On October 27, The Jacobs MS Center for Treatment & Research invites the community to a free educational and informational seminar on Multiple Sclerosis. Attendees will learn how to implement research-based wellness strategies for symptom and disease management, to help people living with Multiple Sclerosis achieve their optimal health.
The National MS Society study estimates that nearly 1 million people in the U.S. are living with MS. Actual numbers are not known as there has not been a scientifically sound, national study of prevalence in the U.S. since 1975. Researchers and neurologists still can’t say with certainty what causes MS. The ultimate cause of MS is damage to myelin, nerve fibers, and neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Together these make up the central nervous system. Researchers speculate that a combination of genetic and environmental factors is at play, but it’s not fully understood how.
The National MS Society also estimates that MS is two to three times more common in women than men and the incidence of MS is higher in colder climates. People of Northern European descent have the highest risk of developing MS, no matter where they live. Meanwhile, the lowest risk appears to be among Native Americans, Africans, and Asians.
This can also been seen in the U.S. where rates of MS in southern states (below the 37th parallel), the rate of MS is between 57 and 78 cases per 100,000 people. That rate is 2x’s as high in northern states (above the 37th parallel), at about 110 to 140 cases per 100,000.
MS is not considered an inherited disorder, but researchers believe there may be a genetic predisposition to developing the disease. About 15 percent of people with MS have one or more family members or relatives who also have MS, notes the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
What else is known is that MS can be an very expense disease to treat, yearly healthcare costs range from $30,000 to $100,000 based on the mildness or severity of the disease.
In recent years, there has been a concentrated focus from patients and doctors on whole body health and wellness, especially when living with a chronic illness or disease. From improving the diet, to yoga, meditation, aroma therapy, and gentle stretching.
On the panel for the October 27th event will be Dr. Terry Wahls, author of the Wahls Protocol system. Dr. Wahls is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.A., where she teaches internal medicine. She is also a clinical researcher and has published over 60 peer-reviewed scientific abstracts, posters, and papers. In addition to being a doctor, she was diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis in 2000. Over the next several years, her disease progressed to the point of needing wheelchair assistance.
Beginning in the summer of 2007, she discovered Functional Medicine, an organization devoted to helping clinicians use the latest scientific discoveries to take better care of those with complex chronic diseases. As a result, she slowly began to redesigned her diet and lifestyle. After a year of fully implementing these changes, she was able to walk without a cane and even complete an 18-mile bicycle tour.
Join Dr. Wahls, and a panel of Doctors from Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences for this important updated on treatment and research from the Jacobs MS Center.
Jacobs MS Center for Treatment and Research Wellness Conference 2018
Sat, October 27, 2018
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Jacobs School Of Medicine And Biomedical Sciences, 955 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203
Click here to register. This is a free event.
Faculty & Topics:
- Caila Vaughn, PhD, MPH: Show Me the Proof: How and Why for MS Therapies
- Lacey Bromley, PhD, PT: We Are What We Eat: The Role of the Gut Microbiome
- Susan Bennett, PT, DPT, EdD: Neuroplasticity: How Exercise Can Boost Brain Health
- Terry Wahls, MD, special guest & author: Wahls Protocol in Managing MS Symptoms
- Bianca Weinstock- Guttman, MD, Prof of Neurology: Stopping Drug Treatment: Pros vs Cons
Wahls Compliant snacks and lunch will be served. Valet parking available.
Contributing sponsors: Biogen, Change MS Wellness Foundation, National MS Society, Novartis, ARMS (Advancing Research in MS)