tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26193824687355425842024-03-17T00:44:04.226-07:00Girl with MS - Tips & Tools for Thriving with Multiple SclerosisCaroline Craven - Certified Life Coach, MS Advocate, Motivational Speaker, Writer & Patient Expert living with Multiple Sclerosis.Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.comBlogger413125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-78246197574687888242024-03-06T08:26:00.000-08:002024-03-06T08:26:38.928-08:00Creating your own health: Using Diet & Nutrition to Treat MSWow. 23 years later. Probably one of my biggest factors in managing my MS symptoms is the use of diet and nutrition. During my three years in the double-blind, T-cell study, back in 2001, my hopes were on nutrition and all things alternative. I willingly went off all DMD in search of a cure for MS. But then reality set in, and it was all engines forward in the battle of natural ways to fight the progression of this disease. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sporting my flower peace wreath</td></tr>
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There is a lot of incoming research on Diet and MS. There are also some active clinical trials. <br />
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Click this out: <a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/diet-as-major-ms-treatment" target="_blank">Here is my article</a> on <a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/diet-as-major-ms-treatment" target="_blank">Diet as a treatment</a> for multiple sclerosis.<br />
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Diet - or better yet, a nutritional protocol, is essential in my daily battle against MS. If my daily intake has too much salt, too much caffeine, too much gluten, too many processed foods, then I will pay the price. And while that price may not be paid that same day, trust you me that it will not forget and will rear its ugly head. And, more often than not, all of the prices will want to be paid on the same day at the same time, wreaking complete havoc on your life. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go for color when cooking and creating healthy menus </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh lemon is key! Use in water, tea, baths, etc. <br />
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#refresh</td></tr>
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Click here for <a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/diet-as-major-ms-treatment" target="_blank">my article</a> on <a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/diet-as-major-ms-treatment" target="_blank">Diet as a treatment</a> for multiple sclerosis. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Become friends with your body and find a new level of wellness. </td></tr>
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Welcome to living with multiple sclerosis. As you know it often does not bode well for us MS patients. Out diseases are random and progress willy nilly. But there are modifiable risk factors that we can take into consideration to help us strive for the best life possible despite's our illness. These risk factors include cigarette smoke, alcohol, nutrition, supplement intake, exercise, and other situations that we have control over. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">~if need be - pee on it and walk away~</td></tr>
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Cig smoking is bad. Bottomline, cut it out. Alcohol is considered OK in moderation. Consult with your neurologist or medical expert. Often people find that Vitamin D, B12 and Biotin can all be beneficial supplements. In addition, the nrf2 activator, Protandim, is found to be great at fighting oxidative stress. <br />
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So, that brings us to Diet, or nutritional protocol. Everyone is different so finding a protocol that works best for you is key. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Gluten free bread is an option. <br />
Here it is paired with home-made soup and fresh salmon salad. </td></tr>
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One person who is making a difference with diet and MS is Dr. Terry Wahls and her Wahl's Protocol. I had the great fortune of speaking with Dr. Wahls a few weeks ago for an article I was writing for Healthline.com - "Diet as a possible treatment for MS". And wow! So much great information going on with diet and MS. <br />
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The <a href="http://terrywahls.com/about-the-wahls-protocol/" target="_blank">Wahl's Protocol</a> is a modified paleolithic diet. More about it <a href="http://terrywahls.com/about-the-wahls-protocol/" target="_blank">click </a>here. For those who do not know, Dr. Wahls has made diet a form of treatment for progressive MS. Thank you Dr. Wahls! I have been following and almost identical diet based on my own experience for over 15 years. It is the number 1 "go to" when things are going bad with my MS. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">And if you don't have fresh flowers, the fake ones are fun too!</td></tr>
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First, I ask myself: How is my diet? Where am I going wrong? And most of the time, this usually fixes it for m! Like I say, everyone is different. This is one reason I love the Wahl's Protocol - as it suggests elimination type diets to see what you personally are sensitive to and this is BIG! <br />
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<a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/diet-as-major-ms-treatment" target="_blank">Here is my article</a> on <a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/diet-as-major-ms-treatment" target="_blank">Diet as a treatment</a> for multiple sclerosis. <br />
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Here are some food common sensitivities:<br />
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Processed foods<br />
Salt<br />
Gluten<br />
Red meat<br />
Simple carbs<br />
Sugar<br />
Sodas<br />
Diet anything / excitotoxins or NaStY for MS<br />
Dairy....<br />
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FYI - I eat dairy. Cheese. I tried to take it out of my diet once and my boss told me to add it back as the rest of the staff was complaining about my horrid mood. That was near 30 years ago and I haven't tried to remove it since~ I don't eat a lot of it but like it now and then. I will willingly cut everything else out, before the cheese~ <br />
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Lately I haven't been able to eat much meat. My body, probably due to the warm summer months, is craving cooling salads and fresh fruit. Unfortunately I like beer, especially in the summer months. It's not the alcohol that bothers me but rather the carbs and gluten. Talk about a weight gainer! And then if I add bread....Oh dear save me. <br />
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Last winter I made the mistake of letting way too much beer, bread and gluten get into my diet. Showing no restraint at all for about six months eventually led to a 15 pound weight gain, horrid dry skin and then the dreaded MS relapse! Ugh. <br />
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My vertigo and vision got so bad that driving was out of the question...even just to a friends house. Lethargic and inflamed my life consisted of laying in bed and "trying" to motivate. Oh how I hate this feeling! My skin was dry and eczema appeared all over. Hair loss was abundant and my breath was so bad it even grossed me out. What have I done? So healthy last summer and then wowza, what a defeat brought on by my own weaknesses. <br />
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Time to make a change! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Feeling the summer spirit, light and fresh!</td></tr>
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Nothing huge at first, just cut the carbs back down to no more than 10% of diet or so. Eliminated processed foods again and removed gluten for the most part. A little now and then does not bother me. But a six pack of beer and loaf of bread is not considered moderation. That's OK, the change feels good. <br />
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Back to juicing and healthy eating. Beautiful summer produce combined with beans and grains cooked fresh are making the table. Herbs from the garden and cheeses and meats from local farmers inspire this cook to create. <br />
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Some of recipes for your enjoyment:<br />
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<a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2014/09/anti-inflammatory-dessert-recipe-to.html" target="_blank">Anti-inflammatory R</a>ice Pudding<br />
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<a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/obsessive-gazpacho-179248" target="_blank">Obsessive Gaspacho </a><br />
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<a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2016/07/juicing-and-chia-pudding-for-our-health_14.html" target="_blank">Juice Recipes</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2016/07/juicing-and-chia-pudding-for-our-health_14.html" target="_blank">Chia Pudding</a><br />
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<b>Words of Advice:</b><br />
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Try different diets. Work with nutritionists who understand MS and the different trending diets. This is your health - it is your body. Do not try whack-doodle eating schemes. Try stuff that has worked for others, the key word being "try". Give yourself a chance with different foods and see what you might be sensitive to. Everyone is different! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Add color and energy throughout your house with fresh flowers.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/diet-as-major-ms-treatment" target="_blank">Here is my article</a> on <a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/diet-as-major-ms-treatment" target="_blank">Diet as a treatment</a> for multiple sclerosis. <div><br /></div><div>#takeTHATms! <br />
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</div>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-20183378856181879402023-12-09T09:19:00.000-08:002023-12-09T09:19:14.850-08:00More Than Just Spasms and Pain: What It's Like to Live with MS<h1 class="css-1i9vogi" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(35, 31, 32); font-family: Tiempos, Georgia, georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, times, serif; line-height: 12px; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">More Than Just Spasms and Pain: What It's Like to Live with MS.</span></h2>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span>by Caroline Craven</div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Creating a sense of well-being can help mitigate the negative effects of multiple sclerosis.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LUxkW5HcoFg/XAAJbiuSnDI/AAAAAAAAF_g/TBEisv4K9Mg5T_7z-_cG3Irm33weXjjgQCLcBGAs/s1600/fullsizeoutput_6e0d.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LUxkW5HcoFg/XAAJbiuSnDI/AAAAAAAAF_g/TBEisv4K9Mg5T_7z-_cG3Irm33weXjjgQCLcBGAs/s200/fullsizeoutput_6e0d.jpeg" width="199" /></a><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">That’s what researchers in the Netherlands are saying in their recent study on the debilitating disease.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">With multiple sclerosis (MS), the body can start to fail and falter due to various symptoms.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Feelings of “I can” are replaced with “I might be able to.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">“I still remember the first time I experienced muscle spasms in my arm and leg. I could no longer walk or sit normally. It scared me and made me wonder whether it was really my body as I felt totally disconnected from [it],” one person with MS recalled.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">As the body is able to do less, experts advise healthcare professionals and people living with MS to focus on the what the body can do.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">“I would like to know whether this paper resonates with the MS community,” Hanneke van der Meide-Vijvers, one study author and a postdoctoral researcher at Tranzo Tilburg University, told Healthline. “When it comes to healthcare practice, I strongly advocate a phenomenological perspective in which we start from lived experience rather than a body-mind dualism.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">Analyzing the MS experience</a></span></h3>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The study, entitled <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1049732318796831"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(20, 144, 201); color: #1490c9; font-kerning: none;">The Mindful Body: a phenomenology of the body of MS,</span></a> focused on how people with MS experience their bodies on a daily basis.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The researchers concluded it wasn’t the body that’s limited, but rather the ability to live life fully.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">For a person with MS, it’s not the lesions or physical disabilities that they experience on a daily basis. It’s the inability to make a cup of coffee, attend a concert, or drive to a friend’s house.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The phenomenological research design this study followed refers to a tradition of philosophy, originating in Europe, and includes the work of Sartre among others.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_i2AHeoMLzY/XAAJzBYX_kI/AAAAAAAAF_o/9z72Zt0dT4U7w7AmuM0TuzmcZDMEkzj7gCLcBGAs/s1600/lBtyaQ2QQCSEB2wWIzTo4A.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_i2AHeoMLzY/XAAJzBYX_kI/AAAAAAAAF_o/9z72Zt0dT4U7w7AmuM0TuzmcZDMEkzj7gCLcBGAs/s320/lBtyaQ2QQCSEB2wWIzTo4A.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The study involved 13 women with <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/multiple-sclerosis/rrms-vs-ppms"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(20, 144, 201); color: #1490c9; font-kerning: none;">relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS)</span></a> for more than five years. The process included personal interviews that took place in the home, a coffee bar, or via Skype and FaceTime.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">“It’s a very interesting study,” Kasey Minnis, director of communications for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, told Healthline. “Rather than try to ignore their body, healthcare professionals should be trying to help individuals with MS feel positive within their bodies.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">This small study provides a glimpse into what it is like to live with MS.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">Living with MS means adapting</a><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">People living with MS may experience unusual symptoms.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">After a long enough period, these unusual symptoms become mainstream. They become familiar with the strangeness.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">A healthy person will consider exercising as long as they can. A person with MS will exercise as much as their body can tolerate. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Ordinary tasks require planning and attention. When the possibilities of the body no longer match aspirations, the two become separated. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">“I once had a relapse and had to learn to swallow again,” shares one participant in the study.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">The body effect</a></span></h3>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L8gat6xdBTg/XAAKSHJv0LI/AAAAAAAAF_4/eWCXFxd_oRwKLkr6idW-r1AwJu6d-GaxQCLcBGAs/s1600/MasiSDyDQmitHhBVjRKcfA.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L8gat6xdBTg/XAAKSHJv0LI/AAAAAAAAF_4/eWCXFxd_oRwKLkr6idW-r1AwJu6d-GaxQCLcBGAs/s320/MasiSDyDQmitHhBVjRKcfA.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The study suggests that “a person with MS ‘splits’ her body to reconnect with her body.” </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">“My mind likes to dominate over my body,” one participant said, “and now my body gets more chance to speak. There is more balance.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">When a person creates this type of emotional connection it’s called the “body effect”.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">This emotion toward the body is reflected in the care given. The study found the 13 women committed to keeping their body in shape, exercising or paying attention to diet, more so than before diagnosis.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">But, a person may ignore their limitations for a feeling of freedom. They continue behavior patterns that could be detrimental to their health.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">In essence, they harm the body to nourish the soul. These dangers include sauna use, smoking, drinking, and other modifiable risk factors.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">“We go to the sauna every Friday evening,” shared one participant. “After the sauna, I always have weak legs and I know the heat is not good for my body, but my spiritual well-being is also important. Going to the sauna is my way of unwinding.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">Evolving to live</a></span></h3>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">A person with MS engages in modifying their body as the disease progresses. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">This process builds up what’s called the “habitual body.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The actual body represents life before MS. The habitual body is what one creates with their conscious thinking and actions.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">As time goes by, the memory of the old body fades and the new body becomes familiar.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">This new body has most likely been altered and changed, so the person with MS must adapt to these changes.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">“I had to learn to walk again,” one participant said. “I felt miserable because a lot of people in my neighborhood do not know I have MS. I had the feeling that everyone was peeking though the windows seeing me act weird.” </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Worried what others might think, she added, “but yeah, I wanted to recover and moving around was the only way to get there.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">The mindful body</a></span></h3>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Uncertainty leads to increased awareness and a new appreciation for the body.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">A person with MS may find themselves in a constant state of bodily alertness.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">This is called the “mindful body”.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">“Yesterday I walked in the city center and did some shopping. I noticed that my legs started to swing and that I was more and more leaning against the person I was with. Then I realized it was time to go home,” said one participant. </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TzfVzmt1ovI/YD_6QqBTEPI/AAAAAAAAHZo/Q-rPGsl34gszFm9fuQmkm3z4_RDQ8bXbACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/9DBFCE40-4453-4030-869F-84C7E94E2231.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TzfVzmt1ovI/YD_6QqBTEPI/AAAAAAAAHZo/Q-rPGsl34gszFm9fuQmkm3z4_RDQ8bXbACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/9DBFCE40-4453-4030-869F-84C7E94E2231.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The researchers suggest that a person living with MS is always connecting with their body, either consciously or unconsciously, “listening to their body.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">This attention toward one’s body may allow them to live as well as possible because they’re aware of their limitations and create a life around them.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">To adapt, they must relearn how to recognize the body’s signals. Someone may become especially sensitive to signs of fatigue, such as sensory issues, trouble communicating, or problems concentrating.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">During the study, one patient responded, “MS is like the weather as I cannot predict how I will feel in three days, or tomorrow or even a few hours.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">The MS hug</a></span></h3>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">People living with MS can experience bizarre and intense bodily sensations. Basically, the body takes over and wants full attention.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">One example of this is the MS hug, a common symptom of MS.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">“The MS hug is a feeling in my body. It’s like having an elastic around my waist that gets tighter. At that moment, my body enters a warning phase,” shared one participant. “Like it says, ‘Don’t do any crazy things anymore because were going to tighten it even more!’”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">Sense of well-being</a></span></h3>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The body can also produce a sense of well-being for people living with MS.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">They can get lost in their activities where they experience their body in a positive way.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">One participant shared her experience with a cycling class.In the beginning, her legs felt heavy.“But, at a certain moment I was so in the flow of the lesson and busy with the group in front of my, that my body fell away,” she said.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">Taking the body for granted</a></span></h3>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AcyQ22JbGMg/YD_6oFZCVAI/AAAAAAAAHZw/qsgA73O_GvEv6UGczC-u8W66kKeuhl3YQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1D91A312-20CB-449A-BE39-7521370FD6D5.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AcyQ22JbGMg/YD_6oFZCVAI/AAAAAAAAHZw/qsgA73O_GvEv6UGczC-u8W66kKeuhl3YQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/1D91A312-20CB-449A-BE39-7521370FD6D5.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">This study highlights that uncertainty is more about the here and now rather than the future or long term.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Uncertainty requires planning, loss of spontaneity, and distrust in body. So, the focus shifts to the body, not at the task at hand.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">This also brings added anxiety.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Western society demands a fast paced life. Schedules become filled weeks in advance.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Study participants expressed problems with keeping up with society and the need to listen to their body.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">They experience a constant struggle between what they feel they can do and what’s on their agenda.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">Useful therapies</a></span></h3>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9QcQsSQHO7s/XAAKTcQ6tlI/AAAAAAAAF_8/O5DojZRQyAIWloWg-C1MXXJa35NdVrQ1QCLcBGAs/s1600/%252BoAM70fAQcq9xzIZQbi3zA.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: georgia; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9QcQsSQHO7s/XAAKTcQ6tlI/AAAAAAAAF_8/O5DojZRQyAIWloWg-C1MXXJa35NdVrQ1QCLcBGAs/s320/%252BoAM70fAQcq9xzIZQbi3zA.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">People in the study shared that they attended to their bodies in healing ways by walking, meditation, and dance.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">“That’s one benefit of our <a href="https://msfocus.org/Get-Help/MSF-Programs-Grants/Health-and-Wellness-Program"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(20, 144, 201); color: #1490c9; font-kerning: none;">health and wellness program</span></a>, which provides exercise and wellness classes,” said Minnis. “Adaptive exercise and recreation can help a person appreciate what their body can do, despite any limitations, and to feel more in touch with their bodily needs.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">“We’ve observed that participating in these activities has more than just physical benefits,” she added. “They often increase mental clarity and emotional well-being.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Editor’s Note: Caroline Craven is a patient expert living with MS. Her award winning blog is <a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(20, 144, 201); color: #1490c9; font-kerning: none;">GirlwithMS.com</span></a>, and she can be found <a href="https://twitter.com/thegirlwithms"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(20, 144, 201); color: #1490c9; font-kerning: none;">@thegirlwithms</span></a>.</span></div>
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">One of my favorite articles about life with MS. </span><br /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">This </span><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/mind-body-balance-and-ms" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(66, 1, 120); color: #420178; font-kerning: none;">original</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> article </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">posted on 9/22/18 and is reprinted with permission from Healthline.com</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
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Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-75992887480708522972023-11-10T07:13:00.000-08:002023-11-10T07:13:42.188-08:0010 Tips for Living with Multiple Sclerosis - Holiday edition!<p>I first created this list for the holidays. But really, they help anytime! These are lifestyle changes that do make a difference.</p><p>As a certified MS life coach I'm often called into service during stressful times. The tools we create and work with help us throughout the year, which is an added bonus. </p><p>The holidays take planning when living with a chronic illness like MS. Somethings are easy, some are more difficult. </p><p>Here are 10 simple tricks to help us all get through the next few weeks a little calmer, a little better. </p><p>Here's to <b><i>thriving</i></b> versus surviving. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>10 TIPS for Staying Healthy during the Holidays with Multiple Sclerosis</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cIwOAIY0usZ_N0mTZFYBhy7HLuWuCfF1ml_4rjLjwR_x1gepVlLbN6G7ij_OUw-1kPp8FJti7TFMdXi5_FEAIHen18dI7n48LGPf3QoeFX-UgL4ZP27-ajD_4SRtASRPM3hCQvjgsE-cQK1DYwWL7YGSZzxNlphbn0GxZpllBIiFzVjtzuWVEVtq/s1536/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.45.15%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cIwOAIY0usZ_N0mTZFYBhy7HLuWuCfF1ml_4rjLjwR_x1gepVlLbN6G7ij_OUw-1kPp8FJti7TFMdXi5_FEAIHen18dI7n48LGPf3QoeFX-UgL4ZP27-ajD_4SRtASRPM3hCQvjgsE-cQK1DYwWL7YGSZzxNlphbn0GxZpllBIiFzVjtzuWVEVtq/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.45.15%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwh2lOmG8NFoSexstuEeoprYyJD0GJLrzfe-FOLjNYivEKhRK3tR-cIVfqELRUGjo0WGsscZ60ChtCFxUy-EU67O31tSB-QuyEMg3DNl7Sl_vWolxemDKvF7THm46em7ZSE5-LxULccEjfcK6rst1d_eK5ZprzWv5_ysvSdnOcigVzUIne6k0WGEnV/s1536/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.45.25%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1536" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwh2lOmG8NFoSexstuEeoprYyJD0GJLrzfe-FOLjNYivEKhRK3tR-cIVfqELRUGjo0WGsscZ60ChtCFxUy-EU67O31tSB-QuyEMg3DNl7Sl_vWolxemDKvF7THm46em7ZSE5-LxULccEjfcK6rst1d_eK5ZprzWv5_ysvSdnOcigVzUIne6k0WGEnV/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.45.25%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Lifestyle Tip #1: Breathe Deep.</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One trick is to inhale to the count of four. Hold for a count of six. Exhale for eight. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Breath into your lungs. Then let that breath seep into the belly. Then even further to the gut. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Connecting our breath from brain, to gut, can open our minds! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Try it and let me know!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcoHtrxBxhVQ_jXxjDhVsN672rUnLpGNPXwzFGUfih6xPebT00lywMbOsZYvoOMNs54dy6sxpDqGCLjlAj5h9YBNVkq4HJKBug5jMgSBkR2E_E9b2UpVbeTBckbLA69OW5_8TyWtfnlbaYq0ERboFrMwYJofFZxHPjS6wlGegVSNkXUNSmSPo1PNn/s1538/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.45.41%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1538" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcoHtrxBxhVQ_jXxjDhVsN672rUnLpGNPXwzFGUfih6xPebT00lywMbOsZYvoOMNs54dy6sxpDqGCLjlAj5h9YBNVkq4HJKBug5jMgSBkR2E_E9b2UpVbeTBckbLA69OW5_8TyWtfnlbaYq0ERboFrMwYJofFZxHPjS6wlGegVSNkXUNSmSPo1PNn/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.45.41%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Lifestyle Tip #2: Finding gratitude.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Think of 1 thing each morning that you are grateful for and why. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Write it down. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdHaZLydcOhPXKW6qFU6hxWAddB1TdasmyT4JnwCTDxWxajpjxLO38TxEBUK9QT_-SRD4OWafR2wTYI4gUZOZKT--6hpl0xCz9kht9WDOu-XGfDrF-a8YLLy6dOY8NphPtzVXGR-NAsLmTuG1RyI9hia-Z-teAYI5xhPwemISK8gJ0w-wvl6S5J8Q/s1532/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.45.48%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="1532" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdHaZLydcOhPXKW6qFU6hxWAddB1TdasmyT4JnwCTDxWxajpjxLO38TxEBUK9QT_-SRD4OWafR2wTYI4gUZOZKT--6hpl0xCz9kht9WDOu-XGfDrF-a8YLLy6dOY8NphPtzVXGR-NAsLmTuG1RyI9hia-Z-teAYI5xhPwemISK8gJ0w-wvl6S5J8Q/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.45.48%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Lifestyle Tip #3: Watch what you eat.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Small portions. Eat with INTENTION, not at the computer or on the hoof. </div><div><br /></div><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wjwt0k8-AIl7gxoIXCGQaHlKSP5WQKkXeO_GQBlfwWRiytlt7PkxOtnmBTwuwncGh83iU-tntFHc061NwpHZM-cpPBmzLxo20qX2L0yMI6zCEHWQieIqFxatMA1xQIbZmuu_emWCnfTWAm1H4GhFWgfqkIhOnD5qF97N3ZdvLEL560t4RQnR2RzP/s1526/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.45.55%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="1526" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wjwt0k8-AIl7gxoIXCGQaHlKSP5WQKkXeO_GQBlfwWRiytlt7PkxOtnmBTwuwncGh83iU-tntFHc061NwpHZM-cpPBmzLxo20qX2L0yMI6zCEHWQieIqFxatMA1xQIbZmuu_emWCnfTWAm1H4GhFWgfqkIhOnD5qF97N3ZdvLEL560t4RQnR2RzP/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.45.55%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lifestyle Tip #4: Sleep is utmost, but can be most difficult. Keep that blue light off, no TV, devices, can help. Reading, relaxing tea, yin yoga, essential oils, mediation and more. