Sorry for my absence the last few weeks.  With the craziness of the holidays something had to give and blogging it was.  But, I am back and excited to share my healthy resolutions for 2009.  You can view my recommendations for setting realistic goals/resolutions at my business site, Organized Life by Design. 

In I Corinthians 6:19,20 we are reminded that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and that one of our purposes in this life is to honor God with our bodies.  I have to admit that I thought much less about that pre-diagnosis than I do now.  Cause and effect has played a large role in that.  Researching the links between foods that can actually cause inflammation in your body has helped me avoid such foods.  My CRP (c-reactive protein) levels have responded.  Eliminating foods that contribute to high cholesterol has kept me off of cholesterol reducing meds (so far).  Participating in the Feldenkrais method of physical therapy has reduced my pain and improved my balance tremendously.

When you see visible improvements you’d have to be pretty dense not to want to continue the things that are causing said improvements.  And I pride myself on my lack of density LOL.  So, I thought a lot about my health goals.  Next Thursday (which is also my 30th birthday, BTW) is the one year anniversary of my diagnosis.  It took my awhile to rid myself of the denial and then a little longer to consent to treatment and then even a little longer to take my health seriously.  And, I am feeling better.  So, my goals reflect the desire to continue on this path of wellness- mind, spirit and body. 

***Drum roll, please!

1. Take a daily nap.
2. Increase physical activity (mall walking, exercise bike, continue PT)
3. Maintain a healthy diet and eat three meals a day (no skipping)
4. Reduce amount of meds that I am on
5. Be grateful for the health that I do have and take any setbacks that may come in stride=
6. Keep a positive outlook and attitude!

So, what are your health goals this year?  Do you think I left any out?   Feel free to share!

Have you been there?  That room is spinning while you are standing still feeling that brings with it a wave of nausea and difficulty figuring out where you are in space.  Yes, vertigo is not a good feeling. 

Vertigo can have different causes.  For most people, the problem is in the inner ear.  All of the movement in your body registers in your inner ear.  When the inner ear is getting conflicting signals, vertigo results.  For people like me, vertigo is neurological.  This is trickier to treat but it is still possible.

There are different options for treating vertigo- many are similar to the treatments for motion sickness.  Technically treating the symptoms but effective nonetheless. My doctor prescribed Meclizine.  Although this makes you very tired (doesn’t everything? LOL) it is effective in treating the nausea that can be associated with a vertigo attack.

There are other things you can do to treat/avoid a vertigo attack.  Avoid foods that can upset your stomach.  A natural remedy for nausea is ginger.  I usually have hard ginger candy to pop in my mouth if I am in a setting where taking my Meclizine won’t work (remember, it makes me very sleepy).  Closing my eyes makes the feeling worse so I naturally avoid that. Stairs, riding in the car, standing up suddenly are all things that can trigger an attack as well.

Do you suffer from vertigo?  Share how you cope with us!

A great gift idea for those living with a chronic illness is the gift of massage!  A recent study by the American Massage Therapy Association discovered that not only does getting a massage provide relaxation and stress relief but massage also has healing properties.  A survey conducted by the same association states that almost 1/3 of people that regularly get massages do so to treat the symptoms of a medical condition.

There are different types of massages that can target specific health issues, including migraine headaches, neuromuscular issues, back pain and even high blood pressure (hypertension).

You should always consult your physician before starting massage therapy, but when ordered by a physician some insurance companies will provide coverage for therapeutic massage. 

I know there is no gift I appreciate more than a 60 minute Swedish massage.  I never fail to fall asleep during this time and it works out so many of the kinks and pains that tend to find their home in my muscles.  I always make sure that I have a masseuse that has experience with MS, because an inexperienced person could do damage rather than good.  The same is true for prenatal massage- go to someone who has been specifically trained.

If you are wondering what to get someone living with a chronic illness, consider the gift of massage. 

Feldenkrais Method

From Cathy Wong, for About.com

Created: February 1, 2005

About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

What is Feldenkrais?

Feldenkrais is a form of movement re-education developed by nuclear physicist and engineer Moshe Feldenkrais after suffering a sports-related injury. Rather than undergo surgery, he explored alternatives and created his own form of rehab integrating physiology, anatomy, martial arts, psychology, and neurology.

A key principle of Feldenkrais is that the way that a person speaks, moves, and thinks is based on the self-image that person has developed over the years. In order to change the way we move and carry ourselves, we have to change how we see ourselves.

Feldenkrais recognized the importance of proper breathing to movement. He also believed that postures and movements reflected the state of the mind and body. For example, a depressed person may have hunched shoulders.

Conditions Treated

• Muscle pain
• Back pain
• Neuromuscular conditions, such as cerebral palsy and fibromyalgia
• Repetitive strain
• Multiple sclerosis
• Performance enhancement for dancers, actors, athletes
• Sports injuries

What a Typical Feldenkrais Treatment is Like
With Feldenkrais, there are two approaches:

• Awareness Through Movement group classes - Led by a teacher, these classes increase mobility and help replace old patterns of movement with new, improving breathing and blood circulation. Classes are popular with actors, musicians, and dancers.
• Functional Integration individual sessions - One-to-one sessions, using touch and tissue manipulation, where the practitioner actively directs the client’s body through various movements tailored to individual needs.

So, the above is a description of a new type of physical therapy I am trying for chronic knee and foot pain related to my MS.  Traditional physical therapy left me very tired and actually made my pain worse in many ways. 

For one, it is easy to over work muscles when you are dealing with neurological weakness.  I have decreased sensation in my left extremity so I don’t”feel the burn” so to speak, when exercising.  But, if I overwork a muscle I will feel it days later and it is not a good thing!  Secondly, strengthening exercises are not always helpful with neuro weakness.  It is the messages the muscles are receiving from the brain that are usually the problem.

I decided to give this type of PT, known as the Feldenkrais method a try, because a friend of mine is a practitioner and said she thought it would really help with the chronic pain issues.  Well, I am so impressed!  I have been twice so far and my balance is already improving in my “bad” leg and my pain is decreased.

I am not a doctor nor a physical therapist but I have found this helpful and wanted to pass along the information as an alternative therapy option.  Have you or someone you know had success with this?  Tried it and didn’t like it?  Let me know!