How to Use Holistic Medicine to Treat Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-term disease that attacks the central nervous system. Common symptoms include painful muscle cramps, numbness in the arms, legs and face, blurred vision and trouble balancing. There's no current cure for multiple sclerosis; but there are ways to treat the symptoms. Holistic medicine focuses on the ability the body has to heal itself. By balancing the body, mind and soul with the environment the individual lives in, it's believed that holistic practitioners can alleviate MS symptoms. Follow these steps to find out how.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet access
• Money to cover treatment costs

Decrease Symptoms Through a Proper Diet

1. Avoid foods containing saturated fats. Saturated fats usually derive from animal fats, which can exacerbate multiple sclerosis symptoms.
2. Consume plenty of vegetables and fiber. Good choices are beans and peas.
3. Choose lean meats as a primary source of protein.
4. Maintain a diet with less than 20 g of fat per day. As an MS patient, this can make a huge difference in relieving your symptoms and prolonging your life.
5. Take supplements like vitamin D, vitamin B12 and fish oil capsules to help relieve painful MS symptoms.

Use Complementary Holistic Therapies

6. Use exercise and complementary alternative medicine practices as a way to alleviate symptoms.
7. Practice deep breathing to combat stress. Stress can aggravate MS symptoms. If deep breathing isn't enough, combine deep breathing with meditation (see next section).
8. Learn to read your body's signals and enrich your health with biofeedback. Biofeedback involves using brain power to change physical bodily functions. This isn't a technique for amateurs. It might require assistance from an alternative medicine practitioner. Read more about it at the "Holistic online" Web site (see Resources below).

Use Meditation to Treat Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms

9. Start by choosing a quiet area and closing your eyes.
10. Concentrate on your breathing and try to relax.
11. Begin to let go of tension with every deep inhale and exhale.
12. Allow your body and mind to melt. Let go of any thoughts or worries.
13. Surrender to a deep relaxation.

Tips & Warnings

• Treatments for MS range from moderately priced to expensive.
• If you have difficulty breathing or persistent blurred vision, seek immediate medical attention.
• Before you start any alternative medical technique, be aware that many have not been scientifically evaluated. If you decide to try holistic medicine, keep your doctor informed about the folk medical technique you undertake.