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More about Sleeping and MS: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.girlwithms.com/2012/08/how-to-sleep-with-ms.html" target="_blank">How to Sleep with MS</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.girlwithms.com/2019/04/brain-restoration-sleeping-with-sabrina.html" target="_blank">Brain Restoration and Sleeping with Sabrina</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5FtIbMQfxOakwB-h9V3zwGlI2bi9ezfPlvUPUqB_13o9P3aRFcGzMxOWg99AhM0g6SvbzAB_JuuRx4ORY3NRXLPt_DR7OddVu9n-LUVUAntjmWFMCpD5p6xjXVgP1GegZtsHLAIiM73EkwFLdBD_653SKh7MzmR-7XcgKRPMTTaXU5GANyhTCjcv/s1522/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.46.02%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1522" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5FtIbMQfxOakwB-h9V3zwGlI2bi9ezfPlvUPUqB_13o9P3aRFcGzMxOWg99AhM0g6SvbzAB_JuuRx4ORY3NRXLPt_DR7OddVu9n-LUVUAntjmWFMCpD5p6xjXVgP1GegZtsHLAIiM73EkwFLdBD_653SKh7MzmR-7XcgKRPMTTaXU5GANyhTCjcv/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.46.02%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Lifestyle Tip #5: Find a Healthy Escape! </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Medication, music, coloring, strolling, exploring nature, photography,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">cooking, gardening, art, reading and more. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Be kind to you! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BY4Ty7GfNw1owZ9IDFq1f-KkmfpDOAtjEf6GOxmB2AAuh_jlzkJbJC-GVdW3LJP12HlgECjYQhRS9RPbEoC-vRN9vU1aIU9E0czEFBCI3LV93TWrCy9oFG9sB_R5p23M2GZnUZJHZ04Ng1jcIHgyGWcE4HW0hkUCUEpI8QcUwFJrPqwrLUsI6vAK/s1532/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.46.12%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="1532" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BY4Ty7GfNw1owZ9IDFq1f-KkmfpDOAtjEf6GOxmB2AAuh_jlzkJbJC-GVdW3LJP12HlgECjYQhRS9RPbEoC-vRN9vU1aIU9E0czEFBCI3LV93TWrCy9oFG9sB_R5p23M2GZnUZJHZ04Ng1jcIHgyGWcE4HW0hkUCUEpI8QcUwFJrPqwrLUsI6vAK/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.46.12%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Lifestyle Tip #6: Seek advice and help. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Whether an MS community group like <a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47">BelongMS</a> - an app for those living with MS.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Click on link to download app - and join my channel "The Girl with MS". </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Find an in - person group, a therapist, counselor, your doctor. You are not alone!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh167J-3Y4gzZ1LvrHMHUw4jGQltawJ3wj4naIn051OafFk_GciKgSDJeFZvM2AuRZXCgWhSx2ncS9svuvyzonotnYq3Fa-bbyP3Ad5XQRMEA4RhQOJQKwrkPXtJy8gtAxIa1X9-_ytuyiPyYB-tpL8_eByImDlRmHv-D2wBNOAG7ZVK22hlPV8iITy/s1528/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.46.19%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1148" data-original-width="1528" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh167J-3Y4gzZ1LvrHMHUw4jGQltawJ3wj4naIn051OafFk_GciKgSDJeFZvM2AuRZXCgWhSx2ncS9svuvyzonotnYq3Fa-bbyP3Ad5XQRMEA4RhQOJQKwrkPXtJy8gtAxIa1X9-_ytuyiPyYB-tpL8_eByImDlRmHv-D2wBNOAG7ZVK22hlPV8iITy/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.46.19%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Lifestyle Tip #7: Help Others</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The act of helping others, whether volunteering or donating, creates an sense of happiness</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">that I find addicting. It also gives me a sense of purpose that gives my life substance. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRXW9NC-iRrK_ICINqpCw_9G1BVF_CEZWHz3ssmu4xn5Bf1OIrmkYGyyMHkcekBqVsCzv16yTzzXEqkjU6ZgttU8gGXiLt7AeVt6oSmTGzLhHIFg99xVSLo3MSkVKiDMjosoObOKO5zMql3wlJyw7xOzs2iyTsUqnsSiS8SJy74NbELWovdpDI5Yp/s1530/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.46.25%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1530" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRXW9NC-iRrK_ICINqpCw_9G1BVF_CEZWHz3ssmu4xn5Bf1OIrmkYGyyMHkcekBqVsCzv16yTzzXEqkjU6ZgttU8gGXiLt7AeVt6oSmTGzLhHIFg99xVSLo3MSkVKiDMjosoObOKO5zMql3wlJyw7xOzs2iyTsUqnsSiS8SJy74NbELWovdpDI5Yp/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.46.25%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Lifestyle Tip #8: Communicate. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">During these busy times, and really all times, it would behoove us to follow these simple rules:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Talk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Listen</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Call a friend</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Do not assume</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Clarify</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTmyGpRiRtsTugoljVxj1G74JoBlS0V9E7cLl0zFsr49lBHGFn7N6wN9R5nIulU3BQQXEBnHdgldZNIl8udhrVg_YgBGGhTamBUOLavMxoa8WdsmBE6MxhY2VdRjSp45CHkcLSttUBYYCjV0BxZzVhtGdVxXkHnQdnb_jwofhuPbpx0vo35UOZm8L/s1534/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.46.44%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1534" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTmyGpRiRtsTugoljVxj1G74JoBlS0V9E7cLl0zFsr49lBHGFn7N6wN9R5nIulU3BQQXEBnHdgldZNIl8udhrVg_YgBGGhTamBUOLavMxoa8WdsmBE6MxhY2VdRjSp45CHkcLSttUBYYCjV0BxZzVhtGdVxXkHnQdnb_jwofhuPbpx0vo35UOZm8L/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.46.44%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Lifestyle Tip #9: Be Kind to YOU! </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pamper yourself. What makes you happy? Do it! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bathe, spa time, massage, hiking, cooking...anything you want. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsh4kH-7NzPf9-RD-2YB7Yq5qW_2Q-NUs5EyqOLngu6xWaxUIb-J5ojiufiMrkrupIA4REg2aEhFUVqrH91ElbCMrF3XWtX-PGA9eALN5Jg1yCHoldeofoDm90jBy4bVBz5um9kY1VxeDlIUd8yr8dcpC1LqXCKN92ZRryV-1Ft_oLpoy6EmujcCp/s1530/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.46.53%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1530" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsh4kH-7NzPf9-RD-2YB7Yq5qW_2Q-NUs5EyqOLngu6xWaxUIb-J5ojiufiMrkrupIA4REg2aEhFUVqrH91ElbCMrF3XWtX-PGA9eALN5Jg1yCHoldeofoDm90jBy4bVBz5um9kY1VxeDlIUd8yr8dcpC1LqXCKN92ZRryV-1Ft_oLpoy6EmujcCp/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-12-07%20at%2011.46.53%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Lifestyle Tip #10: Smile.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">See someone without a smile?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Give them yours! </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9-BR25BbDlYJihvQPHvsljE0mFqf23xwtgKJ-iE5h4c1hEuKkkXEuYHSEYd2rrjtyYsa14Hn0juJ5u_p2sQXsKxzK8F7SoHqRPNF1OxMBkcBRe1YLAsGT4AH0eWg6vcsLHTtkWn1-C4paN99XXEcMkMHkAdz0guN8Wx8Ht0g2BrUQWoslwxU7p-i/s3088/F8E6E517-3E7F-463E-87F1-EB1CDA4A03F4.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9-BR25BbDlYJihvQPHvsljE0mFqf23xwtgKJ-iE5h4c1hEuKkkXEuYHSEYd2rrjtyYsa14Hn0juJ5u_p2sQXsKxzK8F7SoHqRPNF1OxMBkcBRe1YLAsGT4AH0eWg6vcsLHTtkWn1-C4paN99XXEcMkMHkAdz0guN8Wx8Ht0g2BrUQWoslwxU7p-i/s320/F8E6E517-3E7F-463E-87F1-EB1CDA4A03F4.heic" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: normal;">I accomplished several goals last week. Took a nature sketching stroll with </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: normal;">a group of people </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: normal;">at our local gardens. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: normal;">Made me happy, created some hand-eye coordination, <u>tried something new</u>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: normal;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: normal;">That too is a key. Something new.</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Try something new! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">#takeTHATms!</div><br /> </b></div><br /><p><br /></p>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-20686046724350740502023-10-29T07:55:00.000-07:002023-10-29T07:55:31.979-07:00Girl with MS Support Group & BelongMS are here to help! <h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Help! I definitely need extra support during these epic times. How about you? </span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NV4uARNpg6M/X4MtfEJYT2I/AAAAAAAAHLs/a__gP8Mu1nw6KVn1Juwqmg0lgDTF6KgLwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/5D9E91C0-1EEC-48C9-A60C-99D3FDACACD9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NV4uARNpg6M/X4MtfEJYT2I/AAAAAAAAHLs/a__gP8Mu1nw6KVn1Juwqmg0lgDTF6KgLwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/5D9E91C0-1EEC-48C9-A60C-99D3FDACACD9.jpeg" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">As many of you know, my focus is </span><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Conquering MS with Self-Care</span></b><span style="color: #0e101a;">. Self-Care means a lot to different people but for me it represents a combination of awareness, education, action, and medical expertise. As people living with MS, the need for social connection is essential in keeping us sane. At least it is for me! </span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One of my most asked questions is “Do you use an app or other social media to help with your MS?” And the answer is Yes. </span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I’ve used and tried different apps and social media outlets over the years and each has slightly different offerings and options. After being shut down by facebook due to a hacker, (<a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2020/07/facebook-shuts-down-thegirlwithms.html">My story here</a>) I knew I needed something more reliable. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For my current life with MS, I have chosen </span><a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47" style="font-family: arial;">BelongMS</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> (part of </span><a href="http://Belong.life" style="font-family: arial;">Belong.life</a><span style="font-family: arial;">) to share my twenty years of experience to help others. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We created a <b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: medium;">Girl with MS</span></b> support group. And it’s not just for girls. As a certified life coach, nutritional educator, health journalist and someone living with MS for twenty years, we have stuff to talk about! There are many tips and tricks and just over all support that will help us live better with MS. Will help us all say, #takeTHATms! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="196" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zjbaUL16LV4/X4MuU-8NeiI/AAAAAAAAHL4/H9W635KZ16UPBnKpp27P1sU_c_ybsgHRwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/8BE86AFC-D1E7-4222-92DE-FF26528DCC64.jpeg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And now we can chat directly via Belong. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyone with MS can join </span>Belong<span style="font-family: arial;"> and find tons of support, friendship, expert advise and even clinical trials. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Once the </span><a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47" style="font-family: arial;">Belong app</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> is downloaded and you have registered (</span><a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47" style="font-family: arial;">click here</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> for app), then you can scroll down and see the different support groups. Mine is circled below and is the<b style="color: #ffa400;"> Girl with MS</b>. Join me! </span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47"><img border="0" data-original-height="1483" data-original-width="1657" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xN2lv376lkg/X4Mvk7NIw5I/AAAAAAAAHMA/8-c-OpsAvvIL6JjYLK7IwvVDliWpAwipgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/9979888D-C50E-4794-A1A3-09CAF9FBFA15.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lHtrqbF6i-A/X4MsfjzyjpI/AAAAAAAAHLk/U0OzDjm-Qk4b32hDZi_cDZCi8ayKyL8DgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/3DFC05D5-B419-49AC-929F-24D2F84DA2C4.jpeg" /></span></div><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The <a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47">Girl with MS Channel</a> is all about Self-Care. We’ll talk about different ways to take care of ourselves, ways to find ourselves and ways to support each other. </span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_IlMRoR2cWM/X4MzAtPg2dI/AAAAAAAAHMQ/FNl0ntFg4k0P2ietWKunTR-ujx8FOtJVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s787/E4485157-B891-4725-85A8-D7CE838767D7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="787" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_IlMRoR2cWM/X4MzAtPg2dI/AAAAAAAAHMQ/FNl0ntFg4k0P2ietWKunTR-ujx8FOtJVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/E4485157-B891-4725-85A8-D7CE838767D7.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Because if I don't take care of myself, this is how I end up feeling: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bhqR2X0SeJU/X4MzYNlkI9I/AAAAAAAAHMg/KUQV9kT0T_g8XZb6knoEF7TykptuK4LlgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A5182E40-AB58-4287-896A-57653D3E8AD1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bhqR2X0SeJU/X4MzYNlkI9I/AAAAAAAAHMg/KUQV9kT0T_g8XZb6knoEF7TykptuK4LlgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/A5182E40-AB58-4287-896A-57653D3E8AD1.jpeg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But when I do take those extra steps, those extra little measures to take care of myself like medical visits, and extra caution,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9b2Fz4AtzE/X4M32WckelI/AAAAAAAAHMw/NDpvqNf4GvA9kczbuRD692PabmXNp0ZdACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/CA7CDB2B-1B1F-4BA9-899B-F9467C62381D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9b2Fz4AtzE/X4M32WckelI/AAAAAAAAHMw/NDpvqNf4GvA9kczbuRD692PabmXNp0ZdACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/CA7CDB2B-1B1F-4BA9-899B-F9467C62381D.jpeg" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I can have days like this: </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFf0gPC3pL4/X4MzX6Vk36I/AAAAAAAAHMc/VdJaH95GCMASy7tmM1Z6ReWdHzAQ3FdwgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/E043FFE8-FFDA-40EA-A3B1-FC997033C76F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFf0gPC3pL4/X4MzX6Vk36I/AAAAAAAAHMc/VdJaH95GCMASy7tmM1Z6ReWdHzAQ3FdwgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/E043FFE8-FFDA-40EA-A3B1-FC997033C76F.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I’m looking forward to “seeing” you on Belong and having a channel to talk directly with all of my MS friends out there. If you already have <a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47">Belong App</a>, then look me up and let’s chat! </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">MS is a challenge but together we’re stronger. Together we can support ourselves with questions, answers, encouragement and laughter. Together we can <a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47">BELONG</a>! </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">And together we can say #takeTHATms! </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-24594155944465152872023-10-06T08:09:00.000-07:002023-10-06T08:09:18.102-07:00Cannabis Awareness, Pain Management & Multiple Sclerosis <p> <i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">“The light whispering down the hall is enough to encourage a restless night.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> Breaking sleep </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">to use the restroom, my mind wanders, can comfort return long enough to fall back to sleep or will this be yet another endless battle of little rest and much tossing?”</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">——— Journal entry, April 1, 2022. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What does a pain-free life mean to those living with chronic illnesses like multiple sclerosis (MS)? Or to anyone who suffers needlessly in pain while the body and mind try to figure out how to find peace? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vOx9WeRDDgohWcamPI98780yuNOXOf7ZyAaE0azncbgs3FvMTbA-Irhp5hb15HCgoQYwZNPYEP4r-C26QNvzWLtB01_srU9HL48ZamPYuxy0FQlS8uCO4PIMYetVE_1-K-ouO_0PRle86Wgxg8cCFlx6OUiz5YPXc2VtGSC_Z85pYch4qTcufq6q/s2048/C23AB5A1-5825-4D9C-9FD3-CF0BF8FF345A.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vOx9WeRDDgohWcamPI98780yuNOXOf7ZyAaE0azncbgs3FvMTbA-Irhp5hb15HCgoQYwZNPYEP4r-C26QNvzWLtB01_srU9HL48ZamPYuxy0FQlS8uCO4PIMYetVE_1-K-ouO_0PRle86Wgxg8cCFlx6OUiz5YPXc2VtGSC_Z85pYch4qTcufq6q/s320/C23AB5A1-5825-4D9C-9FD3-CF0BF8FF345A.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Chronic pain causes anxiety, loss of sleep and depression if not more. It can decrease mental focus and moods may be altered as the pain and inflammation creep and ravage the body from within. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The first response from doctors and health care professionals is often NSAIDS (ibuprofen, etc) and narcotics such as oxycodone and norco. But maybe there are other options. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The opioid problem is world known: too many easy-to-acquire drugs that can cause addiction and death. And do they really take the pain away? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">One option gaining steam in research and use is cannabis, specifically the CBD derived from a cannabis plant. CBD is not mind altering such as its counter point THC. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85kCfPFr9mgLs-9auFc9I_GwqlWgkrcfsvMV1WXhA_8CplDu81I1t4FMg54wGAlYurf7kmgqoF1nyLFaRwic7aJikUwDE9XvbJKp3VJqzZA6RyzV9DVuJTmNHkc8PJm8uxN_9GaeZdXiaETCXFhJh_NTaTe1t18CZXpAFtHW8s4ALV-pQEnYjj3mZ/s1620/CD53898B-4860-46CD-A74E-D18CEEDA932F.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="1170" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85kCfPFr9mgLs-9auFc9I_GwqlWgkrcfsvMV1WXhA_8CplDu81I1t4FMg54wGAlYurf7kmgqoF1nyLFaRwic7aJikUwDE9XvbJKp3VJqzZA6RyzV9DVuJTmNHkc8PJm8uxN_9GaeZdXiaETCXFhJh_NTaTe1t18CZXpAFtHW8s4ALV-pQEnYjj3mZ/s320/CD53898B-4860-46CD-A74E-D18CEEDA932F.jpeg" width="231" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/hemp-vs-marijuana#marijuana" target="_blank">Click here to learn more about marijuana, hemp, THC and CBD.</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I sat down and chatted with Todd Vanderah, PhD., of the University of Arizona Health Sciences. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Vanderah has researched cannabinoids for more than two decades. He says, “It’s unfortunate that the whole general population of cannabinoids fall under the biases idea people have about medical and recreational marijuana, because you can’t lump it all together. Nature has made a lot of useful plants, from aspirin to chemotherapeutic to antibiotics, and there are things in cannabis that could be medicinally beneficial.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Read more About </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Vanderah</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and the Smoke around Cannabis: </span><a href="https://uahs.arizona.edu/tomorrow/pain-relief-research-clearing-smoke-surrounding-cannabis" style="font-size: 12pt;">click here</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Vanderah</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> is a member of the UArizona Health Sciences Comprehensive Pain and Addiction Center. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Much of his work has involved the endo-cannabinoid system within our bodies and how it interacts with the body, with pain and with cannabinoids taken internally. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Everybody has an inner cannabinoid system,” explained </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Vanderah</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. “We produce higher levels of cannabinoids than endorphins,” and further explains that it is “a lipid type structure found throughout body.” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Vanderah’s quest is to see how the cannabinoid system is affected by pain – directly interacting with nerves conducting pain signal. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Cannabis works on inflammation by decreasing inflammatory mediators that promote pain. It has an affect on the anxiety caused by pain. And it provides a reward pathway so that people say, ‘I feel ok’”. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“The reward factor is when the euphoric feeling overrides the pain. Cannabinoids provide this reward factor but not to extent as opioids. When you feel the euphoric part you don’t feel the pain.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“There is a reward component so possibly there could be some addiction,” says Vanderah. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">He further explained. What’s unique within the endogenous cannabinoids, are the differences in the ability to be produced. There are genetic differences and sexual differences. These differences were found in a small study on Migraine patients. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://uahs.arizona.edu/tomorrow/uncovering-connection-between-cannabinoids-and-migraine" target="_blank">Click here for Cannabis and Migraine Study.</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There is much to learn about cannabis from sleeping issues, inflammation and pain. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Different types of cannabinoids work on different people.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s as snowflake as MS.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Vanderah’s work focuses work on the cannabinoid, CB2, which tends to be on the immune cells, throughout the body and within brain and nervous system. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>The yin and yang of pain in body<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Simply put: Prostaglandins cause pain. Lipids cause inflammation. Interestingly, these are very similar to endogenous cannabinoids in the body, which is another lipid system that limits the pain. One causes pain, one eases pain, all in our own bodies. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Vanderah said there is much to learn about CB2 receptors and the inner cannabinoid system. Some people may lack CB2 receptors. Or their bodies may have adjusted and changed over time. Possibly the body produces less as one gets older Do people lack the CB2 receptors? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>People living with MS<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It would be nice to know what happens to the cannabinoid system in people living with MS. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ibMehuVM1L9NJE4LY1zunkXijs5IUfO5qSWByuJKx6El0dWFWU98GN9SMmnqcvnSqgjIy9cjQ5Xdcm9c955fogbBZPWKD3TbPoufl3Ogvn8CAKRWeXuOnPbehRZAqNGcb_HczjenvckYzcFV6uLsl4CES4AY0GK6A2X5LRZ5_FyGiU7b8ngmu1dj/s4032/96AE6D67-D998-42CE-B20C-87C2AB6A0476.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">“[MS] is hard to study,” explained Vanderah, “Cannabinoids are illegal on the federal level. There could be more money spent and we would know more.”</span></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I found the following quite interesting. If a drug has an approved FDA medical use, then it is considered a schedule 2. THC, is schedule 2 but CBD is schedule 1 as there had not been an FDA approved drug using it. But this will change as a drug has been approved using CBD. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Senate approved to spend more money in research on medical cannabis. We need to know what it does long term, short term and side affects. People need to know the risk to benefit ratio so they can make formative judgements on their own. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I am so glad that the federal government is supporting research to learn more! </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNKYvnmvG3QyHuPUD0nxo-xA3Jj92tjUDRrNHlL2sD5RrMAPGR-2ON3z8B5eGs4bOOVH90L9QzHojTVSivN77z--kQ5KBw1pSf9jTBlSru58U0xRu0qCBdKgDCpjadYEHP3nLP5UX6U6peTrJuE7ClLmM_SnwufwXqQZY0PX4Xzri3jGInvp86-pq/s3088/C99598CE-654A-439D-BD74-45E36BF9E94C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNKYvnmvG3QyHuPUD0nxo-xA3Jj92tjUDRrNHlL2sD5RrMAPGR-2ON3z8B5eGs4bOOVH90L9QzHojTVSivN77z--kQ5KBw1pSf9jTBlSru58U0xRu0qCBdKgDCpjadYEHP3nLP5UX6U6peTrJuE7ClLmM_SnwufwXqQZY0PX4Xzri3jGInvp86-pq/s320/C99598CE-654A-439D-BD74-45E36BF9E94C.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"> </span></div></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Did you know there are over 500 chemicals in one marijuana plant? Imagine what can we learn,” Vanderah shared. He is looking forward to bringing in more researchers to continue this work. We all are! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It regulates many things – The endogenous cannabinoid system. I like to say, “It gets things in balance.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Opioids can cause more pain in a way,” explained Vanderah. “If we shut down all the pain, the body is still trying to tell us something.” In my laymen’s term, the body needs to express it’s pain so as we shut it down it may produce more pain. But the natural reaction of the inner cannabinoid system would not create more pain. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If cannabinoids are present they act as an anti-inflammatory and reduce pain. They can also decrease bone wasting as found in osteoporosis. This is great to know! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>BUT We need more research!</b> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Research is a challenge. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">CBD is not federally legal. Creating an MS model for preclinical trial is difficult. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So, I think it’s time for us to start a go fund me for research in CBD and MS! Watch this spot. There is so much more information that I may be adding to this post. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But it’s 4:20 on 4:20 so I’m off to post this blog and celebrate life! </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Thank you UA Health Sciences for all you are doing to help us live better! </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span><b><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/what-is-the-difference-between-delta-8-thc-and-delta-9-thc" target="_blank">What’s the difference between Delta 9 THC and Delta 8 THC?</a></span><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b></span></span></p><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-31727008001081875162023-08-22T12:41:00.000-07:002023-08-22T12:41:26.817-07:00Finding Confidence to Travel with Multiple Sclerosis<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: orange;">Thank you <a href="http://bit.ly/2sE2VlJ" target="_blank">Arctic Cool</a> for this opportunity to find better and more effective tools for MS patients! We appreciate your continued support of our blog and MS community. originally posted in 2017, I still wear my Arctic Cool gear all the time and now it’s 2023!</span></div>
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Traveling with MS is never easy. But there are some tips and tricks to make things easier. With a good-size adventure on the horizon I've been testing some new gear and getting psyched. One of the biggest concerns with traveling is not knowing how one's body is going to react. Will the MS subside? or will it roar its ugly face in mine?</div>
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Heat sensitivity can affect many of those with MS. It will take me down faster than a nano second. SO, I'm getting out the defensive gear and cooling off!</div>
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I'm trying out a new cooling shirt to prep for possible hot weather. We are traveling form Jackson Hole, Wyoming, (<a href="https://www.nps.gov/grte/index.htm" target="_blank">Grand Teton National Park</a>) to Yellowstone National Park to Crazy Horse Memorial then Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota on a tour by <a href="http://www.tauck.com/tours/usa-tours/western-usa-travel/wyoming-vacation-yyn-2017.aspx" target="_blank">Tauck Bridges</a> tour aptly called <b>"<a href="http://www.tauck.com/tours/usa-tours/western-usa-travel/wyoming-vacation-yyn-2017.aspx" target="_blank">Cowboy Country</a>"</b>.</div>
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Here I am trying out my new shirt from <a href="http://bit.ly/2sE2VlJ" target="_blank">Arctic Cool</a>:</div>
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And here I am after climbing a really big hill to get to the local teepee. Yes, we have a teepee nearby. Local people own it and hike there often. It's a treat to visit and this day was no different.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IFdinki9Kfo/WVqNcb9TtqI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/z9_1rQayYEs4oicP_AQrtC_0x9NLBP7UwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0520.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IFdinki9Kfo/WVqNcb9TtqI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/z9_1rQayYEs4oicP_AQrtC_0x9NLBP7UwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0520.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sporting my <a href="http://bit.ly/2sE2VlJ" target="_blank">Arctic Cool </a>shirt<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J6paQ7n86pc/WVqNgom3_BI/AAAAAAAAE8g/EjGE9ZyBKMotvuJj23fd4JIxUkG6jUhtQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0530.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J6paQ7n86pc/WVqNgom3_BI/AAAAAAAAE8g/EjGE9ZyBKMotvuJj23fd4JIxUkG6jUhtQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0530.JPG" title="Caroline Craven at Bee Teepee Lookout." width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Caroline Craven at top of Bee Teepee Hill - 6.4 miles Rountrip<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--qvjw7uUDQg/WVqNgHhfISI/AAAAAAAAE8c/eZTrksz7bjcTSwCqzYhhE2UH7scwtSCpwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0532.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--qvjw7uUDQg/WVqNgHhfISI/AAAAAAAAE8c/eZTrksz7bjcTSwCqzYhhE2UH7scwtSCpwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0532.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Looking out over La Canada, the 210 freeway, and downtown Los Angeles off in the distant. What a beautiful day! Cloudy and cool but that's great for many of us who suffer from heat sensitivity. I had my Arctic Cool cooling shirt on and several times had to take off my wraps and cool off. Then, when the clouds and breeze came back, simply put my over shirts on my back. Love the fact the cooling shirt had it's cooling technology. It definitely gave me a small boost of confidence on ths hike and sometimes that's all one really needs to make a big difference in their life. A little bit of confidence.</div>
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Feeling primed and ready - Here we come Rocky Mountains!</div>
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<a href="http://www.gtlc.com/lodges/jackson-lake-lodge" target="_blank">Cowboy Country</a> - The Trip</div>
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The weather forecast was for blue skies and mid to high 70's. Pretty darn perfect but that sun can be sneaky and warm one of up faster than appreciated, especially if that person has a malfunctioning thermostat in their body, such as many an MS patient who suffer from heat sensitivity.</div>
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So, despite the cool forecast, my go-to shirt throughout this 10 day trip was my trusty, short sleeved Arctic Cool in Navy Blue. Here are some pics of me throughout my trip sporting this cooling device. And there were times that my gratitude for this shirt was overwhelming. One day in Jackson the temps were nearing 90F, which for this girlwithms can be detrimental. It's one thing to be in warm temps but another to be walking around, outside, watching over young people and old people, with little escape in sight.</div>
