but your only other option is to let MS continue to progress.
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Photos courtesy from pexels.com and pixabay.com.
Resources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200717120154.htm
Heal MS With Food
I have also been looking into the information from Anthony–Medical Medium. In looking at all of his books, which one did you use? He has a new one (last October, 2022) that specifically emphasizes the brain–just wandering where to start?.
I checked the Medical Medium ebook out from my local library before buying it. See if your library has one or both books.
When the Brain Saver and Brain Saver Protocols books came out I bought those too. They are all good but I would start out with the Medical Medium book. He has an entire chapter on MS in which he explains what causes MS and which supplements he recommends. It also has a “28-Day Healing Cleanse” telling you exactly what to eat with recipes.
Check out his website about Healing Multiple Sclerosis.