A few lifestyle changes and natural methods for treating MS

One of the challenges of multiple sclerosis (MS) is dealing with its impact on your daily life. While the following lifestyle measures may not slow the disease, they will help you deal with it much better.

Start a regular exercise regimen:

• Your muscles can weaken with MS, so it’s essential to stay in as good shape as possible. Exercise helps maintain strength, coordination and balance, and can even reduce spasticity. Try riding a stationary bike, walking, swimming or doing tai chi or yoga. Just don't get too warm; many people with MS find that being overheated worsens their symptoms.

Eat a well-balanced diet:

• Proper nutrition helps boost your immune system and prevent colds and flu, which can worsen MS. Get lots of fibre from fruits, vegetables and whole grains to prevent constipation, a common problem with MS. Drink fluids, at least two litres (two quarts) a day. Keeping well hydrated not only beats constipation, but also may help to prevent the urinary tract infections that occasionally occur with this disease.

Keep cool:

• Heat worsens symptoms in many people, so make sure your air conditioners are working well in summer. Avoid hot tubs and choose swimming pools that aren't kept too warm.

Nearly 60 percent of people with MS try some form of non-traditional therapy. Sometimes these approaches can be very helpful, but be sure to talk to your doctor so you'll know what to avoid. Some popular dietary supplements, including echinacea, garlic and ginseng, can actually worsen MS symptoms by overstimulating the immune system. The following therapies have shown some promise:

Antioxidants:

• Because the nerve damage of MS is partly due to oxidation, antioxidants may make sense. In addition to plenty of fruits and vegetables, try vitamin A, C and E supplements, as well as coenzyme Q10, grape seed extract and N-acetylcysteine (NAC).

Acupuncture:

• Many report this ancient Chinese therapy helps lessen symptoms. Find a licensed practitioner experienced with MS.

Magnesium:

• This mineral may help reduce the uncomfortable muscle spasms that often accompany MS.

Essential fatty acids:

• Flaxseed oil and evening primrose oil, both fatty acids, may be helpful in protecting the myelin sheath.

Multiple sclerosis is a difficult disease to deal with because no one is exactly sure what causes it in the first place. New treatments are continually under investigation.

• Faced with the fact that they have a potentially disabling condition and there’s no single cure, many patients with MS are willing to explore alternative therapies and unproven treatments.
• One of the most controversial is the use of marijuana, still an illegal substance in Canada.
• It has been suggested but not proven that marijuana can help certain MS symptoms, particularly spasticity, tremors, depression and pain.
• Ultimately, however, few people want to deal with the risks of positive drug tests at their workplace or even jail time that can come with the use of medical marijuana.
• There’s even a synthetic and legal form of marijuana, nabilone (Cesamet), used for spasticity. But some doctors won't consider it because of its association with the illegal plant.

MS can be a debilitating condition; maintaining your physical and mental health are extremely important in combating the disease. Try to incorporate these methods into your lifestyle.