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Our trip began with a beautiful two day stay at the <a href="http://www.gtlc.com/lodges/jackson-lake-lodge" target="_blank">Jackson Lake Lodge</a>. Out for our morning stroll before getting the day started, I'm sporting my tank top from Arctic Cool. The morning was still brisk but the tank and the yoga pants made for great clothing during my stretching routine.</div>
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<a href="https://carolinecraven.smugmug.com/Travel/Cowboy-Country-2017/i-hj8KQBf" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="1392" height="242" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c0MDm89tuTs/WVqQy-HEG7I/AAAAAAAAE8o/y1gI1uOfLboSJO0Ggnysf4M0KlxYCJfFACLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-07-03%2Bat%2B11.44.46%2BAM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.gtlc.com/lodges/jackson-lake-lodge" target="_blank">more photos...</a></div>
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<b>We saw beautiful wildlife on our tour of the Grand Teton NP as well as in Yellowstone NP. </b></div>
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One of our <a href="https://carolinecraven.smugmug.com/Travel/Cowboy-Country-2017/i-PRfVCX2" target="_blank">bison</a>...</div>
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<a href="https://carolinecraven.smugmug.com/Travel/Cowboy-Country-2017/i-PRfVCX2" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1460" height="227" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IygB8V8xURs/WVqRxWDEaGI/AAAAAAAAE8s/gu6CrCz1nvsQ2CjYKR90GfYAwm02pFSKgCLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-07-03%2Bat%2B11.48.55%2BAM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Old Faithful. hot just thinking about it. The ground is hot. The energy is hot. The atmosphere is hot. let's just say, the cooling shirt was worn every day and put on with a big sigh of relief. </div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Oe6ZhmXlOlo/WVqbIBqfD7I/AAAAAAAAE9g/bjQ6otIDASoC61n0UIMyxC6gA7XGc4FvgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5284.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="1600" height="181" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Oe6ZhmXlOlo/WVqbIBqfD7I/AAAAAAAAE9g/bjQ6otIDASoC61n0UIMyxC6gA7XGc4FvgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_5284.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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One thing I noticed though was the stench that comes from wearing a shirt like this everyday. SO, easy fix - just hand wash it in the bathroom sink with gentle soap and hang to dry. Easily dry by morning. Mine was washed everyday - and trust me, it needed it!</div>
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<a href="http://www.pahaska.com/index.php" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="654" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1hWRuUykSBo/WVqX5v2HSSI/AAAAAAAAE9I/bJ_dC03uFd4eTSjtG2IbiGre0HxLas7aACLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-07-03%2Bat%2B12.15.44%2BPM.png" width="243" /></a></div>
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We took a rest outside of Yellowstone National Park to check out a <a href="http://www.pahaska.com/index.php" target="_blank">hunting lodge</a> in Pahaska owned by <a href="http://www.pahaska.com/index.php" target="_blank">Buffalo</a> Bill Cody. So cool. The sun came out and boy was I glad that my navy blue Arctic Cool shirt was there to keep me cool.</div>
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<a href="https://carolinecraven.smugmug.com/Travel/Cowboy-Country-2017/i-KvdVDsf" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="776" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adqculSmnVc/WVqST3Z0kRI/AAAAAAAAE8w/x8m3FasA15MwP6mjFeR9ljm7woIpdpobgCLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-07-03%2Bat%2B11.51.49%2BAM.png" width="237" /></a><br />
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We saw quite a bit of wildlife throughout the trip. Some was difficult to shoot while others were easy as pie. Easier than pie really. </div>
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This <a href="https://carolinecraven.smugmug.com/organize/Travel/Cowboy-Country-2017/i-KJSGnTV" target="_blank">little elk</a> was close by but driving and behind glass makes for not the best photo. But at least the memory was captured and sometimes that's the best part of a photograph. </div>
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<a href="https://carolinecraven.smugmug.com/organize/Travel/Cowboy-Country-2017/i-KJSGnTV" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="750" height="211" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jgwMb_pTO4Q/WVqZIqn80aI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/lLouB-z2xPcYfqif4c3Fmuy1atPyHp92QCLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-07-03%2Bat%2B12.19.35%2BPM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://carolinecraven.smugmug.com/organize/Travel/Cowboy-Country-2017/i-KJSGnTV" target="_blank">More photographs...</a></div>
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We took a <a href="http://www.gtlc.com/activities/rafting-the-snake-river" target="_blank">river float trip</a> on the Snake with the <a href="http://www.gtlc.com/activities/rafting-the-snake-river" target="_blank">Grand Teton Lodge Rafting Company</a> and saw a variety of birds including this bald eagle. </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fX6t0l4swGo/WVqZfpAzFeI/AAAAAAAAE9U/UtJC6n05-Ks_vURc3SaqyFvnLxP88aBOwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5184.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1129" height="208" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fX6t0l4swGo/WVqZfpAzFeI/AAAAAAAAE9U/UtJC6n05-Ks_vURc3SaqyFvnLxP88aBOwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5184.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The trip was great and our guide was excellent. Just happens that our guide, <a href="http://www.salmonrafting.com/aboutus.html" target="_blank">Wayne Johnson</a>, is a local writer and knows quite a bit of history about the area. Our raft was full of information and insightful thought. Fascinating, really. </div>
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Again, the morning started out brisk and cool, but we knew the sun was coming. Sporting my <a href="http://bit.ly/2sE2VlJ" target="_blank">Arctic Cool</a> cooling shirt, another shirt and a fleece started out the morning on the water. Come afternoon the shirts were off the cooling shirt was doing its job - keeping me cool. </div>
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My <a href="http://bit.ly/2sE2VlJ" target="_blank">Arctic Cool</a> cooling shirts have become my new trusty stand-by. Especially as temperatures are starting to rise for the coming summer months, the tank is put on when yoga or activities are involved. Navy blue <a href="http://bit.ly/2sE2VlJ" target="_blank">short sleeved</a> cooling shirt used for almost every other event. </div>
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How do they work? There are tons of little, tiny microns that sense your rising body temperatures and activate a "cooling" technique within the fabric. Well, maybe not exactly like this but that is my interpretation from a layman's standpoint. The point is, it works, and that is all that really matters to me. </div>
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I just heard that they have come out with a long-sleeve version. Thank you Arctic Cool! Can not wait to try the long sleeve white shirt for the coming summer months. Talk about hiding from the sun and saying: <b> #TakeTHATms! </b></div>
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<a href="http://bit.ly/2sE2VlJ" target="_blank">Click Here</a> for more info about <a href="http://bit.ly/2sE2VlJ" target="_blank">Arctic Cool</a> and <a href="http://bit.ly/2sE2VlJ" target="_blank">Cooling Shirts</a>. Thank you! <br />
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The trip didn't end with the wildlife. We ventured on into South Dakota and took on Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore. And, once again, my cooling shirt saved the day. </div>
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It was a gorgeous day, but go to a memorial, with tons of people and lots of stairs and add a few museums, walks and bookstores and you have one tired puppy. Yep, this puppy was hot and tired. But the few degrees that the cooling shirt kept me, under the sun protection of a long sleeve blouse, kept this photographer very happy. In fact, I felt a bit too confident... maybe. But that's OK. </div>
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Considering I used to freak out and be scared to leave the house if temperatures went over 80F, the fact I can now explore memorials, spend time with my nephews and see the world with confidence? I'll take that all day long! </div>
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<span style="color: orange;"> This blog post was originally posted in 2017 and was sponsored by Arctic Cool and rightly so. They make a great product designed to help us live better with MS. Thank you Arctic Cool for all you are doing to help our MS community. </span><br />
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<a href="http://bit.ly/2sE2VlJ" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Click Here</a><span style="text-align: center;"> for more info about </span><a href="http://bit.ly/2sE2VlJ" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Arctic Cool</a><span style="text-align: center;"> and </span><a href="http://bit.ly/2sE2VlJ" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Cooling Shirts</a><span style="text-align: center;">. Thank you! </span></div>
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Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-38295833490452074662023-08-04T07:36:00.000-07:002023-08-04T07:36:59.617-07:00MS is like an iPhone Battery...and I need a recharge!Keeping ones battery charged with MS can be as tricky as keeping an iPhone going all day. Remembering to turn off location services and programs running in the background is vital to keep an iPhone chugging along. But how do we do this with MS?<div><br /></div><div>How do we turn off those programs running in the background. That constant chatter of energy being wasted. Do we meditate? Medicate? Or both. </div><div><br /></div><div>And when it comes to our location services, how do we unplug ourselves from those wanting our energy? Do we withdraw? Or de we become strong and set boundaries? <br />
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So much in life has changed with my MS. Every decision, every thought is focused on how it will effect my mind, body and soul. While this is a good thing in the long run sometimes one really just wants to kick down a loaded cappuccino, go for a hike, enjoy a pipe on a cold and rainy day while reading Harrison, drink a glass of wine or two with good friends, tie some flies, hop in the car and drive...just drive. A certain since of freedom is stripped when a disabling disease like MS hits. Freedom in so many ways. Once a road warrior. I am now a shuttling sissy.<br />
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It started with a panic attack on the LA freeway amongst heavy traffic. No escape. Panic stricken, batteries faded fast. Eyesight diminished rapidly. Then the convulsions and dry heaving that would randomly hit never made it safe. Let cramps, not good for driving either. While these issues don't happen all the time, they've occurred enough for me not to trust my body, understanding now that my batteries could crash at anytime. Knowing this makes me feel vulnerable and vulnerability creates fear. Too much fear can strip us of our lives.<br />
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To a point we can quick charge our batteries: caffeine, tobacco, provigil, sativa, sugar, etc. But how long can we quick charge before the battery won't take a charge? And when we are left stranded there is no back up battery. No way to plug into the wall and recharge. We have only one battery. We must take care of it.<br />
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So how do we turn off those extra programs running? Visually I imagine the blinders on horses. Those eye guards that keep the horse looking ahead and not distracted. "Put your blinders on Caroline" and get to work. Focus on one project. Or one meditation. One walk in the rose garden. The point is to have just this one program running. And turn off all others. Blinders. This works for me, most of the time.<br />
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But there are those times when it doesn't work. When I need a distraction. And another distraction. And again and again until I have six programs running and my battery bar is slipping fast. "Put those blinders on." But sometimes it just doesn't work.<br />
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Then, finally, I stop everything and go lie down in a nice cool place that's not to bright. Closing my eyes and just being quiet. Recharging. Ahhhh. It takes strength to keep our batteries charged. To know what we need to do to take care of ourselves. To unplug from others when we are on low battery and turn off our location services.<br />
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For me this meant learning a lot about boundary setting. Rules. My rules for my health. This can be hard on friends and family. Setting boundaries can take a lot of explanation, patience and communications. But it's essential for defining our needs to keeping us alive and void of fear. <span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">To live life on a full battery. That's my goal. To manage my software and take care of this battery before it won't hold a charge. </span><br />
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Let's do this. Let's keep our batteries charged. Let's rid ourselves of fears and vulnerability. It's time. It's time to take charge and recharge. <br />
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#takethatMS<br />
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<br /><br /><br /></div>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-76541954971360233942023-07-29T06:29:00.000-07:002023-07-29T06:29:18.867-07:00Escaping the Red Zone of MS<p><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-pRhak21aGSQ/UA7VPKu2wMI/AAAAAAAAAeg/u-5LgPMj474/s910/Photo%252520Jul%25252023%25252C%2525202012%2525201%25253A04%252520PM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="337" id="blogsy-1439302038795.07" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-pRhak21aGSQ/UA7VPKu2wMI/AAAAAAAAAeg/u-5LgPMj474/s300/Photo%252520Jul%25252023%25252C%2525202012%2525201%25253A04%252520PM.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>Sometimes this is not very easy to do, keeping your clothes on, with MS. Summer months are brutal and just hiding out by the AC doesn't cut it for most folks. Planning ahead with cooling devices is best but sometimes we simply wake up in the "red zone", inflamed and sensitive, a red flag for a relapse. </p><p>When I'm in the <strong>Red Zone</strong> the first thing done is to rate the shade of red. Am I getting a little pink or have I fried myself?<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-62AXAuYgG3Y/UA7cnFOmB1I/AAAAAAAAAes/Qn0Yp_vwZsg/s534/Photo%252520Jul%25252024%25252C%2525202012%25252010%25253A32%252520AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="276" id="blogsy-1439302038717.9985" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-62AXAuYgG3Y/UA7cnFOmB1I/AAAAAAAAAes/Qn0Yp_vwZsg/s233/Photo%252520Jul%25252024%25252C%2525202012%25252010%25253A32%252520AM.jpg" width="233" /></a> </div><p>And then ask myself why? </p><ul><li>What did I do yesterday? </li><li>What did I eat? </li><li>What was the temperature?</li><li>How did I sleep?</li><li>What's on my agenda today?</li></ul><p><strong>What can I do <em><u>now</u></em> to move into the "Blue Zone"?</strong></p><div><strong><br /></strong>Hanging by water is a great option. Pools, rivers, lakes, oceans provide instant relief from warmer temperatures. But not all of us have this opportunity nor can we often remove our clothes to cool off so improvise we must. <br /><strong>Quick tips:</strong><br /><ul><li>Cool shower. Even Luke warm is fine. Just hop in the shower for instant cool down. </li><li>Wet bandanna around cooling points: neck, wrists, ankles</li><li>Ice water, drink it, pour it on your head, pour it down your shirt!</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-lk3VH1O9gNg/UA7iKs4ZiNI/AAAAAAAAAfE/8tU60TqSLqQ/s183/Photo%252520Jul%25252024%25252C%2525202012%25252010%25253A56%252520AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="276" id="blogsy-1439302038769.8823" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-lk3VH1O9gNg/UA7iKs4ZiNI/AAAAAAAAAfE/8tU60TqSLqQ/s183/Photo%252520Jul%25252024%25252C%2525202012%25252010%25253A56%252520AM.jpg" width="183" /></a></div><ul><li>Wet shirt, cool off body. Huge help in the Sahara when my guides put my shirt in the crocodile infested waters so I could cool off. They don't have ice on safari in Tanzania, FYI. </li><li>Juice it! With Cooling, anti inflammatory and detoxing foods such as cucumber, apple, pineapple, etc.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HnrmCPaXFiM/UA7fyL2hcjI/AAAAAAAAAe8/THHzyyybCLY/s405/Photo%252520Jul%25252024%25252C%2525202012%25252010%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="182" id="blogsy-1439302038810.5115" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HnrmCPaXFiM/UA7fyL2hcjI/AAAAAAAAAe8/THHzyyybCLY/s243/Photo%252520Jul%25252024%25252C%2525202012%25252010%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><ul><li>Visualize the Blue Zone:</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--g9YC_JBExg/UA7eXWUUcsI/AAAAAAAAAe0/_b6x5YU0hF8/s505/Photo%252520Jul%25252024%25252C%2525202012%25252010%25253A40%252520AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="232" id="blogsy-1439302038811.4727" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--g9YC_JBExg/UA7eXWUUcsI/AAAAAAAAAe0/_b6x5YU0hF8/s202/Photo%252520Jul%25252024%25252C%2525202012%25252010%25253A40%252520AM.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ahhhhh....feeling cooler already. Now, not to mess it up. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That means to watch diet and activities all day:</div><ul><li>Cooling foods</li><li>Activities by AC</li><li>Water, hydration</li><li>Reduce stress and get those items checked off to-do list</li><li>Have fun brainstorming on some new projects</li><li>Find balance</li><li>Be at peace</li><li>Mellow in the "Green Zone" </li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KQc6Bs6ToGQ/UA7kyv2aqCI/AAAAAAAAAfU/K5ZAkVaaY80/s513/Photo%252520Jul%25252024%25252C%2525202012%25252011%25253A07%252520AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="246" id="blogsy-1439302038808.588" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KQc6Bs6ToGQ/UA7kyv2aqCI/AAAAAAAAAfU/K5ZAkVaaY80/s216/Photo%252520Jul%25252024%25252C%2525202012%25252011%25253A07%252520AM.jpg" width="216" /></a></div></div>So, How do you deal when you're in the Red Zone?<p>Originally posted in 2015. Still pertinent today in 2022! </p><div id="blogsy_footer" style="clear: both; font-size: small; text-align: right;"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Posted with Blogsy" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle;" width="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-32964475598148381982023-07-15T07:06:00.000-07:002023-07-15T07:06:59.637-07:00Self-Care Challenge: Sit Quiet and Rest the MindChallenge accepted!<br />
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Time to "Make a Change - Make a Difference"<br />
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“SIT QUIET and Rest the Mind”<br />
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Start with 1 minute, one day, then grow to 5 minutes for five days.<br />
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Set a timer on your phone/watch so you're not thinking about time. <br />
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As your mind begins to wander, remind yourself that everything will be there when you are done. And, that you will find answers and solutions at that time but for now we are to rest and be quiet. <br />
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Breathe deep. Inhale through the nose. Exhale through the mouth. Seek always the quiet. <br />
<br />Find a quiet place and clear the mind. This will not be easy but let your mind find peace in absence of thought.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ar8eH14HPbk/WyFdmGi6eZI/AAAAAAAAFcM/qWc8kPPCkDsfCg6usmmmKy9mJPdTo8BcgCLcBGAs/s1600/S%252BkOv%2525gyRYycF8OBq7S59Q.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ar8eH14HPbk/WyFdmGi6eZI/AAAAAAAAFcM/qWc8kPPCkDsfCg6usmmmKy9mJPdTo8BcgCLcBGAs/s320/S%252BkOv%2525gyRYycF8OBq7S59Q.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Wellness begins in the heart and with a grounded body mind and soul. <br />
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">"I am worthy of a healthy life"</span></b></div>
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Let these intentions carry you away into a beautiful positive life. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PHQmdy1u9rw/WyFdlxkRXzI/AAAAAAAAFcI/JJv0wCd_ITkmi5qbgXe5PDnTy5weYdoggCLcBGAs/s1600/sHYHYbANRv203zmKDczGNQ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PHQmdy1u9rw/WyFdlxkRXzI/AAAAAAAAFcI/JJv0wCd_ITkmi5qbgXe5PDnTy5weYdoggCLcBGAs/s320/sHYHYbANRv203zmKDczGNQ.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Join us on BelongMS - a safe community for you and your MS </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>Finding peace and quiet with my Belong MS community, a safe place to discuss Life with MS with people who understand. Join my channel or one of the others for tips, help, support, friendship and more. #belongMS </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>App download:</b></span> https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1281" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5M2Ie_EluQTriuNCtooqYbpezyPxk9E0MpjEKdWimz8ygouO7p7d0c41UdtBZ3QhelcYdYWEAHy_DBUJC1fx1FgvaRiWnpxZ2dCJckCKttf55zhxPRmwA_xJjTAF9c2TM1w1QeRZ7pxs7UhbEBOclNlvRchfutIx9Svwhk4Snw8_OCCZmvfWzy9r6/s320/F8FD9756-C27F-4A01-94D2-D7BF066FA0D4.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><b>SHARE your experience:</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Instagram – Facebook – Twitter</div><div><br /></div><div>Because together we’ve got this!</div><div><br /></div><div>#challenge #makeachange #livebetter #takethatms #selfcare #BelongMS</div><div><br /></div></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="0" src="https://track.flexlinkspro.com/i.ashx?foid=1111254.140064377&fot=9999&foc=2&fos=1" style="opacity: 0; text-align: left;" width="0" /></div>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-23153819888006360452023-07-09T08:18:00.000-07:002023-07-09T08:18:34.211-07:00Brain Restoration, Sleeping with Sabrina and NAD+ 2:07 AM and I’m wide awake. <br />
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Seems to be a trend for me lately. Sleep will happen, eventually, but at what cost to my health? I’m ready for a change. <br />
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During one of my conversations with Stephen Camp, the founder of <a href="Http://AviorNutritionals.com">Avior Nutritionals</a>, (makers of Myetin - a high dose biotin with NAD+), he brought up the concept of brain restoration.<br />
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Brain restoration? We can restore our brains? I love this concept! </h3>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nui143omkjE/XLe159O33WI/AAAAAAAAGZc/b5DvUZYFJBMcHc2Sggpsd-GzLfj5uwMUwCEwYBhgL/s1600/04C1E018-97C3-4C85-BABE-B3C35E01B9C9.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="1600" height="241" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nui143omkjE/XLe159O33WI/AAAAAAAAGZc/b5DvUZYFJBMcHc2Sggpsd-GzLfj5uwMUwCEwYBhgL/s320/04C1E018-97C3-4C85-BABE-B3C35E01B9C9.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy iStock</td></tr>
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I definitely wanted to learn more. <br />
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So, he set up a meeting with a functional medicine specialist, Dana Leduff, CHC and practice manager for Dr. Knight at Knight Integrative Medicine.<br />
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Have you ever heard of NAD+? </h3>
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I have heard mentions of it but really do not understand it fully. I was psyched to learn how brains restore and what this means for us living with MS. <br />
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NAD+ levels decline as we age, or so the research indicates. AND it is critical for cell generation and health.<br />
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“NAD+ creates calming neurotransmitters in your brain,” Leduff told me. OK, my MS brain definitely needs calming. <br />
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I took this straight from the Wikipedia - “Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a cofactor found in all living cells. The compound is called a dinucleotide because it consists of two nucleotides joined through their phosphate groups. One nucleotide contains an adenine nucleobase and the other nicotinamide. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide exists in two forms: an oxidized and reduced form, abbreviated as NAD+ and NADH respectively.”<br />
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We are talking about the oxidized version, NAD+,in this article. But what does this mean for me? <br />
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“NAD+ is a cofactor involved in the Kreb cycle. It stimulates ATP which is the fuel equivalent that runs all of our cells,” Leduff explained, “NAD+ is a kick start for the engine.”<br />
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The Kreb Cycle is also known as the TCA cycle (tricarboxylic acid cycle). It’s basically the chemical reactions to release stored energy through oxidation of acetyl-CoA derived from carbohydrates, proteins and fats into adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and carbon dioxide. It provides the process to make the fuel we need to run our engines. NAD+ is this fuel.<br />
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“It affects a lot of other metabolic pathways. If depleted or burned through, adding NAD+ could help gain greater resilience,” she said, “We could have more stockpiled.”<br />
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<h3>
“Imagine having a bad starter to your car,” she said. Well, that’s easy to do! </h3>
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“If you could take a product that could provide NAD+ it could help the Kreb cycle.” Which in turns help the brain restore by helping mitochondria reach a healthier state. <br />
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“An out-of-balance level of NAD+ may be a result from genes that don't make enough or don’t break down the macronutrients to pure NAD+,” Leduff informed me. “When they become in balance it could create changes in circadian rhythm and sleeping patterns.”<br />
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Leduff further explained, “As in gardening, we need soil enriched with the right things. In the human body, NAD+ provides the right fuel. It turns a bunch of switches on that might have not been activated due to limited fuel.” <br />
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“We want to send as many healthy microbiomes to the brain,” informed Leduff as these could help restore the brain<br />
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Research claims benefits.</h3>
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One interesting article I found was put out by the Translational Medicine of Aging. The title hit a chord with me, “Therapeutic potential of boosting NAD+ in aging and age-related diseases discusses NAD+, it’s benefits and clinical usage.”<br />
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NAD+ is synthesized by natural NAD and several precursors. Precursors have shown possible benefits in research. But, “NAD+ in Myetin is the activated form of NAD+ which the body can use in its current form and is not affected by any genetic polymorphisms,” stated Leduff. <br />
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One precursor, NR, was found to be beneficial for glucose levels in diabetics. In neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s it’s been shown to help memory, motor function and mitochondrial function as well as protect from neuronal cell death. <br />
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Another precursor, NAM, helps with oxidative stress and more: In the model of obesity, it has able to restore glucagon storage to similar levels as age-matched standard-diet mice as well as ameliorate diet-induced hepatosteatosis, oxidative stress and inflammation.<br />
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The study found that inhibiting the age-related decline in NAD+ levels is critical for preventing age- or disease-related frailties. It also found that strategies that could potentially boost NAD+ levels include exercise, fasting, and maintaining a healthy diet, and by boosting with supplements. <br />
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But these precursors are not the same as NAD+,” Leduff explained. “And there are many precursors available for sale.”<br />
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“Whenever claiming to be a particular molecule. We want a form that’s most bioavailable otherwise those genetic mutations could make the process more sluggish or not happen at all so the body can’t benefit from it.<br />
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Leduff warns, “Many companies claim to have NAD but they are talking about “precursors” of some form. Avior Nutritionals has the only blend available that is the pure active form of NAD+.”<br />
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Leduff suggested that patients who want to find more personalized health plan, could find their answers in functional medicine. <br />
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<b>Sleeping with Sabrina</b></h3>
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After talking mitochondria a bit, I still wanted to learn more. So, I connected with sleep specialist and certified brain fitness coach, <a href="http://sabrinacadini.com/">Sabrina Cadini</a> . <br />
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She does not have MS.<br />
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“I was sick and we couldn’t figure it out for a long time, so I decided to heal myself with self care, nutrition, sleep, etc.,” Sabrina said. A familiar story to so many of us.<br />
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“I wanted to share my story and inspire others - switched to coaching. We need to educate people today that there are other options.” <br />
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What is a brain fitness coach? <br />
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“We help others take care of their brain before it’s too late. We help with nutrition, exercise, sleep, and self-care. Are they too stressed or do they need to enhance their brain function?” Explained Sabrina. <br />
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“The body and brain are so tightly connected,” she said, “ For example, if people move the body releases hormones and detoxifies the body - it’s a chain reaction. They don't realize how the body works and just follows the medicine prescribed.” <br />
