I began working on this post thinking one thing and finished thinking another.
I found the following post on Joan Beal’s blog just when I needed it. I had been considering undergoing venoplasty at the Polish CCSVI Clinic after reading Irontina’s blog post. (See my blog post January 25, 2020.) As I wrote in this post, I fear damage to the Internal Jugular Vein (IJV) which might leave me worse off than before the treatment. Also, I believe my main problem now is sluggish CSF flow in the spine which will not be corrected by opening flow in the Jugulars. (An added factor, I really want to avoid the gadolinium contrast agent used in the MRIs.)
After having quoted Joan Beal’s blog entry for January 4, 2018, I’m going to integrate that information with my own treatment decision.
see https://www.tum.de/en/studinews/issue-012014/show/article/detail/News/34393/
"Myelin contains a very high amount of cholesterol," explains Prof. Simons. "When myelin is destroyed, the cholesterol released has to be removed from the tissue." This is performed by microglia and macrophages, also referred to as phagocytes. They take up the damaged myelin, digest it and transport the non-digestible remainder, such as cholesterol, out of the cell by transport molecules. However, if too much cholesterol accumulates in the cell, cholesterol can forms needle-shaped crystals, which cause damage the cell.Using a mouse model, Simons and his team showed the devastating impact of the crystalline cholesterol: It activates the so-called inflammasome in phagocytes, which results in the release of inflammatory mediators, attracting even more immune cells. "Very similar problems occur in arteriosclerosis, however not in the brain tissue, but in blood vessels," says Simons.
Increase HDL cholesterol level to decrease cholesterol crystals
Although cholesterol synthesis in the brain is considered a different process than cholesterol synthesis in the rest of the body, lower plasma levels of HDL cholesterol have been found to be related to MS. Cardiovascular researchers have been looking at this fact, in relation to the heart brain connection.
HDL and cholesterol handling in the brain | Cardiovascular ...
https://academic.oup.com/cardiovascres/article/103/3/405/2931058
« HDL plasma levels have also been associated with other neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS).74 Patients in the acute phase MS have been reported to have lower HDL-C levels compared with those in the remission phase, and they show a higher probability of developing acute inflammatory lesions (assessed by MRI).74–768 Moreover, HDL inhibits cytokine-induced expression of adhesion molecules in endothelial cells.72
https://academic.oup.com/cardiovascres/article/103/3/405/2931058
« Braincholesterolis synthesized in situ by astrocytes and oligodendrocytes and is almost completely isolated from other pools of cholesterolinthebody, but a small fraction can be taken up from the circulation as 27-hydroxycholesterol, or via the scavenger receptor class B type I. Glial cells synthesize native high-density lipoLet’rotein (HDL... »
Why are HDL levels important? Because HDL, also known as "good cholesterol", contains the transport protein ApoA1---needed to take cholesterol out of the blood and tissue.
Here's more research on low levels of ApoA1 found to be linked to MS severity. The lower HDL
ApoA1 plasma levels, the more severe the disease.
Cholesterol Transport Protein Implicated in MS - Medscape
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/814798
SAN DIEGO, California --
Blood levels of the reverse cholesterol transportprotein apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) are low in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and correlate with disease severity ...
ApoA1 was reduced by approximately 25% in patients with relapsing-remitting MS, 50% in those with secondary progressive MS, and 75% in patients with primary progressive MS, the most severe form of the disease. link
in contrast, high HDL-C levels seem to reduce dementia risk.70 The mechanism underlying this association is not understood, but it may involve different pathogenic pathways. HDL exhibits both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties71 that could affect the inflammatory response in the brain.HDL-mediated reverse cholesterol transport could also reduce atherosclerotic burden in brain vessels such as the Circle of Willis, thus limiting the developing of vascular dementia. HDL also has potent beneficial effects on endothelialfunction72 and as the brain contains >25% of the body's total vascular network, HDL may also affect cerebrovascular function that will in turn influence neuronal activity.73
Back to me.
