Hey Sally~Yes, you can trace "every" symptom and "every" valid scientific finding in "every" autoimmune disease back to these missing enzymes.

Is MS an autoimmune disease? That is a good question. Maybe "they" have been wrong all along about the true definition of "autoimmune". I believe the evidence will speak for itself on what the involvement of the immune system is in these diseases. That is why I like to refer to autoimmune diseases as PEDD.


As an example, look at what the immune system was actually targeting in the "lupus NETS" study. The immune system was not targeting normal healthy tissue, it was targeting unbroken down bits of protein and DNA that should not have been in the bloodstream. These subsequent NETS then become lodged in organs and tissues. This is what leads to the kidney failure etc. in lupus, not a random attack by the immune system on normal healthy tissue. Parts of the immune system are being dysregulated in autoimmune disease, such as tumor necrosis factor, but we will be able to clearly show why this is happening and how it is directly related to a lack of protease. In fact, there is a movement afoot in the medical community to rename "autoimmune disease", "immune dysfunction syndrome".

You believe herpes is the cause of MS? There is actually a connection to bacteria and viruses being one of the "triggers" so to speak. Remember the previous list though on the symptoms and findings of MS? (That is also a list of the symptoms and findings in lupus, CFS, and fibro.) If you believe herpes is the sole cause of MS, you would need to be able to show how each of these symptoms and findings would be explained by the herpes virus. I have yet to show the results of some very definitive findings in fibro and CFS that rule out a virus or bacteria in these diseases. Of course the XMRV virus has been thought for years to be the cause of CFS by many researchers and CFS sufferers.

Here is some information from my book on the connection to bacteria and viruses, protease, and autoimmune disease.

"Co-Infections: Parasites, Fungal Forms, and Bacteria
These are some of the more unpleasant side effects of having a pancreatic
protease deficiency. Proteases are responsible for breaking down proteins
into smaller amino acids. Proteases are also responsible for keeping the small
intestine free from parasites (such as intestinal worms), yeast overgrowth, and
bacteria. Parasites, fungal forms, and bacteria are proteins that additionally
disguise themselves in a protein sheath that our bodies may view as normal.
Proteases work by removing this protein shell. With the protective barrier
down, your immune system can destroy the invading organism.

Oftentimes, autoimmune sufferers say their disease was preceded by a viral
or bacterial infection. If you are bordering on a pancreatic enzyme deficiency
and you contact a viral or bacterial infection, this would deplete
your proteases as they would be needed to ‘disarm’ the invader."

Can you just tell us what the treatment is now? How do we get these missing enzymes back into us, if we can't take supplements or injections?

It's probably the same old story, that we've been hearing for decades....."they're working on it". Grrrrrrrr!!

Ya know, SallyC, I'm in agreement. My enzyme levels are low but still within normal range.

Some of the correlation that I was refering to (in athletic folks-both with & without MS or auto-immune response) is that enzyme loss, especially Pancreatic enzyme, mimics Pancreatic cancer.

Missing or low enzymes in Pancreatic or pre-Pancreatic cancer can cause, among other things...fat to be left unbroken down in stool...causing it to "float." Gluten intolerance can also cause this (sorry, a lil gross); and both causes can also be from the body shutting down production of the enzymes in question. Much the way that the stomach can stop producing stomach enzymes when irritated or when ulcerations are present.

You have written a book? What is the title?

Hi Carebear01~The book is "Autoimmune The Cause and The Cure." The hardbound is the most recent version.

Hi daisy.girl~I think it is vital to understand the disease process first.

We haven't finished with phenylalanine quite yet. Just a short recap:

Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid derived from high protein foods.
Studies show MS patients lack phenylalanine.
Phenylalanine breaks down into tyrosine and then dopamine.

List of known symptoms of dopamine deficiency.
• Stiff, rigid, achy muscles
• Cognitive impairment
• Impaired motor skills
• Tremors
• Inability to focus attention
• Poor balance and coordination
• Strange walking pattern (gait), frequently with small steps

Dopamine is then needed for the synthesis of adrenaline and noradrenaline.
Studies show that MS patients lack noradrenaline.