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<h3>
Mitochondria</h3>
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“I can’t say enough about mitochondria!” Shared Sabrina. <br />
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“These energy powerhouses are some of my best friends when I work with my clients. Considering that mitochondria can also help us with cell growth and the support of the nervous system, I can’t ignore their importance in my coaching practice.<br />
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“None of my clients knows about mitochondria, but when I explain the critical role of mitochondria as the source of our cellular energy, their view of everyday life and optimal lifestyle completely shifts. They feel more motivated to follow my program that focuses on nutrition, sleep, exercise, and stress management to improve their energy levels and overall health.<br />
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“Since mitochondria are directly connected to sleep and most specifically to our circadian rhythm, I always stress the importance of a good night’s sleep. If our circadian clock is impaired due to lack of sleep, or inconsistent sleep patterns, our energy production will decrease, and our overall health can be impacted: symptoms can include fatigue, pain, and susceptibility to illnesses. This, in turn, can negatively affect the circadian rhythm, creating a vicious cycle.<br />
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<br />Circadian Rhythm </h3>
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“I’m also learning a lot about NAD+ and how mitochondrial dysfunction can result from declining NAD+ levels in our body. I have to say, I feel blessed to live in this era where science and genetics are making progress every day, and more and more research studies give hope to many people suffering from chronic and autoimmune diseases.<br />
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Sabrina suggests that once we understand our biological clock, it’s better to understand what we’re doing and going through. <br />
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Hormones with light and darkness really run the show. Melatonin night time. Cortisol and adrenal during the day.<br />
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“Understand and take better care of yourself,” Dana recommends, “Be more respectful for sleep routine when the night comes.” <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-znmdZNx0SCY/XLjL6--8gEI/AAAAAAAAGak/A7GccVlcHCcNbt1a77QdawNNuTFeRy8HgCLcBGAs/s1600/44079B12-7C00-4A42-88F8-B5174050D0A9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-znmdZNx0SCY/XLjL6--8gEI/AAAAAAAAGak/A7GccVlcHCcNbt1a77QdawNNuTFeRy8HgCLcBGAs/s320/44079B12-7C00-4A42-88F8-B5174050D0A9.jpeg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Sabrina’s Sleep Tips</h3>
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“Unplug,” recommends Dana, “the use of technology is a big disrupter.”<br />
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“Watch the blue light - the kind we absorb during the day via sunlight - but if we keep absorbing it then we can’t produce melatonin so it disrupts the circadian rhythm.”<a href="blob:https://www.blogger.com/3d1f7690-236f-40cd-a4d7-e4fd8077a5d4"></a><br />
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Then, Sabrina gave me these great tips to help reset the circadian rhythm along with NAD+. <br />
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<b>Sleep Tips </b><br />
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1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> Reduce blue light/devices<br />
2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Software called <a href="https://justgetflux.com/">Flux</a> changes color of screen based on time zone to adjust/tint with red as the day progresses<br />
3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Windows 10 on a PC? Look for screen tint, regulated with red/blue light.<br />
4.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Reduce TV, devices, etc.<br />
5.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Put phone in airplane mode - reduced EMF<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">(electromagnetic fields)</span><br />
6.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Swannies - Blue light blocker glasses<br />
7.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Keep room where you sleep as dark as possible.<br />
8.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Consistency is KEY -<br />
1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Regular time to bed, regular sleep patterns<br />
2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do not catch up on sleep - “if it’s gone, it’s gone.”<br />
9.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Exercise can help sleep patterns. Don’t exercise later in the evening as its stimulating and may cause problems falling asleep. <br />
10.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Caffeine - stop by 3pm - leave 6-8 hours before bedtime. <br />
11.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Napping - less than 30 minutes, or might enter deep sleep and feel more fatigued upon awaking<br />
12.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Relaxation techniques: yoga, breathing, meditation.<br />
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I’m definitely beginning to understand better. <br />
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NAD+ is critical for our cells and fueling our brain and body. It helps keep all those scientific parts in balance and the mitochondria healthy so it can send harmonious energy to the brain. “Calming neurotransmitters,” Dana called them. <br />
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And understanding how the circadian rhythm plays a role sort of ties the whole brain/body connection together in one tight package. <br />
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Very curious for sure. This NAD+ and its role in helping me sleep. Self-care at its finest. <br />
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Just one more way we can say #takeTHATms! </h3>
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Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-87870640266762165252023-07-06T08:41:00.000-07:002023-07-06T08:41:29.053-07:00Emotional Hangover from MS - and what to do. <div>
The MS got a hold of me, worse than it’s been in months. But there were reasons. Pushed beyond comfort by demands of life, it caught up with me. And caught up bad. </div>
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Often we talk about the physical pain of MS, the tremors, the spasticity. The pain the comes from every nerve ending or the fatigue that covers us in a lead blanket. <br />
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And then the pain wanes and we feel better for a bit. But the emotional sludge that remains behind is detrimental to our health and happiness. </div>
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And boy did I feel it this morning when the day got started. Frustrated, irritated and angry at life, my legs crumbled their way out of bed to get some coffee. Crumbled for sure as there was no jumping for joy today. </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sDTz6VPgmpY/XBk2JgxzXMI/AAAAAAAAGBo/UYvzGZzEADcAVsMSVFQ_OmwjMgHIUZyZwCLcBGAs/s1600/E3315409-BB2E-4B4F-8246-E529A5DFE4E9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="398" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sDTz6VPgmpY/XBk2JgxzXMI/AAAAAAAAGBo/UYvzGZzEADcAVsMSVFQ_OmwjMgHIUZyZwCLcBGAs/s200/E3315409-BB2E-4B4F-8246-E529A5DFE4E9.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Why my? Why this damn MS that suffocates me and keeps me jailed up in my body? </div>
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Sure, I aim for happiness. Positive thinking and all is great an my focus. But today, I’m not going to fight it. My emotions are way over the top upset and there’s no denying that I really I despise my MS right now. </div>
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Unfortunately the angrier I get the more worked up my MS becomes. This isn’t productive or healthy for anyone. </div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dPh-z4Mc8kE/XBk0nEC7xeI/AAAAAAAAGA4/wCKCw8hK-tAJx4ahzQsHfZ1NYWPHAV4pwCLcBGAs/s1600/226933F3-74B9-481F-9600-E01A0CFE5F5E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dPh-z4Mc8kE/XBk0nEC7xeI/AAAAAAAAGA4/wCKCw8hK-tAJx4ahzQsHfZ1NYWPHAV4pwCLcBGAs/s320/226933F3-74B9-481F-9600-E01A0CFE5F5E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Time to force a change! </div>
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Yes, I’m using the word force. Enter something beautiful in life: A sit in the garden. A chat with a friend. A stroll through the neighborhood. Find the beauty, grace and appreciation that is the bases of life. It’s there but when I’m this worked up it’s hard to see beyond the tears. </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kiD_0Brkytk/XBk0w1iyMVI/AAAAAAAAGBE/9ISCiLeS1DgO6MdyEfissuAxWwWfCfUPACLcBGAs/s1600/59C513C8-8350-4763-BB4F-0EED1CEDB199.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kiD_0Brkytk/XBk0w1iyMVI/AAAAAAAAGBE/9ISCiLeS1DgO6MdyEfissuAxWwWfCfUPACLcBGAs/s320/59C513C8-8350-4763-BB4F-0EED1CEDB199.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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But forcing this is easier than it may seem. Just sitting out in the garden for a few minutes is helping. </div>
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<b>BREATHE DEEP EXERCISE</b></div>
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1. Breathe in deep to the chest. </div>
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2. Take the breath deeper, into the belly and gut and let it distend out as far as possible</div>
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3. Keep taking in more air, aware of the beauty around you. </div>
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4. When full of air, sit a second then exhale deep.</div>
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5. Exhale through the mouth, letting out everything dirty, angry and evil. </div>
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Repeat! </div>
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Ahhhhh... Feeling so much better already. </div>
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Now, to remember this trick during the busyness of the day. </div>
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Now that I can see straight and am calming down, time to record my issues. <br />
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Even after almost 20 years of this illness, I am still learning about it. Today was a lesson learned. After three days of physical hell, the emotional hangover was even worse. Next time my body faces exacerbations from mismanagement I must remember this tailing wind of emotions that have entwined me. </div><div><br /><h2 style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1em; position: relative;">Ask Caroline! Join me at Belong.MS - Certified Life Coach and Living with MS since 2001</h2><div class="widget-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Ask Caroline! Join me at Belong.MS - Certified Life Coach and Living with MS since 2001" height="205" id="Image4_img" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpTWNzRxxQliQlwXdFcPaQkeFWoLPbZJHmguV_IpxblN8Mkk7qney8eioE-GhwfqXH0dv65lE9eTLy5GMz_DHIwn-HTK6USN-Hc203SuxxKrGo-FdiRhnhoypNtfWHRR9BorzgxI8WyHWG5LG5DL7I1Zcs7olaP07RjlpgcgLYvf27CPxvldPOC1h7=s205" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 2px; position: relative; visibility: visible;" width="196" /> </a><br /></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Click on image above to Download the App for A Safe and Confidential MS Community</span></div>
Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-25932151669863267762023-06-06T08:14:00.000-07:002023-06-06T08:14:34.576-07:00A New Year! 22 years with Multiple Sclerosis - 22 years after diagnosisIt’s 2023 and it’s a new year! <div><br /></div><div>In February, 2001, I lost the ability to walk or see unassisted. The MS hit hard and fast while I was traveling across Guatemala with friends. That was a long time ago as much as it was yesterday. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUL3X27GcxtHRIpiZBvreze9G4hmzZQLBryMV6i6TXdGWU6b6ubmnhEBvpYmVleKyytcyCXH9d5xV7r77eBd5MxyeanQC2xFuY5nxi2shBWHwFqZKOPMslUqI2B0aNfoSzCMJ9an1nj9tWp8mwEm3N4xPopzo5Ooe9IPoGv4E1jP2frk5C3p1dj07B/s4032/E591EEC6-459E-4D45-9B92-168B3083075E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUL3X27GcxtHRIpiZBvreze9G4hmzZQLBryMV6i6TXdGWU6b6ubmnhEBvpYmVleKyytcyCXH9d5xV7r77eBd5MxyeanQC2xFuY5nxi2shBWHwFqZKOPMslUqI2B0aNfoSzCMJ9an1nj9tWp8mwEm3N4xPopzo5Ooe9IPoGv4E1jP2frk5C3p1dj07B/s320/E591EEC6-459E-4D45-9B92-168B3083075E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><div>Over these past 22 years, who I knew as myself as a person had changed. A once reliable, active, energetic and hardworking person was no longer. The intention was there but the actions proved differently. </div><div><br /></div><div>My career changed from a corporate executive to nothing then to a life coach, health journalist, blogger and advocate. Challenges with driving automobiles encouraged me to find otherwise for independence. Life changed. Friendship and family became even more important. So did taking advantage of every opportunity. </div><div><br /></div><div>After losing my career and feeling frustrated, it took a little gumption to get back up and going. But I found a way through this blog, my MS advocacy and keeping one foot in front of the other. The thought of not going into an office, or what felt like, having a purpose, seem daunting. But I created an outdoor space to work and a whole world opened up to me. If I can work around the clock, then the flexibility is endless as long as the MS obeys. Wahoo! I’ll take that! </div><div><br /></div><div>This shift in attitude is what is helping me to re-center my life. Look at it a new, find what makes me whole, then do it. Today this means, I can fish, hike, walk, stroll, take photographs, learn to draw, learn to paint, spend quality time with friends and family. Sometimes even I need to remind myself as to the life I have lived these past 22 years. It’s too easy to get into a slump but you know? We’ve got this! All of us. By working and helping and supporting each other, we’ve got this! </div><div><br /></div><div>After diagnosed with MS, I became certified in holistic nutrition. The importance of food and gut health for those with MS is essential to our quality of life. I am a big fan of farmers market, local agriculture and sprouts. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCf9R1FsMQSpUSsFi7-s4D3fz7pUUHVHzX5yvpi3RFp_qSDJCBqqlJmy0UXtLbhTrrQ3dpqG935etxVAfDFsAxtR18jxmdJjOfQ-l3BoZFursYWoG-dw-TvkjEprCRrH5_I9Stlc3gJ83l4XoFtp51Y9NFdThq7SmoDwKFW36WtnDQq_Hg1mmGhXc/s4032/4F7D9189-DE54-4AF6-BF6B-C1D0CBC2045E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCf9R1FsMQSpUSsFi7-s4D3fz7pUUHVHzX5yvpi3RFp_qSDJCBqqlJmy0UXtLbhTrrQ3dpqG935etxVAfDFsAxtR18jxmdJjOfQ-l3BoZFursYWoG-dw-TvkjEprCRrH5_I9Stlc3gJ83l4XoFtp51Y9NFdThq7SmoDwKFW36WtnDQq_Hg1mmGhXc/s320/4F7D9189-DE54-4AF6-BF6B-C1D0CBC2045E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Then, I became a certified life coach which led me to some incredible projects around the country. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAIhF3-wws4RH4C27ewHBbQng8olkmm8yYcT4kEZBWgZfwI3cWmMYC8Keai9RcpFUjjet6VseIiR7ai1MICJvjxHRkoGzdfUHgbHdQ5cvH4zNTGWAgZBqciFCoWNKweHGfYkU0nEaTl5SkIcof6F2-kcW9s8Rs5Y-4vXabtT1oiqpRpn5oLqdoLFu/s750/6E05995D-AB95-4D46-8137-19D12E7871EF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAIhF3-wws4RH4C27ewHBbQng8olkmm8yYcT4kEZBWgZfwI3cWmMYC8Keai9RcpFUjjet6VseIiR7ai1MICJvjxHRkoGzdfUHgbHdQ5cvH4zNTGWAgZBqciFCoWNKweHGfYkU0nEaTl5SkIcof6F2-kcW9s8Rs5Y-4vXabtT1oiqpRpn5oLqdoLFu/s320/6E05995D-AB95-4D46-8137-19D12E7871EF.jpeg" width="320" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYusY6yy-gsaq6mM6mT9H_eIK9Uf7xM0SOjnm5Nz0j9ZzEhsAhN6wKXkJzxkMaE3D1LjtXtTYcCoDRZzLTzv5yW92XO4mW06wFIjEIaKBC5izfH6j2Ze14MwF-VcNDHhDoc5f9IoKd-hHokGO-RcEvQ5-BSXfGZH7-SX52wusUHH9MGFl0yKEdLgJb/s2532/4025C18D-80BB-46F8-A5C7-2E0FEFFA18BB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2532" data-original-width="1170" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYusY6yy-gsaq6mM6mT9H_eIK9Uf7xM0SOjnm5Nz0j9ZzEhsAhN6wKXkJzxkMaE3D1LjtXtTYcCoDRZzLTzv5yW92XO4mW06wFIjEIaKBC5izfH6j2Ze14MwF-VcNDHhDoc5f9IoKd-hHokGO-RcEvQ5-BSXfGZH7-SX52wusUHH9MGFl0yKEdLgJb/s320/4025C18D-80BB-46F8-A5C7-2E0FEFFA18BB.jpeg" width="148" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>One project happened to be in Orlando, Florida, so I went fly fishing on Lake Kissimmee. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUcvkXne5QXjduFzgxf3mMXgKqqcpCPS_2QFCrj1Q4VW8O8TpQXTYNd0SwEbvSir8bfKSqLkS_UjnIKVU5BIT6DIj5rVVS3RLXX-im9dWGqrRoEMDQH8iF_eKJKLg96FgeL_UpA9m8F-BqvLOfyH7fGj6CQzn1UAr4Z-OX3D0r-XBtuBZQ0Zw7giF/s1164/F0C4AA75-790A-4833-AC2A-D42754F53DEC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="1164" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUcvkXne5QXjduFzgxf3mMXgKqqcpCPS_2QFCrj1Q4VW8O8TpQXTYNd0SwEbvSir8bfKSqLkS_UjnIKVU5BIT6DIj5rVVS3RLXX-im9dWGqrRoEMDQH8iF_eKJKLg96FgeL_UpA9m8F-BqvLOfyH7fGj6CQzn1UAr4Z-OX3D0r-XBtuBZQ0Zw7giF/s320/F0C4AA75-790A-4833-AC2A-D42754F53DEC.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>One day I had the opportunity to join NASA/JPL on a tour. Couldn’t have done that if I was was working in an office all day. The fact JPL is ten minutes away from me and I had never seen the inside, I was ecstatic. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaRpO-SYInrf7k1rDZB8uKqWLSsvtUwgrxECSUafnV1IuuE0iMwAXM-DXHT-BbLrgN1JnOXxTEwoXGmFHJwj1oX__V-bLKos0qzm5IoBKw8xhul0IHyABVf65pkO02u9CnmMS6kMoLBaiY2eB0ZGGIL0TMIdAoM94nk4mriLciEP5epgfqxi6ckDo/s1170/8D0F82FE-85C5-4E24-8828-EFDF6D54FBA0.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1170" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaRpO-SYInrf7k1rDZB8uKqWLSsvtUwgrxECSUafnV1IuuE0iMwAXM-DXHT-BbLrgN1JnOXxTEwoXGmFHJwj1oX__V-bLKos0qzm5IoBKw8xhul0IHyABVf65pkO02u9CnmMS6kMoLBaiY2eB0ZGGIL0TMIdAoM94nk4mriLciEP5epgfqxi6ckDo/s320/8D0F82FE-85C5-4E24-8828-EFDF6D54FBA0.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As an MS advocate, Girl with MS and Life Coach, the opportunities to share my story has helped me understand that there is still much to live for and enjoy. This MS may get us down, but then a the light seems to brighten.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcR8Bdb0Uft1m6E9HlQZBdtlYWsID-8Mi6YAZ_bou0xlJjVIKJUekVWH7Lfv6HQa4dzeTvtbo82Rylelw_usaAGvn7Lynqhw7LXsn5QR1DF0pFk2UQZ5SE8QsW5tsSNtl83HNbkrTuPWAPfv5Lt_2rWSkSwIONSP2UaGju9EmcaIKpQfp0nI7g_fY/s1494/CEF12C52-3E6E-4AB7-AEB1-599D34DE069D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="1164" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcR8Bdb0Uft1m6E9HlQZBdtlYWsID-8Mi6YAZ_bou0xlJjVIKJUekVWH7Lfv6HQa4dzeTvtbo82Rylelw_usaAGvn7Lynqhw7LXsn5QR1DF0pFk2UQZ5SE8QsW5tsSNtl83HNbkrTuPWAPfv5Lt_2rWSkSwIONSP2UaGju9EmcaIKpQfp0nI7g_fY/s320/CEF12C52-3E6E-4AB7-AEB1-599D34DE069D.jpeg" width="249" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is also where I got to meet so many other incredible MS advocates: Carolyn Kaufman, Jodi Dwyer, Crystal Perry, Cathy Chester, Tanya Miller. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8CGhKdy-DWg1Pu7ebApbC3YbRz1jg9phpI5P-iOgPWVaOWNdB7KOJminX8ksjLb7SkF27F0LVn7_Fdsp2SZYtP101UHRyYH1rO_x6gHzfyoZuGRnrS3gFqGxlEhhWaR-rVt_WgusJ9HHEaDSDUKs-5SPuGrpr7HcwgNH5wmeh9ndtyo-LhgXHcJ8/s1153/02BFB5FB-8AC3-4846-A3A9-C5E72CCB4596.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="1153" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8CGhKdy-DWg1Pu7ebApbC3YbRz1jg9phpI5P-iOgPWVaOWNdB7KOJminX8ksjLb7SkF27F0LVn7_Fdsp2SZYtP101UHRyYH1rO_x6gHzfyoZuGRnrS3gFqGxlEhhWaR-rVt_WgusJ9HHEaDSDUKs-5SPuGrpr7HcwgNH5wmeh9ndtyo-LhgXHcJ8/s320/02BFB5FB-8AC3-4846-A3A9-C5E72CCB4596.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Many of you join me on Belong - Thank you! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My Girl with MS Channel on the Belong.lifeMS app continues to grow. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We are a safe, like-minded support group. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;"><span>Anyone with MS can join </span>Belong<span> and find tons of support, friendship, expert advise and even clinical trials. </span><span>Once the </span><a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47">Belong app</a><span> is downloaded and you have registered (</span><a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47">click here</a><span> for app), then you can scroll down and see the different support groups. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #0e101a; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47"><img border="0" data-original-height="1483" data-original-width="1657" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xN2lv376lkg/X4Mvk7NIw5I/AAAAAAAAHMA/8-c-OpsAvvIL6JjYLK7IwvVDliWpAwipgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/9979888D-C50E-4794-A1A3-09CAF9FBFA15.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I also was blessed to be on several amazing trips with my family including Galapagos, Ecuador, Kenya, and Tanzania.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbufPFVphLywAJ5kTNrgf85ltpPKmPWBq5gCVRBf1GGQZJ4WyYm0UbwAeYAH7wV6n49eqjdEOZ1U2i-ZeC5_wyhXaCYSfpz_etyZYc9Wrh8yhwFNLVapURZiC2Y2dOdh60xyJQ6glNFpSegJWqcKOCcX9xpPMTKmVL9SDmO2FT5x41tylUyeDQu0E/s1082/420E8BD2-6DF3-4F91-B2F0-7745A1253384.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1082" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbufPFVphLywAJ5kTNrgf85ltpPKmPWBq5gCVRBf1GGQZJ4WyYm0UbwAeYAH7wV6n49eqjdEOZ1U2i-ZeC5_wyhXaCYSfpz_etyZYc9Wrh8yhwFNLVapURZiC2Y2dOdh60xyJQ6glNFpSegJWqcKOCcX9xpPMTKmVL9SDmO2FT5x41tylUyeDQu0E/s320/420E8BD2-6DF3-4F91-B2F0-7745A1253384.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcVUfjULREO2lepqx1tmpgbzbZO-A91P4da7ApskR86BLszEhmt8jBZ1M1RPNC9dgw7vAOWRu3APi5vF21WPrqOZcIXBLYFY3ikQ9LL5uhAguCfFaEeP7HeDjJpg4L_iSn82r75MkPN14x26Nk-vw6lJR8cDmwobbk6J9HsuTExQqHYCW4soSs49Y/s730/D12646EA-2265-4392-B55E-8F26E3AA8658.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="730" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcVUfjULREO2lepqx1tmpgbzbZO-A91P4da7ApskR86BLszEhmt8jBZ1M1RPNC9dgw7vAOWRu3APi5vF21WPrqOZcIXBLYFY3ikQ9LL5uhAguCfFaEeP7HeDjJpg4L_iSn82r75MkPN14x26Nk-vw6lJR8cDmwobbk6J9HsuTExQqHYCW4soSs49Y/s320/D12646EA-2265-4392-B55E-8F26E3AA8658.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My one take away: Build awareness throughout your life. Really look at what is nearby. Something’s are quite obvious, but others take a little more attention.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWS44RM1jRIC8jiNfkwXPPjeOl50hxhCdFIzgSHrQJtQ4KGwE-VaG0qv8lNQXcF5be4puu5hyJACeE-yMjOCyvLD6feMDhdk4NSqa4-m9cMW9fi-L2iQi22baEDnU7i-Sh3pPj8ufyPFrqLkxgpy230Q6OAMGyiAbt7m-xHyK_2pdKnBC-SIOWVpon/s2600/D02FDE59-D005-492C-B61D-D9D31E86D0D3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2600" data-original-width="1950" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWS44RM1jRIC8jiNfkwXPPjeOl50hxhCdFIzgSHrQJtQ4KGwE-VaG0qv8lNQXcF5be4puu5hyJACeE-yMjOCyvLD6feMDhdk4NSqa4-m9cMW9fi-L2iQi22baEDnU7i-Sh3pPj8ufyPFrqLkxgpy230Q6OAMGyiAbt7m-xHyK_2pdKnBC-SIOWVpon/s320/D02FDE59-D005-492C-B61D-D9D31E86D0D3.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPI_W4pWYJKvr29TNvh5vAA3lZARCKOVgCaw7a3eGwUj7os3tJPRO6WUhmsDkfh2UQEqLFcxqx5aNodS3hstvStkrz396_-bvkgq9g5M3HSTol_azItFs4VQP3yipLCUHmyzbIY_l13hFXuW7j7480veD5XqAQFEPHz1JfoPmXwrEN-4BVi6hNikWP/s2723/E3E6D199-D1D9-41DB-81A8-51DF4B66ADD9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2723" data-original-width="2042" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPI_W4pWYJKvr29TNvh5vAA3lZARCKOVgCaw7a3eGwUj7os3tJPRO6WUhmsDkfh2UQEqLFcxqx5aNodS3hstvStkrz396_-bvkgq9g5M3HSTol_azItFs4VQP3yipLCUHmyzbIY_l13hFXuW7j7480veD5XqAQFEPHz1JfoPmXwrEN-4BVi6hNikWP/s320/E3E6D199-D1D9-41DB-81A8-51DF4B66ADD9.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeoFu00ycHEsp79Wkme1Z_aHCgbLmfMRgewrCfOGUkQ_eG7Q6qIqVhIOHjRl2yVMuErJP9AK613Me1FVIbUrXDOuJwrduROI1Xqnu3w5sUG34bEchldY4d8Rnzj8sa5LLNgnu0HPNmVId3bDBo3RDYyffa7XdC5DGwE6VMNIxuePfFZA93L9WzOAp/s3333/641DF652-439E-4495-9A1D-93E11BD66FD9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1915" data-original-width="3333" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeoFu00ycHEsp79Wkme1Z_aHCgbLmfMRgewrCfOGUkQ_eG7Q6qIqVhIOHjRl2yVMuErJP9AK613Me1FVIbUrXDOuJwrduROI1Xqnu3w5sUG34bEchldY4d8Rnzj8sa5LLNgnu0HPNmVId3bDBo3RDYyffa7XdC5DGwE6VMNIxuePfFZA93L9WzOAp/s320/641DF652-439E-4495-9A1D-93E11BD66FD9.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And, I survived covid…so far. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MhYjMxIhaCclBCEB33qI0TXNP5Yj3yk0bTAeexiFv2Y30aVWXWObjHvHh8OP6q2jzalY_DTxRC3ltGsVa4cJl4-3AgFHIM7Ae4OsMXnUwYtHn5PVti72BGCEVjMG9JdnQwP55w3hV5s0rZbEeJUuq7MNuPcskh-SOv1YvLU13nXcOeLjvdFz_26H/s3088/6B148F00-B96B-429E-8B62-53305AB91A84.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MhYjMxIhaCclBCEB33qI0TXNP5Yj3yk0bTAeexiFv2Y30aVWXWObjHvHh8OP6q2jzalY_DTxRC3ltGsVa4cJl4-3AgFHIM7Ae4OsMXnUwYtHn5PVti72BGCEVjMG9JdnQwP55w3hV5s0rZbEeJUuq7MNuPcskh-SOv1YvLU13nXcOeLjvdFz_26H/s320/6B148F00-B96B-429E-8B62-53305AB91A84.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Thank you all for being here for me. For being part of my journey with MS. I couldn’t have done it without you. Xo, Caroline </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">#takeTHATms</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-54222894603630425252023-01-23T07:57:00.000-08:002023-01-23T07:57:57.428-08:00MS Diet - Try this food, not that food. One of the first things everyone asks me these days is if I follow a certain diet, or avoid certain foods. The answer is a resounding YES. I'd love to say that eating anything and everything is OK but it's not. Just recently my diet changed, for the worse, and after six months my MS, along with everything else in my body, went absolutely haywire. <br />
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Not every MS patient should follow the same diet. Everyone is different, just as their illness. Recommend instead the trial and error method. Remove a variety of food, one at a time, and see if it affects your MS. <br />
<br />
<b><u>Some of the foods that cause major problems include:</u></b><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Processed foods (too many additive, hidden wheat and sodium)</li>
<li>Gluten</li>
<li>Carbohydrates in general</li>
<li>Dairy (don't include me in this group. You do not want to be around me if you remove my cheese. I get downright nasty).</li>
<li>Red meat</li>
<li>Other meat</li>
<li>Fried food</li>
<li>High sodium</li>
</ol>
<br />
Remove them for a good couple of months to truly feel a difference. Three - six months is good. <br />
<br />
Some folks respond well after going vegan or gluten free. Some do better with a paleo type plan. Try different things and feel how your body responds. Make adjustments and learn from your trials. <br />
<br />
Major triggers for me are gluten and carbohydrates. For example last year, my diet went from about 10% simple carbs to more like 50% simple carbs, letting myself eat anything and everything that looked good. For the first couple of months my body kept up, and my body stayed slim and fit. Lean and mean. THEN, it's as if someone turned off the metabolism. Ready for winter was this girl with an additional 15 pounds. Actually 20 pounds but already lost 5. UGH and geez. Nothing fits. Haven't had this problem in 15 years. The ONLY change made was allowing the gluten and carbs to take over my diet. The meat consumption was down and grain consumption increased. Portion sizes increases. Eating is if readying for a marathon, without the matching calorie burning activity. Time to make a change! <br />
<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PPTR0TtgxvA/WKoAy7g-JdI/AAAAAAAAEmw/a3pUzrYYB5gvciM8sVVzvJWivNxRQT8pQCLcB/s1600/IMG_8573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PPTR0TtgxvA/WKoAy7g-JdI/AAAAAAAAEmw/a3pUzrYYB5gvciM8sVVzvJWivNxRQT8pQCLcB/s320/IMG_8573.JPG" width="320" /></a>Reining in the cravings meant changing habits back to where they were last year. 10% simple carbs. That means no six-packs of beer every weekend. No bottles of wine with french bread and home made cheese. Well, OK, we can have all of these as long as it's in moderation. Key word here - moderation. <br />
<br />
Just bringing this awareness to the forefront has allowed me to make many healthy changes. The weight is coming off and the MS seems to be subsiding a bit. This extra weight caused the MS to flare up bad, so looking forward to being the lean, mean fighting machine this girl was for the past 15 years. <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KzKFZRGqr8I/WKoAeT8zm7I/AAAAAAAAEmk/fV0Lz9plrs4zAMeuyiMF_pMYtj-ypFb9gCLcB/s1600/IMG_8584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KzKFZRGqr8I/WKoAeT8zm7I/AAAAAAAAEmk/fV0Lz9plrs4zAMeuyiMF_pMYtj-ypFb9gCLcB/s320/IMG_8584.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Every person is different and so are their diet needs. But I do believe strongly that clean, natural eating is the way to go. Buying local, at farmers markets and learning to cook are two ways to increase one's appreciation for good quality food. And we are what we eat. Eat like crap, look like crap. Eat like a healthy girl, look like a healthy girl. <br />
<br />
Time to do this! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
#takethatMS </div>
