I’ve been amazed at the outpouring of tremendous support since I wrote “A Piece of Me.” That post was the first time I truly poured my heart out here, and I’m completely overwhelmed by your wonderful responses. This community is amazing. I had no idea when I started this blog in 2006, that I would have such an incredible online family here. Your support is absolutely wonderful and I am so grateful for all of you every single day.
In addition to your unconditional support, I was very impressed by the level of knowledge and ideas shared here. In order for everyone to benefit from all of your helpful suggestions, I am compiling a summary called New Approaches to Neurological Conditions. This list is for those newly diagnosed, as well as those who have been living with a neurological condition and the label of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, lewy body dementia (LBD), epilepsy, early onset dementia, as well as other serious brain disorders. Those with fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, EMF sensitivity, and other disorders with neurological components will also benefit.
My wish here is that people dealing with severe neurological conditions will not lose hope and may find a helpful idea here or there to add to their treatment plans. Since science is constantly changing, health is a puzzle that requires continuous research. By compiling all of your ideas, I hope, and truly believe that we can heal here together.
New Approaches to Neurological Conditions
1. Lyme Disease
If you have been diagnosed with a neurological condition, be sure to rule out Lyme disease and see a Lyme literate doctor. This was the top suggestion that came from readers. Lyme disease can cause severe neurological impairment that is similar to many neurological diseases. Thankfully, I’ve had numerous tests done by IgeneX and have been able to rule out Lyme disease.
As an aside, a fairly well known treatment for Lyme disease is hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). If you receive HBOT and have Lyme disease, it is likely that you will have flu-like symptoms after at least one of your treatments, if not more. This is because hyperbaric exposure extracts the spiral bacteria from the connective tissue, forcing it into the blood stream of Lyme patients. This causes a Herxheimer reaction, basically a detoxifying process that can last from days to a few weeks. Herxheimer can include flu-like, as well as other symptoms.
Thankfully, I felt better during the entire course of my HBOT treatments and did not experience a Herxheimer response, leading my team of functional medicine doctors to believe that my IgeneX results were accurate.
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2. Heavy Metal Toxicity
Unfortunately, many of us had mercury used for our dental fillings when we were younger. If you have a neurological condition get tested for heavy metal toxicity, as it can impair brain function. Functional medicine doctors have a battery of tests that they can deploy in this situation, and your doctor will know what is best for you.
I had heavy metal testing done in 2003, and had my fillings removed by a biological dentist in 2004. The dentist followed the safest of protocols when removing my fillings, using a dental dam and oxygen during the procedure. Still, I had some fairly severe side effects for a few weeks. In the long run though, I was better off and my mercury levels are now very low. If you decide to have your metal fillings removed, do so in conjunction with a functional medicine doctor who can test you for heavy metals before and after the removal process.
For someone such as myself, who detoxifies more slowly due to the presence of an MTHFR genetic mutation, it was important to go slow and not overdo detoxifying supplements. My doctor and I also ruled out chelation therapy for me. We did agree that consuming cilantro would be a gentle way to pull heavy metals out of my system. I created this Cilantro Detox Juice that I drink almost daily to detoxify and remove the heavy metals that are now regularly found in our environment.
A good functional medicine doctor will do a thorough interview and design the best plan for your body. Remember, we are all biochemical individuals and need different doses of various supplements in this type of situation. Customization is key, there is no one size fits all treatment plan.
3. Rebuild Your Gut Microbiome
Many of you mentioned one of my favorite books, Brain Maker, written by my colleague Dr. David Perlmutter. In this book he explains the interaction of intestinal microbes and the brain. Dr. Perlmutter describes how the microbiome develops from birth, then evolves, and how it can become debilitated. I have been following the work of Dr. Perlmutter, since 2004 and we share the same mentor. He is a wonderful advocate for nurturing gut health to heal your brain. If you have any gut or neurological issues whatsoever, my post called, How I Healed my Gut, is a must-read for you!
4. Terry Wahls
I’m grateful that so many of you have discovered this amazing functional medicine neurologist who I featured here in 2012. Her Ted Talk on using the paleo diet to heal MS is very inspiring. If you haven’t seen it already I hope you’ll watch it!
