The Intelligent Person’s Guide to Beating Multiple Sclerosis

Whether you have had multiple sclerosis for only a short period of time or for a longer period of time, your help is needed.  Please help spread the word to others with MS–others need to know that lifestyle makes a difference.  Please take the time to study what those with MS can do to be as healthy and happy as possible, and then please share information on the importance of following a healthy diet such as the Swank MS Diet, taking needed supplements to prevent deficiencies, getting enough sleep and rest, and following the other steps in the plan.

You can help others and make a real difference.

There are four ways of spreading the word that are important.  First, please talk to others you know who have MS.  Share information with them about this web site and about the web sites linked to this site such as the Taking Control of Multiple Sclerosis site by Dr. George Jelinek.  Please let others who have MS know you care and are committed to helping others with MS feel as well as possible.  Let others know about the excellent books by Dr. Roy Swank and Dr. George Jelinek.

Second, please tell your own story.  Once you have followed a diet such as the Swank MS Diet or Jelinek’s recommendations, please write down how you felt before starting the diet and how the diet seemed to help you.  Also, please share your experience with basic health promoting steps such as exercise.  Others need to hear that these basic, simple, low-cost steps make the world of difference and are even miraculously effective.  For example, in my own case, at age 60, if I did not eat a healthy diet, take a few needed supplements to prevent nutritional deficiencies, sleep enough, exercise, etc., it is doubtful that I would appear to be in glowing good health.  When you are successful, others need to hear of your success too.

Third, please send me your story and I will include it on my web site.  And, don’t worry, your story need not be written perfectly.  I can edit it for you and make you look brilliant.

Fourth, please consider starting your own yahoo group at groups.yahoo.com so that you and others with MS can share your efforts to live with MS in the healthiest possible way.  A group of five to 20 members is ideal for sharing support and developing close friendships.  Also, a group such as this can help you find answers to questions and stay motivated.

By changing your life style and by encouraging others to do the same, you can help change the world and make the world a better place–for yourself and others.  When you take good care of yourself, you will feel better, you will make life easier for your friends and family, and you will even help dramatically reduce the cost of health care.  When you encourage others to take care of themselves using the steps outlined here, the benefits can start to spread and grow.

Your help is needed.

Please let me know if you find my blog helpful.  Please add a comment.  What did you like?  What would you like added?  Thanks!  Together we can change the way the world views MS.

Please remember to consult your doctors about how to stay as healthy as possible. Nothing here should be interpreted as medical advice. Instead, please use the information you find here in your discussions with your doctor.

Copyright 2009 Rebecca Hoover

Tags:  Multiple Sclerosis, MS, Diet, Exercise

While obesity does not cause multiple sclerosis (MS), obesity is what doctors call a comorbidity, a health problem that coexists with another condition.  Obesity complicates MS in two ways.

First, research shows that obesity makes diagnosis of MS more difficult and delays diagnosis of MS.  Because obesity can be frequently accompanied by numbness, for example, doctors may guess that a patient’s numbness is the result of obesity rather than MS.  The delay in diagnosis of MS is problematic, however, because the delay means a delay in treatment of MS.

Second, obesity makes coping with MS more difficult.  While obese MS patients need exercise and a healthy diet more than most to prevent heart disease, this exercise requires extra effort.    If MS patients are obese, they need extra encouragement to reduce weight and get needed aerobic exercise.

It is especially important to note that the same diet that can lead to obesity, also probably makes MS worse.  Studies show that eating diets high in saturated fats is likely to make MS worse while eating healthy fats and a healthy diet seems to improve outcomes.  Eating right is important for everyone–it is doubly important for those with MS.  Please see my post about eating right for more information.  This is so important that more than one professor of medicine has taken the time to write a book largely devoted to describing just what a healthy diet for MS patients means.  I follow this advice that is based on scientific research and I recommend you do the same.