In this last paragraph we can see the benefits of HDL, the « good » cholesterol » (high density lipoprotein). When damaged myelin cholesterol cannot be flushed out of the body, it forms needle shaped crystals which attacks tissue. These crystals prevent regeneration in the central nervous system. HDL« Why are HDL levels important? Because HDL, also known as "good cholesterol", contains the transport protein ApoA1---needed to take cholesterol out of the blood and tissue. »
So how does one increase levels of the « good » cholestero HDL ? Let’s start with the MS DIET.
I have high levels of HDL cholesterol which correlates to my MS diet. When I cheat on my diet, I feel unwell (though I’ve never tried to correlate that wih a blood analysis.)
The MS diet which brings a high level of HDL cholesterol also suppresses the level of the inflammatory marker C-Reactive Protein.
See Wikipedia See C reactive protein wikipedia High levels of CRP has been associated to point mutation Cys130Arg in the APOE gene, coding for apolipoprotein E, establishing a link between lipid values and inflammatory markers modulation.[44][unreliable medical source?]www.webmd.com › Stroke › News
« April 7, 2003 - bloodstroke
Researchers say CRP may block blood flow in the brain -- leading to a stroke -- by stimulating the formation of cholesterol plaque on the interior walls of blood vessels. »
See my Nov 29, 2017 blog post « MS : Linking Hormones ; Diet, Blood Flow, EBV, Myelin Sheath – 2.
MY CONCLUSION on the Nov 2017 post :
Diet is critical to many diseases, particularly « auto-immune ». However, areas of vulnerability differ. For MSers it’s the vascular system linked to the central nervous system that matters. Diet impacts production of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) which in turn impacts the endothelium of the vascular system. Secondly, proper diet acts to reduce cellular inflammation thereby preventing spasms in the veins’ smooth muscle layer. It follows that for MSers proper diet facilitates blood/cerebrospinal fluid circulation. For those without a serious veinous obstruction, diet/supplements alone may suffice to heal.
I was unaware of the cholesterol crystals Joan Beal has introduced to me. It may be these cholesterol crystals trigger an inflammation which manifests as a high level of C-Reactive protein. In any case all these factors coalesce to favor a high level of HDL cholesterol obtained through correct diet.
I’m not a scientific researcher, I can’t whip out my test tubes to study these various correlations. But common sense suggests the utility of the MS diet to maintain a healthy neuronol activity AND a healthy endothelium in the cardio-vascular system to keep the blood flowing and prevent build-up of cholesterol plaques.
What do the 1. MS diet, 2.the diet recommended to reduce C-Reactive Protein, and 3. the diet to increase HDL cholesterol have in common? Everything, they are the same diet, basically the diet proposed by Dr Swank in the 1940’s. And here we see the benefits in blood flow/healthy endothelium. And if I look at my own history, my first healing came through de-tox, supplements, nutrition and kinesiology energy balancing (derived from Chinese traditional medicine). And when an attack came, severe stress clamped down the blood flow.
This personal experience corresponds to Dr. Owiesy’s thinking, that veins are supple and changeable, not rigid pipe-ike structures in need of stents to remain open. (See Dr Owiesy on the search function.)
« Dr. Owiesy has observed that when the middle layer of the vein composed of smooth muscles go into spasms, blood flow is obstructed. Again the problem resides “exterior” to the vein, not “interior”. The veins may be weak or somehow defective… »
So what we see here is that I’ve talked myself out of venoplasty to open veinous blood flow. Research on damaging cholesterol crystals and the benefits of LDL-Cholesterol to flush them out of the body underscore the need for Dr Swank’s MS diet, Matt Embry’s MS diet, the C-Reactive protein prevention diet, the MS Cure Enigmas diet. They are all basically the same. And here we see the benefits in blood flow/healthy endothelium.
In conclusion, in order to keep the endothelium healthy which allows the blood to flow unobstructed through the veins :
Follow MS diet. No smoking, No birth control pills, Drink freshly extracted vegetable juice daily, Drink unsweetened cranberry juice regularly.
As a general protocol consult Matt Embry’s excellent
http://www.mshope.com. (food, supplements, exercise, CCSVI).
