Holistic Nourishment

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic, degenerative disease of the nerves in the brain and spine.  The disease causes the body to attack an insulating substance around nerve cells called myelin.  When the myelin is damaged, the function of the nerves deteriorate, resulting in symptoms such as muscle weakness, imbalance or loss of coordination, vision loss, and tremors.  Research is now showing that the disease can be reversed by adopting a paleolithic diet (primarily meat, veggies, and nuts), optimizing vitamin D levels, and avoiding artificial ingredients, especially aspartame.

While the exact cause of MS is still largely unknown, it is now understood that environmental factors play a large role in the development of this degenerative disease.  Diet is one of the most important ways for individuals with MS to control and reverse their disease.  The Paleo Diet, consisting of organic, whole foods from grass-fed meats, vegetables (sea and land), fermented foods, and nuts, is packed with nutrients that protect the nervous system and immune system. The Paleo Diet is high in B vitamins, iodine, and omega-3 fatty acids (animal based EPA and DHA) that support myelin growth and repair.

This diet also supports mitochondrial function.  Mitochondria are the energy producers in every cell of the body. Optimizing mitochondrial health boosts  cellular health and allow the body to heal and reverse the damage caused by M.S.  These important organelles need optimum levels of manganese, copper, zinc, omega-3s, creatine, and coenzyme Q10, all of which are found in large amounts in an organic, whole foods diet that is free of grains and dairy.

Vitamin D

Another vital nutrient, vitamin D, is critical not only to prevent heart disease, cancer, and other lifestyle diseases, but also for MS prevention and care.  New research has shown that the birth month of a baby as well as the mother’s vitamin D levels are involved in the future risk of MS in the child.  The study demonstrates that those who were born after the winter months in April or May were significantly more likely to have MS than those born after the sunny, summer months in October or November.

This study, in conjunction with many other studies that confirm the risk of MS decreases the closer you live to the equator (and vice versa), demonstrate a link between vitamin D levels and the risk of developing Multiple Sclerosis. The mechanism behind vitamin D’s protective effects is related to it’s regulation of the chemical messengers, cytokines, which modulate the immune system and inflammation in the body.

Artificial Food Additives

While supporting the body with all of these beneficial nutrients, it is equally important to remove artificial food additives, especially aspartame, from the diet. Aspartame is made up of aspartic acid and a phenylalanine molecule that has been synthetically bonded with a methyl group.  This methyl alcohol is what makes aspartame so sweet!  The bond holding the methyl group to phenylalanine breaks easily at temperatures higher than 85 degrees.  Once broken away, the methanol can travel inside any cell of the body. In some cells (like brain, liver, and heart cells), it can then broken down into formaldehyde, a toxin that can pass the blood-brain and placental barriers.

Alcohol dehydrogenase is an enzyme in the body that converts methanol into formaldehyde in the cytoplasm of the cell. This can even happen next to the nucleus where the formaldehyde can easily damage DNA.  Every animal has cell structures called peroxisomes that break down toxic molecules like formaldehyde, except for human peroxisomes.  In fact, only alcohol can prevent the metabolization of methanol, potentially being correlated with studies that demonstrate moderate alcohol consumption has beneficial health effects.  Nonetheless, ingested aspartame results in toxic methanol and formaldehyde inside cells in the brain and throughout the body, causing destruction to the nervous system, brain tissue, and immune system.

All food additives, sweeteners, flavorings, preservatives, and colors have been linked with mental health and nervous system disorders like Multiple Sclerosis.  Avoiding processed foods will help reduce your risk of disease. For those with MS, avoiding these toxic foods while eating paleolithic-type foods and getting extra vitamin D will help to prevent the development of the disease and allow the body to heal naturally.

Terry Wahls is an MD who reversed her debilitating MS by changing her diet to a paleolithic diet and removing all the toxins in her food and her life.  For more information about her and her healing journey, visit her website.

Tags: aspartame, methanol, multiple sclerosis, paleo diet, vitamin D