5. Hypyerbaric Oxygen Therapy
I’ve written about hyperbaric oxygen therapy extensively here. Since I’ve seen such good results from it, I thought it was important to mention. I have received over 100 HBOT treatments and it has been incredibly helpful for me in ameliorating the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Because HBOT increases brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) it may also benefit other neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and LBD.1
6. Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic diet reduces inflammation in the brain.2 It is a very low-carb diet (VLCD), high in fat, that has been used for decades to treat epilepsy, a neurological disorder in which nerve cell activity in the brain is disturbed, causing seizures.
The macro-nutrient ratio of this diet is extreme. The classic ketogenic diet consists of a 4:1 ratio in grams of fat to non-fat (protein and carbohydrates). A modified ketogenic diet consists of ratios of 2:1 or 1:1. To be clear, the 4:1 ratio means the patient consumes 4 grams of fat for every 1 gram of protein and carbohydrates combined. If you do go on a traditional ketogenic diet it is very important to do so under the supervision of a doctor. For more information, as well as an assortment of keto recipes, see my Ketogenic Diet Recipes page.
7. Prayer
It is common knowledge that prayer helps heal, and there are studies to prove it.3 More than anything else, I am thankful to all of you for your prayers and good wishes!
Lately, I have enjoyed hearing about the healing power of prayer from Dr. Joe Dispenza. In some of his videos he elaborates on how positive thinking and prayer can set off a series of epigenetic changes on a cellular level that lead to healing. Prayer is free, and available to us all. A simple thank you said to oneself repeatedly is a wonderful prayer of gratitude that can release endorphins and lead to a sense of well being, among other positive changes.
I want to thank you all again for your overwhelming support and love. I think of your incredible comments every night at bedtime when I say my prayers of gratitude.
Finally, if I missed anything that you think is important for people with neurological issues or brain disease to have on their radar, please let us know about it and leave your suggestions below!
Crystal says
Hi Elana, I stumbled across this site today while looking for a whipped cream alternative. I feel like God sent me here. I have a neurological condition that many have never heard of called Cervical Dystonia. I have been in severe pain the past couple weeks and I woke up one morning with great improvement. I thought what did I do what did I eat…. Jalapenos! So I go online looking for the health benefits… Anti inflammatory! I have totally changed my diet since to more Mediterranean type without the carbs, dairy free. What I just found is called Paleo. Wow. Before I just got back on your sight and seen the neuro post I was thinking I wonder if this way of eating will help the nerve functioning of the brain… And BAM My prayer has been answered through your site TYJ
Elana says
Crystal, may God bless you :-)
Esther Blum says
Hi Elana,
I am so glad you’re getting support on your journey and doing an incredible job taking care of yourself. I’m an Integrative RD and after suffering with chronic insomnia finally got diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus. Have you looked into it at all? It is often underlying the conditions that are affecting you. If you like you can check out Medical Medium by Anthony William – he changed my life, knocked out my EBV, and got me off my sleep/anxiety meds – no easy task. My sleep isn’t 100% back to normal yet but I’m getting there and I pray you do too.
Keep on rockin’ ;-)
Esther
Elana says
Thanks Esther! I’ve got the EBV base covered, along with the sleeping, thank goodness. For those that need some tips on getting a better night sleep, I’m linking to this post:
https://elanaspantry.com/natural-sleep-remedies/
Thanks for your comment and for bringing up such important issues. Have a great day!
Elana
Kyle Gillett says
OMG, This is such a God thing! I was diagnosed with M.S. In 1990, I have struggled with weight issues all my life, thus now have type 2 DM, Thyroid disease (hypo), Sleep Apnea, Asthma…you get it, the list goes on. Yesterday while attending my weekly TOPS (Take off pounds sensibly) meeting, I had this epiphany about how good I am at rationalizing my poor food choices and being in denial about my health.
I have always loved organization so after the meeting I allowed myself to spend more $ than I normally would on a new planner, believing that if I could document everything in one place it might encourage me to get back on track.