If you have MS or think you might have MS and are overweight, the sooner you address physical fitness the healthier you will be.  Addressing obesity is important because research shows that obese MS patients are more likely to experience moderate rather than mild disability early after diagnosis.  Please read the post on eating healthy and check out the Swank MS Diet.  The next thing, you know you will be feeling better than you have felt in years.  And you will be looking gorgeous too–healthy eating and living do that for you.

Please let me know if you find my blog helpful.  Please add a comment.  What did you like?  What would you like added?  Thanks!  Together we can change the way the world views MS.

Please remember to consult your doctors about how to stay as healthy as possible. Nothing here should be interpreted as medical advice. Instead, please use the information you find here in your discussions with your doctor.

Copyright 2008 Rebecca Hoover

Tags:  Multiple Sclerosis, MS, Obesity, Diet, Exercise

It is no secret that many with MS end up on a tight budget.  That does not mean, however, that good looks have to go out the door.   There are many low-cost ways to look good and be good to the environment too.  What could be better than that?

Here are some tips to look good and save the world at the same time.

Good looks start inside – All good looks come from the basics:  a healthy low-fat diet, exercises, a few supplements if needed and a good heart.   Nothing will get you looking better faster than the Swank MS Diet or the diet recommended on Taking Control of Multiple Sclerosis, some exercise, enough rest, some Vitamin B12 and D3 supplements if needed and a generous heart.  These will make your hair thick and shiny, your eyes sparkle and even your skin smooth and silky.

Fortunately, a healthy diet costs no more than an unhealthy diet.  When you learn to love the basics such as brown rice, for example, you will look better, be healthier and even make the world a healthier place.  I eat organic food whenever possible and save money by doing that.  Because the food is so delicious, I have almost no wasted food.  At the same time, I know my organic food makes the world a better place and helps agricultural workers live longer (some now die by age 50 because of agricultural chemcials).

Environmentally responsible clothing – Part of looking good is dressing right.  This means buying only clothing that does not harm the environment or waste needed resources.  Good clothing is always made of fabrics that were once alive (wool, cotton, silk, rayon, etc.) and it does not contain fabrics coming from oil products (polyester, nylon, etc.).

Even better, is using recycled clothing–from friends, relatives or even thrift shops.  These clothes all have inherited charm and are very classy.  They will save the environment and your pocket book at the same time.  Even movie stars wear recycled clothing.  Join in and your looks will reflect your classy behavior.

For great style ideas that are totally gorgeous, totally affordable, and totally now, check out The Sartorialist.  You will find you have never been able to look better for less.

Hair gel – You can make your own low-cost hair gel by buying unflavored gelatin at a grocery store, mixing it with hot water, and storing the mixture in the refrigerator.  If you wash your hair four times a week, a good recipe to use is 1/4 cup hot water and 1/4 teaspoon gelatin.  This means a box of gelatin will last you for months.  The mixed gelatin does need to be stored in the refrigerator because, of course, it has no preservatives.

You will be surprised at how silky your hair will feel when you use this gel.  It is a bit difficult to apply to your hair but the results are worth the trouble.  Best of all with no preservatives and no perfume (perfume is really just laden with a bunch of chemicals), your homemade gel is good for your health and good for the health of the world.

For an even better hair gel, you can make a gel using golden flax seed and water.  Combine 1/4 cup of whole golden flax seed with three cups of water.  Stirring constantly, bring this mixture to a boil.  Then reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer or boil very slowly for ten minutes.  During this time, an egg white like gel will form that can be used on the hair.  Remove the mixture from heat and immediately strain to separate the seeds from the gel.  The gel can be kept for one week in the refrigerator.  A little goes a long way, so storing extra in an ice cube tray and then thawing one cube at a time is handy.  The thawed gel must, of course, be kept in the refrigerator.

To apply the gel, put some in your hands, rub your hands together to coat the palm of the hands, and then using gel coated hand palms, apply the gel to the hair.   The gel makes the hair silky and increases hair body and styling.

