Exercise for Multiple Sclerosis

The French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot was the first person to recognize multiple sclerosis as a distinct disease in 1868. Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons in nerves of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination (damage to the myelin sheath) and scarring which leads to a broad variety of other signs and symptoms. Communication between nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to is affected in people with MS. Nerve cells communicate by sending electrical signals called action potentials down long fibers called axons, which are contained within a protective, insulating substance called myelin. In MS, the body's own immune system recognises myelin as a threat then attacks and damages it. When myelin is lost, the axons can no longer effectively conduct signals properly. This is what causes the symptoms of MS. Multiple sclerosis can be difficult to diagnose because its signs and symptoms are similar to other medical problems. Medical organisations have created diagnostic criteria to ease and standardise the diagnostic process. These criteria are especially effective within the first stages of the disease. The Schumacher and Poser criteria were both popular but now the McDonald criteria is more commonly used. Clinical data alone may be sufficient for a diagnosis of MS if an individual has suffered separate episodes of neurologic symptoms characteristic of MS like changes in sensation such as loss of sensitivity or tingling, prickling or numbness. The most commonly used diagnostic tools are neuroimaging and analysis of cerebrospinal fluid. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spine also show areas of demyelination and the nervous system of a person with MS responds less actively to stimulation of the optic nerve and sensory nerves due to demyelination of such pathways. These brain responses can be examined using visual and sensory evoked potentials. Although MS isn't considered hereditary a number of genetic variations have been shown to increase the risk of developing the disease. The chances of inheriting MS is higher in relatives of a person with the disease than in the general population, especially in the case of siblings, parents, and children. As well as the obvious benefits of exercise, the benefits to healthy individuals, the benefits of exercise for people with MS include: Improves muscle strength and tone to help maintain mobility and reduce muscle weakness Helps to keep people with more severe MS stay mobile Helps with weight management Can help with some symptoms of MS There is no single exercise that "cures" MS. Exercise is best thought of as merely a supplement or a preventative measure that aids your current therapy. Choosing what type of exercise you do depends on YOU! What do you enjoy doing? What sports do you like? Do you prefer to train with someone or go solo? Do you need help or instructions to start an exercise program? All these questions can help in choosing the right form of exercise for you and ensure your exercise programme is adhered to. Here's a few ideas to get you going: Walking and aerobics have been shown to improve balance Yoga, T'ai Chi and stretching helps with muscle stiffness and spasms Pelvic floor exercises help with bladder and bowel problems Aerobic exercise has been shown to help improve the symptoms of depression The Health Fitness Project is a free database for health professionals and fitness enthusiasts, continually growing and full of scientifically based fitness advice put in to words that EVERYONE can understand.

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Changes to Your Diet and Multiple Sclerosis

Healthy Eating is an important factor in everyone's well-being, but it's especially important for people suffering with autoimmune diseases and other chronic illnesses, such as Multiple Sclerosis. The old expression, "You are what you eat," is absolutely true. There has been a great deal of research that points to the benefits of eating healthy. This research also lets us know what we need to eat to improve our health. Most of the research points to eating a low-fat (especially saturated fat) and low-carb diet. The Swank Diet, developed by Roy Swank, M.D., former head of University of Oregon's neurology department, focuses on a low-fat diet. He has had amazing results with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) sufferers. Dr. Swank has spent over 35 years treating his patients with this diet and has had very impressive results. The Swank diet consists primarily of grains, vegetables and fruits with about 20 percent fat by calories. While this type of diet may be a little drastic for some, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society you can help your body and MS even if you make small changes at a time. Simple Changes to Your Diet That Will Help Your Body and Multiple Sclerosis 1. Portion control - reduce the amount of food you eat. Pay attention to how much food is on your plate. It's important to know what healthy portion sizes are. 2. Change your eating habits slowly - make it a point to have a healthy breakfast. Instead of bacon and eggs on a bagel, have an egg white omelet on whole grain toast. Better yet, have a bowl of rolled oats with fruit. Once you're comfortable with eating a healthy breakfast move on to lunch, and then dinner. And, slowly add more fruits and vegetable into your diet. 3. Have snacks - snacks help curb the appetite and also keeps your metabolism going steady. The key here is to eat healthy snacks such as baby carrots, fruits, nuts, and low-fat yogurt. 4. Go lean - limit the amount of fatty meats you eat and pay attention to portion control. Chicken, turkey and fish are healthy choices. 5. Focus - it's important to eliminate distractions while you're eating. It seems if you're distracted, you will eat more and be less satisfied. So, pay attention to what's on that fork or spoon. Along with the foods we should include in our diet, there are also foods that should be avoided to help our bodies function properly. Foods to Avoid to help Your Body and Multiple Sclerosis 1. Sugar 2. Processed foods 3. Fatty foods 4. Super sized portions 5. White bread According to Dr. Henry Zhen-Hong Lee, a NYS Licensed Acupuncturist and NCCA DPL Herbalist, sugar actually stops the immune cells from functioning. This is essential since you are then left with no line of defense. All evidence points to the fact that improving your eating habits will improve your health. Start today to make slow and steady changes in your diet so you will reap slow and steady benefits to your overall health. And, remember to discuss all changes to your diet with your doctor. If you'd like to learn more about Multiple Sclerosis you can visit: National Multiple Sclerosis Society http://www.nmss.org PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) http://www.pcrm.org/health/prevmed/multiple_sclerosis.html

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