Dr. Terry Wahls: Optimizing Multiple Sclerosis Management from Diet, Lifestyle, and Genetic

Jan 17, 2024

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In this episode of the Smarter Not Harder Podcast, host Dr. Scott Sherr is joined by guest Dr. Terry Wahls to give one-cent solutions to life’s $64,000 questions that include:

What is the role of diet and lifestyle changes in managing Multiple Sclerosis symptoms?
What is the importance of personalized patient histories and environmental factors in tailoring treatments for Multiple Sclerosis?
What strategies are there for reducing medication dependence for autoimmune conditions, including Multiple Sclerosis, and how does Dr. Wahls suggest transitioning to less aggressive treatment options?

Terry Wahls is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa where she conducts clinical trials. She is also a patient with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, which confined her to a tilt-recline wheelchair for four years. Dr. Wahls restored her health using a diet and lifestyle program she designed specifically for her brain and now pedals her bike to work each day. She is the author of The Wahls Protocol: How I Beat Progressive MS Using Paleo Principles and Functional Medicine, The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles (paperback), and the cookbook The Wahls Protocol Cooking for Life: The Revolutionary Modern Paleo Plan to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions.

What we discuss:

(0:02:03) - The evolving understanding of MS, including genetic predispositions, the role of infectious agents like Epstein-Barr virus, and the influence of diet and lifestyle factors in managing MS symptoms.

(0:15:00) - The nuances of hormone replacement therapy and the impact of lifestyle changes on hormonal health and fertility, as well as the importance of family support in creating a healthy home environment.

(0:25:19) - The evolution of the human diet and the importance of plant diversity, recommending the inclusion of 200 different plant species in our diets. Plus teaching children how to cook diverse foods and the role of household tasks in fostering independence and health-conscious behavior.

(0:37:01) - Insights on reducing medication reliance for conditions like MS by optimizing patients' health through diet and lifestyle changes. Dr. Wahls explains the transition plan from highly effective disease-modifying treatments to less aggressive options and the importance of never reverting to previous unhealthy diets

(0:45:30) - An ongoing study of recruiting individuals with relapsing-remitting MS to test the effects of different diets on brain health. Dr. Wahls shares the study's aim to reduce brain volume loss and reflects on the personal use of methylene blue for recovery from COVID-19

(0:52:53) - How to find Dr. Wahls' resources and training programs for those interested in her work on MS

Find out more from Terry Wahls:

Website: https://terrywahls.com/

Practitioner certification: https://terrywahls.com/certification/

MS Study: https://terrywahls.com/msstudy/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drterrywahls/

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