For the best gel of all, if you have finer hair, mix about 1/4 teaspoon of agar agar (this is a gelatin extracted from seaweed) with about 1/2 cup of water.  Boil the mixture in the microwave until the agar agar dissolves (about five minutes).  Add enough liquid during the final boiling time so the mixture to equal about 1/4 cup in volume (this will ensure the consistency of the mixture is about like jam and that the gel can be easily used on the hair).  Stir the mixture well and store the gel in ice cube trays and the refrigerator.    Keep enough for about one week in the refrigerator and the remainder in the freezer.

Most gels can increase hair control and shine but using any hair gel, homemade or commercial, is more or less a one shot deal.  The gels seem to attract soil so hair does have to be washed more often–preferably every day.  The exception to this is the gel made from agar agar which does not attract soil for some reason.

Frugal and green shampoo and conditioner – If you want to be really frugal and an environment protector at the same time, you can use baking soda to shampoo your hair and use vinegar and water as a special rinse.  This is my favorite way to do my hair these days.  The results are so great, most do  not even need a gel or any added conditioner.  Here is the information on using baking soda for shampoo and vinegar for a special rinse.

To shampoo, mix about two tablespoons of baking soda with enough water to form a thick paste.  Wet the hair and then use the paste to scrub the roots of the hair starting with the crown of the head.  Massage the baking soda mixture onto the roots and scalp.  Do not use the baking soda mixture to wash the ends of the hair–instead when you rinse the baking soda out, the ends will get clean.  (You can also just mix the two tablespoons of baking soda with one cup of water, shake and use that to wash your hair.)  Finally, thoroughly rinse the baking soda out of the hair and then squeeze any excess water from the hair.  (Please note that the amount of baking soda needed depends on your hair and water–I started off with two tablespoons and now use only one.  If your hair gets too dry, use less baking soda.)

To specially rinse the hair, mix about 1/4 cup of white vinegar with about 10 ounces of water (the exact amount of vinegar needed depends upon your water).  Stir.  Thoroughly saturate the hair with the mixture but avoid the eyes because the vinegar mixture will sting the eyes.  Wait several seconds.  Thoroughly rinse the hair with water to eliminate vinegar odor.  (You can also use apple cider vinegar if you have brown or darker hair.)

That’s it!  You will find your hair softer than ever before, shiny, easier to style and gorgeous.  I can even get a comb through my hair when it is wet with this cleaning and conditioning method–something I could never do when using regular shampoo and conditioner. Also, if you use baking soda and vinegar for hair care, you will be able to go longer without cleaning your hair.  From once a day, I went to once every two or three days.  Now that helps save water for Mother Nature too.  Best of all, baking soda and vinegar, unlike the chemicals in shampoos and conditioners, do not harm the environment.  (By the way, the pictures on this blog were taken while I was still using expensive commerical shampoo and conditioner and no gel–my hair looks better now.)

Homemade ultra conditioner – If you want to go all out with glamorous hair, the best conditioner I’ve ever found is simply a dab of glycerin applied to still damp hair and then and a dab jojoba oil applied only to the ends of the hair.  The jojoba is applied by putting a dab in the palm of a hand, rubbing the hands together and then using the hands to apply the oil to just the ends of the hair.  (To secure a dab of glycerin or jojoba oil, touch the glycerin or jojoba oil with the tip of one finger–the small amount that stays on the finger is a dab.) If one dab is not enough, try adding dabs until the ends are conditioned as needed.  I use about two dabs of each in total on my hair.  The oil can be applied wherever the hair looks dry or frizzy but is not applied on the roots or scalp.  Usually, however, I just use baking soda and vinegar because they give me the best results with very little cost and work.

You might be interested in knowing that one medical study found that jojoba oil is the most effective way to help restore badly damaged hair.  This is probably because the oil is similar to the oil actually produced by the body.