New Information:
Adrenaline is one of the neurotransmitters that regulates the autonomic nervous system. The other neurotransmitter is acetylcholine.(I will show shortly why this is also lacking in MS.) A lack of adrenaline and acetylcholine would lead to autonomic nervous system dysfunction or a condition known as dysautonomia.

The following study on multiple sclerosis and autonomic dysfunction
(dysautonomia) found that 90% of the patients with MS had autonomic dysfunction.

Autonomic Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis: Correlation with
Disease-Related Parameters
Gunal, D.I., N. Afsar, T. Tanridag, S. Aktan. 2002. Eur Neurol. 48(1):1-5.

In the next post I will show what symptoms of MS would be directly related to autonomic dysfunction.

And one more possible cause of MS: chemical attack. Chemicals getting across the brain barrier. I read this a long time ago on this forum. MS could be auto-immune or a chemical attack, at least 2 basic types. Then I also have read Swank's theory that something is missing in the blood of MS patients. So...is there an answer? If a chemical is missing, could it be this pancreatic enzyme? We wait.
Still waiting.

Do you know what he felt was missing from the blood? I checked his website and he does recommend blood transfusions at certain times.

http://www.swankmsdiet.org/Plasma%20Protocol

I do think this could pose a risk for MS patients. Patients with MS are at a higher risk of developing lymphoma. In fact, researchers believe MS and lymphoma may share common origins.

http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclero...un-in-families

New research shows that blood transfusions increase the risk of developing lymphoma.


http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrar...2897.full.html

As we proceed, I think we will be able to clearly show what the connection is to lymphoma, blood transfusions, and MS. An understanding of the disease process can be a safeguard against doing even more harm.

It sounds like you've read a lot of research and studies, and put together a common denominator that maybe the experts have missed. I appreciate your lesson here, I really do. You aren't pushy about it. That, too, is appreciated.

You are talking to a small handful of people with MS here. So far you've only posted in this forum. There are other forums here with illnesses you mention. Do you go to other websites to reach out to more people? If yes, please don't mention them by name because we don't discuss other websites here.

I'm curious how this lesson ends, not that I'm trying to stop it. Will it continue until we all say, "You're right!"? Threads like this don't last forever. They either get closed by the website Administrators or people lose interest and stop replying, but there is a conclusion at some point.

Not trying to sound mean; I'm interested in what you are saying. But I'm also skeptical, especially now that I know you've written a book.

Hi Sparky10~ I do intend to get going until you all have a clear picture of the disease process. I don't know if you will all shout, "You're right!", but I do know there will be a great deal of evidence presented that should leave no doubt in your minds. I have posted this information on some different websites and the response has been great. Sometimes it takes a little time for people to be able to wrap their brains around the information. For instance, on one CFS forum, I didn't think I was making much progress, but then a few months later a new group formed based on the information and they are supporting one another in the healing process. They have close to 200 members at present. (What is that saying about "Casting your bread upon the water and in the course of many days it will return to you?")

Annesse are you explaining the MS disease process to us in relationship to the (you say) missing Panc, Enzymes?? Even if you prove that theses missing enzymes definately lead to the cause of MS, Which I doubt you will, what causes these enzymes to deplete in the first place and how do we stop it?

Is MS causing the PEs to deplete or is the depletion causing the MS. Tricky little thing, huh? And this is why we haven't and probably never will find a cure.:(

Hey Sally~I think the evidence will show it is the depletion of these enzymes that leads to autoimmune disease. For instance, here is a study on the development of RA and lupus after exposure to insecticides. Insecticides are poisons. The very dictionary definition of a poison is that it kills enzymes.

RA and Lupus with increased exposure to insecticides. Spraying for
bugs could increase autoimmune disease risk – Press Release
Latimer, E. 2009. American College of Rheumatology.

The following abstract shows the association between the first outbreak
of chronic fatigue syndrome and fluoride in the drinking water. As the abstract confirms,
fluoride is a potent enzyme poison due to its affinity towards trace minerals.
From the Abstract Chronic Fatigue, Fluoride and Heavy Metals
Phelps, J.E. 2005.
Latimer, E. 2009. American College of Rheumatology.

