Have you heard of this....

[snubie]

This is not a WDW related question but I hope someone can help....

My FIL has MS and remains in denial about this. He thinks that this is a curable disase if only he finds the right thing. Unfortunatley this disease is not currently curable, hopefully in the future.

He wants to try somethink called Noni Juice. Has anyone tried this or know anything about it other than what I have read on the Noni marketing and sales websites?

Thanks

Stacey

 

[Kermit]

I saw that on a commercial for vitamins.com this morning. They just said that they carried it, but you might be able to find more info on their site.

 

[Talking Hands]

I have seen it at GNC. It was also sold as a cure for diabetes. Snake oil!

 

[SueM in MN]

I know that it is classed as a dietary suppliment, not a drug. There are big differences.
Drugs have to prove that they are safe and effective before they can be put on the market. If they make any claims (like it treats diabetes), they have to have enough scientific studies and proof to back up their claims.

Dietary suppliments are not subject to any of that. They don't even have to do any tests before they are sold. Some of the cheaper brands of dietary suppliments don't even have the concentration of ingredients that the bottle says they do (there have been news shows about this from time to time). Dietary suppliments can also make any claims they want and don't have to have any proof of their claims.

A lot of the "miracle treatments" are for things like MS and arthritis that tend to get better and worse without treatment. When they improve, people think it's the treatment. The only way to actually prove that would be to do a study, but the makers of the product won't do that and usually make claims like "The medical establishment is against us. We don't need to waste money on studies because we have all these people who are willing to give testimonials of how it helped them."

 

[AprilsZoo]

I have MS.
And I have a tendency to go into periods of denial about having it also. Or maybe that's cognitive impairment

My suggestion would be to let him try the nutritional supplements. Very few can really do any harm. Worst case for most of them is that you have wasted your money. Sometimes they really do help allieviate the symptoms. My sister, who has very severe arthritis in her ankles, knees, hips, and back began taking chromium to help weight loss, and while she didn't lose much weight, her arthritis abated enough that she was able to stay off disability for a couple extra years. Her drs told her it was impossible, but she sure felt better. So you never know.

BUT, I would also encourage him to begin one of the several available "immune-modulating therapies" that are available. They are somethimes referred to as the "ABCR" drugs. They are FDA-approved, injectable meds that actually help curb, and in some cases reverse the damage being done to the CNS.
Before I was "definite MS" and needed more tests, my dr. put it this way: If I had MS the med (I chose C, Copaxone) would help, and if I didn't it wouldn't hurt me (except for the shot LOL)
Lots of people look at the injection as empowering... a way for them to "control" an uncontrollable disease.

Just remember, that if he has not had symptoms for long, or if they have gotten worse suddenly, he has to go thru a grieving process and that takes time.

Good luck.

 

[Chuck-PA]

I have MS also. I have not taken Noni juice but my wife has.
She bought it through a friend, she was a distributor.

My wife drank the whole bottle (I think a liter size) and felt no different. You were supposed to drink a glass every morning. It is supposed to make you have a lot of extra energy.

She said it tasted terrible. Very similar to drinking prune juice.
Color and texture of prune juice too.

 

[debbiemomto4]

Hi !
I've heard of noni juice because some people have tried it to boost their children's immune system during chemotherapy. Some people would say it worked for their child but you should always check with your dr. to make sure it doesn't counteract the effects of the medicines the doctor is prescribing.
Debbie

 

[senecabeach]

My friend has mild MS and has tried nonji juice for about 9 mos. There were NO changes in her condition that she could see. Also...very expensive for a supplement.

 

[dj2]

hi,
please tell your FIL for me that there are many people who believe that there are things people with MS can do to feel better besides what neurologists say.

I HIGHLY recommend reading the following books (I'm sure there are others, but I've found these to be very useful):

1) Multiple Sclerosis: A Self-Help Guide to Its Management, by Graham, Judy (might be out of print, but worth the search!)

2) MS: Something Can Be Done and You Can Do It, by Soll, Robert W.

3) The Pulse Test, by Coca, Arthur F. (for detecting food allergies)

and for inspriation...
4) Curing the Incurable, by Rigg, Jacque C.

Although I don't know if noni juice is specifically mentioned, there are many other things mentioned which will probably be helpful.

People might say there have been no definitive studies about diet and MS, but I know that for me, when I eat food I shouldn't, I get worse. And, when I only eat what is right for me, I feel better.

It's worth the time to figure out what if anything might be aggrevating his symptoms so he can avoid it/them.

I also think that the mind has a lot of control over the health of the body. Consider that there might be a positive impact just from the feeling that one is doing something to make a positive impact.

dj