[Nomentatus]

I've removed my mention of a study saying smoking helped, more recent research contradicts it.

He moved at least twenty years ago, to a sunny but more northern west coast city and has remained here since. (I wasn't being as clear as I thought. I've now edited my post, thanks!)

It's reasonable to suppose that some environmental factors might be involved, but vary. After all, Epstein-Barr is at best a necessary condition for MS, it's very far from sufficient. Logically it can't be the whole story or nearly everyone would have MS.

The coast is useful because the sun is kinder, more filtered. Even if UVB turns out to be necessary, which I don't know of course, it's nice not to worry too much about the time of day you're out. It might be worth noting that a century ago when sun therapy was in vogue, they recommended the three hours after sunrise, only. But they also put resorts in mountains, esp in Europe, to get a longer season of effective full spectrum light.

[hirvi74]

> Logically it can't be the whole story or nearly everyone would have MS.

Sure, but I think some people are just more susceptible to certain things. I think it would more likely that everyone with <insert right genetic lottery> who gets EB will more than likely develop MS.

A majority of people that smoke tobacco will not develop lung cancer, but a majority of people that have lung cancer smoked tobacco.