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<br />Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-51925921924507224942022-10-05T10:14:00.000-07:002022-10-05T10:14:08.557-07:00Watcher: Mystery, Murder, Mayhem and a Lady with MS <p>Finally! </p><p>A FUN read featuring a lady living with MS but not focusing on her MS. <a href="https://gestalt-media.myshopify.com/collections/books/products/watcher-jason-stokes">Watcher</a>, by Jason Stokes, is a tried and true murder mystery and it just happens that the leading lady has MS. And those with it will relate as she struggles obstacles with adrenaline us MS warriors know about. The kind that you dig up from the bottom of your well when your well is empty. The kind that comes from survival, from necessity. </p><p>The story flows freely and frantic enough to keep the adrenaline going and the intrigue in motion. Thoroughly enjoyable and well done, I thought the author had MS because Jason Stokes nails it on what it’s like living with MS, or at least for me. So many times I thought, “I know that feeling,” only to be swept up by the story and taken off to some ledge to hang on til I turned the page. Not sure I’ve read that quickly in a long time! </p><p>Any way, I had to share with you all. Need a distraction? Try Watcher by Jason Stokes. This Girl with MS sure enjoyed it! </p><p><a href="https://gestalt-media.myshopify.com/collections/books/products/watcher-jason-stokes">Click here to purchase</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">*My opinions and this is not my affiliate link - proceeds go to author* </span></p><p>Taken directly from <a href="https://gestalt-media.myshopify.com/collections/books/products/watcher-jason-stokes">Gestalt Publishing</a>: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://gestalt-media.myshopify.com/collections/books/products/watcher-jason-stokes" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="938" data-original-width="962" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kj4x3kVPXfs/X5hzA3rxpAI/AAAAAAAAHOI/bao9wO9L6NM8h4yaC1dWMq_LwJ-MKC4pACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/4096AF76-E555-45CD-B370-2FBF1BB1253B.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="shopify-section" id="shopify-section-product-template" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="product-template__container page-width" data-ajax-enabled="true" data-enable-history-state="true" data-section-id="product-template" data-section-type="product" id="ProductSection-product-template" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 1200px; padding-left: 55px; padding-right: 55px;"><div class="grid product-single product-single--medium-media" style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px -30px; padding: 0px;"><div class="grid__item medium-up--one-half" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; padding-left: 30px; width: 472px;"><div class="product-single__description rte" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333232; margin-bottom: 35px; margin-top: 30px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 19.44444px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">What she saw may cost her life.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Teri is a watcher. A silent witness to the lives of others. Robbed of her strength and mobility by a devastating disease, when she witnesses a crime so vicious it forces her to choose between her own safety and a woman she's never met, she'll have to untangle a web of corruption, clear her name and catch a killer before she's the next to disappear.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 19.44444px;"> </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 19.44444px;"> Watcher was written as a love letter to the MS community and everyone struggling with chronic debilitating disease. A message on every page that though disability can steal your strength, rob you of your physical assets and change how the world chooses to perceive you, you are <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">still</span> <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">strong</span>. You accomplish more before getting out of bed than most people manage all day and that deserves to be celebrated.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"> Teri is flawed but she is human, like the rest of us and she is empowered with the indomitable gift of an unbreakable spirit.</p></div><ul class="social-sharing" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none;"><a aria-describedby="a11y-new-window-external-message" class="btn btn--small btn--share share-facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://gestalt-media.myshopify.com/products/watcher-jason-stokes" rel="noopener" style="-webkit-appearance: none; -webkit-user-select: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: 1px solid rgb(235, 235, 235); box-sizing: border-box; color: #3a3a3a; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; 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display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle;">PIN IT</span><span class="visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px); height: 1px; margin: -1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">PIN ON PINTEREST</span></a></li></ul></div></div></div></div><div class="shopify-section" id="shopify-section-product-recommendations" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="page-width" data-base-url="/recommendations/products" data-product-id="5618779127975" data-section-id="product-recommendations" data-section-type="product-recommendations" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(58, 58, 58); color: #3a3a3a; font-family: Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 1200px; padding-left: 55px; padding-right: 55px;"><div class="product-recommendations__inner" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 55px 0px;"><div class="section-header text-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 55px; text-align: center;"></div></div></div></div>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-27729298268289425592022-08-23T15:12:00.000-07:002022-08-23T15:12:16.475-07:00FUMS Podcast: Natural Treatments and MS<span style="font-family: inherit;">Wahoo! A start of something wonderful and new. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My first joint <a href="https://fumsnow.com/fums-020-natural-holistic-treatments-with-caroline-craven">FUMS Podcast</a> with host Kathy Reagan Young. This one is about holistic and natural treatments for MS symptoms. </span><br />
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<a href="https://fumsnow.com/fums-020-natural-holistic-treatments-with-caroline-craven"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-52kvm8Nrcfw/W4mP03RmFxI/AAAAAAAAF54/qYsnJioU5H4lmpuwc117hwR9yzsdNoX-ACLcBGAs/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-08-31%2Bat%2B11.58.05%2BAM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">Celebrating The FUMS Podcast Show's <a href="https://fumsnow.com/fums-020-natural-holistic-treatments-with-caroline-craven">20th episode</a>, we're talking to Caroline Craven, The Girl With MS, about natural and holistic treatments for #MS. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://fumsnow.com/">FUMSnow.com </a>is the brainchild of Kathy Reagan Young, another MS advocate and warrior. She has so much great information on her blog. Her podcasts cover a variety of important topics. </span><br />
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<a href="http://fumsnow.com/"><img border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="1600" height="172" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZR9E6rVJ3TM/W4mbkpX542I/AAAAAAAAF6E/h9gV1B16hJA77D22aLJhn1IiVGqsfmQ8wCLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-08-31%2Bat%2B12.47.49%2BPM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">GREAT NEWS: Caroline is now a contributor to the podcast and will be featured on a regular basis!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We're looking forward to many more of these podcasts. </span><br />
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<a href="https://fumsnow.com/fums-020-natural-holistic-treatments-with-caroline-craven" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="398" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jRpv7hOthQ0/W4mPf9WuT5I/AAAAAAAAF5w/p9APi5kbiZIKCSYVJtb8FFJx3G_PTT4oACLcBGAs/s200/IMG_6709.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What do you want to hear about? <a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/p/contact-me.html">Let us know</a> and <a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/p/contact-me.html">Join</a> the conversation! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://fumsnow.com/fums-020-natural-holistic-treatments-with-caroline-craven"><b>CLICK HERE</b></a> for <b>PODCAST</b> about <b>Natural Treatments for MS Symptoms</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: start;">#multiplesclerosis #FUMSnow #takeTHATms!</span></span></div>
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Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-88355023331115779082022-07-28T09:33:00.000-07:002022-07-28T09:33:43.191-07:00Interesting Research about Multiple Sclerosis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vyYlSY1yxiA/WcGvw1RsO0I/AAAAAAAAFFE/wk4KcguXdf05xEfUuSR2Juqhcv2xq32iQCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-09-12%2Bat%2B4.35.19%2BPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="650" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vyYlSY1yxiA/WcGvw1RsO0I/AAAAAAAAFFE/wk4KcguXdf05xEfUuSR2Juqhcv2xq32iQCLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-09-12%2Bat%2B4.35.19%2BPM.png" width="245" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Oh what a year it has been! </span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif">Here are some great research articles about multiple sclerosis that I wrote for Healthline.com these past years. Quite a variety and feels good to look back and see how much was accomplished despite fighting relapses all year. </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif">A healthy lifestyle can and will make a big difference with this disease. Take time to own it and kick it's ass. Because it needs kicking. </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif">All I can say is #takeTHATms. </span><br />
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</div><div class="widget-content" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><ul style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: left;"><li><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/high-dose-biotin-for-multiple-sclerosis#2" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Biotin as Potential treatment Multiple Sclerosis</a></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/158967792171/3-recipes-to-help-you-transition-to-spring" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Recipes to Transition into Springtime</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/video-games-can-help-ease-pain-for-people-with-ms" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Video Games Ease MS Symptoms</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/%E2%80%A6/predicting-who-will-get-progres%E2%80%A6" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Predicting Progressive MS</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/158154938579/why-me-3-steps-to-managing-your-multiple" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">3 Steps to Manage MS Anger</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/loving-yourself-helps-battle-ms#1" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Love and MS - What Science Tells Us</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/new-multiple-sclerosis-drug-awaits-approval" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">New MS Drug awaits FDA approvel</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/vitamin-d-may-help-prevent-treat-multiple-sclerosis" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Vitamin D Helps Multiple Sclerosis</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/154681887775/for-better-health-watch-your-words" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Choosing words for optimum health</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/oxidative-stress-affects-multiple-sclerosis" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Oxidative Stress and Multiple Sclerosis</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/magnet-therapy-effective-in-treating-ms-symptoms" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Magnetic Therapy and MS</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/marijuana-as-a-treatment-for-multiple-sclerosis#1" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Marijuana and MS</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/biomarkers-future-of-multiple-sclerosis-treatment" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Biomarkers - the future of medicine for MS</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/effects-of-alcohol-coffee-smoking-on-multiple-sclerosis" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">MS and Alcohol. Grab a drink and read up! </a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/spicy-drinks-may-be-key-to-relieving-muscle-cramps" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Spicy Food May Relieve Cramps</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-gut-bacteria-ease-autoimmune-diseases" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gut Bacteria and Autoimmune Diseases</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/telemedicine-for-multiple-sclerosis-patients" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Telemedicine for Multiple Sclerosis</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/146708216508/8-cooling-and-healing-rituals-for-summer" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Cooling & Healing Tips for Summer</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/143536037479/getting-outside-5-stress-busting-exercises-for" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">5 Stress-Busting Exercises </a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2016/05/may-contest-special-post-and-enter-to.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">One Business Making a Difference for MS</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/stem-cell-hope-for-ms-patients" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Stem Cells for MS - Hype or Hope?</a></li>
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Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-16669496063751228212022-06-21T12:08:00.001-07:002022-06-23T10:59:50.400-07:00Surviving SummerI wrote this a few years back. Upon reviewing it reminded me of many important tricks. I updated it, except school hasn’t started yet. But it will and in the meantime we can learn tips for surviving summer heat!<div><br /></div><div>“Today is the first day of school for many students. Wow do they start early! For us it was always after Labor Day. To start when temperatures can still reach 100F is not a pleasant thought. What's worse is that the parents doing all the driving and cooking may have MS. And, if that's the case, then that can be doubly difficult. <br />
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For us in Southern California the summer heat can easily stretch through to the beginning of October. Usually by the middle of the month we are free and clear of 100F days. But it's only August 14, so we have at least another six weeks of summer in these parts.“<br />
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Here are some suggestions to help us all survive that last warm weeks of summer:<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>EATING RIGHT:</b></span> <a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/162632427541/superhero-salads-to-slay-the-summer-heat" target="_blank">SUPERHERO SALAD</a><br />
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Cook light, healthy and with efficiency. High protein and lots of produce can help make the summer more tolerable. Another trick is the use of some key ingredients such as apple cider vinegar and nutritional yeast. <br />
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<a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/162632427541/superhero-salads-to-slay-the-summer-heat" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="1034" height="264" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Eii05rNKms/WZIY86llzEI/AAAAAAAAFBA/k3RAs_PvGqozKkd6LWcCyimqRqyM8mjdACLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-08-14%2Bat%2B2.39.50%2BPM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">"What is best for anyone with a compromised health system is to <a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/162632427541/superhero-salads-to-slay-the-summer-heat" target="_blank">eat with efficiency</a>. For folks living with MS in the summer heat, this means foods rich in minerals and nutrients, anti-inflammatory foods, and those with <a href="http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pingminghealth.com%2Farticle%2F581%2Fwarming-and-cooling-characteristics-of-common-foods%2F&t=M2Q3YmRiODA3ZDExNDAwNTlhN2YwMWJiMzA4MWNhYmJiMGZiMDA0NSxKOWlPU2pVQQ%3D%3D&b=t%3ACtOEiKqCJPzjF4uPg_Gebg&p=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.mangohealth.com%2Fpost%2F162632427541%2Fsuperhero-salads-to-slay-the-summer-heat&m=1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">cooling or neutral energies</a>." </span></h3>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>KEEPING YOUR COOL:</b></span> <a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/146708216508/8-cooling-and-healing-rituals-for-summer" target="_blank">RITUALS FOR SUMMER</a></div>
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<a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/146708216508/8-cooling-and-healing-rituals-for-summer" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1038" height="269" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-77FA2omiluc/WZIZxblU5GI/AAAAAAAAFBI/r-DRUZPW1do5gdELp6Pfp9LgKf5lurRawCLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-08-14%2Bat%2B2.43.36%2BPM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/146708216508/8-cooling-and-healing-rituals-for-summer" target="_blank">Read this article</a> for tricks that will help you stay calm and relaxed throughout the day while still taking advantage of the long hours. <a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/146708216508/8-cooling-and-healing-rituals-for-summer" target="_blank">Select the rituals</a> that feel right for you, then create daily habits of them to make the most of your summer.<br />
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<a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/146708216508/8-cooling-and-healing-rituals-for-summer" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="972" height="186" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lfez8iA9seE/WZIZx9gGFzI/AAAAAAAAFBM/yWRkfxtWPCkwAfD3XvDziDXEwfAt2xGzACLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-08-14%2Bat%2B2.43.41%2BPM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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If the heat is too much - than stay in side and play some <a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/146708216508/8-cooling-and-healing-rituals-for-summer" target="_blank">video games</a>. Some of them are actually quite good for us! <br />
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<a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/146708216508/8-cooling-and-healing-rituals-for-summer" target="_blank">Click here</a> to read the which video games can help. </div>
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<a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/146708216508/8-cooling-and-healing-rituals-for-summer" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1020" height="271" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yOhDUNRqIbI/WZIaugIXKPI/AAAAAAAAFBU/Q9CQ5H5clzsqrljq84pUqEDSEYOYgVeFACLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-08-14%2Bat%2B2.47.58%2BPM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/search/craven" target="_blank">More articles</a> by Caroline Craven on <a href="http://mangohealth.com/">MangoHealth.com</a>:</div>
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<a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/search/craven" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1462" data-original-width="1166" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jfM8EyznivM/WZIbcQayp2I/AAAAAAAAFBc/Y57A5uIvBH4IEe08Ub5oHrcnbqYsb8FigCLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-08-14%2Bat%2B2.50.48%2BPM.png" width="255" /></a><a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/search/craven" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="986" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S6iLBSAK9EY/WZIb0klObxI/AAAAAAAAFBg/lRiA7CtXUBsJW84aarFFSq8GFUg5MiiUwCLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-08-14%2Bat%2B2.53.02%2BPM.png" width="239" /></a></div>
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How do you say #takethatMS in the summer? </div>
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</div>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-13228670802095645292022-03-24T13:57:00.000-07:002022-03-24T13:57:52.337-07:0010 Ways You Can Prepare To Age Well With MS <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.91px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">By guest writer, Anita Fernandes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Everyone has to make lifestyle changes as they age but for people with multiple sclerosis, this will mean a lot more adaptations and adjustments.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; padding-left: 36px;"></span><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">MS often causes “accelerated aging” where you need the kind of care given to people in their 70s while you are still in your 50s. </span><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Preparing to age well with MS will help you anticipate and overcome the challenges you will face so that you have a healthier and happier life. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">1. </span><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Create</span><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> a daily routine </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Everyone should have a regular daily routine but when you have MS, </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">your schedule is your best friend. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Pushing yourself even slightly can cause fatigue so your daily schedule should focus on conserving energy. For instance, you can use a bath bench when showering so that you don’t get tired. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Your morning routine is the most important as this will ensure that you are not too tired and have a better chance of having a good day. A regular routine also lowers your stress levels and improve your mood. </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5613039/"><span class="s5" style="color: #0563c1; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Studies</span></a><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> show that a positive mood is associated with decreased fatigue. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qfMC106acdg/XYjxwCaGQhI/AAAAAAAAGrc/tM1XB9ejywQy-ZVyPfyyu4vAnhmbO6GuACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/8B9E3D14-D70E-4385-9F0D-4B14DF55C7E2.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="750" height="235" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qfMC106acdg/XYjxwCaGQhI/AAAAAAAAGrc/tM1XB9ejywQy-ZVyPfyyu4vAnhmbO6GuACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/8B9E3D14-D70E-4385-9F0D-4B14DF55C7E2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caroline @thegirlwithMs on one of her walks.</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">2. </span><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Learn to adapt </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">One of the toughest things about living with MS is accepting that you have limitations. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Most people see this as a loss of freedom and so they</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> make </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">choices that have a negative impact</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">on their health. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">For instance, if heat aggravates your symptoms, you will have to say good bye to your weekly warm soaks. Instead, </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">you can treat yourself to a massage which would be as relaxing and will help relax your muscles. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Adaptability skills are very important as progression will bring with it new symptoms. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">3. </span><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Never skip your follow-ups </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">You may have a lot of reasons to skip your medical appointment – </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">you’re having trouble walking</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">, you don’t have anyone to drive you to your appointment or you are </span><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2018/12/emotional-hangover-from-ms-and-what-to.html"><span class="s5" style="color: #0563c1; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">just plain frustrated </span><span class="s5" style="color: #0563c1; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">and fed up</span></a><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">. Skipping your follow-ups will have a negative impact on your health and MS symptoms so this is one of those times when you need to force yourself to move. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Contact your city office and find out </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">if they offer free ride services for people with disabilities. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">4. </span><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Prepare for Progression</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Hope for the best, prepare for the worst – cliché but true. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">One of the best ways to prepare for aging with MS is to prepare for progression. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">It’s never too early to start researching accessible housing</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">, </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">assisted </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">living and adaptive driving. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Today, there</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> are</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">plenty of resources for </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">information on aging with MS</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> – everything from home care, transportation, in-home services, home modification and general legal services.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">5. </span><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Learn to prioritize </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Living with MS requires you to focus on managing your symptoms and you might sacrifice activities that are “not essential” but improve your quality of life. Your health is a priority but hobbies and activities of interest are also important for your mental, emotional and physical well-being. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Determine your priorities and then decide which tasks can be delegated to f</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">amily, friends or helpers. Schedule your day so that you can perform important activities when your energy levels are highest. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GSmUt9lenHI/XYjxs5fjM-I/AAAAAAAAGrM/S4iK-sOuinw1OpvojOQpBlj4U2YnsP9ngCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/4C1DE9E0-401A-448D-BEB1-74F0BA8E1AE7.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GSmUt9lenHI/XYjxs5fjM-I/AAAAAAAAGrM/S4iK-sOuinw1OpvojOQpBlj4U2YnsP9ngCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/4C1DE9E0-401A-448D-BEB1-74F0BA8E1AE7.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caroline and Tim visiting the “Wall” at Reagan Library. Do what you can, when you can!<br />
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">6. </span><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Start </span><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">a health and wellness program early on</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Health and wellness programs for people living with MS help people improve their mental and physical health. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">You can choose from a wide variety of adaptive exercise such as dance</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">, aquatics</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> and yoga. </span><a href="https://msfocus.org/Get-Help/MSF-Programs-Grants/Health-and-Wellness-Program"><span class="s5" style="color: #0563c1; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">MS Focus</span></a><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> offers several free classes </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">or</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> partial or full funding for gyms and wellness centers if required. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Health and wellness</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> programs help to reduce the stress and frustration with your limitations and instead appreciate a</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">ll the things your body can do. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">7. </span><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Seek and Accept Help</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">People with MS are often embarrassed to ask for help and don’t want to impose on others. This is a huge mistake as it can severely </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">impact your </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">health and quality of life. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Seek help </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">and assistance </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">as this will completely change your lifestyle and improve your mobility and freedom and allow you to enjoy a wider range of activities. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">8. </span><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Give back </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Living with MS requires help and assistance from family and friends. This can make you frustrated </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">and guilty </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">as you start to feel like a burden on your loved ones. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Figure out ways in which you can help them as well as </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">give back to your community. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"></span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">This will help you deal with negative thoughts and emotions and improve your self-worth. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">9. </span><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Work with a psychiatrist or psychologist</span></div>
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<span class="s6" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">MS is associated with various psychiatric comorbidities including depression and anxiety. MS and mood disorders can cause a vicious cycle where MS leads to psychiatric comorbidities and these disorders have a </span><span class="s7" style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">negative neurologic impact</span><span class="s6" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">. Working with these mental health professionals will help you learn new coping techniques to ensure good quality of life as you age. </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">10. </span><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Keep a Positive Attitude</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Living with MS means dealing with </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">pain and </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">frustration on a daily basis.</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> Keeping a positive attitude when you have MS can be quite the challenge, especially on bad days. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">However, it is important that you don’t give in to negative emotions as this can lead to mental health issues. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Your positive attitude will go a long way in helping you age well with MS. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Simple steps like a regular diet, sleep and exercise schedule will help to alleviate your MS symptoms. </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">When living with MS, it is important to </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">work towards </span><a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/wellness/state-of-wellness-women/"><span class="s5" style="color: #0563c1; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">overall health and wellness</span></a><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> as this will let you lead a more comfortable and happier life. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That moment when I got to say hi to the beautiful and talented Jennifer Tilly.</td></tr>
