Introduction
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and severe disease of the nervous system that affects people in their early adulthood. It is characterized by chronic exacerbation, with remising symptoms that leads to disability. The number of people affected by this disease is increasing, especially in the western world. The cause of the disease remains known. Patients face an array of challenges in their life because almost 98% of them proceed towards disability (Compston & Coles 2008).
In addition, there is no cure for the disease. Comprehensive and complementary medicine (CAM) provides different and effective approaches to manage multiple sclerosis. Studies have shown that the prevalence of using CAM throughout the world varies significantly from one country to another (Kuhle et al 2007). For instance, in Spain, around 41% people use CAM, while the number is quite high in Canada (70%) and Australia (82%) (Rosati 2001). This report provides a detailed description of ‘Best Diet’ as an effective CAM for providing relief to patients of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Description of Best Diet as a CAM method for MS
‘Best diet’ attempts to provide an alternative way of managing MS in patients. Ashton Embry first described this method in 1996 (Farinotti, Simi, Di Pietrantonj, et al 2007). The method has two major components that define its process. First, the patient must avoid “potential problem” foods. “Potential problem” is a term used in reference to those foodstuffs that contain some proteins similar to those found in myelin sheath of human nerve cells (Farinotti, Simi, Di Pietrantonj, et al 2007). In biomedical science, myelin proteins are attacked by the body’s immune system, causing the disease (Olsen 2009).
As such, it is necessary to avoid these foods, which include dairy products such as milk and milk products- yoghurt, butter, cheese and others. Gluten foods such as products of wheat, barley and rye contain myelin proteins (Olsen 2009). Leguminous cereals such as beans, peas, peanuts, soybeans and their products must be avoided. Although sugar does not contain myelin proteins, it is important to avoid refined sugar because it promotes inflammation (Olsen 2009). Other sweeteners such as honey, stevia and syrup are recommended instead. Eggs and yeast should be taken in limited amounts (Olsen 2009).
The second aspect of the process involves taking large quantities of minerals, vitamins and herbal supplements in the diet (Vieth 2009).
Specifically, certain vitamins are very important for this CAM. For instance, vitamin D3 is the most critical aspect of Best Diet CAM (Vieth 2009). Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) should be taken in quantities of 2000IU per day during summer but the quantity should increase to 4000IU per day in winter (Vieth 2009).
The patients are then tested after every 3 weeks for 25(OH) D to determine the appropriate levels to be taken every day (Olsen 2009). In addition, vitamin C, A, and B complex, especially B12, are recommended in the diet (Vieth 2009).
Minerals
Calcium should be taken in amounts of 800 to 1300 mg per day (Olsen 2009). It can be increased if the patient has symptoms of osteoporosis. Magnesium should be included in the diet at a ratio of 2:1 to 1:1 (Olsen 2009). In addition, zinc, selenium, copper, and manganese are highly recommended in substantial amounts.
Oils and antioxidants: the CAM method requires patients to take substantial amounts of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FAs), ginko biloba, coenzyme Q10 amino acids, extract of grape seeds and acidophilus (Olsen 2009).
Principles and rationale behind Best Diet CAM for managing MS
Biomedical studies have shown that MS is an autoimmune condition in which human immune cells recognize certain regions of myelin proteins as foreign particles and attack them. In fact, the immune cells recognize the myelin sheath around the nerve cells of the brain and the spinal cord as foreign entities (Ponomarenko et al 2006). According to studies, the whole process begins in the gastrointestinal tract in people with leaky gut syndrome. In these patients, the wall of the gastrointestinal tract is affected to an extent that it becomes porous. Due to this porosity, food particles are able to escape into the circulatory system.
Since these proteins enter the blood stream due to pathological conditions, immune cells recognize them as foreign materials and develop mechanisms to attack and eliminate them. These mechanisms include production of antibodies specific for the protein antigens. It is worth noting that myelin proteins have several biochemical conformations similar to those in the escaping proteins, which therefore means that the antibodies against these proteins also recognise and bind myelin proteins in human nerves (Kuhle et al 2007). However, this happens when these antibodies cross the blood-CNS barrier due to additional pathological conditions.
The scientific rationale behind Best Diet CAM for MS is based on the hypothesis that reducing the amount of proteins resembling myelin proteins in the diet will reduce the amount of these proteins escaping into the bloodstream. In turn, this means that the amount of antibodies against t these proteins will decrease significantly in the blood, thus reducing their ability to escape into the CNS and affect myelin sheath on the nerves (Kuhle et al 2007).
This CAM is largely a method based on scientific principles and empirical findings that support the theory that the amount of diet taken determines the level and severity of the disease. In fact, it has been shown that long-term intake of foods free of myelin proteins is likely to reduce the severity of the disease and provide relief to the patients (Olsen 2009).
Some safety measures
It is necessary to keep track of the patient under this therapy for a number of reasons. For instance, taking such a special diet and avoiding a large number of important foods in the diet could cause side effects, especially in terms of protein deficiency. Patients are supposed to take substantial amounts of non-myelin proteins in their diets to avoid protein deficiency. For example, they are recommended to take substantial amounts of fish proteins every day. Secondly, it is necessary for the patients to undergo frequent tests to determine their levels of vitamin D because very high amounts of this substance in the body may cause calcium leaching (bone resumptions), which in turn causes constipation, fatigue, ulcers, nausea and confusion (Vieth 2009).
Clinical evidence
Empirical studies with patients under Best Diet program have shown that the severity of the disease reduce after a certain period of avoiding myelin proteins in their diets. In addition, the progress of the diseases towards disability condition is halted, delayed or eliminated.
Application
Since this method does not require extensive knowledge of the condition, it is recommended as a tool for managing MS in hospital and home-based care. Dietary intervention is relatively safer than surgery and other methods. In addition, it is quite cheap since patients need only to care for their diets. It is applicable for all patients suffering from the disease. It is not recommended to all patients, regardless of the age, gender or presence of other forms of therapies. This is because dietary intervention does not interfere with other therapies. Patients and their family members should be informed to ensure that they provide the best diet as required. In addition, frequent tests for blood proteins should be done in clinical laboratories.
References
Compston, A & Coles 2008, ‘Multiple sclerosis’, Lancet, vol. 372, no. 9648, pp. 1502–17.
Farinotti, M, Simi, S, Di Pietrantonj, C, et al 2007, ‘Dietary interventions for multiple sclerosis’, Cochrane database of systematic reviews, vol 1, no. 4, pp. 1192-1196.
Kuhle, J et al 2007, ‘Lack of Association between Antimyelin Antibodies and Progression to Multiple Sclerosis’, N Engl J Med, vol. 356, pp. 371-8.
Olsen, SA 2009, ‘A review of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by people with multiple sclerosis’, Ther Int, vol. no. 1, pp. 57–70.
Ponomarenko, N et al 2006, ‘Autoantibodies to myelin basic protein catalyze site-specific degradation of their antigen’, PNAS, vol. 12, pp. 231-239.
Rosati, G 2001, ‘The prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the world: an update’, Neurol. Sci, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 117–39.
Vieth, R 2009, ‘Vitamin D and cancer mini-symposium: the risk of additional vitamin D’, Ann Epidemiol, vol. 19, no. 7, pp. 441-5.