Natural Treatments
Chronic diseases like MS can often be managed and sometimes cured more effectively with alternative therapeutics than with conventional medicine. MS patients commonly seek out alternative therapies that aim to reduce inflammation and are based on changes in the diet and lifestyle.
This section will include some of the better known alternative treatments for MS:
- the Swank Diet and the modified MacDougall Diet (also known as anti-inflammatory diet),
- Wobenzyme N/Proteolytic Enzyme Supplementation,
- Bee Venom Therapy, and
- and EAP Supplementation Therapy.
Also described are some general guidelines to follow no matter what treatment the MS patient chooses. We will update information as more research data are gathered and the effectiveness of the treatment options can be determined.
Physical Medicine
Exercise is an essential part of all MS treatment plans. Regular gentle exercise can help to maintain flexibility and muscle control and counteract some of the more destabilizing effects of MS.
However, it is easy to overdo it and get discouraged by the discomfort, exacerbation of symptoms, and/or fatigue that can result from too much activity. It is important to find the balance between not enough and too much exercise. Exercise tolerance levels will change from time to time, so persevere and be consistent. Discuss your options with your doctor and explore what feels best.
Common choices for exercise support include: yoga, Tai chi/Qi gong, swimming, bicycling, and walking. Avoid strenuous exercises that can overheat your body's core temperature, as this may exacerbate symptoms.
Physician-developed and -monitored.
Original Date of Publication: 01 Jan 2000
Reviewed by: Stanley J. Swierzewski, III, M.D.
Last Reviewed: 01 Dec 2007
Multiple Sclerosis, Natural Treatments reprinted with permission from neurologychannel.com
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