Last Updated on November 25, 2023 by Cathy
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is increasing in the United States and around the world. Not that long ago there were 300 million people with MS in the U.S., today there are almost one million. There is no known cure but it is possible to treat the root cause of MS to stop the progression.
The cause of MS is due to environmental factors which means you can do something about it. A 20-year study found Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the main cause. However, EBV is not the only factor. Everyone is different and everyone’s trigger is different.
If you would like to learn more read: Epstein-Barr Virus Is The Leading Cause Of MS
YOU have the power to change! What you eat and what you put on your body makes a difference. How you live your life matters. Stop smoking, learn to manage your stress, eat healthily, and exercise – it all matters.
“…cause of MS is multifactorial and include genetic predisposition together with environmental factors”
– PubMed
Studies link an increased risk of MS is due to:
- Being exposed to toxins such as secondhand smoke and pesticides
- Female
- Genetic (the main gene associated with MS is the HLA class II gene)
- Geographic (lack of sunshine – vitamin D deficiency)
- Infections like Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
Who Gets MS?
Women are two to three times more often diagnosed with MS than men. Researchers believe it’s because more women have the HLA gene variant associated with MS. The HLA-DRB1*1501 allele is consistently associated with MS and is found more often in women.
MS is more common in people who live further away from the equator. Several studies are connecting MS to the lack of vitamin D – the sunshine vitamin.
Studies link vitamin D deficiency with:
- Autoimmune diseases
- Cardiovascular disease
- Depression
- Diabetes
The National MS Society says most people diagnosed with MS are between the ages of 20 and 50. That doesn’t mean children or older people can’t get MS. I was fifteen years old when I had my first MS exacerbation (optic neuritis).
MS occurs in most ethnic groups but if you are a caucasian your odds of MS go up. Researchers have looked into the reason but didn’t find one. It could be due to where they live, vitamin D deficiency, or health disparities (lack of health care).
The Root Cause of MS
Traditional disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for MS focus on stopping the attacks and managing symptoms. They DO NOT stop the disease’s progress. Plus, they come with nasty side effects. Including fever, nausea, heart and liver damage, even death.
“Conventional therapies for MS… are not able to stop the destruction of nerve tissue.”
– PubMed
Once you’re diagnosed with MS don’t wait for modern medicine to find a cure anytime soon.
An anti-inflammatory lifestyle can stop the progression and allow your body to heal. To restore your health you need to figure out why your immune system went haywire in the first place.
Something happened that caused your body to turn on you. Conventional medicine sees MS as an autoimmune disease where it’s attacking healthy cells. Instead of looking at it that way, find the underlying cause of your MS.
Possible triggers to MS:
- Diet (poor diet, refined sugar, refined carbs, food allergies, etc.)
- Infections (bacterial overgrowth, parasites, viruses, and yeast overgrowth)
- Environmental Toxins (heavy metals, mold, pesticides, etc.)
- Chronic Stress (especially emotional stress)
- Hormones (cortisol, insulin, vitamin D – yes, it’s a hormone)
- Genetics (you can’t change your genes but you can change your gene expression by living a healthy lifestyle)
Everyone is different, what caused my MS may not be what caused your MS.
Here are some common reasons that may cause your body to start attacking itself:
Poor Diet
Researchers found people with MS have more bad bacteria in their gut than healthy people. In other words, people with MS don’t have enough good bacteria. 80% of your immune system lives in your gut.
Your gut can become “leaky” when it’s exposed to toxins, infections, and stress. This allows toxins and undigested food to leak through where they don’t belong. It also stops your body from absorbing essential vitamins and minerals.
Inflammation then rises in the body leading to autoimmune diseases including MS. Food sensitivities are a sign of a leaky gut. Sometimes it can be hard to know which foods are causing a problem. An elimination diet can help to find the culprits.
You may also like to read:
Why You Should Try An Elimination Diet
Remove processed foods, refined carbohydrates/sugar, dairy, legumes, and unhealthy fats. Such as canola, corn, peanut, safflower, sunflowers, and hydrogenated fats. Instead, eat an anti-inflammatory diet that lowers inflammation.