All this suggests that the role of the MS diet is not so much to prevent inflammation in the CNS as to prevent obstructions in the vascular system which lead to blood back jets, the true origin of injury.
And maybe that is why CCSVI venoplasty doesn’t always succeed. Veins need to be nurtured. A mechanical (easy) solution is always tempting. Maybe to maintain the early venoplasty success, one needs to take nutrition seriously.
This means I need to the change the orientation of My Seven Steps to MS Healing.
And to close this chapter, let’s do homage to Dr. Roy Swank who started a dietary approach for MS treatment in the 1940’s.
Swank MS Foundation
https://www.swankmsdiet.org
The SwankMSDietis based on the lifetime of research by Dr. Roy L.Swank, MD, PhD, and you can read it in full right now, right here! The SwankMSFoundation is the direct continuance of Dr. Swank'sgroundbreaking research, working to bring the benefits of the Swankdietand lifestyle to all corners of the world.
SWANK MS DIET QUICK REFERENCE
1. No processed foods containing saturated fat and/or hydrogenated oils.
2. Saturated fat should not exceed 15 grams per day. Unsaturated fat (oils) should be kept to 20-50 grams/day.
3. Fruits and vegetables are permissible in any amount.
4. No red meat for the first year, including pork. After the first year, 3 oz. of red meat is allowed once per week.
5. White-meat poultry (skinless) and white fish are permissible, but avoid dark-meat poultry and limit fatty fish to 50 grams (1.75 oz)/day.
6. Dairy products must contain 1% or less butterfat unless otherwise noted. Use egg whites only, no yolks.
7. Cod liver oil (1 tsp. or equivalent capsules) and a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement are recommended daily.
8. Whole-grain breads, rice, and pastas are encouraged.
9. Daily snacks of nuts & seeds are good sources of natural oil, and help maintain a good energy level.
Tags: Joan Beal, Dr. Roy Swank, CCSVI, cholesterol crystals, HDL cholesterol, transport protein ApoAI, C-Reactive Protein, venoplasty, Matt Embry
I found the following post on Joan Beal’s blog just when I needed it. I had been considering undergoing venoplasty at the Polish CCSVI Clinic after reading Irontina’s blog post. (See my blog post January 25, 2020.) As I wrote in this post, I fear damage to the Internal Jugular Vein (IJV) which might leave me worse off than before the treatment. Also, I believe my main problem now is sluggish CSF flow in the spine which will not be corrected by opening flow in the Jugulars. (An added factor, I really want to avoid the gadolinium contrast agent used in the MRIs.)
After having quoted Joan Beal’s blog entry for January 4, 2018, I’m going to integrate that information with my own treatment decision.
see https://www.tum.de/en/studinews/issue-012014/show/article/detail/News/34393/
"Myelin contains a very high amount of cholesterol," explains Prof. Simons. "When myelin is destroyed, the cholesterol released has to be removed from the tissue." This is performed by microglia and macrophages, also referred to as phagocytes. They take up the damaged myelin, digest it and transport the non-digestible remainder, such as cholesterol, out of the cell by transport molecules. However, if too much cholesterol accumulates in the cell, cholesterol can forms needle-shaped crystals, which cause damage the cell.Using a mouse model, Simons and his team showed the devastating impact of the crystalline cholesterol: It activates the so-called inflammasome in phagocytes, which results in the release of inflammatory mediators, attracting even more immune cells. "Very similar problems occur in arteriosclerosis, however not in the brain tissue, but in blood vessels," says Simons.
Increase HDL cholesterol level to decrease cholesterol crystals
Although cholesterol synthesis in the brain is considered a different process than cholesterol synthesis in the rest of the body, lower plasma levels of HDL cholesterol have been found to be related to MS. Cardiovascular researchers have been looking at this fact, in relation to the heart brain connection.
