4How Does the Lightning Process Help People With M.S.?

4The Lightning Process, MS and Stress

4What are the Findings so Far?

4How much does the training cost?

Jenny Gilmore is a very experienced lightning process practitioner with a special interest in helping people with chronic health conditions like M.S.

How Does the Lightning Process Help People With M.S.?

Over the last few years at the lightning process we started to see people getting impressive results with other neurological conditions such as CFS, Parkinsonian type tremors, cerebral palsy and strokes. As a result we were asked whether the Lightning Process could lead to improvement and recovery with neurological illnesses, particularly Multiple Sclerosis.

Phil Parker, the designer of The Lightning Process then researched the possibility of applying the progress to this disease and concluded that:

1. There are interesting findings in cases of relapsing and remitting MS. The sclerotic lesions, considered the cause and key diagnostic factor of MS, seemed to be relatively unchanged during both the good and bad phases of the illness. This indicates that the lesions themselves can't be the only factors involved in the expression of the disease - there must be some other variables at work which mediate the strength of the symptoms.

2. MS has much in common with many other conditions that  have been successfully worked with in the Lightning Process. There is debate as to whether MS is a neurological or immunological condition, but as the LP has already had good results with other illnesses with this type of mixed pathology, this seems to be a good indicator that there is a possibility of making changes with MS too.

3. MS diagnosis and "typing" is a complex procedure, (there are currently 4 types), with clients often having had many different diagnoses before and and/or alongside their MS diagnosis. Again this was something we had seen before in many of our other cases.

Phil hypothesized, "Was it possible to influence these other variables to extend the periods of remission, maybe even to 50, 60 or more years, and maybe even restore function permanently?"

The Lightning Process, MS and Stress

Overview

Stress powerfully effects MS. During remission, although the lesions change little, the symptoms can totally disappear.  This hints at a more complex picture than the idea that the lesions alone are responsible for the illness.

MS and Stress Research

Researchers found that stress doubled the risk of worsening MS symptoms, reports researcher D. Buljevac, PhD, a neurologist with with Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. He speculated that this is probably because serious stress weakens the immune system.

British Medical Journal, 2003 Gamma interferon-inhibits central nervous system remyelination through a process modulated by endoplasmic reticulum stress Wensheng Lin, April Kemper, Jeffery L. Dupree, Heather P. Harding, David Ron and Brian Popko. The Brain, Oxford Journals Feb 2006

Improving mood may also improve the immune system in people with multiple sclerosis. Lecture, David C. Mohr, PhD 1999

Physiology of Stress and MS

The physiology of how stress affects MS is as yet unclear, but it probably involves gamma interferon, which has a regulatory effect on the immune system.

Gamma interferon is known to inhibit remyelination, and studies with resolving depression in MS showed improvement in symptoms concurrent with LOWERING of gamma interferon.

Confusingly, gamma interferon is usually considered to be an immune boosting agent, with levels decreasing during stress and increasing when away from stress.

These two conflicting bits of information suggest that levels of gamma interferon are both reduced and increased by stress further which suggests that:

 - More studies need to be done as to why these different results have been found

- There may be another agent that modifies the way gamma interferon influences the immune system

Whatever the mechanisms at play here, the findings indicate that in stress there is certainly an in-balancing of the immune system and an alteration of proper immune function.

The two possible extremes of immune dysfunction are:

1.Low functioning immune system, resulting in:

a) An inability to clear infections

b) Poor detoxification of all body tissues with resulting poor function of all body system

c) Inability to distinguish foreign mater from own components and "bad" cells from good

2.Over active, out of control immune system, resulting in:

a) Inability to distinguish foreign matter from own components and "bad" cells from good  concluding with attacks directed at own, well functioning tissue (auto immune issues)

b) Wastage of body resources.

The Lightning Process and MS and Stress

 In ME and MS we can see both extremes of immune function, for example, the auto immune response of de-myelination in MS and multiple food and chemical sensitivity in ME, and the low immune function preventing good detoxification of the tissus inducing muscle fatigue, amongst other things.

This picture of mixed immune function suggests either fluctuation in immune system function and management from moment to moment

or

certain regions of the body being treated almost as separate entities from each other, with some being policed well and other areas being treated as no go areas. This partition of the body is reminiscent of other immune issues such as eczema or psoriasis, which often only affects certain regions of the skin.

It may be some time until research unravels the complicated mechanisms that are at play when stress affects people with MS, but luckily we don't have to understand exactly what's going on at such detailed chemical level in order to be able to positively influence our immune function by reducing our stress.

What are the findings so far for the Lightning Process and People with M.S.?

The Pilot Study

Three years ago Phil began a small pilot project (collecting data using Rand sf 36 and other standard outcome measures) into using the Lightning Process training program to see if it could help people with MS, the results were encouraging, but the group was too small to make the results publishable.

Further Results

Results continue to be promising.  Experienced practioners like Jenny Gilmore are continuing to see remarkable changes in people with M.S. and are gathering evidence to see if full recovery may be possible and sustainable.

Jenny has seen clients with MS make substantial improvements in areas that had been affecting every aspect of their daily living including energy, sensation and movement, and the ability to stand and walk.

She says "it has been great to see people make changes that have increased their independence, and enhanced their quality of life and will continue to assist them to make great positive changes in the future. "

So far evidence suggests that the crucial factor for change is not whether a client has relapsing/remitting MS or progressive MS. The most relevant factor seems to be the individual's willingness to commit to doing the Lightning Process training program effectively.

Numbers are small, to small as yet for a standard medical trial, but the results are so good they are at the very least a cause for great interest in the potential for other people with MS.

How Much Does The Training Cost?

The current cost for a UK seminar is £605 for training with advanced trainer Jenny Gilmore.  Concessionary rates are available for people in receipt of certain full time benefits and full-time education. For further details contact Jenny.

The cost for a one to one is £605, plus travel expenses, and overnight accommodation if that is required.

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Jenny Gilmore is one of the most experienced Advanced Lightning Process Practitioners and  works across Yorkshire.  She has taken more than 250 people through the lightning process and works with groups and 1 to 1 at home for those unable to travel.  She has worked with people with M.E., CFS, Fibromyalgia and a variety of other conditions including anxiety, insomnia, M.S., OCD, chronic pain and depression.

For more information about the Lightning Process with Jenny Gilmore click here.

To apply for the Lightning Process with Jenny Gilmore click here.

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