At the time of diagnosis, most patients are told that the absolute cause of MS and a cure are unknown.  Hearing this makes most people feel a bit out of control concerning living with this disease.  The reality is, however, that there are factors we know to enhance your health and to improve your quality of life.  Knowing what some of these are gives you back some of that control and helps you to move forward by making some lifestyle modifications.  We call that “control” empowerment and it truly allows you to make positive changes that will make a difference in your life.

What is the most important part of the upcoming holidays to you?  While some “love it all”, few of us can “do it all”. 

Here we are in a new year.  For some people with MS, it will be facing their first year with the diagnosis.  For others, this may be the second, third or fourth year living with MS. 

Don’t let your mobility challenges be the obstacle between you and a relaxing vacation.  There are many available options to make travel easier and more enjoyable.   Bon voyage!

Having the desire and motivation to eat well is one thing, but the process of actually carrying it out, from purchasing the food to placing a meal on the table, is another. Obstacles are real, such as limited time and energy, or challenges from cognitive and physical changes. Here are four simple strategies that can help you have more success in the kitchen, eat well, and feel better, with more energy and confidence.

Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline which originates in ancient India.  It is a unique kind of exercise because it requires cognitive attention to the breath and the body simultaneously.   There are many varieties of yoga that can be practiced and are readily available by attending classes out in the community, working one on one with a yoga instructor/yoga therapist or trying a home based practice. 

Disclosing one’s Multiple Sclerosis to your employer is one of the most difficult decisions people with MS face. You need to consider carefully before making the decision to do so, as it has legal and job related implications that can be ongoing.  When disclosing to an employer, there are many issues to consider. There may be good reasons to disclose and benefits from doing so. However, once information is given, it can never be taken back, so it’s important to make certain that telling does benefit you.

The vast majority of individuals who participate in therapeutic riding rehabilitation programs have shown significant positive outcomes. Regardless of the condition one may be dealing with, numerous research studies have clearly shown functional improvements in people who partake in this activity.

Spring has sprung and it is time to look forward to a new season of growth. Growing a garden—whether flowers or vegetables—is a wonderful, relaxing and therapeutic way to get you in touch with Mother Nature.

When you face physical limitations, traveling can seem like an insurmountable task. You think about “how do I get about if my walking is unsteady?” “How do I manage my bladder problems?”

With Atkins, LA Weight Loss, Dr. Phil, South Beach and 35 billion dollars donated to weight loss routines, why are Americans getting heavier? In 2000, the prevalence of obesity in US adults was 19.8 percent, which reflects a 61 percent increase over the previous 10 years.

Stay Active and Connected in Winter

For centuries winter has been identified as a time for reflection and replenishment. It's an opportunity to resolve issues, create resolutions and look forward to the prospects of a new year.

When MS impairs your mobility more and more, exercise can pose yet one more challenge. For some the word “exercise” conjures up negative feelings or nervousness while for others, exercise represents ‘me time’, empowerment, a feeling of wellness, accomplishment, and taking care of yourself.

MS is a chronic neurologic, immune-mediated disease affecting the central nervous system including the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Currently there are eight FDA approved medications to treat the disease that have been rigorously tested, monitored for safety, and are closely regulated. 

Exercise…For some that word conjures up negative feelings like a tedious task, a bad movie your spouse makes you watch, or homework. For others, exercise represents “me time”, feeling of wellness and accomplishment, taking care of yourself. For those who look at exercise as a negative, let’s capitalize on that last description – “taking care of your self”.

It is now known, thanks to years of collaboration among clinicians and researchers, that exercise is helpful in managing many multiple sclerosis symptoms.  It can still be difficult to find the motivation to exercise; even knowing that exercise is beneficial in controlling the symptoms of MS.  Part of the problem is that we tend to set lofty goals and end up not following through or even starting!  This is one of the reasons that most of us beyond the age of 35 or so stop making New Year’s resolutions.  It is very easy to set a goal and then never even start.

