Inspiration! #takethatms





My favorite meditation app:  Calm (click here to download). Love this tool to help manage the stress of life each day. Just 10 minutes a day. Sometimes meditation takes place in the bath tub where it's quiet and peaceful. And safe from interruptions.

 

Afterwards I often enjoy a nice cup of mellow, calming tea.  My nerves are always a bit frazzled with MS and the tea is greatly appreciated. 

 

Homemade bath salts take the event to a whole new level... 
 
Just ten minutes a day can change your life. 

What's your favorite way to take the edge off? 

 Try it. Talk to me. We've got this! 

#takethatMS



The little things and the not so little things...

Yoga, walk, shower, tea...I love mornings. Well, sometimes. They may be slow or painful, but as long as they keep coming, I'll take them. So random this MS. Yesterday was a tough day. Legs on fire, tremors a trembling. Energy, attention and focus was channeled for four hours of meetings. Then honestly, I was done. Sipped water, nerve-calming tea, and watched quiet, innocent television as my eyes were too tired to read. When the sentences start leaping off the page you know its time to stop.



I just couldn't take anymore interaction. Anymore sound. Anymore energy taken from me. I know my boundaries. I know that if I over do today I'm done for tomorrow.
This morning was completely different. Strong. Balanced. Calm. I practiced my morning yoga on the circle, accompanied by two dogs, overlooking the Arroyo. Followed by a dog walk and now sipping some tea. Basically, a gorgeous morning at a local retreat.
What causes the difference from one day to the next?
"No two the same." But how can we better manage our day to day life?
Everything adds up. Diet. Activity. Energy. State of mind. Stress level.
While I had been eating some needed calories and tasty food, the recent increased consumption of red meat, processed foods, caffeine, salt and gluten brought extreme inflammation to my whole body. In addition, I pushed myself last week at Hot Creek. Even though I was managing every aspect, it took a toll.
At Hot Creek, I found if I could "mind shift" into other states of mind, I could better manage my MS. In order to do this, I did quite a bit of resting poses, some yoga flows and meditations to work through the fatigue, clumsiness and nerviness.
Then I returned home to hours of meetings and tasks I wanted to get done but my body started to shut down. But this time I didn't turn to my mind shift options. I turned to Caffeine! Ugh and horrible I know but the coffee was flowing and so was I. Until I crashed. And crashed I did.
One bad choice and I paid the price.
I was talking to a good friend the other day about how I felt my bounce back has been improving. While I keep this image in my mind, heart and soul, I also acknowledge that I'm doing less and less at times. I feel its a continuous struggle, finding that balancing act between too much and not enough. Making every right choice or just being human.
Many folks want to write off my MS as returning to a mild form. Well, Its returning there for a reason.
YOGA. I can't say it loud or strong or often enough. The one thing that has worked better than anything other than my three F's (Faith, Family, Friends). YOGA.
I started way before I had MS. Not serious but got the basics. I continued throughout my MS. From physical to mental balance, everything could and does improve with my practices. Some days I can't stand too well. Others I'm balancing on one foot.
As long as I keep waking up. As long as I keep my Faith, Family and Friemds. As long as I watch my diet, my life style and embrace everything mind body and soul, them can I continue living. Yoga. Nutrition. Support. Food as Medicine. Vitamins, herbal supplements. The list goes on. Start with the basics and work the others in.
Maybe I can still walk because of the yoga and exercising. And because of all the minute details I manage. Some days I can't walk too well and I will fall and trip. My legs just now started to feel a little twangy so I poured a glass of pineapple juice. The bromelain is a natural antiinflammatory. It just sounded like to right choice.
"No two the same". Whether we are talking people or days. My goal, every day, is to manage my symptoms so I can have more consistent days.
So here. Here's to the three F's of Faith Family Friends. Here's to Yoga! Here's to trying everything, finding what works for you and for creating an MS plan that will help you live a more fulfilling life.


Bee pollen, herbal tea and red wine

I find it fascinating to look back at old posts and see what I was working on and how my MS was doing.  I haven't taken clonazapam/klonopin in years and so thankful to be off of this horrible drug. Hated being on it!  Don't miss it all.  Intereesting to read effects of going off it because never even think about it now.  And so many folks with MS are prescribed this drug for symptoms.  Be careful with it. My supplements have changed quite a bit over the past 4 years along with other bits of this post, but it's intriguing me to read it and remind myself of things that have worked in the past.

Original Post from March 3, 2013:

For the last few weeks I've been reducing my klonopin ever more as I head toward my goal of being off this drug. My doctors say I can take three pills a day. I wouldn't be able to function as it makes moshy pit head syndrome. For the past year I had been taking a half of a pill at night and then another half when I woke up around 3 am. Then slowly reduced it to a 1/4 pill at night if I feel the need. Supposedly klonopin needs to come out of ones system slowly especially if one has been on it for years as I have. A sudden stop could cause seizures. Ironic since the drug is an anti seizure drug. But for now I'm taking a 1/4 of a pill once a day or a couple of days.
What's amazing is the amount of short circuitry and nerviness that has increased since I've reduced the klonopin. Talk about tingling me silly. I swear there is a conversation going on between my left knee and right thigh. Well wait. Actually it now seems like there are a dozen different nerve endings all standing on their soap boxes, shouting at the top of their lungs, "Me! Me! Me! Choose Me!"
But I'm sticking with my plan. I will be off this drug.
In the meantime I'm finding peace with herbal tea, bee pollen and red wine. In fact I'm drinking some Chinese detox tea, Trader Joe's mint tea and bee pollen as I write. My friend just turned me onto bee pollen so this is day one. Here's some info on it: http://www.mercola.com/article/diet/bee_pollen.htm
In addition I'm drinking my shentrition (getshen.com), taking my vitamins and massaging coconut oil all over my body. Coconut oil is amazing and seems to heal all that ails. Here's my cheat sheet of supplements:
Wine is a supplement? But drinking isn't good for MS is it? No, not really. Alcohol is a toxin and heats up an already MS-inflamed body. So why do I add wine to my list? A glass or two not only tastes great but there are some health benefits to red wine and it is nice to take the edge off now and then. And to take the nerviness down a notch. I am no doctor but have lived with this disease for twelve years and this is what works for me.
What also works is falling head first into a bottle with good friends and family. Been there many times. So, I'm not perfect. Who is?
Life is about living and exploring. Not hiding under the covers.
Today is Saturday. I'm off to thrive in the garden! What are doing to thrive today?