The Treatment of Modern Western - Biblio.nhat-nam.ru

50MULTIPLE SCLEROSISMultiple sclerosis (MS), also called disseminated sclerosis, isa slowly progressive autoimmune disease characterized bydisseminated patches of demyelination in the brain andspinal cord. This results in multiple and varied neurologicalsymptoms. The onset of this disease is usually insidious, andits course is marked by alternating periods of remission andexacerbation. As with so many other autoimmune diseases,the etiology of this condition is unknown. In other words,biologists have yet to pin-point the initial triggering factorfor the body’s autoimmune attack against its own tissue.However, some, as yet unknown environmental factor seemsto play a role in this disease since its incidence is five timeshigher in temperate than in tropical climates and its occurrencehas been linked to the location where a patient spenttheir first 15 years. Slightly more women than men sufferfrom this disease, and its age of diagnosis is usually between20-40 years. Some authorities believe that, by the time thiscondition has been diagnosed, it is well established, havingactually begun in adolescence or even childhood.The most frequently presenting symptoms of MS are 1)numbness in one or more extremities, in the trunk, or on theside of the face, 2) weakness or clumsiness of a hand or leg, 3)or visual disturbances, such as partial blindness, pain in oneeye, double vision, dimness of vision, or scotomas. Other commonearly symptoms include fleeting ocular palsy, transientweakness of one or more extremities, slight stiffness or fatigabilityof a limb, minor gait disturbances, difficulties with bladdercontrol, vertigo, and mild emotional disturbances. Excessheat may aggravate any or all of the symptoms. As demyelinationprogresses, any or all of these symptoms may get worse,with paralysis and muscular atrophy leading to the patientbecoming wheelchair-bound or bedridden.In terms of Western medical diagnosis, the cerebral spinalfluid in more than 55% of MS patients is abnormal, inwhich case, gamma globulin is more than 13% and lymphocyteand protein content is slightly increased. However, thesefindings are not, in and of themselves, pathognomonic. MRImay show many plaques. Lesions may also be visible usingcontrast-enhanced CT scans. Western medicine has no specifictreatment for MS. Spontaneous remissions make theeffectiveness difficult to evaluate. Prednisone is often givenduring acute attacks in an attempt to hasten recovery.However, long-term corticosteriod treatment is rarely justified.As for prognosis, the course of this disease is highly variedand unpredictable. At first, months and years may separateacute episodes. Unfortunately, as the disease progresses,these periods of remission typically grow shorter and eventuallyprogressive and even permanent disability occur. Theaverage duration of this disease probably exceeds 25 years,but it is occasionally fatal within one year.Although the cause of MS is as yet undetermined, manyresearchers and practitioners think that it is a complex, multifactorialcondition. People with MS typically have nutritionaldeficiencies. Studies show that essential fatty acids, thebuilding blocks of the brain and nervous system, are commonlymissing in MS patients. 1Foods which are low in essential fatty acids include meats,dairy products, processed foods, and coconut and palm oils.As it turns out, MS is most prevalent in countries where thediet is high in foods that are low in essential fatty acids.However, other studies have shown that, even with a balanceddiet, people with MS tend to have difficulty absorbing essentialnutrients, such as vitamin B 1 , vitamin B 6 , vitamin B 12 ,magnesium, zinc, folic acid, amino acids, manganese, selenium,and essential fatty acids. Intolerances to certain foods arecommon in MS sufferers, such as to milk and diary products,caffeine, tannin, yeast, sugar, fungi, wheat, gluten, corn, foodadditives, and fermented products, such as ketchup, vinegar,and wine. Environmental toxins have also been suggested astriggering antibody reactions that cross-react with myelin.