The top 3 drugs that are known to induce lupus are all "enzyme blockers." Here is some information from my book.

Q: Why do some drugs cause lupus?
A: Certain medications may cause lupus. This is called drug-induced lupus. There are
38 known medications that can cause drug-induced lupus. Most cases, however, are
associated with procainamide (Pronesty), hydralazine (Apresoline), and quinidine
(Quinaglute). All three of these drugs are enzyme inhibitors.

We will be demonstrating "cause and effect" throughout this entire process. For instance, it is low levels of uric acid that lead to gout, not the other way around.

As the previous study showed( "Autonomic Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis: Correlation with Disease-Related Parameters" post #46) 90% of MS patients have autonomic dysfunction or dysautonomia. One of the neurotransmitters that regulates the autonomic nervous system (adrenaline) is derived from phenylalanine, which studies show MS patients lack. Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid that is derived from high protein foods. Protease break down high protein foods and release essential amino acids.

What is dysautonomia? Dysautonomia is a dysfunction of the autonomic
nervous system.The autonomic nervous system
is the part of the nervous system that supplies the internal organs, including
the blood vessels, stomach, intestine, liver, kidneys, bladder, genitals, lungs,
pupils, and muscles of the eye, heart, and sweat, salivary, and digestive
glands. The autonomic nervous system controls blood pressure, heart and
breathing rates, body temperature, digestion, metabolism (thus affecting
body weight), the balance of water and electrolytes (such as sodium and
calcium), the production of body fluids (saliva, sweat, and tears), urination,
defecation, sexual response, and other processes.

A dysfunction in the autonomic nervous system (dysautonomia) can cause
dizziness or light-headedness due to excessive decrease in blood pressure
when a person stands (orthostatic hypotension). People may sweat less or
not at all and thus become intolerant of heat. The eyes and mouth may
become dry. After eating, a person with dysautonomia may feel prematurely
full or even vomit because the stomach empties very slowly (gastroparesis)
Some people pass urine involuntarily (urinary incontinence), often because
the bladder is overactive. Other people have difficulty emptying the bladder
(urine retention) because the bladder is underactive. Constipation may
occur, or control of bowel movements may be lost. The pupils may not
dilate and narrow (constrict) as light changes.

A dysfunction in the autonomic nervous system would explain why
MS patients are prone to bladder infections and other types of bladder
dysfunction. “Bladder dysfunction occurs in at least 80% of people with
MS. Some estimate that up to 96% of people with MS who have had MS
for more than 10 years will experience urinary problems at some point,”
states Julie Stachowiak, Ph.D.

Autonomic nervous system dysfunction would cause the nerves of the
bladder to not respond normally to pressure as the bladder fills with urine.
This would result in urine staying in the bladder, and leading to an increased
risk of urinary tract infections.

Phenylalanine is also needed to produce both of the thyroid hormones,
so we would expect MS patients to have an increased risk of developing hypothyroidism. The following study on MS and thyroid disorders found
that thyroid disorders were at least three times more common in women
with MS than in female controls, and that, this was accounted for mainly
by the prevalence of hypothyroidism.

Association of MS with Thyroid Disorders.
Karni, A., O. Abramsky. 1999. Neurology 53(4):883-5.

I agree that poisonous chemicals could cause MS. A few years ago there was a study posted here (very extensive study) saying that MS could be from more than one cause, i.e. two of these being auto-immune disease and chemical effects. This has not been studied enough, though. Or if studied, the information doesn't get out there where we see it often.

Anyway, no info from you, Annesse, on what to do. In Porphyria our main defense is avoidance. Avoid triggers of all kinds as much as possible--pesticides, herbicides, some foods, many drugs, composite furniture, new rug, rug cleaner, formalin in new clothes, on and on.

This is the wording of the full abstract above:
from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10489063

Hint:
When you cannot post a link (being new etc here), to a PubMed article, you CAN give its PMID # to make it easier for others to find that abstract. Just give the title, and the PubMed PMID #
which in this case is 10489063. Then the reader can just plug in the PMID # into PubMed search engine and find it more quickly that way. No link needed, and we have a hyperlink on each page here to PubMed for convenience anyway.