HDL and cholesterol handling in the brain | Cardiovascular ...
https://academic.oup.com/cardiovascres/article/103/3/405/2931058
« HDL plasma levels have also been associated with other neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS).74 Patients in the acute phase MS have been reported to have lower HDL-C levels compared with those in the remission phase, and they show a higher probability of developing acute inflammatory lesions (assessed by MRI).74–768 Moreover, HDL inhibits cytokine-induced expression of adhesion molecules in endothelial cells.72
https://academic.oup.com/cardiovascres/article/103/3/405/2931058
« Braincholesterolis synthesized in situ by astrocytes and oligodendrocytes and is almost completely isolated from other pools of cholesterolinthebody, but a small fraction can be taken up from the circulation as 27-hydroxycholesterol, or via the scavenger receptor class B type I. Glial cells synthesize native high-density lipoLet’rotein (HDL... »
Why are HDL levels important? Because HDL, also known as "good cholesterol", contains the transport protein ApoA1---needed to take cholesterol out of the blood and tissue.
Here's more research on low levels of ApoA1 found to be linked to MS severity. The lower HDL
ApoA1 plasma levels, the more severe the disease.
Cholesterol Transport Protein Implicated in MS - Medscape
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/814798
SAN DIEGO, California --
Blood levels of the reverse cholesterol transportprotein apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) are low in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and correlate with disease severity ...
ApoA1 was reduced by approximately 25% in patients with relapsing-remitting MS, 50% in those with secondary progressive MS, and 75% in patients with primary progressive MS, the most severe form of the disease. link
in contrast, high HDL-C levels seem to reduce dementia risk.70 The mechanism underlying this association is not understood, but it may involve different pathogenic pathways. HDL exhibits both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties71 that could affect the inflammatory response in the brain.HDL-mediated reverse cholesterol transport could also reduce atherosclerotic burden in brain vessels such as the Circle of Willis, thus limiting the developing of vascular dementia. HDL also has potent beneficial effects on endothelialfunction72 and as the brain contains >25% of the body's total vascular network, HDL may also affect cerebrovascular function that will in turn influence neuronal activity.73
Back to me.
In this last paragraph we can see the benefits of HDL, the « good » cholesterol » (high density lipoprotein). When damaged myelin cholesterol cannot be flushed out of the body, it forms needle shaped crystals which attacks tissue. These crystals prevent regeneration in the central nervous system. HDL« Why are HDL levels important? Because HDL, also known as "good cholesterol", contains the transport protein ApoA1---needed to take cholesterol out of the blood and tissue. »
So how does one increase levels of the « good » cholestero HDL ? Let’s start with the MS DIET.
I have high levels of HDL cholesterol which correlates to my MS diet. When I cheat on my diet, I feel unwell (though I’ve never tried to correlate that wih a blood analysis.)
The MS diet which brings a high level of HDL cholesterol also suppresses the level of the inflammatory marker C-Reactive Protein.
See Wikipedia See C reactive protein wikipedia High levels of CRP has been associated to point mutation Cys130Arg in the APOE gene, coding for apolipoprotein E, establishing a link between lipid values and inflammatory markers modulation.[44][unreliable medical source?]www.webmd.com › Stroke › News
« April 7, 2003 - bloodstroke
Researchers say CRP may block blood flow in the brain -- leading to a stroke -- by stimulating the formation of cholesterol plaque on the interior walls of blood vessels. »
See my Nov 29, 2017 blog post « MS : Linking Hormones ; Diet, Blood Flow, EBV, Myelin Sheath – 2.
MY CONCLUSION on the Nov 2017 post :
Diet is critical to many diseases, particularly « auto-immune ». However, areas of vulnerability differ. For MSers it’s the vascular system linked to the central nervous system that matters. Diet impacts production of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) which in turn impacts the endothelium of the vascular system. Secondly, proper diet acts to reduce cellular inflammation thereby preventing spasms in the veins’ smooth muscle layer. It follows that for MSers proper diet facilitates blood/cerebrospinal fluid circulation. For those without a serious veinous obstruction, diet/supplements alone may suffice to heal.
I was unaware of the cholesterol crystals Joan Beal has introduced to me. It may be these cholesterol crystals trigger an inflammation which manifests as a high level of C-Reactive protein. In any case all these factors coalesce to favor a high level of HDL cholesterol obtained through correct diet.
