March 2015
CHEYENNE – By its very nature, multiple sclerosis can be a hard disease to live with. And with one of the highest rates of MS in the country – one in every 350 people – Wyomingites know that better than most.While drug treatments for the disease have progressed by leaps and bounds in the past few decades, it’s not uncommon for those living with MS to seek out alternative treatments to improve their quality of life.Now, a Colorado neurologist wants to educate locals on which alternative treatments are the best at addressing MS and which could potentially worsen the patient’s condition.Dr. Allen Bowling has been studying and treating MS for more than 20 years. But alongside traditional drug therapy, Bowling has been an advocate of nontraditional treatments for the disease, which he believes can help sufferers lead healthier, more active lives.“You don’t normally see too many Western doctors willing to talk about complementary and alternative approaches,” said Carrie Nolan, president of the Colorado-Wyoming chapter of the MS Society. “He’s really interested in the whole person, and that’s more unique.”Bowling recently published a book on the subject, “Optimal Health with MS,” which he will discuss at a public forum this evening at Laramie County Community College.In the book, Bowling said he goes over various types of lifestyle changes that he says have been shown to address some of the symptoms of MS. He noted that MS is first and foremost an autoimmune disorder – the body’s own immune system misfires and attacks the nervous system, which can lead to a whole host of complications.Those can include everything from vision problems and loss of coordination to weakness and chronic pain. And while there are treatments for the disease, there is no cure, which is why many sufferers often look to alternative treatments for relief.“The usual treatment currently for MS is to use FDA-approved medications, and then medications to treat the various symptoms like weakness, vision problems, walking problems,” Bowling said. “But there are many other things that can be done. Research studies going back 20 years now indicate people with MS can benefit from very regular physical activity – things like yoga or tai chi, Pilates, therapeutic horseback riding.”Bowling said diet can also play a role in addressing MS symptoms. Specifically, he said diets should include vitamins D and B12, though it’s also important to be well rounded.“A healthful diet may have many benefits for people with MS – low salt, low saturated fat, high fiber and a reasonable intake of calories,” he said.But Bowling also cautions MS sufferers who take herbs or other supplements. While some supplements may provide benefits, some can actually make their symptoms worse by spurring increased immune system activity.“Something I highlight in the book, there are many supplements and herbs that could potentially be harmful to people with MS,” Bowling said. “With MS, the immune system is already too active. There are many supplements marketed to people with MS that say you should be activating your immune system.”He said growing evidence also suggests that alcohol and tobacco use can worsen the symptoms of MS, as can other, unrelated medical problems. Finally, Bowling said, it’s also important for those with MS not to forget their emotional well-being.“An area that often doesn’t get fully addressed is emotional health,” he said. “There are some unconventional approaches that can be helpful in those areas, like meditation, prayer and spirituality.”
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