We are looking for some answers, not more questions Annesse. We already know that just about anything and everything can trigger MS, but WHAT do we do about it???

Thanks..:hug:

I've got more questions. I'm interested in relationship between MS and:

-Uric Acid
-Neopterin (It has a relationship in AIDS and as a marker for Immune System- Cytokines and Interferon-gamma)
-Albumin
-Atlas Orthogonal in neck and CNS fluid.

No wonder MS remains a mystery. I'm out of my depth, nap-time. I just have very vague understanding of this stuff. I always tell my Johns Hopkins MS specialty Neurologist to call me when MS is cured. He laughs. But I know he would call me.


(Us MSers sure know a lot-regular peeps don't look at this stuff!)

How about Globulins...is there any relationship to MS???

Thanks

Annesse,

Question: When are these enzymes missing? At birth or older?

I would like to express my celebration for the questions raised by our members, and although I remain open to all hypotheses, this one seems to be ignoring some research data on MS that has already been conducted and that leaves me scratching my head.

For example, if true, how is it that the hypothesis is only applicable to those in temperate climates; for research data has already shown that MS is rare in the far north and the far southern portions of the globe?

I would now like to learn what the "treatment" portion of this hypothesis is though; as I think that we have been given enough info on the hypothesis itself. Because of the lack of that information, the promotion of this hypothesis is sounding more and more like a sales pitch for a product of some sort.
There, I said it.:winky:

Thanks.

With love, Erika

I have followed this thread from the begining and have been waiting for the sales pitch and/or cure :rolleyes: I am very much a doubting Thomas :p

Hi Carebear~In answer to your question on Globulins... Albumin and globulin are the main proteins found in blood. Globulins act as transport proteins, and are the building blocks for antibodies, glycoproteins, lipoproteins, clotting factors and other components of the immune system.

So how would a lack of protease lead to low levels of globulins? Amino acids are the building blocks of globulins. If a person lacks any of the amino acids, the body will not be able to make globulin. Protease break down dietary proteins and release essential amino acids. We have been discussing the lack of phenylalanine (essential amino acid) in MS. The previous study I posted found that MS patients also lack tryptophan, leucine, valine and isoleucine. (Post #26)

Others have questions as well, but it seems as if the majority here are not willing to listen to how the symptoms and scientific findings in MS relate back to protease. Uric acid, neopterin etc.. can all be clearly explained as well. There was to be no "sales pitch." *edit*

These posts, I believe, explain the connection to MS and lymphoma.

I think I'm done here. Thanks for all your input everyone, but I don't think we're going to get THE answer here.

The info is interesting and all of your work is appreciated, Annesse, but I'm in a bit of a hurry.....I'm 72 and had my first MS sx at age 24 and not sure how much time I have left..:eek: :Help: :D

I'm with you Sally, I am done here too!

All we do is just keep asking for the answer......and get the same run around answers each time.

I gather that all this information is in your book "Autoimmune, The Cause And The Cure"? and the type of diet you feel would be beneficial to us based on your research? I'm not scientific or anything, but I'm getting that we should be eating large amounts of protein? Also, You said that the majority of the people here don't want to listen, I think we have. You gave us alot of information to absorb. If the answers to everyones questions are in the book, then you should at least say that so we can purchase it if we're interested.
Thanks

No, eating a large amount of protein (or any protein) if you lack these enzymes would not be beneficial. Here is a picture of unbroken down proteins and DNA in a lupus patients bloodstream. They are a result of a lack of the enzyme DNase1 as the information states. These unbroken down proteins and DNA will cause an immune response. The immune system forms NETs around these protein particles, due to the fact that they are foreign, and these NETs become lodged in organs and tissues. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0503161423.htm

Let me explain how I feel. I came here excited to share what I feel is the disease process of MS. I stated that from the beginning. If you review the first posts, you will see that the members who first posted were very skeptical that I would be able to trace the symptoms and findings I listed in MS back to these enzymes. So, that is what I began to do. Soon after, a few members decided they didn't want to listen to me explain the disease process and started posting I basically should just skip the disease process entirely and tell them how to "fix it". Imagine if you were standing up in front of a group of people trying to explain something you felt was very important. The group came to you, so to speak. They knew why you were there and what you intended to explain. After only speaking for a few minutes, someone shouts out, "I don't want to hear what you have to say. Skip to the end!" Let me say once more. I can't just tell you how to fix it. You need to understand the disease process. If you don't, what I tell you to do won't make a lick of sense. If you aren't willing to invest the small amount of time in understanding why you are sick, then I guarantee you, you won't be willing to do what I suggest you do to get well.

