Multiple Sclerosis Protocols in Ayurveda

Suggestions for Vata type MS

Introduction 
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms. Disease onset usually occurs in young adults, and it is more common in females.

Therapeutic Protocols 
Multiple Scloersis is classified as a difficult disease to cure, but curable in early stages. MS becomes incurable after the nerve myelin is lost or damaged beyond the body’s ability to repair it. Then it moves into the third category of impossible to cure, but possible to manage. MS is best treated in the first two years as it is still easy to reverse the pathology. Depending on the person it can still be curable up to ten years. In most cases it becomes impossible to cure after ten years. In the primary progressive and progressive relapsing sub-types treatment should be done within the first year for best results, or at least in the first two years.

In Ayurveda MS is treated with Langhana therapies to remove ama and dosha accumulation. If possible Ayurveda suggests using strong purifying methods (Shodhana) such as Pancha Karma to remove the dosha + ama deposits in the body. If this is not possible then Shamhana therapies can be used with the person over a long period of time. Shamhana therapies are preferable when the patient is too young, too old, too weak, too debilitated, or lacking financial means to perform strong Shodhana therapies each year for three or four years.

 Ayurvedic lifestyle includes dietary rules and daily schedules. Here are the lifestyle guidelines;

1)Remove coffee from the diet, black or green tea can be taken up to 200 ml per day, not more.

2)If you drink colas or soft drinks (sweat carbonated beverages) stop them all immediately.

3)Stop smoking cigarettes. If the patient is smoking more than 5 per day then a gradual reduction over one to two months is required. Abrupt stopping can cause a relapse or attack.

4)Reduce or stop all forms of alcohol from the diet. Small amounts of red wine can be taken – not more than 200ml per week.

5)Use ginger tea plus digestive spices to increase Agni (digestive capacity). See recipe at the end of this document. Dose is 10 times 100ml per day, or one liter total.

6)Increase regularity in your life. Develop habitual schedules for eating, sleeping and work. Six days per week need to be very regular and one day can be rest from the schedule per week.

7)Avoid eating between meals. Avoid sweets and chocolate. If you eat sweets eat them after the mid-day meal when they will do the less damage.

8)Daily planning:
a.Wake up, go to toilet
b.Apply a thin layer of sesame oil all over your body. Avoid putting it on your head and hair. Dress in comfortable clothes.
c.Put 1 or 2 drops of sesame oil in each nostril. Allow the oil to move to the back of the throat then blow your nose and remove all fluids.
d.Have a hot drink (ginger tea, etc.)
e.Do 10 minutes of breathing exercise – alternate nostril breathing is best, but watching the breath pass the entrance of the nostrils is good enough.
f.Have a hot shower – dress for the day, stay warm.
g.Eat breakfast – warm food in small amounts if you are not hungry. Warm food in larger amounts if you are hungry.
h.Go to work or other daily activity.
i.Mid-day – stop and eat lunch. Eat warm food if possible. Avoid cold raw foods as the only lunch. Salads can be eaten after a warm meal. Take at least 30 to 60 minutes break at mid-day. This should be a main meal in your day.
j.Return to work or other daily activity.
k.Have a hot drink in the late afternoon (16h or 4pm). Avoid sweets or candy bars.
l.Return home after work.
m.Eat the evening meal earlier rather than later. You need to have 3 hours of time to digest your dinner before going to sleep.
n.Avoid dairy products at night. NO yogurt or creamy foods. Eat lighter than at mid-day. NO desert or snakes after eating.
o.If there is a problem in the evening after dinner NOT to eat sweets then you should sit 10 minutes and to the breathing exercise that you did in the morning.
p.Before sleep apply a little sesame oil to the bottom of your feet. Cover them with socks and go to bed.
q.You should be in bed by 23h or 11pm.

9)Diet should be nourishing but simple. The evening meal should avoid heavy foods and dairy products. This will give more energy in the morning. Eating earlier in the evening and allowing more time to digest will help stabilize the energy levels and reduce fatigue. Eat enough that you are not hungry at 23h but not too much that you feel heavy.

Dietary considerations 
To increase our immunity we need to increase our ability to digest and assimilate what we eat. We also need to eat things that we can digest and assimilate. This is the basic starting point. An anti-ama diet (toxin reducing diet) is often needed before proceeding with a long term nutritional program. It is indicated for the treatment of MS.

This requires a strict diet of no animal products and no stimulants. Regular meal times should be established.

Avoid these foods: all stimulants (coffee, all alcohol), fermented foods, acidic foods and Peanuts.

Foods that are helpful: Spelt (grain), Whole Grains (wheat, etc.), Almonds, Spirulina, Chlorella, and Ghee.

Herbal therapies 
Herbal treatments are less important than diet and should be given by a qualified person. The most important in Shamhana therapies is to keep the evacuation of stool regular. Daily elimination is extremely important in the treatment of MS.