Perfect Life

Multiple sclerosis is the leading cause f neurlgical disability in yung adults. It usually strikes between 20 and 50 years f age with a peak f age 30, and wmen are afflicted twice as ften as men. Curiusly, the disease becmes less cmmn the clser yu get t the equatr and this fact hints at a pssible envirnmental factr in its causatin. Yet nne has been discvered.

Althugh 15 percent f peple with MS have relative with the disease, n definable inheritance pattern has been identified.

The central nervus system, meaning the brain and the spinal crd, is the target f this disease that is bth inflammatry and autimmune in nature. Autimmune means that the bdy’s immune system fails t recgnize sme specific tissue as self, and it therefre attacks that tissue as if it were a freign invader. In the case f MS, the target tissue is the white matter f the brain and spinal crd. ther examples f autimmune disease are rheumatid arthritis, sme frms f hypthyridism and lupus.

The central nervus system is primarily cmpsed f nerve cells that transmit electrical impulses. Just as electrical wires require an insulated cvering, nerves are cvered with a fatty substance called myelin, which is essential t their prper functining. In multiple sclersis, this myelin sheath r cvering f the neurn is attacked by the cells (T-cells and macrphages) f

the immune system and damaged r destryed. The result f these attacks is the slwing f cnductin, and eventually, the cmplete cnductin blck f nerves as unprtected neurns degenerate. Althugh myelin can grw back, a dead nerve cannt regenerate. The full curse f the disease may take 20 t 30 years depending n the frm f MS.

While the abslute cause f MS is still nt clear, mre than 20 infectius agents, bth viruses and bacteria, have been linked t its ccurrence. Currently, it is believed that it is necessary t have a genetically susceptible individual cntract ne f these infectins (many f which are cmmn, like the Epstein-Barr virus) in rder t develp the disease. Thankfully, this desn’t always happen when thse cnditins exist and ther unknwn factrs are presumptively invlved. Fr reasns that remain unclear, pregnancy can als be the inciting event in susceptible individuals.

LET’S EXAMINE FR A MMENT HW AN INFECTIN MIGHT CAUSE A CHRNIC AUTIMMUNE DISEASE.

Cells cmmunicate with each ther. This cmmunicatin, which is really a chemical language, is called crsstalk. Chemical messengers, like runners in the First Wrld War, carry signals frm n cell t anther and als frm ne part f a cell t anther part (like the nucleus). The system is extrardinarily cmplex and subject t disruptin by invading micrrganisms.

The cells and ther elements f the immune system are cnstantly n the alert fr invaders. They mnitr the crsstalk fr distress signals. Cells that are attacked (perhaps silently frm within the cell by a virus) call ut chemically t attract the immune system’s attentin. Fr example, a cell infected by a virus may take a piece f the virus shell and let it prtrude frm their wn cellular wall as further signal f what and where the enemy is.

ccasinally, this piece f the invader, which the cell uses t signal the immune system t attack,  remains  imbedded  in  the  cell’s  wall.  At  times,  it  may  be  submerged  in  the  cell membrane and undetectable. At ther times it may be expsed and prvke an immune system attack. This “hide and seek” behavir f the antigen piece f the virus is ne pssible explanatin fr the intermittent attacks characteristic f sme frms f MS.

Alternately, the initial attack f the infectius agent may permanently prgram the immune system  cells  t  mistakenly  attack  nrmal  tissue.  Whatever  the  mechanism  by  which  the disease is perpetuated, a viral r bacterial infectin was likely the triggering event that brught n the immune attacks that characterize MS.

In examining inflammatin as the majr damaging prcess n MS, it is ntewrthy that the first attack f MS (which in 30 percent f cases in transient blindness r ther visual symptms called ptic r retrbulbar neuritis) is ttally due t inflammatin. Fr this reasn, it is difficult t diagnse the disease early with an MRI, because there are n structural changes. Later, plaques develp as the immune system’s attacks destry mre tissue and scarring ccurs (sclersis cmes frm the Greek wrd fr hare.) These plagues are visible n an MRI. While all frms f MS have the characteristic plaques and inflammatin, there are significant differences amng the types that deserve being described here.

