Has anyone beat relapses of MS with diet alone?

[ceeweed]

I have just been diagnosed with MS and so far it has been only numbness and L'hermittes as my symptoms ... Dr wants me to go on DMD and I am considering waiting until my second attack to see how it progresses for me ... and after reading so much about nutrition and supplements with MS, I am wondering how much it is true and if anyone has succeeded with this treatment alone in decreasing their relapses????

I also understand that reducing stress is also key and wondered how many others have also found this to be helpful in relapses?

I am concerned however of where and when and how the next attack/relapse will occur ... so want to do whatever is reasonable to slow down the progress.

Thanks so much

[essdipity]

Oops!

Wrote 'Bob,' meant Alex.

[essdipity]

Hi, Bob. Thought of you when I read this topic, and was hoping you'd join in here. You didn't disappoint!

A question, though. I thought you were on Copaxone. Have you stopped? If not, that muddies the waters surrounding the question of using alternative therapies 'alone.' Copaxone could be really helping you.

Another issue, which probably would be best left for another thread, is disease progression. I've never quite understood the difference between that and relapses, but I know we can't really tell by just 'feeling' whether or not our disease is progressing. So I'd have to say the jury might be still out on that one.

It's great that you're doing so much better, and I send best wishes that all this continues. Whatever the cause, few or no relapses and a sense of health can't be undervalued.

ess

[tingletingle]

Ok, I'll bite. I just popped by and came across this little gem of a thread.

JJ's response is accepted as fact by the medical community, MS society and the vast majority of MS patients. I acknowledge that I am out on my own but I do have significant medical studies that I feel comfortable with to back up my belief.

I believe that diet, exercise, meditation as a package does indeed work on reducing relapses and halting progression because I have been on a program now for 14 months and I feel much, much better. It isn't a cure.

My first year was miserable with 8 relapses - some with new symptoms, some just exacerbations of old symptoms. I've had just about every MS symptom bar Optic Neuritis and I'm a guy in my late forties with symptoms that don't go away so yikes in terms of prognosis.

My program's benefits are proven to kick in from 1 to 5 years - yes long term - and I really feel so much better since May when I had my last relapseand then again in September which was my 12 month anniversary of being on the program.

I still have wobbly days here and there and I still have symptoms from chest to toes but they are much milder these days. But the fog and fatigue have finally lifted.

I completely respect everyone's right to have a different point of view and choose a course of disease management that is right for them. The medical profession certainly has a role to play so I am not advocating going drug free.

MS is a very difficult disease without cause or cure. I do believe the specific Jelinek program, if all elements are followed, is working beautifully for me. In fact I consider it to be a blessing. It has transformed my life in a good way.

Hey JJ, can't wait for you to buy me a beer in just over 4 years now. bahahaha. Ok, I get off my high horse now. Yes, early days. We'll see eh.

Blessings
Alex

[supermum_ms]

Hey there,

There isn't actually anything scientific to support 'diet' as a cure (beater) or as a preventative for MS relapses. It basically isn't really possible to predict relapses, they sort of happen when they happen, some pwMS experience muliple relapses a year while others, experience years in between. The same individuality applies to the length of time that a relapse lasts, days, weeks, months and even years. Add to this the other unknown factor, what new damage, what worsening damage of an attack and its easier to see why MS is said to be unigue to an individual.

It all makes knowing when and how the next attack will go down really difficult and why the earlier you start a DMD is recommended. So far the DMD's are the only measurable anything that can be proven to slow down progression but unfortunately, even the DMD's are not a sure thing.

Diet unfortunately isn't going to slow down the progression (wish it did), though i will say that it cant hurt you to be as health as you can be, diet and physical fitness are all possitives that inter-relate to a persons overall well being but as to having any direct impact on MS progression its quite unlikely though still worth doing.

For a few years i was following a hypoglycemic diet, (long story that i wont bother you with) and i know its different to the diets going around for MS but a healthy diet and as active a life style that I could, did nothing to change the direction I was heading, it was just the one big bang that changed everything for me.

Cheers.......JJ