You might also be interested in knowing that another study found that the combination of jojoba oil, glycerin and water makes a near perfect hand and body moisturizer.  You can rub a drop of jojoba oil, a drop of glycerin and some water into your hands for a great lotion that is preservative free and very moisturizing.  I use this lotion on my legs when they get dry in the winter.  The lotion does not work quite as well for hands.

Of course, as usual, I would not recommend use of jojoba oil and glycerin if they were not ideal for the frugal consumer.  While jojoba oil and glycerin are more expensive ounce per ounce than conditioners and lotions, they are very concentrated so the per use cost is inexpensive–and good for you and the environment.

All in all, the baking soda, vinegar, jojoba oil, and agar and agar gel method I use for hair care is much faster and less costly than the old chemical-laden commercial method I used to use.  Healthy, low-cost and gleaming well-conditioned hair is the result!

Lip gloss – You can make a low cost lip gloss by buying a small container of vaseline from a drug or grocery store and combining some vaseline with a small amount of lipstick leftover from a near empty tube of lipstick.  Just melt some vaseline and lipstick, stir together and put in a small container such as a cute little jelly jar that would otherwise be discarded by a restaurant.  And again, this is good for the world.  There is no waste for excessive packaging and no new chemicals added to the world.

Liberate your skin – If you wear foundation and powder, think about giving them and all of the chemicals they contain the heave ho.  You will save money and make yourself and your skin healthier.  A little concealer, a single skin-toned eyeshadow, some eyeliner, some mascara, and a little blush can be applied quickly and is all of the makeup most ever need.

Check out healthy products from the Environment Working Group – The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a data base on personal care products you can use to check out which makeups, lotions, etc., contain downright scary chemicals.  You can look for healthy products so you can save your own health and the environment at the same time.

Being generous – An attitude of generosity and sharing makes you look beautiful too.  There is nothing attractive about people so greedy they have shriveled up like raisins or become unnecessarily obese.  Of course, this does not mean you should be overly generous or allow others to take advantage of you.  If you have a problem here, you can go for counseling or join a support group.  We all have faults and faults can be overcome with some support.  When you combine some common sense with a soft heart and a willingness to share, you will end up looking good and being good.

Please let me know if you find my blog helpful.  Please add a comment.  What did you like?  What would you like added?  Thanks!  Together we can change the way the world views MS.

Please remember to consult your doctors about how to stay as healthy as possible. Nothing here should be interpreted as medical advice. Instead, please use the information you find here in your discussions with your doctor.

Copyright 2008 Rebecca Hoover

Tags: Multiple Sclerosis, Nutrition, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, MS, Avonex, Betaseron, Copaxone, Rebif, Diet, Swank

Unfortunately, for those with MS, the use of Internet discussion boards and chatrooms is usually not a good idea.  One exception is looking at these boards and chatrooms as a way to possibly uncover the side effects of medications and treatments.  For example, some of the drugs for MS cause hair loss, yet this is often not mentioned by doctors or pharmaceutical companies.  Other than using the boards and chatrooms to find information on side effects, the boards and chatrooms are of limited value and can even lead to unwise and unhealthy decisions.

These problems occur in part because the online discussions are often frequented and even controlled by those who, because of psychological problems, are only imagining they have MS.  Problems also occur when fake doctors find their way to these discussions, when sellers of quack cures are looking to make a quick buck, when hustlers prey on the natural sympathies most of us have, because group members sometimes encourage others to engage in unhealthy behavior and because the knowledge of group members is often dangerously limited.

The problem with control of discussions by individuals who do not have MS occurs because some individuals with psychological problems seek attention by faking MS symptoms.  Such individuals have often been told by their doctors and neurologists that they do not have MS but these individuals will often persist in saying that they have “probable MS”.

