Author: dr.vanta

From “The Plant Paradox” Book- Two Things You Should Know

Posted by | Aug 5, 2017 | |

I would like to mention a couple of things (both relevant to MS) that really caught my attention. I feel were not emphasized enough in his newly published book “The Plant Paradox.” [1]    Nr. 1. Dr Gundry’s Diet helps improve TNF-alpha The low lectin diet developed by Dr Gundry has several health benefits for MS, but I’d like to point out a very important one: it improves TNF-alpha, a key marker of inflammation.   A quick review of  my research first :     Let’s look at what happens with TNF-alpha levels. MS has been linked with increased levels of TNF-alpha for a long time [2], [3] . It appears that TNF-alpha plays an active role, especially during periods of disease activity, and peaks during stress and infections [4]. The level of TNF-alpha in CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) correlates with the severity and progression of MS [5], [6]. Furthermore, TNF- alpha  could be the primary neurotoxic molecule in progressive forms of MS, according to some scientists [7]. Considering these facts, there is no surprise that researchers tried to use anti-TNF therapy (i.e. monoclonal antibodies to TNF-alpha) for autoimmune diseases, but these drugs have serious side effects [8], [9], [10].  Simply put, these drugs increase the risk of infections, cancers, other autoimmune diseases (i.e. lupus), other demyelinating conditions, lung problems, anemia and more [11]. Cholesterol lowering agents such as Lipitor also decrease TNF-alpha [12] but also have...

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Success Stories of Reversed MS – 78 Cases of MS

Posted by | Aug 3, 2017 | |

Review of a 2015 study conducted by Grace Olakunle, Faculty of Health Sciences/Department of Community Medicine, The Arctic University of Norway; Her Master’s thesis in Public Health : Patient Initiated Self-Care and Positive Health Outcomes in Patients Living with Multiple Sclerosis: A Qualitative Study. Research paper by Grace Olakunle .   Grace Olakunle chose a great topic for her Master’s thesis in Public Health. She evaluated 78 Scandinavian patients (aged 35 to 67 years) diagnosed with MS, who had remarkable improvements in managing MS. Just like me, she was looking for a pattern- what do all these successful cases have in common? A quick note here: I am not sure, but  this study likely includes Mona and Anna, as the data was collected from the same source, NAFKAM, that I described in my other blog (that one was based on the evaluation of 12 patients with remarkable improvements, with two cases, Mona and Anna, described in great details, while this study evaluates 78 patients).  Here is the summary: The purpose of the study was to find out the daily routines and self-care practices that helped them live better with MS. The data came from the Registry of Exceptional Courses of Disease (established at the National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NAFKAM), Norway in 2002). All the participants were using CAM (complementary and alternative medicine). Roughly 25% of them were...

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Dr. Gundry’s Diet for MS -Review

Posted by | Jul 30, 2017 | |

  Plant lectins were discovered over one century ago [1]. Yet, very few know about them. The first time I heard about lectins was about 12 years ago when I was studying nutrition in College. I’ve learned that many lectins, also known as anti-nutrients, cause inflammation and other toxic effects in the body, I also learned a few ways to decrease the lectin content (i.e. cooking, fermenting). Later, I came across Dr D’Adamo’s work and more recently I found Dr Gundry’s low lectin diet. His newly published book “The Plant Paradox” is filled with a lot of research and great information, based on scientific studies. I believe this diet can be adapted to everyone who has an autoimmune condition, including MS.  You can also read my other blog  Dr Gundry’s “The Plant Paradox” Book- Two Things You Should Know Dr Gundry has been successfully using his diet to treat tens of thousands of people with various conditions, ranging from autoimmune diseases (about 50% of his patients), degenerative conditions, leaky gut syndrome to diabetes and heart diseases. He has done extensive research, with over 300 articles published on peer reviews journals on using diet and supplements to eliminate diseases. 12. Bonus: this book includes a success story of Marcia, a young woman who was able to reverse MS symptoms by following Dr Gundry’s dietary plan. You can go straight to page 175 and read...

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Ketogenic Diet For MS

Posted by | Jul 25, 2017 | |

  The Ketogenic Diet (KD)   1.What is Keto Diet (KD) and a Brief History. 2. Ketone Bodies Are a Great Alternative to Sugar to Fuel the Brain 3. KD Fights Degeneration and Inflammation 4. Brain Mitochondria Love Ketone Bodies 5. KD Improves Brain Health and Cognition, and Corrects Neurotransmitter Imbalances 6. KD Promotes Weight Loss, Improves Body Composition 7. KD Improves Signs and Symptoms of MS 8. KD- Misconceptions and Warnings 9. My Thoughts   1.What is Keto diet and a brief history -Has been researched and used since the 1920s as a therapy for epilepsy (this diet can remove the need for antiepileptic drugs in some cases) -Researchers first noticed the benefits of fasting, then found that KD mimics the effects of fasting -Since the 1960s till date, KD had been mostly known for weight loss (extensive research on its metabolic effects from Dr. Cahill and colleagues and Dr. Atkins) [1]  -It appears that KD is even referenced in the Bible in the story of a cured epileptic (New Testament, Matthew 17:14–21) [1] -We now have many versions of KD, ketone bodies in supplement form, and a fasting mimicking diet (Dr V Longo). -KD has been studied for various conditions, showing benefits for weight loss, heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, epilepsy (strongest evidence) as well as MS, Parkinson’s , Alzheimer’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, brain trauma), PCOS, acne and cancer.  ...

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What If MS Is Nothing Other than Diabetes?

Posted by | Jul 17, 2017 | , |

  What If MS Is Nothing Other than Diabetes?   I am inviting you to think seriously about this idea : What if MS is nothing else but Diabetes ?. I know it may sound crazy, but just keep an open mind. Let’s look at the evidence.  Sugar metabolism and brain health Sugar metabolism is abnormal in MS (and other related conditions) Anti-diabetes drugs Metformin and Pioglitazone help treat MS Altered metabolism of sugar in MS- more details and why is not detected by blood tests MS: Striking similarities with diabetes type 1, 2 and 3 Solutions to altered metabolism of sugar My opinion     1.Sugar metabolism and brain health Your brain needs glucose for energy, to keep the the brain cells healthy and generate neurotransmitters our body needs sugar(glucose) to generate energy (in the form of ATP). Although the human brain is very little, only 2% of the body weight, it uses 25% of the total glucose, and the energy requirement is highest in the cells of the adult brain [1]. In the brain, this energy from glucose will be used for brain cells survival and generate neurotransmitters [2].   2.Sugar metabolism is abnormal in MS   The brain does not get enough glucose, causing mitochondrial dysfunction and  neurodegeneration. One molecule breaks down into 2 molecules of pyruvate during a process called glycolysis. Since 1950 (that’s almost 7...

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