I’m not a scientific researcher, I can’t whip out my test tubes to study these various correlations. But common sense suggests the utility of the MS diet to maintain a healthy neuronol activity AND a healthy endothelium in the cardio-vascular system to keep the blood flowing and prevent build-up of cholesterol plaques.
What do the 1. MS diet, 2.the diet recommended to reduce C-Reactive Protein, and 3. the diet to increase HDL cholesterol have in common? Everything, they are the same diet, basically the diet proposed by Dr Swank in the 1940’s. And here we see the benefits in blood flow/healthy endothelium. And if I look at my own history, my first healing came through de-tox, supplements, nutrition and kinesiology energy balancing (derived from Chinese traditional medicine). And when an attack came, severe stress clamped down the blood flow.
This personal experience corresponds to Dr. Owiesy’s thinking, that veins are supple and changeable, not rigid pipe-ike structures in need of stents to remain open. (See Dr Owiesy on the search function.)
« Dr. Owiesy has observed that when the middle layer of the vein composed of smooth muscles go into spasms, blood flow is obstructed. Again the problem resides “exterior” to the vein, not “interior”. The veins may be weak or somehow defective… »
So what we see here is that I’ve talked myself out of venoplasty to open veinous blood flow. Research on damaging cholesterol crystals and the benefits of LDL-Cholesterol to flush them out of the body underscore the need for Dr Swank’s MS diet, Matt Embry’s MS diet, the C-Reactive protein prevention diet, the MS Cure Enigmas diet. They are all basically the same. And here we see the benefits in blood flow/healthy endothelium.
In conclusion, in order to keep the endothelium healthy which allows the blood to flow unobstructed through the veins :
Follow MS diet. No smoking, No birth control pills, Drink freshly extracted vegetable juice daily, Drink unsweetened cranberry juice regularly.
As a general protocol consult Matt Embry’s excellent
http://www.mshope.com. (food, supplements, exercise, CCSVI).
All this suggests that the role of the MS diet is not so much to prevent inflammation in the CNS as to prevent obstructions in the vascular system which lead to blood back jets, the true origin of injury.
And maybe that is why CCSVI venoplasty doesn’t always succeed. Veins need to be nurtured. A mechanical (easy) solution is always tempting. Maybe to maintain the early venoplasty success, one needs to take nutrition seriously.
This means I need to the change the orientation of My Seven Steps to MS Healing.
And to close this chapter, let’s do homage to Dr. Roy Swank who started a dietary approach for MS treatment in the 1940’s.
Swank MS Foundation
https://www.swankmsdiet.org
The SwankMSDietis based on the lifetime of research by Dr. Roy L.Swank, MD, PhD, and you can read it in full right now, right here! The SwankMSFoundation is the direct continuance of Dr. Swank'sgroundbreaking research, working to bring the benefits of the Swankdietand lifestyle to all corners of the world.
SWANK MS DIET QUICK REFERENCE
1. No processed foods containing saturated fat and/or hydrogenated oils.
2. Saturated fat should not exceed 15 grams per day. Unsaturated fat (oils) should be kept to 20-50 grams/day.
3. Fruits and vegetables are permissible in any amount.
4. No red meat for the first year, including pork. After the first year, 3 oz. of red meat is allowed once per week.
5. White-meat poultry (skinless) and white fish are permissible, but avoid dark-meat poultry and limit fatty fish to 50 grams (1.75 oz)/day.
6. Dairy products must contain 1% or less butterfat unless otherwise noted. Use egg whites only, no yolks.
7. Cod liver oil (1 tsp. or equivalent capsules) and a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement are recommended daily.
8. Whole-grain breads, rice, and pastas are encouraged.
9. Daily snacks of nuts & seeds are good sources of natural oil, and help maintain a good energy level.
Tags: Joan Beal, Dr. Roy Swank, CCSVI, cholesterol crystals, HDL cholesterol, transport protein ApoAI, C-Reactive Protein, venoplasty, Matt Embry
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