With all the fad diets and exercise regimes one may find on the internet, along with the confusing and conflicting medical information we read, I find it's too easy to concentrate on just one area of our health.
It may be a really good time of year to take a hard look at our overall health, especially considering that as MS patients, we are more likely to have other health issues related, directly or indirectly, to MS. I know most of us feel as though all we do is think about our health and see doctor after doctor. But it's easy to focus on "just the MS."
Are you getting your regular screenings for cancer, heart health, etc.? Does your doctor know about your diet and all supplements? Are you taking care of your mental health? Do you have safety equipment to help prevent falls and other injuries? Are your spiritual needs being met? In what shape are your relationships? Do you do any exercise if you are at all able to do so?
We are whole human beings, even if we feel broken. I hope we can take care of ourselves in all areas of our health. Every part is important.
Written by
greaterexp
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Great post! I don’t know about all areas, there are contractors in our area that will come install safety equipment in our homes as part of our cities Senior & disability care. Items and the fees are waived. Always a good idea to check with your city county or state services for seniors and disabled people.
I have grab bars in the bathroom and alongside of the back door coming in from the garage. There's a concrete step up an it's just plain reassuring to have that grab-bar there! I'm considering putting one alongside of the front door, too!
I will add, have you had your hearing checked? I was just at the audiologist this week getting my work up and saw some statistics about how hearing loss increases cognitive decline 😵 It doesn’t take much!
Just had my annual wellness exam Dec 28 and all was well including all bloodwork. Other than that it’s just the same old same old. Having CTScan Tuesday morning then I’ll be done til February.
Greaterexp-I like what you said. Yes, the body has so many different elements to focus on. I don’t believe in the fad diets but I eat a healthy, low-fat well balanced diet with veggies and some fruit and I take my daily vitamins and try to exercise.
Ex. Terry Wahl’s diet has helped some people with MS and this is wonderful news, but the majority of people with MS get confused on what to eat to reduce MS symptoms. Fad diets will always be there, but taking this all in with a grain of salt is wise and find out what works for your own body.
I’ve been seeing a counselor for a while to help with my emotional battle with MS and this has helped me so much. I am focusing now on one day at a time. I enjoy more the day I wake up in, instead of focusing on the way I was before MS and all the things I used to be able to do.
The past is the past. I feel I can be the best I can be now! However, it does take effort to achieve these health goals.
Sometimes past thoughts come up of how I was before MS, which is normal but I don’t let it overtake me like it used to.
I get frustrated, sad and mad about lying down for hours daily when my mind is going and I want to do fun things or interact with my son and husband. But I know that’s normal too. I’m still in the learning phase on how to modify my life more and make it easier, since my last bad relapse in May last year.
When I was diagnosed with MS over 5 years ago, I worried about how I will be physically in 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, etc. but this worry just took me away from enjoying the present day sometimes.
Now I am working on being kind to myself (hard to do) in all ways and even about lying down due to fatigue. I realized it’s not my fault I have MS or that I need to lie down-but guilt sets in especially when my son is home from school and wants to do something with me and looks sad. It’s really hard then. I tell him that my body and brain need this time to recharge like a battery and sometimes my battery takes longer than I want, but I’ll know when I feel recharged again. He understands it this way.
Anyway, thanks for your great post and guess I had a lot to share...Lol.
Thank you for sharing what you’ve learned along the way. It’s great advice for veterans of MS or those newly diagnosed. We all wish things were different, but they aren’t. Learning to live well with what we have is worth the effort.
Def good advice for us all. Though I’m only going on 2 years since dx I’ve learned to take one day at a time because we never know what tomorrow will bring.
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Careful what you wish for 
Care givers, where are you?
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