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In this episode of The Functional Medicine Radio Show, Dr. Carri’s special guest Dr. Terry Wahls talks about how she used Functional Medicine and Paleo principles to cure her MS.
Dr. Terry Wahls is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa where she teaches internal medicine residents, sees patients in a traumatic brain injury clinic, and 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 Functional Medicine and Paleo principles. She 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 and teaches the public and medical community about the healing power of intensive nutrition.
She is conducting clinical trials testing the effect of nutrition and lifestyle interventions to treat MS. She is also committed to teaching the public and medical community about the healing power of the Paleo diet and therapeutic lifestyle changes to restore health and vitality to our citizens.
Main Questions Asked:
- When were you diagnosed with MS and what were your symptoms?
- How did you come up with The Wahls Protocol?
- What are mitochondria?
- Why do mitochondria make such a difference to people with MS?
- How many people have MS in North America?
- What are some of the other causes of MS?
- Are there different types of MS?
- Can you tell us about your clinical trial?
- Would the Wahls Diet help people with other kinds of brain problems or other types of autoimmune problems or any other health issues?
- How long does it take for someone to notice the difference once they start The Wahls Protocol?
Key Points made by Dr. Wahls:
- She was diagnosed in 2000 with MS, but her initial symptoms of face pain started in 1980.
- Her health continued to decline until she took her health into her own hands and researched unconventional treatments for MS.
- After 20 years of being a vegetarian she started a paleo diet.
- It was once she changed from relying only on supplements to really relying on her food that her health started to dramatically improve. This is what eventually became The Wahls Protocol.
- Mitochondria are in all our cells and their job is to make pure energy to drive our health.
- The Wahls Protocol focuses on maximizing the repair and function of mitochondria, as well as the repair and function of brain cells. This ‘food cocktail’ is the most powerful intervention Dr. Wahls discovered.
- Mitochondria can become unhealthy from a lack of nutrients, or from chemicals, pesticides, solvents, and heavy metals.
- Every neurological disorder that involves progressive brain shrinking, such as MS, is due to mitochondria that are not working properly.
- From a Functional Medicine standpoint some of the root causes of MS, and all autoimmune disease, include genetic causes, chronic infections, increased levels of toxins, nutritional deficiencies, food sensitivities – especially gluten and dairy – and leaky gut.
- Wahls has several clinical trials underway studying the efficacy of The Wahls Protocol – early results are looking very promising.
- The Wahls Protocol has helped many, many different types of health conditions.
- Once you are 100% on The Wahls Protocol (no more cheat days) it takes about three months to see your health improving.
Resources Mentioned:
Book – The Wahls Protocol: How I Beat Progressive MS Using Paleo Principles and Functional Medicine
The Wahls Protocol Success Stories
Book – Reclaim Your Energy and Feel Normal Again
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