Approachable Nutrition™

A question came up to me about Multiple Sclerosis that I thought was very interesting and had me thinking about perception of the disease.

The question: Is MS contagious, can we catch it from someone who has MS?

This is a good question especially coming from someone in Colorado, where the rate of people diagnosed with MS is very high.

The short answer is no.

Multiple Sclerosis is not contagious and MS is not directly inherited, but many studies have shown that there may be a genetic factor involved. People with certain genetic tissue markers are more likely to develop MS than people with other genetic markers. These markers can make someone more susceptible to Multiple Sclerosis.[1]

One statistic I read stated that 80 percent of those affected by MS do not have close relatives with MS.

The cause for Multiple Sclerosis is being researched continually and there are many theories associated with the root cause some which have become important factors that have been associated with the development of MS, these factors may vary from person to person such as:

• Environmental agents - Poor diet and nutrient deficiencies, toxicity
• Genetic
• Viral or bacterial infection
• A dysfunctional immune system
• Stress/Emotional Trauma
• Latitude - The further away a region is from the equator, the higher the reported incidences of MS

The last point, about the distance away from the equator, might be one of the factors related to the high rate of known cases of Multiple Sclerosis in Colorado. However, many people living in the region, along with loved ones known to have MS, have never develop this condition.

There are many factors that could be involved with the development of Multiple Sclerosis, however, through all the research done and evidence collected, one thing has been proven: Multiple Sclerosis is not contagious.

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[1]Kraft, H. George, M.D., Catanzaro, Marci, R.N., Ph.D, Living with Multiple Sclerosis, A Wellness Approach, Demos Medical Publishing, Inc., 2000, pp.7