This morning after my brief devotional I prayed to be led. Started looking at the Dash diet and knew right away that was not for me when they recommend 7-8 servings of grains. Knowing that grains = inflammation I searched grain free diets and came to your site. Then I see you have MS too! I can’t wait to dig into this more. Thank you for putting a spring in my step this morning and being validation for me.
Elana says
You’re welcome Kyle!!!
Nicky says
Dear Elena,
I found your website searching for grain-free recipes last year. I have autism and many other health issues. I just wanted to let you know that your blog and website is very informative and supportive to all of us dealing with some form of illness or another. You are a strong woman. :) Take care.
Elana says
Thanks so much Nicky!
Judy says
Thank you Elana for sharing your insightful knowledge.
A wonderful tool for neurologic conditions is LDN. It definitely is a game changer.
It helps MS, and Parkinsons and other neuro and autoimmune conditions.
I found that the easiest way to obtain it is via LDNdoctor.com – the doctor is friendly and really knowledgeable.
Keep up the good work!
Elana says
Thanks Judy! I use LDN and think it’s great. I wrote in detail about it here in 2014:
https://elanaspantry.com/low-dose-naltrexone/
Have a great day!
Elana
Kaitlin says
Hello Elana!
I love all of your recipes, but have been crushing your grain-free almond crackers for years before I adopted a grain free diet.
Thank you for your recent posts on neurological disorders. I am wondering if you have any experience (personally or secondhand through other readers) with Cataplexy and/or Narcolepsy.
Many of your remedies seem to apply, as they do “help” – they diminish symptoms and frequency of episodes, but I have yet to find a daily fix and have to take 2 different pharmaceutical drugs (one non-anphetamine speed for wakefulness during the day and an anti-depressant at night to curtail cataplectic episodes. I would be so grateful for any direction
All the best,
Kaitlin
Elana says
Kaitlin, thanks for your comment. I think you might find all of the posts under this link helpful:
https://elanaspantry.com/category/multiple-sclerosis/natural-treatments/
Best of luck with all that you are dealing with!
Elana
Sarah Armendariz says
Hi Elana,
I was thinking you and your readers may have mentioned Hematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Transplantation (HSCT). My brother has progressive MS and we all just got back from Puebla, Mexico where he received this stem cell transplant. He instantly got feeling back in his fingertips and has had lots of cognitive improvement so far. Also, it was a very transformative experience for all of us. As his immune system rebuilds, he will hopefully continue to see reduction of symptoms over the course of the next 12 months. I realize that the expense of this procedure may make this option impossible for some. I did meet patients in Puebla who raised the money using gofundme. Also, my brother has been inspired to research what it would take to create a program to send MS patients who cannot afford the treatment to Puebla! Like I said, this trip has been life-changing for all of us. Here’s to all of our healing bodies! ~Sarah
Jaime says
I have MS and have arrested its progression using LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone) for 7 years and have even begun to have more energy as I’ve implemented Intermittent Fasting (IF) alongside a ketogenic/LCHF diet since February. Thank you for being a great resource and encouragement!
Wendi says
I get your recipes from time to time. I used to be paleo we still stick to the basic philosophy. I have been fighting what I thought was Patkinsons from 2011-2014. Then 2014 was rediagnosed with MSA. It’s a struggle everyday. I have great friends, family and husband. I’m so sorry to hear that you are walking a parallel road. I’ve gone from bad to worse. I’m afraid of where I’ll end up but everyday I wake up and am hopeful someone will find something to help. I will be keeping you in my prayers
Kerri T says
Hi Elana-
I have been doing gluten-free for a while. Now I am going to take it up a notch to Keto as I am battling a seizure disorder. I see you have a section on Keto. Is there any way of figuring out the nutritional info (macros?) for each recipe/serving. Or do you have a resource I could use to do that? Thanks!!
Elana says
Kerri, here’s more info on that:
https://elanaspantry.com/nutrition-information/
Good luck with keto!
Elana
Diana Kahn says
also see my frend’s website tons of helpful info:
http://www.kosherketogenic.com
Wishing you well!