Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 6447 msfocusmagazine.org While we have seen great advances in medication for MS, we also need to focus on the bigger picture of wellness. Research has shown that regular exercise is associated with better energy levels and an improved quality of life for people with MS. Finally, think about healthy eating. We really don’t know what the “best” diet is for peoplewithMS.Gluten-free?Dairy-free?Swank diet? Wahl’s diet? Nutrition researchers do agree on some basic principles though: portion control, more fruits andvegetables, less red meat. Try to get your vitamins/nutrients from food rather than a pill,with the exception for some being the need for extra vitamin D. Study shows treating early symptoms may delay MS onset A new study suggests that starting medication formultiple sclerosis in people who show the beginning signs of the diseaseislinkedwithprolonging the time before the disease is definitively diagnosed. The study involved people who had a first episode that was suggestive of MS, such as numbness, vision problems or problems with balance, and an MRI that showed signs of possible MS. Up to 85 percent of people in this situation, which is called clinically isolated syndrome, will in time be diagnosed with MS. Thosewhoreceivedtheearlytreatmentwere 33 percent less likely to be diagnosed with MS than thosewho received the delayed treatment. People in the early group also had more time before their first relapse of the disease than people in the delayed group. The early group also had a lower overall yearly relapse rate. The study was published in online issue of Neurology. Thrower – The importance of diagnosing MS early and initiating therapy is illustrated in this study. The damage seen with MS in the human brain and spinal cord has been compared to an iceberg. The part we see on the surface is dwarfed by what is under the surface. Another analogy might be a forest fire. The fire is much easier to put out when it’s small versus when it’s a raging inferno. Similarly, the immune attack of MS appears to be easier to control early. In addition, early inflammation in MS may lead to permanent damage in the central nervous system and irreversible disability. While research on neu- ral repair looks promising, our best strategy is to prevent damage before it occurs. Improper criteria use can lead to MS misdiagnosis Clinicians and researchers have known for decades that multiple sclerosis misdiagnosis is a problem. The authors of a new study define the nature of medical conditions that lead to patients being misdiagnosed with MS, as well as possible reasons why they are misdiagnosed. They hope the study will en- courage clinicians to be better educated on the proper use of MS diagnostic criteria and on the problem of MS misdiagnosis. The authors examined the possible causes formisdiagnosisinthe110patientsinthestudy. They found the initial clinicians may not have used MS diagnostic criteria appropriately. Aproper clinical diagnosis relies on a rigorous evaluation that includes careful interpretation of radiological data from an MRI. However, We really don’t know what the “best” diet is for people with MS. Gluten-free? Dairy- free? Swank diet? Wahl’s diet?