Swallowing is a function that happens so automatically that we never give it much thought until something goes wrong. Most of us have experienced the occasional coughing and sputtering that comes with “swallowing down the Sunday throat.” However, when you have MS, those episodes can become more frequent and bothersome, to the point that they affect safety of oral intake. Swallowing problems, also known as “dysphagia,” can vary in MS from occasional episodes of something “going down the wrong throat” to more serious symptoms of unintended weight loss or repeated cases of pneumonia due to aspiration.  Dysphagia can also have a negative impact on quality of life.

MS fatigue is more than "normal" fatigue. It affects 80 to 90 percent of people diagnosed, and a majority of people feel it is their most debilitating symptom.

Around 60-80% of individuals living with M.S. experience heat intolerance, particularly during the warmer summer months.  Simply explained, when the body’s temperature elevates nerve conduction is slowed or blocked causing a temporary worsening of symptoms. The effects are as unique as we are with each individual having their own threshold and response to heat and humidity. It is important to note, heat does not cause an exacerbation of the disease process. The effects are temporary with symptoms returning to their normal level as the body cools.

Pain can be a problem for many people with MS. Many factors like muscle cramps, tight aching joints, and musculoskeletal problems can contribute to pain. Fortunately, several seemingly small changes can add up to a real reduction in pain. 

Nearly twenty to thirty years ago, individuals diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis were instructed to avoid physical activity and exercise as it may worsen their symptoms or the course of their disease. The value of exercise in the management of MS has been firmly established by years of collaboration among clinicians, researchers, we well as the leadership of advocates such as Can Do MS’s founder, Jimmie Heuga.

In doing research for this article, my colleagues and I discovered that there are as many gadgets and gizmos as there are tasks and situations. Many of them have made their way into the main stream and are available at local stores or via online shopping. 

How do you cope with something that you can’t see? For many of us, dealing with the invisible symptoms of MS can be extremely challenging. Issues with fatigue, depression, cognition, intimacy and self-esteem often go undiagnosed, under treated and misunderstood.

How well do you know your bladder? If you have MS and are experiencing some changes in your bladder function, you have a great deal of company.  Probably 85% of people with MS will experience problems with bladder function at some time in their course of MS. 

Recently, I was at a community meeting where I knew no one. I was standing around the Southern Living type food buffet, indulging in some creamy, cheesy dip and crackers. 

Spasticity is a common symptom seen in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and can play a major role in disability.  Spasticity has important clinical manifestations including tonic increases in muscle tone with limb rigidity and/or a phasic pattern of uncontrolled spasms. 

There has been an increase in the public's awareness of functional electrical stimulation (FES) and its use in people living with MS.  FES as an ambulatory aid, has been used for many years by rehabilitation professionals.

As recently as twenty years ago, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) were advised to avoid physical activity/exercise because it could increase symptoms or possibly even increase disease activity.  Today it is well accepted that exercise is beneficial in maintaining or increasing one’s health, decreasing secondary complications and improving psychological well-being. 

Loss of balance can be frustrating. It is most commonly seen with activities such as walking, climbing stairs or transfers. It can also be a problem with sitting or standing.

It seems you can’t pick up a publication these days without reading about how many of us seem to have low levels of Vitamin D. It never seemed to be a problem before; why is it now? 

Stretching has many benefits for all people. It is an activity which we can all participate in to one degree or another. 

Most of us enjoy the warm weather months; the longer days, lots of sunshine, and time enjoying the great outdoors.  For some individuals living with MS, however, summertime heat can be tough and cause their MS symptoms to be temporarily worse.  So what is really going on? 

Strength is defined as the quality of being strong or powerful as it relates to muscular activity. Muscle strength is needed to perform daily activities. Weakness can decrease function. 

With less daylight and colder temperatures it can be a challenge to stay active and maintain your fitness in the winter. By understanding your symptoms and using some creativity, you can have fun and maintain your fitness goals during the winter.