The  majr  classificatins  f  MS  are  relapsing-remitting,  primary  prgressive,  secndary prgressive and prgressive-relapsing.

•  Relapsing-Remitting     ---  This  is  the  mst  cmmn  frm  f  the  disease.  It  is characterized by distinct attacks with either full r partial recvery. There is n prgressin f the MS between attacks
• Primary Prgressive   ---   A rarer frm f the disease characterized by a steady prgressin with nly ccasinal remissins.
• Secndary Prgressive   ---   This frm f MS starts like Relapsing-Remitting but becmes steadily prgressive as time ges n, and there is evidence f degeneratin f functin between attacks.
• Prgressive-Relapsing  ---  This is the rarest type f MS which is steadily prgressive frm the first symptm, althugh perids f identifiable wrsening r attacks punctuate its curse.

Besides the classificatin describing the curse f the disease, it is als categrized by the lcatin in the central nervus system where the damage takes place. The signs and symptms reflect dysfunctin f that prtin f the nervus system:

   Generated MS (apprximately 50 percent f cases)

• Visual symptms such as blurred visin, visual field defects (lss f central visin fields) and clr visin deficits.
• Lss f the ability t turn the eyes laterally, jerking mvements f the pupils and slurred speech are caused by damage t the nerves, which cme directly ut f the skull (cranial verves). Nausea, vmiting, deafness and dizziness, facial muscle weakness r sensry lss, and duble visin r eye pain are als caused by cranial verve invlvement.
• Decrease   shrt-term   memry,   wrd-finding   prblems   and   decreased cncentratin.

 Spinal MS

• Weakness r numbness in ne r mre limbs (a cmmn first symptm).
• Easily fatigued as a result f minr activity.
• Jerky, spastic weakness f the legs.
• Bladder    dysfunctin   and    less    frequently,    bwl    dysfunctin   (althugh
  cnstipatin is a frequent prblem).
• Tingling f extremities, usually legs and feet.

Cerebellar MS  (affecting crdinatin and mvement center f the brain)

• Slurred speech.
• Jerky mvements f the eyes.

There  are  several  exacerbating  factrs  that  make  any  frm  f  manifestatin  f  the disease wrse.

• Elevated bdy temperature
• Physical stress r exertin
• Emtinal stress

While several medicines exist t treat MS, all are injectable, and nne is predictably effective in all patients. MS remains incurable and, althugh stem cell therapies, immuglbulin infusin and ther innvative appraches are under investigatin, nthing has yet been fund t halt the ravages f the disease.

RECMMENDED SERVING
1-2 unces 2-3 times daily befre meals.

WHY MANGSTEEN FR MS
The Xanthnes f mangsteen are pwerful anti-inflammatries and appear t wrk by diminishing the damage f inflammatin bth during and between attacks. Additinally, experiments with pwerful antixidant therapy have shwn prtective effects upn the myelin sheaths when they are attacked by the immune system. Macrphages, using bursts f free radicals t damage myelin, are majr cntributrs t the pathlgy f MS and mangsteen extract has ptent antixidant effects. Finally, the antimicrbial prtectin f mangsteen can prevent the initial infectins that lead t MS as well as prevent recurrent urinary tract and bedsre infectins in patients with advanced disease.

Dr. Templeman is a primary care physician, bard certified in bth the United States and Canada, with ver twenty years f clinical experience.

As  Medical Directr f  Phytceutical Research, Dr.  Templeman is  respnsible fr  the develpment f  research prjects, and the evaluatin f clinical data. He is sught after internatinally as a speaker and authr n health, nutritin, and the healing prperties f the mangsteen fruit.

Dr. Templeman travels regularly t Sutheast Asia, where he has established numerus partnerships with scientists in several cuntries in rder t d further research n the mangsteen fruit and the pwerful Xanthnes exclusive t this btanical.

In additin t his existing respnsibilities, Dr. Templeman regularly ffers his services as a vlunteer physician in the third wuld, prviding essential medical aid t the pverty stricken in islated cmmunities.

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