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Thank you @Everydayhealth for providing this wonderful article by guest writer, Anita Fernandes. </div>
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<b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Author Bio</span></b> -<span class="gmail-m_5703971202403426988gmail-m_-6637100836675823469gmail-il">Anita</span> Fernandes has been writing extensively on health and wellness for over a decade. She has expertise in nutrition, fitness, public health, and weight loss and has contributed content to a variety of leading digital health publishers. <span class="gmail-m_5703971202403426988gmail-m_-6637100836675823469gmail-il">Anita</span> has a unique perspective on healthy living and lifestyle, as she has battled and overcome eating disorders and obesity. She shares her experiences in an effort to help others overcome the physical and mental health problems that can sometimes seem insurmountable. </div>
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Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-68307479999150493622022-03-08T13:09:00.002-08:002022-03-21T16:39:10.846-07:00Conquer MS with Self-Care! Tips and tricks for surviving these Covid Times. <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="templateContainer" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px; color: black; max-width: 600px; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td id="templateHeader" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; background-position: 50% 50%; background-size: cover; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnTextBlockInner" style="padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #202020; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 18px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"><h1 style="font-size: 26px; line-height: 32.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: darkslategrey;">Tips for Surviving 2022 and beyond with MS</span></h1><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td id="templateBody" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; background-position: 50% 50%; background-size: cover; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnTextBlockInner" style="padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #202020; font-family: helvetica; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 18px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"><h1 style="line-height: 32.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For nearly 20 years now I have been battling my multiple sclerosis (MS). Good days, bad days, every which way days. I’ve had them all. </span></h1> <p style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;">I could not walk or see unassisted when the MS struck me. Now I’m thriving in my own MS way. It’s not the life I was used to or expected for me, but you know what happens when we have too many “plans”. Time to let go and let life plan itself. Time to move forward with MS. My success has been based on a natural, holistic approach to living with a lot of monitoring and help from my doctors. Life skills and stress management have played major rolls in my success.</p><p style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;">Times like these we can benefit from learning to move forward...<a href="https://www.girlwithms.com/2019/10/moving-forward-with-ms.html" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">read more</a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td id="templateColumns" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; background-position: 50% 50%; background-size: cover; border-bottom-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-top-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 9px; padding-top: 0px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="columnWrapper" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 300px;"><tbody><tr><td class="columnContainer" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnCaptionBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnCaptionBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnCaptionBlockInner" style="padding: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnCaptionBottomContent" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="mcnCaptionBottomImageContent" style="padding: 0px 9px 9px;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="mcnImage" src="https://mcusercontent.com/db15f8f0c3be1b44b7a601de8/images/ee58f12e-fe93-45a9-acd3-30fba3721ce1.jpeg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 320px; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom;" width="264" /></td></tr><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #202020; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top" width="264">TiPS and TRiCKS to stay healthy and cool this Summer:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2015/11/plan-b-necessary-for-those-with-chronic.html" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Importance of Making a Plan B</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2012/07/escaping-zone-of-ms.html" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Escaping the Red Zone of MS</a><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/146708216508/8-cooling-and-healing-rituals-for-summer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Cooling and Healing Tips for MS</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6H89bVpdyptEgTMvPPh0Nw" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Join GWMS on youtube </a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2018/05/i-was-just-diagnosed-with-ms-now-what.html" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Radio Show - Tips and Tricks for living better with MS<br /><br />"I'm newly diagnosed with MS - now what?" </a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnTextBlockInner" style="padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #202020; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 18px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"><h3 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </h3><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" valign="top"><img alt="" src="https://mcusercontent.com/db15f8f0c3be1b44b7a601de8/images/9c239d21-6a24-4bab-bd95-75220a1abc23.jpeg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; outline: none;" width="264" /></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="264"><p style="color: #202020; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.mslivingwell.org/2020/05/21/cognition/" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank"><strong>MS Living Well Podcast 9: Cognition and Multiple Sclerosis</strong></a></p><small>MAY 21, 2020</small><p style="color: #202020; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="color: #202020; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;">Barry Singer MD, Director of The MS Center for Innovations in Care interviews:<br />Caroline Craven aka <a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">The Girl with MS</a> is a certified life coach, writer and motivation speaker. Her writing focuses on articles in health journalism and highly rated blog. Her blog post topics range from personal experiences, research-based articles, recipes, life hacks and resources.<br /><br />Click For <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cognition-and-multiple-sclerosis/id1478469181?i=1000475292021" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a><br /><br />Click For <a href="http://www.mslivingwell.org/2020/05/21/cognition/" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">MS </a><a href="http://www.mslivingwell.org/2020/05/21/cognition/" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Living Well Podcast </a><br /> </p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnCaptionBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnCaptionBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnCaptionBlockInner" style="padding: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnCaptionBottomContent" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="mcnCaptionBottomImageContent" style="padding: 0px 9px 9px;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="mcnImage" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/db15f8f0c3be1b44b7a601de8/images/8c742c66-3356-4b24-a7a2-dbb64dc610e3.jpeg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 320px; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom;" width="264" /></td></tr><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #202020; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top" width="264">Dave Bexfield (<a href="https://www.activemsers.org/" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">ActiveMSers.org</a>) along with Kathy Reagan Young (<a href="https://fumsnow.com/" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">FUMSnow.com</a>), Cathy Chester (<a href="https://www.anempoweredspirit.com/" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">anempoweredspirit.com</a>) And many more saved this Girl with MS during some really dark times. And that was before Covid. We have so much love and support out there. Reach out and see what there is to learn. <a href="https://www.girlwithms.com/2019/12/wishing-you-happy-and-healthy-new-year.html" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Click here</a> to see the full list of helpers/advocates. We’ve got this!</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnTextBlockInner" style="padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #202020; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 18px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"><h3 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </h3><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" valign="top"> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="264"><p style="color: #202020; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://www.girlwithms.com/2019/12/wishing-you-happy-and-healthy-new-year.html" style="color: #007c89;">The Rocky Ride of MS and What Helped</a></p><p style="color: #202020; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;">Multiple Sclerosis is like riding a roller coaster in so many ways. <br /><br />This past year has shown a lot of love for this Girl with MS. Some symptoms subdued, others raised their voices. But top on my list was meeting so many wonderful people living with MS across the country, in person and around the world via the internet and telephone.<br /><br />Despite my good year and pleasant holiday, the MS reared its ugly head with a bad case of pseudo bulbar affect or PBA. One minute laughing, the next in tears. I just call it the funk. And it got a holt of me bad the other day. <br /><br />The fact it's the end of the year caused a bit of the emotions. Focusing on what did not get done in 2019 led me down a path of quick depression. Even healthy people have to give themselves a break, but the pressure and disappointment that one can put on themselves can be debilitating. And that's where I found myself. <br /><br />You know what helped? All of these MS advocates and friends <a href="https://www.girlwithms.com/2019/12/wishing-you-happy-and-healthy-new-year.html" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Read more...</a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnTextBlockInner" style="padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #202020; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 18px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="columnWrapper" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 300px;"><tbody><tr><td class="columnContainer" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnCaptionBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnCaptionBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnCaptionBlockInner" style="padding: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnCaptionBottomContent" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="mcnCaptionBottomImageContent" style="padding: 0px 9px 9px;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="mcnImage" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/db15f8f0c3be1b44b7a601de8/images/716ef753-390a-42eb-b6e2-a0f732380fde.jpeg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 504px; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom;" width="264" /></td></tr><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #202020; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top" width="264">Football season is a coming, not sure what it will look like but I’m getting ready. Love my Oregon Ducks and Puddles! #takeTHATms!</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnCaptionBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnCaptionBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnCaptionBlockInner" style="padding: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnCaptionBottomContent" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="mcnCaptionBottomImageContent" style="padding: 0px 9px 9px;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="mcnImage" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/db15f8f0c3be1b44b7a601de8/images/0a6c4d39-b642-43b5-9ac4-7bf07ed84004.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 1080px; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom;" width="264" /></td></tr><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #202020; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top" width="264"><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2018/06/self-care-challenge-sit-quiet-and-rest.html" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Take the Self-Care Challenge! </a><br /><br />Self-Care is vital in our fight against MS. What can we do for ourselves? Life skills lead to better health. One of these skills is to learn to quiet the mind... <a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2018/06/self-care-challenge-sit-quiet-and-rest.html" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">read more</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2017/01/help-for-multiple-sclerosis.html" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Potential natural treatments for MS</a> <br /><br /><a href="https://blog.mangohealth.com/post/161356011252/up-and-coming-alternative-therapies-for-ms" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Alternative Therapies for MS</a> <br /><br /><a href="https://blog.mangohealth.com/post/158154938579/why-me-3-steps-to-managing-your-multiple" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Why me? managing anger in MS</a><br /> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnCaptionBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnCaptionBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnCaptionBlockInner" style="padding: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnCaptionBottomContent" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="mcnCaptionBottomImageContent" style="padding: 0px 9px 9px;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="mcnImage" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/db15f8f0c3be1b44b7a601de8/images/94a7fbd3-6263-46a9-b8f5-ea10360530d5.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 1077px; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom;" width="264" /></td></tr><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #202020; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top" width="264"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnTextBlockInner" style="padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #202020; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 18px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"><h3 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/p/how-to-buy-medicine-from-canada.html" style="color: #007c89; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">S</a><a href="https://www.girlwithms.com/2020/04/living-with-ms-during-corona-quarantine.html" style="color: #007c89; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">urviving the Covid Quarantine</a><br /><br /><strong><span face=""helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, verdana, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; font-size: 16px;">Life as an MS patient brings enough uncertainty and stress. </span><br /><span face=""helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, verdana, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; font-size: 16px;">These last five months have created challenges upon challenges. But it’s also provided opportunities. I started a sourdough starter as did many people. I can’t eat a lot of gluten as it affects my MS in a bad way but it’s been fun making stuff for the family. More importantly is that I posted two great resources to learn more about living with MS during Covid. One is by the awesome @CathyChes at The Empowered Spirt and the other by Dr. Terry Wahls and the Wahls Group. Did you know that elderberry during this time may not be a good thing? So much to learn....</span><a href="https://www.girlwithms.com/2020/04/living-with-ms-during-corona-quarantine.html" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; color: #007c89; font-family: "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">read more...</a></strong></h3><br /> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnImageCardBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnImageCardBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnImageCardBlockInner" style="padding: 9px 18px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnImageCardBottomContent" style="background-color: #404040; border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="mcnImageCardBottomImageContent" style="padding: 0px;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="mcnImage" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/db15f8f0c3be1b44b7a601de8/images/280c6f46-3de1-4729-afe7-3df7ac70e490.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 250px; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom;" width="250" /></td></tr><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #f2f2f2; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; padding: 9px 18px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" valign="top" width="246">Take action to potentiate your wellness. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2017/01/help-for-multiple-sclerosis.html" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Other natural treatments for MS symptoms.</a><br /> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnImageCardBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnImageCardBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnImageCardBlockInner" style="padding: 9px 18px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnImageCardBottomContent" style="background-color: #404040; border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="mcnImageCardBottomImageContent" style="padding: 0px;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="mcnImage" src="https://mcusercontent.com/db15f8f0c3be1b44b7a601de8/images/18758037-061c-4f5c-83f9-9a92871f3432.jpeg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 320px; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom;" width="264" /></td></tr><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #f2f2f2; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; padding: 9px 18px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" valign="top" width="246">Keep on Moving if and when you can! It took me awhile to build up my strength after some time off. And this heat will have me down for awhile, but enjoy the little moments and all achievements. <br /><br /><a href="https://www.girlwithms.com/2019/09/10-ways-you-can-prepare-to-age-well.html" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">10 Ways you Can Prepare to Age Well with MS<br />by guest writer Anita Fernandes</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td id="templateFooter" style="background-color: #fafafa; background-image: none; background-position: 50% 50%; background-size: cover; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 9px; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody class="mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnTextBlockInner" style="padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #656565; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px 18px 9px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"><h3 style="color: #202020; font-size: 20px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">Conquer MS with Self-Care: GUT HEALTH</h3>Much research has been done regarding gut health and MS. And let’s face it – our guts are not healthy! When we take pills by swallowing they have to compete with every other bacteria in your stomach and gut. This can be a detriment for folks living with MS. <br /> <div><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/probiotics-may-be-able-to-help-people-with-ms" style="color: #656565;" target="_blank"> I wrote this article, “</a><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-gut-bacteria-ease-autoimmune-diseases" style="color: #656565;">How gut bacteria eases autoimmune diseases</a><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/probiotics-may-be-able-to-help-people-with-ms" style="color: #656565;">” as well as this important piece about </a><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/probiotics-may-be-able-to-help-people-with-ms" style="color: #656565;">Probiotics and gut</a><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/probiotics-may-be-able-to-help-people-with-ms" style="color: #656565;"> </a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #656565;">health</a><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/probiotics-may-be-able-to-help-people-with-ms" style="color: #656565;">. </a></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-40536989873757647602022-01-16T09:53:00.001-08:002022-01-16T09:53:31.826-08:00Precision medicine, DNA and MS - Oh just spit in the tube! <div style="text-align: left;">What does saliva have to do with MS? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Many people with MS are inspired to help others with their illness by being part of medical research. People living with MS can help with research from clinical trials and all the way to the other end of spectrum, filling out surveys or spitting into a tube. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I am one of those people. Everyone is different and this is a very personal choice. One of my goals in life is to help others with MS so my decision was made early on - how can I help MS research and have fun learning more about myself? With this in mind, I decided to use my DNA for research. And I joined the #SanoCommunity. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Is MS Genetic? </h2><div>Is MS genetic? Is it inherited? Well, it is complex according to Patrick Short, CEO, Sano Genetics. But there is a genetic factor that can dis-regulate the immune system. There are many genetic aspects that can affect ones tendency toward MS. I cover more of this in my article, "<a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/new-research-indicates-ms-may-be-genetic-in-some-families">New Research Shows MS May be Genetic in Some Families</a>," originally posted on <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/new-research-indicates-ms-may-be-genetic-in-some-families">Healthline.com</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>How genetic is MS? How much does the environment affect MS? Many of these answers can be found via Sano and their research. </div><div><br /></div><div>Other non-medical conditions become available in Sano's <a href="http://sanogenetics.com/ms" target="_blank">personalized reports</a>. I found this super interesting, learning about reactions to certain foods, or response to stress, or allergy tendencies. I'm now curious how my family compares to me! </div><div><br /></div><div>By participating in research and sharing your DNA data (totally your choice!) you are helping the <span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">researchers better understand the genetic element of conditions like MS</span> The goal is to be able create precision medicine based on DNA and solid clinical research. </div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Sano DNA Kit Reveal! </span></h2><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwsRLRdxNYpLbegFGA0sxQGjvNjVn4nvjzfoUHK4O1FzP-0JLOp7SZUSLEmzOu9grDIjW-aBOw9QAK78Fm0pw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p><br /></p><p>What does DNA have to do with MS and our health? Time to think of the future folks, time to think ahead and what may become reality. </p><p>I greatly appreciated this interview by Kathy Reagan Young (<a href="http://FUMSnow.com">FUMSnow.com</a>) and Patrick Short (<a href="http://SanoGenetics.com">SanoGenetics.com</a>) to better understand DNA, MS and Personalized Medicine:</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://fumsnow.com/fums076" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="966" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lmAL3Q5aLFg/YEkdOYn3s3I/AAAAAAAAHaQ/-EFbj8Xpzu00umRvRP2O2InEmnXKzu_NACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2021-03-10%2Bat%2B11.22.32%2BAM.png" /></a></p><p><br /></p><h2>Privacy is key</h2><div>Once you sign up on Sano and upload your DNA data (if you have it, it is not essential for signing up) it is your choice to say "yes, share my data" or "no, don't share my data". The control is in your hands. Most other groups will sell your data. Sano uses the data for research if and only if you approve. </div><div><br /></div><div>Visit the <a href="sanogenetics.com/MS " target="_blank">website</a> to learn more: </div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><h3><ul><li>Sign up at <a href="https://sanogenetics.com/?utm_source=patient-advocate&utm_medium=cc&utm_campaign=general">SanoGenetics.com</a> </li><li>Receive email</li><li>Follow directions</li><li>Send back </li><li>Receive email</li><li>Log into <a href="https://sanogenetics.com/?utm_source=patient-advocate&utm_medium=cc&utm_campaign=general" target="_blank">website</a> and... </li></ul></h3></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><h3><ul><li>Check out reports! </li></ul></h3></blockquote></blockquote><p>Explore the Sano Blog - Personal stories about living with people living with MS you know and some that are new. #ArdraShephard @trippingonair and #EliseOsmond from Australia. <a href="https://sanogenetics.com/condition/multiple-sclerosis" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the #SanoCommunity stories! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://sanogenetics.com/condition/multiple-sclerosis" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1968" height="243" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IdVzsu2uLcg/YEpXzpsizBI/AAAAAAAAHac/JWu_eQyka1YqEjkrp9SO620srmKAmrGAACLcBGAsYHQ/w447-h243/Screen%2BShot%2B2021-03-11%2Bat%2B9.45.12%2BAM.png" width="447" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">The 5 "P's" of Personalized Medicine</h2><div><br /></div><div>When I first heard of the five "P's" of personalized medicine, which was just yesterday, I thought, WOW, this is the ultimate self-care tool. Imagine being able to predict or prevent MS, or make a more precise diagnoses. Personalized and targeted intervention may not be far in our future. And all of this creates a more participatory role for patients. Self-care. Patient stories. DNA. An interesting mix. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;">Prediction</span></b><span style="text-align: left;"> & </span><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;">Prevention</span></b><span style="text-align: left;"> of disease</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">more <b><span style="color: red;">Precise</span></b> diagnoses</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: red;">Personalized</span></b> and<b> </b>targeted<b> </b>interventions</div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">a more <b><span style="color: red;">Participatory</span></b> role for patients</div></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sanogenetics.com/ms" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="1010" height="261" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iL9JILtUTLQ/YEEqLGcZUGI/AAAAAAAAHZ4/lk-hVFcnWTAeDGghpCgZOeBrYmkxn_QCwCLcBGAsYHQ/w502-h261/33E73695-13F8-49CE-A2F8-4EEEB67823E9.png" width="502" /></a></div><div class="columns" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; align-items: flex-start; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; justify-content: space-between; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 24px 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><div class="column" style="box-sizing: inherit; flex-grow: 0; flex-shrink: 1; flex: 0 1 calc(50% - 8px); min-width: 240px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.5; margin: 1em 0px;"></p></div></div><p>So many questions to ask, things to learn, and eyes to open. Thank you Patrick Short, Kathy Reagan Young with FUMSnow.com, and everyone at Sano who is rocking the MS world with their hard work and dedication. </p><p><br /></p><p>Connect with SanoGenetics, Patrick Short and more! </p><ul style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(58, 58, 58); color: #3a3a3a; font-size: 15px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;">Visit the <a href="https://sanogenetics.com/?utm_source=patient-advocate&utm_medium=cc&utm_campaign=general" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ff822f; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Sano Genetics</a> website and the <a href="https://sanogenetics.com/condition/multiple-sclerosis" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ff822f; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">page</a> for Multiple Sclerosis</span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;">Listen to <a href="https://thegeneticspodcast.fireside.fm/" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ff822f; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Genetics Podcast</a> (with Kathy Reagan Young: <a href="http://FUMSnow.com" target="_blank">FUMSnow.com</a>)</span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: times;">Connect with Sano Genetics on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/sanogenetics/" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ff822f; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sanogenetics/" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ff822f; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/sanogenetics" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ff822f; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sanogenetics" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ff822f; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span></li></ul><div><span style="color: #3a3a3a;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(58, 58, 58); font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #3a3a3a;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(58, 58, 58); font-size: 15px;">Thank you for joining the #SanoCommunity, engaging, and commenting. We love to hear from you across platform and look forward to hearing about your DNA experience! #takeTHATms! </span></span></div>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-70782749208685133142021-12-29T10:35:00.000-08:002021-12-29T10:35:51.617-08:00I was just diagnosed with MS. Now what? Conquer MS with Self-Care<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">I needed this today. Time to reNew You! (Or me in this case). Anyways I enjoyed reading through here and reminding myself what it means to do some Self-Care. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
New to MS? or want to feel better with your existing MS? Time to Conquer MS with Self-Care.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is so much to cover with this title which is why my new book is in production! But in the meantime take a look at these comments and tips. <b>Most tips below are</b> <b>linked to articles</b> that I have written as a Patient Expert, Health Journalist and Life Coach. Please click on the link to see studies, articles and more. </div>