Such individuals are not necessarily easy to identify in Internet discussion groups.  Often they will come off as charming and supportive–at least until they are no longer the center of attention.  The advice they give, however, is usually poor.  Because they seek drama, they encourage others to have dramatic treatments.  Why take an aspirin when a chemo drug may be thrown at a problem?  Also, sadly, a lot of these fakers are psychologically sick and consistently recommend dubious treatments that involve considerable discomfort or pain for those with MS.  One such faker recommends those with MS have all of their amalgam fillings removed, have chelation treatments viewed as unnecesary by doctors, undergo detoxing with enemas and other uncomfortable methods, and endure the hunger caused by fasting.  These MS fakers do resort to bullying to get their way.  Unfortunately, bullying is common in Internet discussions.

Other fakers in discussion groups include fake doctors.  These individuals will call themselves doctors but they are not medical doctors and have limited knowledge of multiple sclerosis.  The person may have a mail order PhD degree or some other degree actually requiring little training.

The fake doctors may be looking to make money off of desperate MS patients.  After they have participated for a short period of time, they may offer a miracle cure for sale.  Or they may encourage discussion participants to use their services.  If all of the miracle cures that have been sold actually worked, no one would still have MS.

Others also participate with an eye to quick profits.   It is not uncommon to see hustlers trying to sell various miracle juices or supplements that supposedly cure MS.  Or a more sophisticated ruse is to build a web site, sell advertising based on the web site and then use discussion groups to generate visits to the site.  In this case, page views at the web site add up to additional advertising dollars.

Finally, there are those who try to get money out of others without offering anything other than a good sob story.  While many with MS are impoverished, a wary attitude towards those requesting money from other members of discussion groups is appropriate.  Some of those requesting money do not even have MS and should be out looking for a job.

Another group of problematic individuals active in Internet discussions are individuals with addictions–usually alcohol, drug or food related.  These individuals are problematic because they will tell newcomers that factors such as drinking alcohol or diet do not matter even though doctors treating patients with MS know different.  For example, doctors know it is difficult to cope with both obesity or malnutrition and MS.  Diet matters.

Last but not least, there are individuals who are honest, loving and caring but who have such limited knowledge that their input is often not helpful.  For example, one patient in a discussion group described symptoms that sounded like a heart attack but another person said these symptoms sounded like MS and suggested that the person with the chest pain rest.  The person with the chest pain should have been advised to see a doctor immediately.

It is important to remember that Internet discussions cannot replace face-to-face contact with others and real social support.  If you feel lonely and socially isolated because of MS, call your MS society and ask for advice on how you can break out this loneliness.  Or call a church and other group you trust and ask for help.  Maybe a change in jobs or housing is needed so it is easier to maintain contacts with others and develop new friends.

Also, if you do feel lonely, promise yourself that you will do something to break out of isolation.  Unfortunately, scientific studies show use of the Internet for more than a limited amount of time increases depression.  This is the last thing you need when you are already coping with MS.

Remember, real face-to-face friends make life vibrant, fun and enjoyable.  Don’t settle for some largely illusionary friends and lousy advice on the Internet.  You deserve better than this.

Also remember that the articles you read on how great Internet discussions are have been carefully placed by businesses trying to make money.  These businesses are not going to tell you about the many real problems involved in Internet-based discussions.  These businesses are not going to tell you about the MS fakers, the hustlers, the alcoholics, the very obese, or all of the bad advice.  These businesses are also not going to tell you of the many individuals who participate frequently in online forums because they have such severe psychological problems that they have no friends in the real world.

Again, remember, real face-to-face friends make life vibrant, fun and enjoyable.  Don’t settle for some largely illusionary friends and lousy advice on the Internet.  You deserve better than this.

Please let me know if you find my blog helpful.  Please add a comment.  What did you like?  What would you like added?  Thanks!  Together we can change the way the world views MS.

Please remember to consult your doctors about how to stay as healthy as possible. Nothing here should be interpreted as medical advice. Instead, please use the information you find here in your discussions with your doctor.

Copyright 2008 Rebecca Hoover

Tags: Beat, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Internet, Addiction, Depression, Bullies