UPDATE 2013:

Dr. Zivadinov and BNAC continue to find the link between early loss of gray matter in the thalamus, and MS.  But Dr. Zivadinov says this:

"Thalamic atrophy may become a hallmark of how we look at the disease and how we develop drugs to treat it," Dr. Zivadinov said.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130423091107.htm

It's always about making drugs, because that's who pays for the research.

But you can take better care of your gray matter TODAY.  And even reverse atrophy. Without a new drug, without waiting.  By changing your lifestyle, diet and nutrition and potential treatment for CCSVI with venoplasty.

Read the rest of the note to learn more about why

GRAY MATTERS!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Just got an e-mail from a friend whose neuro told her "gray matter doesn't matter."  

She'd brought him a copy of this note, and asked for his input.

link to Gray Matter in MS

He told her MS is all about her "white matter lesions and the immune system". He also told her the Tremlett UBC study on the ineffectiveness of interferons in MS disease progression should be "thrown out."  He told her to stop reading research online, that he had already read all the relevant research.

This angers me, on many levels.  I'm sure it angers you.  Aside from contradicting what we are learning about the importance of neurons, it is just plain stupid and arrogant.  Many neurologists are not current in the new research on gray matter.  Let's face it, time equals brain, and many neurologists just do not care about your brain as much as you do.  You've got a vested interest in staying current on the research!

Here's one neurologist who believes maintaining gray matter is essential to brain health in MS, and measuring gray matter is important.  I do not think it is coincidence that he is studying cerebral perfusion and CCSVI.  

link to journal publication on gray matter and MS

While MS researchers and specialists argue about the importance gray matter---and believe me, they will debate this at their pharma sponsored neurological conventions in lovely locales for the next decade-- let's take (gray) matters into our own hands.  

The size and density of your gray matter is the physical manifestation of neurons you possess. Each of these steps below will help you maintain your neurons.  In some cases, you can actually increase your gray matter. 

Below is this week's assignment.  See how many of these activities you can add to your day. Some of these things may seem silly, some may be impossible. Some you may do already.  But try them.  Keep track of them.  All of these suggestions have peer-reviewed and published research behind them, showing how they preserve and/or increase gray matter in human brains.

1. eat fish or take an omega 3 supplement   link

2. exercise.  walk if you can, swim, practice seated yoga, dance, bike, move.

link

3. discover a new interest-- a foreign language, knitting, oil painting, floral arranging, cooking, juggling.   link

4. get vitamin D from sun and/or supplement   link

5. meditate   link

6. get plenty of good sleep, and take naps. link

7. listen to music...even better, sing along or play an instrument.

link

8. read a book or join a book club link

9. eat Indian food, or take a curcumin supplement.  If curcumin is contraindicated for you, you can skip this one :)   link

10. hug often.  A pet, a grandkid, a spouse, a tree, a friend--yourself :)

link

Please post on how you're doing, let us know.  Gray matters!

Joan