Do you ever turn down offers of outings or social gatherings because you will get too hot? Do you stay indoors when you would rather be outside? Do you ever feel like you might just melt?
 

As recently as twenty years ago, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) were advised to avoid physical activity/exercise because it could increase symptoms or possibly even increase disease activity.  Today it is well accepted that exercise is beneficial in maintaining or increasing one’s health, decreasing secondary complications and improving psychological well-being.

What does your snacking behavior look like? Are you a vending-machine junkie? Does your co-worker bring in tempting sweets made especially for you? Does your snacking generate a guilty feeling?

Now that summer is here, most of us want to spend more time outside; in our gardens, doing activities, picnicking, and sitting on our decks and porches.  The problem comes when our skin is exposed to too much sunshine. 

Being a support person to someone with MS often involves many challenges, but can also be enormously rewarding. One of the most significant challenges is to take care of oneself, and meet one’s own needs, while at the same time helping to support and care for a loved one.  But we know that if you do not take care of yourself, you may become unable to provide support to the people you love.

When one person is diagnosed with MS, many other people are involved and affected. And the changes brought about by MS can have an impact on those important relationships.

In June, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health launched a campaign called “Time To Talk” to encourage both patients and health care providers to discuss the use of complementary and alternative treatments (CAM). 

Every partnership has a rhythm of its own. Whether you are spouses/partners, relatives, or close friends, a healthy, balanced relationship relies on a variety of factors:

Wellness is a term that has gained increasing popularity in recent years. Wellness generally focuses on physical, psychological and spiritual aspects of one’s life.

February is the month to show someone you love them.  We see ads for flowers, chocolates, sleepwear and dinners for two.  While it is cheerful and colorful and fun, one would hope that sharing intimacy with the ones you love and care about is not a one day affair. 

Being diagnosed with MS or being told your loved one is diagnosed is like being told a secret. You can keep the information to yourself or share it with everyone you meet. Neither of these are good long-term solutions to help you live a quality life.

“In sickness and in health.” Although we make this vow in earnest, when we marry (or commit to each other), we do not expect that chronic illness will enter our lives.  The diagnosis of MS is life altering, not only for the patient, but also for her or his partner.

MS comes with many challenges for both the individual and family living with MS. As a chronic condition, MS is present every day even when medication is taken, stretches are done, and a positive attitude is maintained. 

The holiday season can be a time of joy and celebration with family and friends.  Yet it is also the season when you cannot escape media coverage of the holiday blues or holiday stress.  These changes in psychological health can all be compounded by multiple sclerosis, of which depression, altered mood, and fatigue are major symptoms.

Most of us can benefit from managing our stress more effectively.  However, for people with MS, managing stress may also help us manage our MS symptoms. When we feel more in control of how we react to the inevitable stresses in life, we feel better physically and emotionally.

Valentine's Day was less than two weeks ago, but seems like a distant memory. It's a holiday that conjures up thoughts of romance, flowers, candy and kisses. 

“I have discovered in life that I can do anything but I can’t do everything.  No one can go it alone.  Create your team!” 
~Robert Schuller

If you have multiple sclerosis or are a friend or support partner of someone with MS, knowing how to access those people who can help you manage better is essential.  In our health care system, we generally see our providers on an as needed basis or as a regular scheduled check up. 

If you feel a bit down in the dumps this time of the year, you have lots of company. By March it can feel like spring will never come. For most of us, seeing the sun and the first few buds are enough to perk up our mood. 

Rosalind Kalb, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, Vice President of the Professional Resource Center of the National MS Society and a member of our Can Do MS Program Staff has coined the phrase “MS Free Zone.” What she is referring to are areas of your life where MS can’t touch you.

It is fortunate that the MS community is increasingly open about the fact that this disease includes cognitive symptoms as well and physical and emotional ones.  This opens the door for persons living with MS and their health care providers to assess if cognitive symptoms exist and how best to manage them. Based on a number of studies, it is estimated that 50% or more of people with MS will experience cognitive symptoms due to the disease.