*edit* I am not enjoying myself and it doesn't sound like many here are either.

Frankly, I am scared to even mention my book. Yes, much of this information is in our book. Yes, one-third of the book is on the healing process. Another reason why, unless I write a literal book here, you will need the disease process information in order to get well. The healing process is a very personal journey. I point you in the right direction, but you will be the one walking. You better know where your destination is.

I am sharing additional information here that is not in the book. Sometimes you don't think to include something that might be of concern to someone with MS. For instance, the question on globulins. That is not in the book. MS patients are often given globulins though,and I can see why that would be important to understand why.

So really, as I said, this is not fun for me. If you agree that it is not beneficial for you also, then we can agree to stop. None of us need any additional stress in our lives.

I am listening but you have not answered my question, yet.

QUOTE: "...it seems as if the majority here are not willing to listen to how the symptoms and scientific findings in MS relate back to protease."

Annesse,
Rather than it being a matter of not being willing to listen to how you relate symptoms and scientific findings in MS to protease, at least from my side, it is a matter of not receiving information with respect to the other side of the hypothesis; that being what your recommendations are to correct the problem.
Providing that information would allow people to analyze for themselves if the corrective protocol might be appropriate for their individual circumstance and from that they could also decide whether to either try it or not.

In an attempt to not throw the baby out with the bathwater, some on-line searches revealed that you have posted your hypothesis in a similar manner to the way in which it was posted on NT on many other web sites; and have also received positive feedback with respect to you book and the recommendations within it.

Here is one link to a site where an individual has decided to try your recommendations:
http://www.inspire.com/Drusy/journal...-and-the-cure/

*edit*
From the same site in the comments section, your responses to some questions reiterates the hypothesis with respect to protease deficiency and also supports the use of some fermented foods (possibly as part of the corrective dietary recommendations):

*edit*

That is the information that I feel our members are looking for.
So the question remains, are you willing to provide your dietary and other 'corrective' recommendations in a more complete form (even if summarized) on this forum, or is it necessary for people to purchase the book to obtain it?

I do suggest to our members to proceed with caution should they be considering adding some of the recommended foods to their diet; especially dairy and sauerkraut; as these types of foods have been linked to allergy-type reactions, generalized inflammation and intestinal irritation; despite the claims made by the authors of this book.

Raw sauerkraut may contain high levels of salt (depending on how it is made), but it also contains variable levels of enzymes and most importantly acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that when taken into the gut can be beneficial for some, but can also cause gastrointestinal problems including diarrhea for others.

With love, Erika

Hello, this has been a great discussion w/ interesting theories. I wanted to tell you about a guy in my area who was wheelchair bound and could not play his guitar any longer who just had a stem cell transplant. His own revitalized cells. He is walking with assistance and playing his guitar now, and is raising money to have another... The article is in The Daily Hampshire Gazette in Northampton,Ma. on June 15, 2012, and their site is *edit* all caps. It was inspiring to me and gives me hope.
Thinking of all of you, Laurie

OOPs! :eek: Sorry about that.
Thanks for catching it Chemar :hug:.
Will be more careful in the future.

With love, Erika :)

List EXACT items to be checked in my blood & i'll get every one I haven't checked already.

I have MS, older sister has Lupus, younger brother hypo-thyroid. Sister with Lupus had her thyroid removed due to cancer.

Annesse,
I have horrible cognitive issues, when I'm reading one post, I can't remember what the last one was about. I guess I need to print out this entire thread and do some highlighting so it's easier to remember what you said previously. Anyway, I am interested in reading your book. Regarding the dairy, I've been off ALL dairy products for one month now and my stomach has never felt better. I have read The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf and Loren Cordain, where omitting dairy is recommended. I'm wondering if you have read any of their works and what your feeling is on their theory/diet.
Thanks.