Foods to eat and enjoy:
- Vegetables (except corn)
- Fruits
- Healthy fats and oils (avocado, coconut, olive oil, etc.)
- Herbs
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Wild-caught fish
- Pasture-raised poultry
- Grass-fed and finished meats and organ meats
As they say “You are what you eat.”
Infections and MS
Researchers have suspected that viruses linked to MS. Especially the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Our body normally protects us from a variety of infections. But sometimes these infections lie dormant. It isn’t until later in life that something like stress causes it to resurface.
“Multiple sclerosis (MS), like other autoimmune diseases, may be triggered by microbial infections.”
– PubMed
It’s like chickenpox, people usually get it when they are a child. The chickenpox virus doesn’t go away instead it stays dormant in nerve cells. Later in life, something triggers the virus and it reappears as shingles.
Yeast isn’t an infection, everybody has a small amount of yeast in their body. Until it begins to grow out of control this is known as Candida. Many things can cause yeast overgrowth, especially antibiotics.
Antibiotics kill the bad bacteria but it also kills the good bacteria. Candida is an opportunistic fungal pathogen. When the good bacteria are down Candida takes the opportunity to grow.
In healthy people, the immune response will clear infections. But, in people who have a compromised immune system infections take over.
Possible infections to look out for:
- Herpes Type I and Type II
- Lyme disease (tick-borne illness)
- Mold (mycotoxins)
- Parasites
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
- Viruses
- Yeast overgrowth (Candida)
Environmental Toxins
Environmental toxicity is very common in today’s world. Toxins are in the air, food, water, and in many of the products we use every day. Toxic exposure can damage your body on a cellular level.
Dr. Terry Wahls, the author of The Wahls Protocol, believes her MS was due to pesticides. She grew up on a farm where they often used pesticides. Toxins such as industrial chemicals are poisonous and dangerous to the human body.
Unfortunately, you can’t escape from all toxins. However, you can remove many of them around your home. You don’t need to get overwhelmed and change everything in one day. The more you do the more you lighten your toxic overload.
Tips to prevent toxins from getting into your body:
Buy clean food. Eat organic as much as possible. Yes, it can get expensive but you are trying to heal your central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is one of the slowest systems in the body to heal. Conventionally raised animals eat food that has pesticides and GMOs.
Conventionally grown produce has pesticides and GMOs. If you can’t always afford organic buy organic produce only if it’s on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list. This is a list of produce with the highest amounts of pesticide residue.
Buy clean body products. Your skin absorbs everything you put on it. Most store-bought body care products have many toxic ingredients. Make your own or check the Skin Deep app to find clean body products.
Use “green” household cleaners. Household cleaners are extremely toxic to touch or breathe. Instead, make your own using ingredients like baking soda and white vinegar. Check the EWG’s website to find clean household cleaners.
Clean your air. Keep the air inside your home as toxin-free as possible. Buy household plants and use an air filter with a HEPA filter. I use an AirDoctor to help remove mycotoxins.
Clean your water. Install water filters or use a countertop water filter system. Avoid drinking out of plastic bottles even BPA-free plastics.
The Sunshine Vitamin
One thing that often gets overlooked is your vitamin D level. Doctors have known for decades that a low vitamin D level is a trigger to MS. Vitamin D is a hormone produced from sun exposure that’s why it’s known as the “sunshine vitamin.”
It’s very important to get tested to make sure your level is where it should be. Conventional doctors consider 30 ng/mL to be normal. Don’t except a “normal” result to get the actual number, it should be between 60-80ng/mL.
If you need to, use an online lab like Walk-In Laboratory or Health Testing Centers. When I used an online lab it was easy to use and less expensive than going through my doctor.
How to Treat the Root Cause of MS
Managing your MS means you are slowly getting worse. Don’t let MS stress you out – stress is toxic. Instead, take charge of your health. Eat healthily, live a clean lifestyle, exercise, get plenty of sleep, and reduce stress.
YOU have the power to make the right choices.
YOU have the power to change.
Want to remember this health tip? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board!
Want to remember this health tip? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board!
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5241505/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7160002/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5241505/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30638421/
https://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2011/07/think-your-water-bottle-bpa-free-better-double-check
How to Treat the Root Cause of MS