We all know what the word “priority” means. When living with MS, our priorities are focused on managing symptoms. Making time for activities that bring joy, fulfillment and improve our quality of life are neglected and moved aside.

Change can be hard. Every one of us has trouble with it. New Year’s resolutions are a perfect example of how change can be hard. Whether you made a plan before the New Year and never got started, or you started off great and didn’t follow through, goals are often not accomplished because they are too big, vague or complicated. Make your goals attainable, simple and small.

Managing a hectic schedule can be a very daunting task.  As our lives get busier we have to take into consideration many more factors.  Organization and time management become essential to ‘getting everything done’. 

We often see TV ads about bowel issues and think that these problems are common and manageable.  They are common and they are manageable, even if your MS is the cause. 

There has been a recent focus on assistive devices (specifically walking aides).  Choosing an assistive device can be a very difficult decision.  What is the best way to make a decision on an assistive device?

With summer comes Farmer’s Markets in most areas of the world, displaying a veritable cornucopia of tasty and healthy treats for you to eat.  Try to find the markets in your community and visit the one that works best for your schedule or location. 

It seems to be all too common to take on too much during this season.  Some of that can be managed by choosing your activities wisely.  Use the following tips to shave off some energy expenditure.

The fall season is a good thing because the cooler temperatures makes it easier for people to be active.  Falling down is not a good thing.  There is growing information about falls in the general population, as well as with people living with MS or other conditions, that put them at risk

Many of us face the challenge of maintaining balance in our lives. One of those challenges is being able to maintain motivation for your exercise program. 

Summertime sometimes makes living a challenge. Many of us live by our routines that often take a hiatus in the summer months. Others find summer more difficult due to the heat so we spend far too much time indoors in our homes to escape the summer’s heat.

Everyone sets goals in their lives. Goals are set for many reasons and usually with noble intentions. The New Year is a time when many people set ‘resolutions’ or goals for the coming year. Often these ‘resolutions’ are broken before the beginning of February.

Humor is the great thing, the saving thing.  The minute it crops up, all our irritation and resentments slip away, and a sunny spirit takes their place.  ~Mark Twain~ 

April is upon us. Winter is waning, spring is coming. It is time to shed the pallor and have some fun. Play this little game. Good for the brain and good for the soul!

We often talk about the value of exercise for your health and well-being.  As it turns out, exercise is valuable for your brain as well. 

Every year when I open the first page of my new calendar, I feel excited about the things that will fill my calendar over the next year. While New Years' resolutions never work for me, I do make sure the things that need to be done for my health are planned in advance. 

 Take two minutes to complete the quiz.

Many of you have heard of spirituality or have experienced spirituality.  Even if you have heard of it, you may wonder what it really means or how you practice spirituality.

No one wishes to have multiple sclerosis, but having it in 2012 is certainly different from having MS in 1992.  Those twenty years brought about more changes than the one hundred twenty years before them.  And the changes continue to happen at a lightning fast rate.  It is quite possible that in the next year there will be three more disease modifying drugs available to slow relapsing forms of MS. 

As the roving reporter for Can Do MS at the American Academy of Neurology Meeting in Toronto, I could not help but notice how large and spacious the Convention Center of Toronto is.  Anyone attending the meeting had to lose 5 pounds simply by walking between the sessions! 

Emerging therapies is a topic that is of interest to anyone involved in the management of multiple sclerosis.  Whether you are a person with MS or a practitioner you cannot help but get caught up in the fever of all the new treatments being talked about. 

As we look toward the future in MS therapies the key will be risk versus benefit.  The market for MS treatments appears to be very high despite the fact that there are eight FDA approved treatments.  As newer, different treatments come into being it is going to be even more important for the physician and the person with MS to weigh the risk/benefit ratio to decide whether the “newness” and unexplored (outside of studies) treatment is worth passing on the older/potentially safer models.