Understanding MS Lesions: What They Really Mean and What You Can Do About Them

Aishwariya Farahi
3 days ago
4 min read

If you’ve ever had an MRI for multiple sclerosis, you’ve probably held your breath waiting to hear what the scan would show.

“Any new lesions?”

Those words can bring a wave of anxiety — even when you’re feeling well.

Let’s take a closer look at what MS lesions really mean, and more importantly, what you can do beyond simply waiting for the next MRI.

What Exactly Are MS Lesions?

In simple terms, lesions are areas of inflammation or damage along the protective coating (myelin) that surrounds nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. When that myelin becomes inflamed or damaged, the communication between your brain and body can slow down or be interrupted — causing symptoms like numbness, fatigue, or balance issues.

Lesions can come and go, heal, or change over time. Some stay “quiet” and never cause symptoms at all. Others are active, creating inflammation that your body works to repair.

What’s important to know is that lesions are only one piece of the MS puzzle. They are snapshots in time — not a full reflection of your health, your progress, or your potential for healing.

Why Lesions Happen: The Bigger Picture

Multiple sclerosis is a condition of dysregulation, not destruction.

Your immune system — trying to protect you — gets confused and misdirected, mounting an immune response against things it shouldn’t - most notably the myelin.

This miscommunication can be triggered or worsened by things like:

Chronic stress
Gut inflammation
Environmental toxins
Nutrient deficiencies
Poor sleep or blood sugar instability

Each of these influences immune function and can contribute to new inflammatory activity in the brain or spinal cord.

The good news? Each of these factors is modifiable. That means you have real opportunities to calm inflammation and reduce the likelihood of new lesion activity

Healing Is Possible: The Science of Repair

The brain has an incredible ability to heal and adapt — a process called neuroplasticity.

Even when lesions form, your body works hard to repair myelin and reroute communication pathways.

Research now confirms that nutrition, exercise, sleep, and mindfulness practices can all influence neuroplasticity and support natural repair.

That means your daily choices — the food you eat, how you manage stress, how often you move — can literally help your brain build resilience. These are things that are totally in your control.

Naturopathic Medicine and MS Lesions

Naturopathic and Functional medicine looks beyond “how many lesions are there” and asks why they’re forming.

In my practice, I help patients identify and address some of the deeper contributors to inflammation through:

Gut health restoration (since 70% of the immune system resides there)
Reducing chronic stress and balancing the nervous system
Balancing blood sugar to reduce inflammation, stabilize energy and improve mood
Correcting nutrient deficiencies and eating habits that actually cause inflammation and impair repair.
A whole-person approach often leads to meaningful changes — not just in symptoms, but in how patients feel and function day to day.

I am often asked what people experience as a result of our clinical work together - and that is a long answer, but suffice it to say that I am honoured to share the healing journey that my patients are on and am delighted when they no longer require their walking devices or experience a dramatic change in energy, or when they tell me ‘everything just works better - from thinking to bowel health. The journey is unique to everyone and my prescriptions are personalized to address that.

Your Mindset Matters Too

Just like I shared in The Heart of Healing: How Your Mindset Shapes Life with Multiple Sclerosis, belief and mindset are not separate from biology.

When you approach your healing from a place of curiosity and confidence rather than fear, your body shifts into a more restorative state — reducing the inflammation that drives lesion activity - and actually healing.

Your mind and body are in constant conversation. You can influence that dialogue every minute of every day.

What You Can Do Right Now

Here are a few steps you can take to support brain health and reduce lesion activity:

Prioritize rest and recovery. Deep, consistent sleep supports myelin repair.
Eat for your brain. Focus on anti-inflammatory foods — greens, berries, omega-rich fats, and quality protein as a start.
Move gently and often. Physical activity increases circulation and stimulates neuroplasticity.
Calm your stress response - using breathwork, guided meditation, or journaling to quiet the nervous system and heal the body.
Stay connected. Community, laughter, and support reduce isolation and improve resilience.

You will be amazed how these self-directed activities will empower your mind and re-regulate your body.