Multiple Sclerosis, Multiple Herbs
Best Single Herb: Black currant oil
Best Combinations: Black currant oil; liquid chlorophyll; black walnut; germanium; skullcap; passion flower; horsetail; wild yam
Other Helpful Supplements: Vitamin E; B-complex; lecithin; cell salts; CoQ10; food enzymes; amino acids
Possible Causes: Stress; malnutrition; environmental toxicity; aspartame
Complementary Help: Undergo stress-reduction therapy; eat organic foods only; read Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill, by Udo Erasmus, and Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, by Dr. Russell Blaylock
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease affecting the nervous system. The myelin sheaths that surround and protect the nerves become damaged, which affects the brain and spinal cord and impairs the function of all nerves involved. Unfortunately, I see more and more young people these days suffering from multiple sclerosis, but the good news is that I have also seen folks with multiple sclerosis recover and experience increasingly longer periods without relapse, thanks to herbal remedies and other nutritional supplements.
Multiple sclerosis affects different parts of the nerves and brain so symptoms are scattered and can vary. Symptoms generally include:
- An unsteady gait Shaky hands or legs
- Involuntary rapid movement of the eyes
- Spasmodic weakness
- Affected speech
- Blurred vision due to inflammation of the nerves behind the eyes
- Now let’s talk about some herbs that might help protect you from this disease.
Warnings about the use of herbs
Never use a cold footbath when afflicted with the mumps because the blood will be pushed upward. If the glands are swollen around the neck, they are protecting the brain from viral or bacterial infection. You do not want to do anything that forces the infection toward the head. Instead, use cold packs around the neck or swollen areas.
Black Currant Oil
Black currant oil is high in essential fatty acids, such as gamma linoleic acid (GLA). Research has shown that people suffering from degenerative diseases are low in these essential fatty acids, so gamma linoleic acid can help protect the immune system. Evening primrose oil has similar properties to black currant oil, but it contains only half the GLA. Flax seed oil and lecithin are also good sources of essential fatty acids, but they’re still not as rich in gamma linoleic acid as black currant oil.
Fatty acids are required to build up the myelin nerve sheaths, and this is why black currant oil can be your best single herb for multiple sclerosis. Essential fatty acids also build hormones, which are required for many biochemical processes and cellular communication.
Black currant oil has helped many and has been used for these conditions:
- Allergies
- Cancer
- Candida
- Eczema
- Female disorders
- Immunity
- Mental and nervous system disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- Obesity
- PMS
- Skin ailments (all kinds)
Consider all foods and herbs that feed, support, and build the nervous system if you have multiple sclerosis. Vitamin E aids circulation and serves as an antioxidant, B-complex vitamins feed the brain and nervous system, and lecithin, cell salts, CoQ10, amino acids, and food enzymes have all been helpful supplements. Other helpful herbs besides black currant oil include liquid chlorophyll, black walnut, germanium, skullcap, passion flower, horsetail, and wild yam.
Other Multiple Sclerosis Considerations
Because the cause of the myelin sheath damage remains unknown, avoid the things that are rumored to be possible causes, even if it is not yet proven scientifically. For instance, several reports on aspartame (more commonly known as Equal or NutriSweet®, a chemical ingredient used to sweeten many sugarless foods and drinks) link the substance to a myriad of symptoms and illnesses including multiple sclerosis, nerve damage, brain lesions, brain tumors, headaches, depression, black-outs, forgetfulness, and other central nervous system disorders. For more information on this and other food additives, read the book Excitotoxins, The Taste That Kills, by Dr. Russell Blaylock.
Eliminating all potential toxins going into your body can eliminate the source of what could be causing your problem. Some pesticides are known to be toxic to the nervous system, so search out organic foods whenever possible to keep potentially harmful pesticides out of your system.
Stress-reduction therapies should be incorporated into your life if you suffer from MS. Activities such as swimming, yoga, massage, reflexology, and other bodywork done weekly will help keep your nerves from overreacting and may help slow the damage in the nervous system.
Herb Lore: information related to holistic health
Aspartame is a chemical substance that contains 10 percent of a toxic substance called methanol. Methanol is an accumulative poison, meaning that it cannot leave the body and will build up to toxic amounts in the system. Maybe the company who produces these products slipped this past the FDA by affirming that the P450 enzymes in the liver can, in fact, break down methanol. But maybe they forgot to mention that the liver breaks down methanol and turns it into formaldehyde! Formaldehyde is another toxic substance used to embalm the dead! Tip: Try the sweet herb stevia instead.