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<b>Conquer MS with Self-Care</b></div>
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1. Take a deep breath. It will all be OK. You are in for a change, but the levels vary for everyone. Just know that things will get better and life will continue. MS hits everyone different. It will be important to be very compassionate toward yourself and your life as this disease unfolds. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Find a good neurologist – an MS specialist.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Understand you are going through a change.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Emotional balance may seem to slip away – seek help. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Talk with your MS Dr. regarding <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/new-guidelines-released-on-multiple-sclerosis-treatments" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Disease Modifying Therapies (DMTs)</a>x <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/new-guidelines-released-on-multiple-sclerosis-treatments" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">more</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/loving-yourself-helps-battle-ms" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Love YourSelf</a>! Its good for MS!<br />
6. Check out <a href="http://Resources Page">My Favorite Resource</a><a href="http://Resources Page">s Page </a>- full of supplements that have worked for me. I am not a doctor and these are affiliate links. But this routine has helped me for awhile now. </div>
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<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ie8rwevVENo/Wuj91ZVvsoI/AAAAAAAAFZE/qOIuRxILH9wENQy_FHAEXzHPyxcOc20lQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_4950.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ie8rwevVENo/Wuj91ZVvsoI/AAAAAAAAFZE/qOIuRxILH9wENQy_FHAEXzHPyxcOc20lQCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_4950.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaLImm9tBMVdRa0gxZr3ulHbaZ5vCMsgy">Listen to my radio shows</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
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2. Modifiable risk factors:<o:p></o:p></div>
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MRF's are choices we have control over. Things we can start or quit depending upon our needs. While none of these in particular cause MS, there is substantial proof that the following actions are beneficial for MS patients:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->If you <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/effects-of-alcohol-coffee-smoking-on-multiple-sclerosis" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">smoke cigarettes</a>, quit. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Reduce, respect or <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/effects-of-alcohol-coffee-smoking-on-multiple-sclerosis" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">quit alcohol</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Limit salt intake.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Reduce, respect or quit <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/effects-of-alcohol-coffee-smoking-on-multiple-sclerosis" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">caffeine</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Do not use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (excitotoxins)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Take <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/vitamin-d-may-help-prevent-treat-multiple-sclerosis" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">additional Vitamin D</a>(if low)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Take Vitamin B12 (if low)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Talk to your doctor about an <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/oxidative-stress-affects-multiple-sclerosis" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">NRF2 activator</a> such as Protandim™ to fight oxidative stress. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/healthy-diet-reduce-disabilities-multiple-sclerosis" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Eat a healthy diet</a>. Nutrition is everything!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Eat a diet <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/fish-diet-may-reduce-risk-of-ms" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">high in fish</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.Talk your doctor about </span></span><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/probiotics-may-be-able-to-help-people-with-ms" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Taking probiotics</a>– health <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-gut-bacteria-ease-autoimmune-diseases" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">begins in our gut</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/leafy-greens-multiple-sclerosis-treatment" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Eat leafy greens</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/diet-as-major-ms-treatment" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Diet and MS</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/high-dose-biotin-for-multiple-sclerosis" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">High-dose biotin</a> and potential for MS. My FAVORITE high dose biotin is <a href="https://www.aviornutritionals.com/product/myetin/ref/2/">Myetin. Click to Order. </a>(affiliate link)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">15.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Creating your own health: <a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2017/07/using-diet-to-treat-ms.html" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">using diet and nutrition to help MS</a>. <o:p></o:p><br />
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My FAVORITE probiotic: VisBiome.<br />
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3. Complementary therapies that might interest you:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">1.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-benefits-of-yoga" target="_blank"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Yog</span>a</a><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-benefits-of-yoga" target="_blank"> - 13 Benefits</a></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">2. <a href="https://outwittrade.com/yoga-benefits/" target="_blank">Yoga - 40 Practitioners discuss Benefits</a></div>
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<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;">3. </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/search?q=massage" style="font-size: medium; text-indent: -0.25in;">Massage</a></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">4. </span><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/oxidative-stress-affects-multiple-sclerosis" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Magnetic therapy</a></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">5. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"></span><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/marijuana-as-a-treatment-for-multiple-sclerosis" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Medical Marijuana</a></div>
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6. <span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;">A</span></span><a href="https://blog.mangohealth.com/post/161356011252/up-and-coming-alternative-therapies-for-ms" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">lternative therapies for MS</a></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></div>
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4. You may find these fact-checked articles and “MS connections” interesting:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->MS and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/connection-between-ms-and-epstein-barr-virus" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Epstein Barr Virus</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->MS and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/antidepressant-potential-progressive-ms-treatment" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">antidepressant</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->MS and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-multiple-sclerosis-can-affect-decision-making" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">decision-making</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->MS and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/sunshine-helps-people-with-multiple-sclerosis" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Sunshine</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -0.25in; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->MS and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/a-look-at-game-changing-treatment-for-ms" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">stem cell treatment</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -0.25in; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->MS and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/new-brain-stimulation-technique-may-help-treat-ms-fatigue" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">brain stimulation</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -0.25in; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->MS and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/therapeutic-horseback-riding-for-multiple-sclerosis" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">horseback riding</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -0.25in; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->MS and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/laughter-can-help-wwith-multiple-sclerosis" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">laughter therapy</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -0.25in; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->MS and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/sense-of-smell-could-be-a-signal-of-ms-progression" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">sense of smel</a>l</div>
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10. MS and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-exercise-helps-people-with-ms" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Exercise</a></div>
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5. Life-skills. Tips and articles. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Connect socially at #<a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47" target="_blank">BelongMS APP</a> and reach a world of support. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Start a hand-written journal. Handwriting is great therapy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Build your support team</b>. Write down who is on your “Team”: friends, family, doctors, pharmacist, nutritionist, massage therapist, yogi, God, whomever works for you. This list will grow and evolve during your MS. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->How to cope <a href="https://blog.mangohealth.com/post/165477500091/how-to-cope-when-a-loved-one-has-a-chronic-illness" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">when a loved one has a chronic illness</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">6.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Why me?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">3</span><a href="https://blog.mangohealth.com/post/158154938579/why-me-3-steps-to-managing-your-multiple" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">steps to managing your anger</a><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">with MS.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->For better health, <a href="https://blog.mangohealth.com/post/154681887775/for-better-health-watch-your-words" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">watch your words</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Can <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">video games help MS</a>symptoms? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->8 cooling and <a href="https://blog.mangohealth.com/post/146708216508/8-cooling-and-healing-rituals-for-summer" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">healing rituals for summer</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Get outside <a href="https://blog.mangohealth.com/post/143536037479/getting-outside-5-stress-busting-exercises-for" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">for 5 stress-busting exercises</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://blog.mangohealth.com/post/162632427541/superhero-salads-to-slay-the-summer-heat" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Superhero salad</a>recipe for summer<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://blog.mangohealth.com/post/158967792171/3-recipes-to-help-you-transition-to-spring" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">3 recipes</a>to help transition into spring. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/p/contact-me.html" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Contact me</a> for any question!</span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: cambria; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">and remember, together we've got this! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: cambria; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: cambria; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Conquer MS with Self-Care</div>
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<br /><br />Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-86683433185251689602021-12-20T13:44:00.000-08:002021-12-20T13:44:10.688-08:00Losing Touch, Finding Intimacy - repost from NY TimesElizabeth Jameson, living with MS, wrote this most beautiful account of finding intamcy. With her permission we are reposting to share with as many people as possible. Thank you for helping us spread the word! This is a REPRINT of NY Times Opinon with permission.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> 10/4/2018 Opinion | <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/19/opinion/disability-multiple-sclerosis-losing-touch.html">Losing Touch, Finding Intimacy - The New York Times</a></b></div>
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<b> </b></div>
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<b>DISABILITY</b></div>
<h2>
<b>Losing Touch, Finding Intimacy</b></h2>
I had come to believe I was unable to break through my physical disability. I was wrong.<br />
<br />
<b>By Elizabeth Jameson and Catherine Monahon</b><br />
Ms. Jameson is a fine artist and writer living with multiple sclerosis. Ms. Monahon is an artist and writer.<br />
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<br />
Sept. 19, 2018<br />
<br />
One of my oldest friends is here to visit. For as long as we’ve known each other, we’ve been in sync, weaving in and out of each other’s lives and reaching milestones together. We married our partners around the same time, went through law school and medical school at the same time, got pregnant with our sons in unison and lived as neighbors for years. Although we have visited each other frequently, time has slowly gotten away from us. I haven’t seen her in more than a year.<br />
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She gingerly lies down on the sofa while I sit nearby. She isn’t looking good. Thinner than I’ve ever seen her, weak and in pain. “How are you?” I ask.<br />
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“Well, I have cancer,” she says plainly. She changes the subject, not feeling the need to linger on her recent prognosis or to specify that it is terminal. All I want to do is hold her hand, rub her shoulders and tell her how much she means to me with a firm, loving touch. I stay distant from her, unable to move. I imagine stroking her hair or giving her a pillow to feel more comfortable, but I cannot do anything.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DfOSPqplxjE/W8Ia8Now5CI/AAAAAAAAF7s/isWEReDUyeUMs9TjX8eUekg1kxYqgQQxACLcBGAs/s1600/Emerging%2B2012_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DfOSPqplxjE/W8Ia8Now5CI/AAAAAAAAF7s/isWEReDUyeUMs9TjX8eUekg1kxYqgQQxACLcBGAs/s320/Emerging%2B2012_small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Emerging"<br />
by Elizabeth Jameson<br />
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Our conversation ebbs, flows, then trickles into silence; there is not much more to say.<br />
She rests her hands on her stomach, where she holds the most pain. Five years ago, I would have bridged this silence with a gentle hug or touch. But I am stuck, immobile, unable to express my thoughts and feelings. I don’t allow myself to cry as we say our goodbyes.<br />
<br />
When I lost the use of my hands, I lost my love language. I have multiple sclerosis, which has resulted in the loss of the use of my limbs. My disease progresses so slowly that I am caught by surprise when I can no longer do something. Little did I know I have been losing my range of motion by a fraction of a centimeter every day. Nerve by nerve, I lost the use of my legs, arms, wrists, hands, pointer finger, thumb.<br />
<br />
I can’t tell you when exactly I became a quadriplegic, only that I know I am now a part of the club. My paralysis limits me down to my fingertips. I can’t operate my wheelchair, can’t hold a coffee cup, let alone someone’s hand — I can’t actively touch in any way. Like a fortress, my wheelchair is both impossible to leave and difficult to enter. If others want to reach out and touch me, it can be<br />
intimidating to make the first move. It feels like there is a thick pane of glass separating me from the outside world, and because of my physical disability, I begin to believe that I am powerless to break through.<br />
<br />
Over the years, I have tried to make a home out of my fortress, my glass bubble, uncomfortably settling into my grief. There are times when I feel connected to others, but in most situations, I become passive. I work hard to forget the joy of touching. I am a positive person, I tell myself, I can deal with this. I set up camp at the base of my Mount Everest and try not to glance up at what I am missing.But I feel the loss of touch as if it were a limb that has been severed from my body, an invisible, open wound I painstakingly cover up each day.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Oa9KXbQ_tQ/W8IbL-6gGYI/AAAAAAAAF7w/_VEzhwyHxxkEiPbLwUBfM6Uc3neixdOVwCLcBGAs/s1600/WEB-EMAIL-SIZE_Elizabeth-at-Stanford_Retouched-by-LISA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Oa9KXbQ_tQ/W8IbL-6gGYI/AAAAAAAAF7w/_VEzhwyHxxkEiPbLwUBfM6Uc3neixdOVwCLcBGAs/s320/WEB-EMAIL-SIZE_Elizabeth-at-Stanford_Retouched-by-LISA.jpg" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisa Jameson, artist, writer and living with MS</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I am hyper‐aware of the moments when words are not enough. When touching someone’s hand is the only way I can truly communicate my feelings. When I can’t greet someone familiar by warmly placing my hand on their shoulder. Or when I know someone is sad, and it’s not appropriate to talk about what’s wrong; I can’t reassure them affectionately. It is like not being able to breathe. This loss, in combination with the guilt I feel when I grieve it, is overwhelming. I resign myself to the idea that I will never experience consensual, nourishing, intimate exchanges of touch in everyday life.<br />
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It is in this state of numbed resignation that an unexpected crack forms in the thick glass that has been separating me from “normal” people: A ray of light that reveals a world of intimacy I have been overlooking.<br />
<br />
I am visiting with another friend at a coffee shop. My voice is weak and hard to hear in crowded spaces, so I use a voice amplifier. The amplifier has a microphone and a headset that make me look like an aerobics instructor who happens to be teaching in a wheelchair. I’ve got my headset in place, but when my friend leans in to hear me, it’s no use. My voice is too faint. I motion with my head toward the dial on the device, which can be turned up to make my voice louder. He tentatively discovers the dial, locking eyes with me to check the loudness of my voice. As I keep talking, he turns the dial up, then up and up some more until, yes, there, he can hear me. We nod and smile in unison, return to our conversation.<br />
<br />
As he settles back into his chair, I feel lightheaded. By increasing the volume of my voice, he had turned up the very essence of “me.” The fact that he cared so much to hear me. That he took the time to learn how to connect with me.<br />
I had rediscovered intimacy, without touch.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/19/opinion/disability-multiple-sclerosis-losing-touch.html">ORIGINAL ARTICLE</a><br />
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My mind continued to reel long after we said our goodbyes. Maybe I can experience intimacy, I thought. It’s just that the language of it all has just changed. I had to redefine intimacy for myself. What is it, without touch? The freedom to express myself. The joy of being recognized, seen, accepted, equal. Letting my guard down, no longer burdened by society’s version of me, by my version of me. The feeling when the stigmas of disability and illness are lifted. I eyed my version of Mount Everest, thinking that maybe there was a way for me to fully rejoin the living.<br />
<br />
After that day in the coffee shop, intimate moments emerged from the fabric of my everyday life. I began to notice how friends, loved ones and total strangers could make me feel visible and whole in completely mundane ways. Appreciating them took my breath away: that someone driving my wheelchair is making love to me, that someone kneeling to my eye level is giving me a gentle caress, that someone feeding me is a joint experience of pleasure and tenderness.<br />
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Within the mundane there are beautiful surprises, too. On a busy day, before work, my husband pauses his morning routine to make me a poached egg, his specialty. Something he wants to make for me — I didn’t ask. A friend tries to feed me a cookie. He does it “wrong” at first, but the process of figuring out the best way is like an intricate dance. Over the holidays, a family member puts on Handel’s “Messiah,” music that I love and everyone else in the family finds annoying. They usually refuse to put it on, but this morning they play it just for me, blasting it so that I can hear the music through my bedroom wall.<br />
<br />
I savored these moments, and as I did I was propelled and empowered by them. I realized I could play an active role — I could give as well as receive. So I took my intimacy into my own hands, even though I am still grieving what I cannot do. I leave base camp behind and begin my slow, labored ascent; the fluid, open concept of intimacy spurs me onward.<br />
<br />
I have always loved food. I muster the courage to ask someone to join me for a luxurious, two‐ hour pastry‐eating session. We take the time to savor every crumb of a single pastry, eating at the same pace together, and I feel honored, loved.<br />
<br />
I start seeing myself in others: I am a part of a tribe. Wheelchair users, people with multiple sclerosis, the elderly with canes and walkers, people struggling with aphasia or spinal cord injury. The list goes on and on. We are everywhere. I lock eyes with a 90‐year‐old man in a crowded elevator. He tips his hat to me with a warm smile. I see a woman with a mobility aide in the street and we grin at each other, comrades. Neighbors. Strangers. Visible, invisible.<br />
<br />
I poke fun at my own disability, creating humor where there was once shame. When I’m drinking water, I have no way to stop, so when someone cracks a joke I laugh and spit water down my front. It’s humiliating, but hysterically funny at the same time. I have a damp front more often than not.<br />
I now know intimacy can be everywhere. Moments I’ve noticed, received, created. You and I are sharing an intimate moment right now — because if you’ve gotten this far without turning away, you are a part of that exclusive tribe of people who truly see me.<br />
<br />
But eventually, my quest for intimacy brings me back to the beginning. To touch.<br />
My good friend is back to visit. We are trying to see each other more often — with less time left, it’s only natural. She lies on the sofa, and I verbalize all that I kept inside last time — how badly I want to stroke her hair, squeeze her hand, sit next to her. She smiles appreciatively, but moves the conversation along, not one to linger in the spotlight. She directs the conversation back to me.<br />
<br />
We talk a bit more, and emboldened by my confession, I ask her if she would take my hand, if it isn’t too painful to move. Slowly, she sits up, and my caregiver rolls my chair as close to her as possible. She extends her hand, resting it in mine. We look at each other and breathe.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kpwuZJQ8Kf0/SXufLyRop4I/AAAAAAAADhY/xGsW7Zi2SFsLgcfxB_uc5EfiwUDXFNvOQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/_MG_3810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="472" height="271" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kpwuZJQ8Kf0/SXufLyRop4I/AAAAAAAADhY/xGsW7Zi2SFsLgcfxB_uc5EfiwUDXFNvOQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/_MG_3810.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Elizabeth Jameson (@jamesonfineart) is a fine artist, writer and former civil rights lawyer. Catherine Monahon (@cxmdesigns) is a mixed‐media artist and writer. She collaborates with Ms. Jameson on writing projects.<br />
<br />
Disability is a series of essays, art and opinion by and about people living with disabilities. The entire series can be found here. To reach the editors or submit an essay for consideration, write opinionator@nytimes.com and include “Disability” in the subject field.<br />
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Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook and Twitter (@NYTOpinion), and sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter.<br />
4/4<br />
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Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-85585073641220728502021-11-26T22:19:00.000-08:002021-11-26T22:19:29.155-08:00A Year of Self-Care, Multiple Sclerosis and Covid Quarantine<p>Well, that was crazy. Here's to a more settling year - one of <b>SELF-CARE</b>. </p><p>Staying safe and sane are my two goals. </p><p>Covid and the quarantine brought out some interesting thoughts, actions and behavior over the past year. Some of it fun and new, some of it not so great. </p><p>I dabbled in cooking and sourdough, in painting and drawing, and in self exploration. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g5HEasJygSc/YBG3lzXpt8I/AAAAAAAAHVk/ppWSQoRLZuAMDM88dg2PrL5qlt0QuRFjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/E466BBD1-E37F-4321-9F34-6C34E1CBAF42.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2US6YYaJyIY/YBG31WnrhsI/AAAAAAAAHVs/NcWd1hbxtxMg8ZHedb2rOqE5ZOEzKOmQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/BAE2779C-F226-4E75-87E9-ACCE41F25FB9.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2US6YYaJyIY/YBG31WnrhsI/AAAAAAAAHVs/NcWd1hbxtxMg8ZHedb2rOqE5ZOEzKOmQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/BAE2779C-F226-4E75-87E9-ACCE41F25FB9.jpeg" /></a></div><p>A few friends passed this year and tragedy struck many. My life was getting me down but I started flipping it around and finding some peace again. </p><p>These are just a few tips I'm using to get started on the right track this year. </p><p>1. <b>Make a List</b> - I made a covid bucket list and now I'm onto my next one. Of course I make lists for everything because my memory is not the best. But this was just a list of things I wanted to try during quarantine, like the painting and artistic side that doesn't get to share itself as much. </p><p>2. <b>Create a Mantra -</b> I created this one to help me through the coming year: "I see myself healthy and strong this year. I hear myself saying positive thoughts and words of encouragement to myself and others. I am open to using this time to learn new things and love myself with compassion." </p><p>3. <b> Find Community</b> - While it can't be done in person these days, community support is vital to our mental well-being. There are several options online for finding virtual friendship with others living with MS - you know, the ones who get us? I run a community on the <a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47">Belong.life app</a>, <a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47">BelongMS</a>, called Girl with MS. <a href="https://go.onelink.me/PGKk/3c90cc47">Click here for the app</a>. I find this a safe place to be where we can ask a lot of questions and get answers from those living with MS. They also have a variety of channels to explore. </p><p>4. <b>Set Boundaries</b> - When a bunch of people are quarantined in one house, well, that can be a little annoying. Maybe a lot annoying. It's important to set boundaries and ask for help. They might include a "do not disturb" sign, or a limit on the amount of cooking and chores that need doing, asking for help and communicating can help with this trick. Set time aside for you and your health. </p><p>5. <b>Connect with your Doctor</b> - Make sure you are in connection with your doctor and adhering to vitamins and medicine. I found it very easy to slip into some bad habits about taking my supplements. I've kicked myself around and no more procrastinating! But when things were slipping I called my neuro and we spoke. I was experiencing extreme anxiety and he helped with some medicine and by listening. I needed those ears to hear me. </p><p>6. <b>Be Kind and Patient</b> - This is a message for us and for others. Let's cradle our hearts in our hands and love ourselves unending. Let's be kind to ourselves and patient. Let's take this energy into the world and create a positive aura around us. We can do this. </p><p>7. <b>Social Media Neurologists</b> - There are several top notch, international renown neurologists with youtube channels, facebook pages and podcasts, all of which have clinically researched information. Meaning they know their stuff and have the expertise to back it! </p><p>Here are some of my favorite folks to follow on Twitter: </p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">1. Dr. Barry Singer - @drbarrysinger<br /></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Neurologist and Director of The MS Center for Innovations in Care in St. Louis, Missouri. Learn more at </span><a href="http://mslivingwell.org/" style="caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">MS Living Well</a><span style="caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">2. Dr. Brandon Beaber - @Brandon_Beaber<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Neurologist and MS Specialist. Author of the book, </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WP7H5LK" style="color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">“Resilience in the Face of Multiple Sclerosis”</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">3. </span><a href="https://bosterms.com/" style="color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">Dr. Aaron Boster</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"> - @AaronBosterMD<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">The Boster Center for MS in Columbus, Ohio. Leading expert in MS who is always sharing awesome tips! <br /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Dr. Boster helped me understand high-dose biotin in this </span><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2019/11/talking-high-dose-biotin-with-dr-aaron.html" style="color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">interview</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"> and </span><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2019/11/talking-high-dose-biotin-with-dr-aaron.html" style="color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">article posted</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"> on my blog. