What’s New for MS

Research on MS continues to advance. Researchers are making headway in virtually every priority funding category identified by the National MS Society: stopping MS, restoring what’s been lost, and ending the disease forever. Researchers are closer to understanding what causes MS and how to effectively treat and prevent MS than ever before.

Here is a video on recent developments from MSWorld.org:  Overview of 2016 MS Research.

For a broader view of the history of understanding MS, the National MS Society provides an interesting document entitled “Critical Milestones for MS” here: Timeline of Progress in MS Research.

FINALLY there are a number of studies taking a look at the relationship between diet and MS. If I never hear "Have you tried ...? Or my friend only eats ___ and feels great!" it'll be too soon. But if there is actual research then that's a different story. Right now there is not enough evidence to recommend one diet over another. However, most of the diets agree on the same food items that should be cut out. Foods to avoid are those that:

·         Are highly processed

·         Have a high glycemic index (GI)

·         Are high in saturated fat

In general, the diets tend to recommend eating less fatty red meat and more fruits and vegetables. Keep an eye out for the results of these studies. The National MS Society reviewed various dies here: NMSS Diet and Multiple Sclerosis.

Here’s to a happy and healthy new year!