Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system. It destroys the covering or insulating material around the nervous fibers, known as myeline. In this disease, gradual destruction of myelin occurs in patches throughout the brain or spinal cord (or both), interfering with the nerve pathways and causing muscular weakness, loss of coordination and speech and visual disturbances. It occurs chiefly affects people between the ages of 20 and 50 years, but can also occur before 20 or after 50 years. It is, however, not found for the first time in persons over 55 years, or before adolescence. Women are slightly more affected by this disease than men.

It is thought to be a defect in the immune system that may be of genetic or viral origin. This disease affects many parts of the brain and the spinal chord so it is called "multiple". It is called sclerosis because the disease involves `sclerosed` or hardened tissue in damaged areas of the brain and spinal cord. The disease usually leads to a range of symptoms associated with disruption of nerve function, such as paralysis and tremors. It has been proved that the incidence of multiple sclerosis increases dramatically with latitude, and that exposure to sunlight in childhood and adolescence protects against the disease in later life.

Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis:
Symptoms of multiple sclerosis vary greatly from person to person. Typical pattern is short period of acute symptoms, followed by an easing or disappearance of symptoms for weeks, months or even years. Some persons have mild attacks that never return. Common initial symptoms may include extreme fatigue, loss of balance and co-ordination, numbness and weakness of limbs, eye trouble, speech difficulties, and loss of bladder control. The patient may experience one, several or all of these symptoms, depending on the location and extent of damage to the nerve tissue.

Causes of Multiple Sclerosis:
The most important of the causes of this disorder is the viral attack. When viruses enter the body, they multiply rapidly inside the body cells. Most viruses cause symptoms quickly. Certain slow-acting viruses also reappear later, causing new symptoms. Other slow-acting viruses stay inside the body for months or years before triggering illness. The second probable cause is related to immune reaction. The human bodies have a built-in defense system, which destroys viruses and bacteria. The defence system can backfire and start attacking the body`s own cells. This is called an auto immune reaction. Multiple sclerosis might involve an auto immune reaction in which the body attacks its own tissues.

The third possible cause of multiple sclerosis is the combination of both viruses and immune reaction. When viruses invade the body, they take over body cells. The body defense system might become confused because some viruses take over parts of cells, and it might attack both host cells and virus. The most important factors, which might precipitate multiple sclerosis, are exposure to cold, mental distress, over-exertion, some acute disease, an actual lesion of the central nervous system of traumatic or other nature and some specific febrile disease. There is evidence to suggest that multiple sclerosis patients tend to have experienced, on average, up to three times the unwanted stressful events in their lives within two years prior to the onset of their first symptoms compared with average number of patients with other disease.

Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis by Nature Cure:
Diet:
Diet plays an important role in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. The patient should restore to a short juice fast for five days. In this regimen, he should take a glass of fresh fruit or vegetable juice, diluted with water on 50:50 basis, every two hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. All available fresh, raw vegetables and fruits in season may be used for juices. A warm water enema should be used daily to cleanse the bowels during the period.

After the short juice fast, the patient should adopt a well-balanced lacto-vegetarian diet. The emphasis should be on organically grown, poison-free, whole, unprocessed raw foods, raw fruits and raw vegetables, especially root vegetables, raw milk, raw sprouted seeds and grains, particularly sprouted wheat and rye and raw nuts. Other foods beneficial in the treatment of multiple sclerosis are raw unpasturized homemade cottage cheese and home made soured milk, raw fresh unsalted fresh butter, crude cereal germ oils, unsaturated fatty acids. Raw unfiltered honey is the only sweetener allowed.

The patient should avoid coffee, tea, chocolate, salt, spices, sugar, all refined foods, especially refined carbohydrates, processed, canned and frozen foods. All fruit and berries are beneficial. Best vegetables for multiple sclerosis are carrot, cabbage, radish, cucumber, red beet and tomato. Vitamin supplementation is vital in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Large doses of thiamine or B1, niacin or B3 and pyridoxine or B6 can be used with success. Vitamin F and Vitamin E are also specific. Cortisone products may give temporary relief, but may not affect the general course of the disease.

Home Remedies:
The patient should avoid overwork and fatigue. Weakened muscles should be given a massage, and all the joints should be put through their normal range of motion every day. This will also help spastic muscles. Other useful measures are exercises, swimming, cold showers morning and evening, hot baths, and hot mineral baths. The patient should continue with his normal occupation as long as possible. Most patients with multiple sclerosis will have less trouble in a warmer climate.

Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis by SuryaYoga:
There is a strong circumstantial evidence to prove that vitamin D protects against this disease. It seems that by inhibiting the secretion of melatonin sunlight also prevents multiple sclerosis by strengthening the immune system and preventing demyelization. If the disease is to be avoided, irrespective of the physical mechanism involved, there are good grounds for discouraging children from wearing sunglasses and encouraging regular moderate sunlight exposure.