Annesse, that would be really cool if a missing enzyme was responsible for all those chronic diseases. I was diagnoses with Fibromyalgia. I believe the cause was do to shock to my body from Vancomycin. This is what happened (short story). I worked at a hospital and contracted a Staph infection (MRSA). On receiving my 3rd dose of intravenous vancomycin, my world had collapsed and I got this severe allergic reaction to the penicillin where I couldn't move my muscles several hours like I was paralyzed. I had no problem breathing, but my muscles just wouldn't work, from there on I went through numerous test to be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. So you see, Vancomycin not only destroyed all of the bad bacteria, it also killed off all my good bacteria and with that stress on my body it triggered Fibromyalgia and maybe killed numerous enzymes along the way.

I will have to take these questions in stages. I only budgeted a set amount of time to post here. Subgirl~Sorry to hear about your MRSA infection and the need for vancomycin. I have had some experience with MRSA. There is no doubt in my mind that the antibiotics you were given may be what triggered you illness. The proper digestion of our food is dependent not only on pancreatic enzymes, but on sufficient amounts of stomach acid, beneficial bacteria, intrinsic factor etc.

I have found herbs to be very effective in treating MRSA. Here is an article from my regions newspaper on a simple herbal formula I use that has never once not been effective. Mayo Clinic called and asked to study the formula, but I had already agreed to send it to Donna Volk at the University in Arizona. She is one of the leading MRSA researchers in the world. I flew down to watch it being tested in petri dishes against MRSA and MSSA. The kill zone was clear up the side of the petri dish. It was much larger than the kill zone for vancomycin. Plus, it did not damage normal tissue.
*edited because link leads to section that charges for downloads*

I am writing an article at present for the Fibromyalgia Coalition International magazine. The founder, Yvonne Kenney, read our book and is convinced that these missing enzymes are the cause of fibromyalgia. She is a well respected authority on fibromyalgia and has done guest blogs on the Phoenix Rising and ProHealth forums. Her vote of confidence is very meaningful I think. Believe me, she was quite skeptical before she saw the evidence. At her last meeting in Kansas City, she had someone come in and teach everyone how to make kefir, one of the recommended foods in our book.

I am going to have to request that any further discussion here not involve sending members to places where they have to pay for anything, and also not be any further promotional material for books or we will have to lock the thread.

Answering direct questions here is fine
Referring people to paid materials or suggesting they buy your book to get answers is not,

please PM me if you have any questions

thank you.

Erika, I'm glad you brought up the situation where people do not have much MS in tropical climes, but you also said they didn't have much MS in far north climes. Well, I know you didn't set forth the latitudes here, but I think some northerly people do get lots of MS, particularly in Sweden and Finnland (I have no info about other Scandinavian countries or Alaska). I am wondering if this variation is a genetic thing. I am wondering if some ethnicities get it more, and they are from certain climes. I read once from a good researcher that there is a very high level in Sweden, but also a high level in Oregon's Willamette Valley, and he attributed this to arsenic in the soil, put there naturally by vulcanism. But also some ethnicities may have a harder time combating the poisons such as this.
My "other" disease, at least the first "other", the one which also has neuro symptoms, that is Porphyria, DOES have a very hard time combatting poisons such as this arsenic, and Porphyria is high in Sweden and in the Willamette Valley in the same places where MS is high (this is from old research which I don't have, so I am writing from memory, material we got on a forum from a European researcher called Hans, who was sharp as a tack but left because we fought too much). My paternal aunts, who had MS diagnoses had a mother from a far north clime, but they also lived in the Willamette Valley. I think they had Porphyria too, but of course I'm speculating, but I am doggone sure about one of them, Wilhelmina. Her sister Ethelwynne died of kidney failure at 30 and I didn't know her, so that's another story.