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkQopiiFbAo0zS_9BmRF3Bg">Click here for his YouTube Channel</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">4. </span><a href="https://www.imitolab.org/" style="color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">Dr. Jaime Imitola</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"> - @DrJim4MS<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Director of University of Connecticut Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology work for a cure integrating stem cells, genetic and immunity. Dr. Jaime has helped me with many of my Healthline articles. He knows his stuff! </span></div><p style="text-align: left;">Here's a podcast with me and Dr. Singer. I needed a reminder about cognition! </p><p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" src="https://mcusercontent.com/db15f8f0c3be1b44b7a601de8/images/9c239d21-6a24-4bab-bd95-75220a1abc23.jpeg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; height: auto; outline: none; padding: 5px;" width="264" /></p><p style="color: #202020; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="color: #007c89; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://www.mslivingwell.org/2020/05/21/cognition/" style="color: #007c89; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">MS Living Well Podcast 9: Cognition and Multiple Sclerosis</a></strong></p><p style="color: #202020; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;">Barry Singer MD, Director of The MS Center for Innovations in Care interviews:<br />Caroline Craven aka <a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Girl with MS</a> is a certified life coach, writer and motivation speaker. Her writing focuses on articles in health journalism and highly rated blog. Her blog post topics range from personal experiences, research-based articles, recipes, life hacks and resources.<br /><br />Click For <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cognition-and-multiple-sclerosis/id1478469181?i=1000475292021" style="color: #007c89; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a><br /><br />Click For <a href="http://www.mslivingwell.org/2020/05/21/cognition/" style="color: #007c89; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">MS </a><a href="http://www.mslivingwell.org/2020/05/21/cognition/" style="color: #007c89; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Living Well Podcast </a><br /> </p><p style="text-align: left;">There is so much more we can do but this is a start. Take care of us. Healthy eating, exercising, mental stimulation, rest, asking for help, seeking medical advice, and finding support. These are all part of the self-care regime. </p><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">I’ve also been enjoying my Cubii! Remember that easy to use adaptive treadmill. Well, it’s one handy tool right now. Cubii has special classes you can take online:</span></div><ul style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Carrie'e Cardio</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cubii Pyramid with weights or water bottles workout</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cubii functional fitness with Anne</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Get your water bottle or weights ready for a Cubii workout </span></li></ul><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 17px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/Cubii/videos/?ref=page_internal" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Click here</a> to join the facebook classes online!</span></div><p><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;" /></p><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OD0cEd93bC0/Xpsq4RYhsoI/AAAAAAAAHAw/coR3jwDoXpUwmDCkzAOEWr9t92HoFoCdgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/BD1CA5C6-6A75-4D67-801F-DAF46ACCF215.jpeg" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OD0cEd93bC0/Xpsq4RYhsoI/AAAAAAAAHAw/coR3jwDoXpUwmDCkzAOEWr9t92HoFoCdgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/BD1CA5C6-6A75-4D67-801F-DAF46ACCF215.jpeg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" /></a></div><p><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;" /><a href="http://www.girlwithms.com/2019/09/me-and-my-cubii-convenient-exercise-for.html" style="color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px; text-decoration: none;">Click here to learn more about Cubii</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">. </span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Well, this is my game plan for 2021. Join me and let's do this! </span></span></h2><p><br /></p>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-11684255808712485462021-11-12T11:20:00.000-08:002021-11-12T11:20:39.657-08:00My journey with MS Parts 1, 2, 3 - Going Rogue in Guatemala<p><span style="font-family: arial;">New Podcast!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Diagnosed in 2001, it’s been awhile. Remembering how it came about in Guatemala and what I went through reminds me of how far I have come.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Thank you Jessie Ace and <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">@DISabledtoENabled for hosting me on their podcast. Jessie Ace is amazing and lives with MS. She’s a bright light in this world and I feel blessed to be a part of her program. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7gFhVReS9ZE/X424OAZ3uDI/AAAAAAAAHNg/Aey26dmE3VYBzU4aGISW4dH0MnvqHMzSQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/FC9AA9FA-FD20-4D14-856B-3D77B3CF0179.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="850" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7gFhVReS9ZE/X424OAZ3uDI/AAAAAAAAHNg/Aey26dmE3VYBzU4aGISW4dH0MnvqHMzSQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/FC9AA9FA-FD20-4D14-856B-3D77B3CF0179.png" /></a></div><br />“Twenty years ago couldn’t walk or see unassisted. Today she is thriving and helping thousands of people with MS learn to thrive too. Her award-winning blog (Girl with MS) shares tips and tricks that she’s picked up as a certified life coach, motivational speaker, health journalist, and MS advocate. Years of studying alternative and holistic nutrition and lifestyle skills have given this Girl with MS a chance at life again.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">ENabled warriors, please help me in welcoming to the show the amazing… “</span><div style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><p style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;"></p></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="layout_table_613fdb54306515b9c1f2809cdecfa5c2fddb2f31" valign="top" width="326"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="layout layout-table" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 326px;"><tbody><tr><td id="layout-row-margin1865" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_spacer" id="layout-row1865"><td id="layout-row-padding1865" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td height="30" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="height: 30px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="spacer-body" height="30" valign="top" width="326"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td id="layout-row-margin1849" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr align="center" class="layout layout-row widget _widget_picture" id="layout-row1849"><td id="layout-row-padding1849" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="image-td" valign="top" width="326"><img alt="" src="https://jessieaceofficial.imgus11.com/public//6786f331ecb7c8827c940b7491d3a451.jpeg?r=1792126777" style="border: none; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 666px; opacity: 1; outline: none; width: 325px;" width="325" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td id="layout_table_213b543b8e27844623d98e0c305cb5c4e0deb612" valign="top" width="326"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="layout layout-table" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 326px;"><tbody><tr><td id="layout-row-margin1850" style="padding: 5px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: initial; font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_text style1850" id="layout-row1850" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td id="layout-row-padding1850" style="padding: 5px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="td_text td_block" id="text_div1729" style="color: inherit; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.26; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;" valign="top" width="306"><div data-line-height="1.26" style="font-family: arial; line-height: 1.26; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span color="inherit" style="font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-align: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"><br /><br /><span color="inherit" style="font-size: 23px; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"><b style="font-size: 35px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span color="inherit" style="font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Caroline Craven</span></b></b><br /><span color="inherit" style="font-size: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"><a dir="ltr" href="http://girlwithms.com/" x-apple-data-detectors-result="2" x-apple-data-detectors-type="link" x-apple-data-detectors="true">GirlWithMS.com</a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"><br />Monday</span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"><span color="inherit" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">:</span> We chat about her Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis, how it happened, and what medications she takes for it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Wednesday</span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"><span color="inherit" style="font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"><span color="inherit" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">:</span> We chat about how she started a blog that helps so many people(and how Facebook shut down all her pages overnight!)</span><br /><br /><span color="inherit" style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Friday</span><span color="inherit" style="font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"><span color="inherit" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">:</span> Find out Carolines answers to the not-so-super-quick secrets round - find out about her hilarious Halloween costumes!</span></span><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr class="layout layout-row clear-this" id="layout-row1864"><td id="layout-row-padding1864" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="layout_table_c6b385d3c64498e4a194c922660902544ae44ff4" valign="top" width="159"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="layout layout-table" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 159px;"><tbody><tr><td id="layout-row-margin1856" style="padding: 5px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: initial; font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_button style1856" id="layout-row1856"><td id="layout-row-padding1856" style="padding: 5px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="td_button td_block customizable" valign="top" width="139"><div class="button-wrapper" style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://jessieaceofficial.acemlnb.com/lt.php?s=853823cd5e236f86639df81594280e4d&i=354A424A3A1627" style="background-color: #05a10d; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(181, 181, 181); color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: Arial; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px; text-decoration: none;">Listen now on Spotify </a></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td id="layout_table_67ae922f4fec4576fd2c58338398e20c3af23f64" valign="top" width="167"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="layout layout-table" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 167px;"><tbody><tr><td id="layout-row-margin1855" style="padding: 5px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: initial; font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_button style1855" id="layout-row1855"><td id="layout-row-padding1855" style="padding: 5px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="td_button td_block customizable" valign="top" width="147"><div class="button-wrapper" style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://jessieaceofficial.acemlnb.com/lt.php?s=853823cd5e236f86639df81594280e4d&i=354A424A3A1628" style="background-color: #da36e3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(181, 181, 181); color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: Arial; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px; text-decoration: none;">Listen now on apple podcasts </a></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_spacer" id="layout-row1862"><td id="layout-row-padding1862" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td height="30" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="height: 30px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="spacer-body" height="30" valign="top" width="651"> </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: initial; font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_text style1860" id="layout-row1860" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td id="layout-row-padding1860" style="padding: 0px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="td_text td_block" id="text_div1738" style="color: inherit; font-family: Arial; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;" valign="top" width="651"><div data-line-height="1.4" style="font-family: arial; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><h3><span style="font-size: small; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><b>Want to WIN a copy of Jessie’s best selling ENabled Warrior Symptom Tracker? </b></span></h3><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">Jessie’s book is called the <a href="http://www.enabledwarriors.org/book" target="_blank">ENabled Warrior Symptom Tracker Book</a>. The book helps people with chronic illnesses to manage and track their symptoms, allows them to instantly spot triggers, and allows for accurate notes to be recorded and given to doctors. </div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">It contains:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;"><ul><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Monthly Calendars</li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Appointment Diaries</li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Menstrual Tracker</li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Exercise</li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Goal setting</li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Daily sheets for positivity and growth</li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Food and hydration diaries</li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Medication/supplement tracker</li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Treatment tracker </li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Medical quick notes for easy reference in appointments</li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">And a 1 and 3 month graphs to record information on for your doctors.</li></ul></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;"><div>There is also a bundle included with the book too which includes an ebook on how to remember everything, cheatsheets for how to get more time in your day, bookmarks to allow you to mark the pages, 'I AM' positive statement cards, in-depth symptom, and pain tracker sheets and extra graph sheets for easy use. </div></div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"><b><span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;" style="line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Enter the giveaway by going to </span><a data-ac-default-color="1" data-mce-href="https://jessieaceofficial.acemlnb.com/lt.php?s=853823cd5e236f86639df81594280e4d&i=354A424A3A1630" href="https://jessieaceofficial.acemlnb.com/lt.php?s=853823cd5e236f86639df81594280e4d&i=354A424A3A1629" style="color: #045fb4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank"><span color="inherit" data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;" style="line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">www.mybookgiveaway.com</span></a><span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;" style="line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"> to enter your details in Facebook messenger (lookout for a link that will pop up!) </span></b></span></h3><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><div style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;" style="line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Or if you’re impatient (like me) and want yours now, Claim your discounted book from </span><a data-ac-default-color="1" href="https://www.enabledwarriors.org/st#a_aid=Thegirlwithms" style="color: #045fb4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank"><span style="line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">www.enabledwarriors.org/st</span></a></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"><br />-------<br />* B O O K C L U B *<br /><span style="font-size: small;">This week's book:<br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span color="inherit" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Lance Armstrong - It's not about the bike. <br /></span><span color="inherit" style="line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Get your copy here: <a data-ac-default-color="1" href="https://jessieaceofficial.acemlnb.com/lt.php?s=853823cd5e236f86639df81594280e4d&i=354A424A3A1634" style="color: #045fb4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">https://amzn.to/3k69GHb</span></a><br /></span><br /><span style="line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Stay #ENabled and #takeTHATms! </span><br /></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: initial; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_html style1867" id="layout-row1867"><td id="layout-row-padding1867" style="padding: 5px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" id="html_div1743" width="631"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_spacer" id="layout-row1863"><td id="layout-row-padding1863" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td height="30" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="height: 30px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="spacer-body" height="30" valign="top" width="651"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: initial; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_text style1858" id="layout-row1858" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td id="layout-row-padding1858" style="padding: 5px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="td_text td_block" id="text_div1736" style="color: inherit; font-family: Arial; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;" valign="top" width="631"><div style="font-family: arial; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">P.s. It's not the cards we're dealt that matters, it's how we play the game that counts ;) </span><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="layout_table_7a6a928e0e647eadbaf714c32ec6e3c60e844820" valign="top" width="317"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="layout layout-table" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 317px;"><tbody><tr><td id="layout-row-margin1859" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_spacer" id="layout-row1859"><td id="layout-row-padding1859" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td height="30" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="height: 30px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="spacer-body" height="30" valign="top" width="317"> </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td id="layout-row-margin1852" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_spacer" id="layout-row1852"><td id="layout-row-padding1852" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td height="30" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="height: 30px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="spacer-body" height="30" valign="top" width="317"> </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td id="layout-row-margin1854" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_spacer" id="layout-row1854"><td id="layout-row-padding1854" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td height="30" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="height: 30px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="spacer-body" height="30" valign="top" width="317"> </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td id="layout_table_6ce6b874bd504528d22af8dd7946b1ffe49b83db" valign="top" width="335"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="layout layout-table" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 335px;"><tbody><tr><td id="layout-row-margin1857" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_spacer" id="layout-row1857"><td id="layout-row-padding1857" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td height="30" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="height: 30px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="spacer-body" height="30" valign="top" width="335"> </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td id="layout-row-margin1853" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr class="layout layout-row widget _widget_spacer" id="layout-row1853"><td id="layout-row-padding1853" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td height="30" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="height: 30px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 14px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="spacer-body" height="30" valign="top" width="335"> </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2619382468735542584.post-36524136844384506572021-09-14T08:27:00.003-07:002021-09-14T08:27:35.964-07:00How an MS Clinical Trial Changed My Life<p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2001 I couldn't walk or see unassisted. MS hit me hard and fast. Life changed for the worse, then it changed for the better.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"></p><p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XfgS3WEeD7I/YUC8Eo4qNZI/AAAAAAAAHl4/9vjoP-lUVsYjTfhtkhHbIW79Gsgh9VldwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/8F7EEE8B-69CF-4B6C-B12D-67D290CD80A0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XfgS3WEeD7I/YUC8Eo4qNZI/AAAAAAAAHl4/9vjoP-lUVsYjTfhtkhHbIW79Gsgh9VldwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/8F7EEE8B-69CF-4B6C-B12D-67D290CD80A0.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Self-care includes walking, strolling, yoga and <br />exploring while being compassionate to my and my MS!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>People often asked me what it was that inspired this change. It all started when I was included in a clinical trial way back in 2001. It was a trial for an actual vaccine, a T-cell vaccine by Dr. Leslie Weiner at USC. I basically started looking into a more holistic approach to taking care of myself, using more self-care. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-60n-9loYVk4/YUC8FqNtfYI/AAAAAAAAHmI/3DB9pfDVh1Q_47I5q66MpNtBRDuFJ9P-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/ABD60540-A098-4EFB-BE79-A8F9D1B529A5_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-60n-9loYVk4/YUC8FqNtfYI/AAAAAAAAHmI/3DB9pfDVh1Q_47I5q66MpNtBRDuFJ9P-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/ABD60540-A098-4EFB-BE79-A8F9D1B529A5_1_201_a.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yoga has always been part of my regime and I suffer without it. Keep it up! </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Joining research<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>During this time there were only three approved disease modifying treatments (DMTs), all injectables. I was on Copaxone but my tests were showing progression. My medical team wanted me in this study.</span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Because the MS hit so hard and fast, I didn’t know what was going on, but knew that I needed help. Newly diagnosed I was so curious about this disease and what I could do to help. Twenty years ago there was not much information available about living with MS. Today there is much more good research and many more stories available. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Because it was a double blind study, I didn’t know if I was on the "vaccine" or the placebo so I took everything into account to focus on self-care. We did not use that term back in 2001, but that's exactly what I did. I spoke with my doctor, called friends, other MSrs, experts and did a lot of research. I found what works for me from acupuncture to yoga, from supplements to diet and lifestyle changes. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: auto; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLPa6G1l6HI/YUC8FFvgrFI/AAAAAAAAHmE/6FVioWyL1lw05Na7_BH_XZLbTVjS5HZBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/734C6DBF-65B5-416B-A002-CF2039D35E81.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLPa6G1l6HI/YUC8FFvgrFI/AAAAAAAAHmE/6FVioWyL1lw05Na7_BH_XZLbTVjS5HZBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/734C6DBF-65B5-416B-A002-CF2039D35E81.jpeg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">my moment of zen....enjoy everyone of them!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Supporting myself and others<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was so excited to be helping others with research and potentially helping to find a cure that thoughts of residual benefits didn’t come to mind. But soon I found myself studying holistic nutrition, becoming certified as a life coach, getting more into my yoga and other practices. I was not on a DMT so everything I did mattered, or so it felt that way to me. During the study I was under constant care, with regular MRI’s, occupational therapy and other classes and medical reviews. It was a journey of exploration and learning. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>It was because of this trial that I started GirlWithMS.com. I wanted to share my positive result of finding new life hacks for self-care with everyone associated with MS. </span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>There is much attention that we can put on ourselves to help us move forward in life, from working with doctors, using disease modifying treatments, finding natural, holistic approaches, and joining clinical trial and seeing what research is going on in the medical world.</span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Another thing that I discovered was that I could really nerd out on research. It's absolutely fascinating looking at trials and studies and seeing what these neurologists and others are doing to help the lives of those living with MS or preventing it in others. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Exploring different kinds of research<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Research and clinical trials run the gambit in size and activities. Some are remote, some must be near certain facilities. Some might be sponsored by a pharmaceutical company testing a new drug and others might be from a university looking into the potential causes of MS. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>There is something to be said about being part of a trial or research. To be part of that experience that could find answers, that could help others live better, or even yet, find a cure for MS. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>At one point I was complaining to a cousin about the amount of MRI's and reviews my studied required. Quickly stopping me in my tracks, he said, "you're doing it for you, for science and you're doing it for others,” ringing a sharp bell in this noggin and I kept on. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As more research is performed on MS, the more chance we may have for finding a cure. Yay! But in the meantime, <b><i>if it's your thing</i></b>, it’s possible to help by becoming a part of a trial that works with your location, schedule and type of MS. </span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Learning to understand the genetics of MS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>There is also a growing volume of research looking into how genetics (DNA) impacts different conditions, including MS. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One company that I find interesting is <a href="https://sanogenetics.com/" style="color: #954f72;">Sano Genetics</a> in the UK. Sano’s mission is to accelerate the future of personalized medicine by connecting people to research opportunities, with a particular focus on better understanding the role of genetics in different conditions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I had already collected a copy of my DNA data while doing genealogy with another company, so I simply downloaded it from there and uploaded to Sano Genetics.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By uploading my DNA data to Sano I was able to explore research opportunities that might be relevant to me, based on my health information and DNA data, as well as discover my free Personal DNA Reports - which show how my DNA influences traits such as my eye color and caffeine intake. <br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Plus, data security and transparency about how your data is used are a big part of Sano’s philosophy. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">You can always control which researchers get to see your data, and can change this or delete your data at any time by simply changing your account settings. </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sano has a growing team of MS advocates - as many of us have found research, information and genetic material through their efforts. We call ourselves the #SanoCommunity. Kinda makes me feel like a superhero kid again or something. </span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But most important is that I wanted to share my experience of participating in research, as you may find it interesting to explore and join some of Sano's research projects. <o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://sanogenetics.com/join-research" style="color: #954f72;">Find out more</a>. </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://sanogenetics.com/join-research." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="680" height="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6zimecJoQk0/YUC9YXQz-sI/AAAAAAAAHmc/VWyZ0Y3NN-UoyXpA0_Bnu5UrAzAqnvRgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2021-09-14%2Bat%2B8.16.55%2BAM.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">#ThisisMS #TakeTHATms #TeamSano #DNA #Research #MS #FindaCure</span></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><br /></p>Caroline Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17460160703198008823noreply@blogger.com2