My Medicine

Hello!

It has been quite some time and I supposed a got a little kick in the backside from my mum who was asking the other day what had happened to my blog and if I had deleted it. After that call, I’ve been having a real think about why started this blog in the first place, and ultimately what I was trying to do was document a journey that fellow MS warriors could follow to see what another person’s medical and personal journey looked like.

I’ve been writing for the MS Society which has been a great chance to connect with the community, but I have found myself slipping away from my own blog. When I started writing, I wanted to make sure that those who were newly diagnosed could hear frankly what a real experience looked like, but also walk through my mental processes as I worked through it myself. It isn’t all doom and gloom as it was told to me 5 years ago (and still can be I may add) but it is about learning the patterns of your body, utilising some handy tips and trick along the way and finding a sense of self-acceptance.

Over the last year, I have been taking the time out to connect with some amazing people and really consider where my time is best spent. Energy isn’t just in the body but in the mind too, so it has been an important learning for me to consider who I let into my space and when it is ok to do so. Let’s be real here, no one has time spare or to waste, so it is important to recognise it to be a precious resource. I have been learning to prioritise (still a work in progress, this is the hardest thing to do when you think your energy and emotional capacity is an unlimited bank) by thinking about how much I value different tasks/activities, the purpose they serve, weighing things up and learning when to say no. It helps that I’m in a role which hones in these therapeutic skills, and by teaching others these techniques, it has forced me to question how I do things too (with colleagues that “therapise” you on a regular basis and make sure you have the best balance you can get!).

I am living life 2 years post Lemtrada (Alemtuzumab) and my MRI scans are showing no new lesions which is great. I’m fairly determined to get past the 5 year mark without another infusion by really continuing on the path of positive lifestyle medicine, but I’ve learnt to take the approach of what will be will be and crossing that bridge if I come to it. The world of politics is up in the air and people have approached me about the NHS and a thousand “What if’s…”. Learning to accept that not everything is in our control isn’t an on/off switch but taking steps that can help me are a good way forward. I’ve got a handle on my vitamin D finally and my white blood cells are on the up. I do yoga regularly and exercise almost daily. I grate bloomin’ turmeric into my porridge for God’s sake and make sure my olive oil is green and packed with polyphenols and forest bathe. I mean come on, I’m doing all I can and it has been interesting at times to say the least.

I think there are very few hard and fast rules to living well with MS, but I think lifestyle changes are the easiest and best way to keep yourself at your peak, whatever that may look like for you. A few things that I think have helped me are listed below. I am NOT a doctor and these recommendations are based on books, researchers, doctors and podcasts I have listened to, which I will list at the end:

• Coffee, early in the day and I mean early. I try my best not to have more than 2 mugs a day and prefer to stick to the one. Incredibly antioxidant and people in the Blue Zones live longer for drinking it.
• Turmeric, fresh if you can. Anti-inflammatory, grated into porridge with cinnamon, raisins, seeds and honey. Stir into any milk with fresh ginger (Ginger is literally my paracetamol - antibacterial joyous wonder), cinnamon again and a tiny bit of black pepper over heat. Or just chuck turmeric into some rice, stir fry or a curry
• Vitamin D suspended in olive oil. An absolute babe told me about this one. Your body absorbs it better in oil and you can sprinkle it on your salad. Get it on Amazon or a health store. Makes your immune system magic, my vitamin D levels went up so much more quickly with this than when I was gulping 5 daily tablets.
• Blue-blocking glasses. These block out blue light as we get on with the last part of our day. This increases melatonin release, helping us to get off to the deeper levels of sleep giving us that repair we need to basically keep us alive for longer in a healthier state.
• Moments of silence. Leave the phone at home, leave it in another room past 6pm, and abandon it for a walk in your local park. It gives your brain time to do some crucial daydreaming and magic firing that makes you more creative, problem-solve better and just chill out from constant stimuli which we are all exposed to.

To be honest I could go on and these aren’t just tips for people with MS. This is info I have taken from a bunch of sources just to make our lives better. Try something, one thing to make you healthier and happier. This was a lot longer than I intended and I hope some takes something away from it somewhere. Enjoy, any questions, drop me an email/message. If you know me, DM me, text me, whatever. Would love to talk to anyone about any of these things and get and feedback that is helpful.

Also, eat pickles. Great for your gut = great for your mood!

Ciao!

Resources (in no particular order):

• “The Stress Solution” and “The Five Pillar Plan” by Dr Rangan Chaterchee. A gem showed me his podcast “Feel Better, Live More” and it literally changed my life. Great lifestyle tips and loads of great conversations with professionals from different backgrounds.
• The Doctor’s Kitchen Podcast with Dr Rupy Aujla. Again, a great way to understand how food interacts with our bodies and minds. He chats to so many people in different fields to get the best insights and he has loads of free recipes to improve your wellbeing at https://thedoctorskitchen.com
• “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker. A great book on the science of sleep, how it can health and revive you and you don’t even need to be a scientist to get it.
• “Self-Compassion” by Kristen Neff. A good intro into being a little kinder to yourself and the impact this has on stress and your general health and well-being.
• This website and newsletter are great (https://www.bluezones.com). Dan Buettner’s great research having started off trying to travel the world to understand how live a longer, better life. Great tips for longevity not just in diet but all aspects of lifestyle.

This list is not extensive by any means, but more an insight into the kinds of things that have helped me and others might find useful. Check them out and happy reading/listening!