Anyway, as Swank said, some people may have something missing in their blood which makes it harder for them to detox poisons. Annesse has suggested pancreatic enzyme deficiency, but has not shown this to be true to our satisfaction. There could be another factor; it could be genetic, as Porphyria is. Or this could be the cause in some cases of MS, those caused by chemicals rather than an auto-immune disease.

I am rambling but wanted to get some of these thoughts out, because I think they are worth considering even if they are specs.

Right you are Mariel; there is a prevalence of MS in the northern latitudes...however, it seems that some races, especially indigenous peoples in those areas, as well as in the far north are somehow immune to developing the disease.
That apparent racial distribution of immunity seems to indicate that there may be both a genetic factor (cause) linked to MS as well as an environmental one (condition).

Global Epidemiology and Prevalence of MS
http://library.med.utah.edu/kw/ms/epidemiology.html

With respect to detoxification and a possible familial genetic link, I think that you have hit at least one nail on the head. The Hutterites (German ancestors) as well as the Scandinavian Lapps also seem to be immune to MS and I do not believe that they are considered to be separate races from those of Caucasian European ancestry; the race which has the highest incidence of MS. Thus, along with racial prevalence, geographic distribution (and possible toxins in that area), there also seems to be a familial genetic link as well.

These are the sorts of things that I am finding difficult to ignore with respect to a "one cause-one cure hypothesis".
Even when we look at the Swank diet which has proven helpful for many, if we posit that such a diet is the only solution, then by default, it would suggest that those who consumed a diet that was at the opposite of the pendulum swing should or would have a higher risk of MS.
Yet, the numbers just don't agree with that potential theory.

For example, the modern Inuit and Native North Americans consume a diet that is high in saturated fat, high in processed carbohydrate and highly toxic due to the consumption of highly processed food and refined sugars; as most do not eat their native diets any more. Yet, these races have a very low incidence of MS, despite living in a highly prevalent area. But they might not have the seed of neuro0immune disease.

But similar to those races, the modern Lapp Scandinavian diet is very high in dairy, saturated animal fat, flour products and sugar; yet these people also seem to be immune to MS, again despite living among those who have one of the highest population distributions. Apparently they do carry the seed of neuro-immune disease, for they do develop it, just not as much as their bretheren in Scandinavia.

This sort of data is strongly suggestive of a genetic and familial link to prevalence as well as to immunity. At least so far, it does seem that MS and possibly other similar neuro-immune diseases arise due to possibly more than one cause (the neuro-immune disease seeds); such as genetics, gender & familial predisposition.
Further, it also seems that there may be a multitude of conditions including childhood vaccinations, virus exposure (especially in the pre-adult ages), toxicity and possibly a lack of enzymes that promote the 'sprouting and growth' of those neuro-immune disease seeds.

It is all such a head scratcher isn't it?

Please pass the enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, LDN, beta-interferons, steroids, antibiotics and what ever else might slow down the growth of the neuro-immune disease sprouts.
Lets bring them all out so we can all have a look at them...and maybe, just maybe, someone will finally figure out what will reliably work for whom and why.:winky:

With love, Erika

Erika, I want that LDN, to give a try. My hematologist just laughed (semi-sneer) when I inquired about it, but it seems to have helped many. At this time I am acutely depressed and need some help. I can't take anti-depressants because of Porphyria. I did tolerate very very well the radiation given to blast my platelets into a reasonable number, although who knows the long term effects, so far none. Maybe I could tolerate LDN, but I don't know how to get it as my main doc ridiculed it. That is, the hemo. Maybe I will try pcp but I don't think she will have even heard of it.
I believe, Erika, that I am hereditarily inclined to porphyria and that porphyria sometimes causes the brain scars of MS (not always, sometimes). Or else I am hereditarily inclined to both diseases. (the Polycythemia Vera, my third dx, does not seem to be hereditary). I am really tired of dealing with this and wish I could take a pill to help. I very rarely take demerol, chronic pain is not bad except neuropathy in feet, so I probably could take LDN from that perspective. Way off topic. Sorry.

Hi Mariel,
Maybe check out the LDN thread. In there you will find that I had much the same experience in requesting LDN. It may help to offer to send your PCP the LDN site link via email and suggest that he/she at least watch the short informational video.

With love, Erika