Diet and exercise

I have not gone to the gym since the numbness began two weeks ago, assuming my dx is MS, how does exercise affect MS? Also, can anyone give me advice dietary do’s and don’ts.- Thanks

[Wobbly]

Hi there... I see your not yet Dx... how far along have you gotten toward any answers?  excercise as far as I know is helpful with MS as long as you don't get too warm or hot... take breaks and drink water. stay cool... seeing a physio therapist is what alot of people do.

not sure about diets...I should be on one, but I just try to eat healthy, and that's not always easy... take multi vitamins and Vit D.. iron..folic acid..stuff like that.

take care
wobbly
dx

[essdipity]

Hi, Ruby.

Exercise is good for MSers, in moderation, of course. Your body will tell you when you've had enough, and you will have to adjust as you go along, but just do that and you should be fine. If you hit problems that you can't manage, that's the time for intervention by a doctor or physical therapist. Exercise is most important if spasticity is part of your MS, to keep tight muscles from taking over.

As to diet, there are various theories about this, none with good medical verification. So a healthy, balanced diet is always right. Extra vitamin D with calcium is highly recommended. Avoid supplements that claim to boost your immune system. It doesn't need boosting (if these things really do that. Boost is not a medical term.).

I look forward to seeing more of you on the forum. Take care.

ess

[HVAC]

Exercise as you can. Each one of us is different. I can walk more than many can. It is harder but I can still walk an hour. Stretching is key always it helps with pain.

A balanced diet is key. I myself slowly cut out all processed foods. I eat a great variety of fruits and vegetable all day. I eat nuts and whole grains. I drink mostly water. I changed little by little. I no longer like the taste of things I used to. I eat organic meat. My local market marks down meat and fruit and vegetables first thing in the morning so I shop early and save.

Extra weight is hard for mobility. I concentrate on waist size. When they first suspected MS in 2007 I had a 39 inch waist now it is a 34. I hope to get down to 32 and then 30.

Alex

[Rubyrocket]

Thank you, I’ll feel more confident going to the gym now. I need to do something; I’m going to go crazy. I’m not sure if I’m having symptoms or if I’m just having a lot of anxiety. I have some discomfort in my mid back and abdomen that makes it really  hard to sit still; I couldn’t even finish a movie last night or sit through church today without feeling like I’m going to crawl out of my skin if I don’t get up and move around. I’m hoping that exercise will do the trick.
Wobbly, as far as a DX I’m waiting on a referral from my insurance. About 10 years ago, I had numbness on my right side. It was suggestive of MS so I had an MRI that showed nothing was wrong, the symptoms eventually subsided, and no further testing was ever done. Fast forward to now, I have the same numbness head to toe on my right side (except my arm is unaffected), as well as burning in my leg and an icy feeling in my foot.  My doctor, on my initial visit for these symptoms, believes my DX will be MS, and from everything I’ve read I have a pretty strong feeling this is indeed MS.

Thanks,
RR

[Lulu54]

Hi RR,
Exercise is a good thing and your body will tell youI if you are doing too much.
An excellent way to work out is in the water - if you have access to a swimming pool  take the plunge.

Water keeps the stress off our joints but allows us a full workout.  The water also keeps our body temperature cool with exercise.


Good luck with finding answers to your problems.  I hope it isn't MS, but its not the end of everything if it is.  

keep moving,
Lulu

[dragon_flies]

I'm also not diagnosed. I had a lot of trouble exercising because of terrible fatigue earlier this year. I ended up doing an exercise program called "strong women stay young" which is technically meant for older women who want to regain their youth. A bit odd, given that I'm only 21, but I did feel like an old lady at the time. I'd already tried tonnes of other ways to get back in shape, but this one (gradual weight lifting) was the one that finally seemed to work. Now I'm trying to add a bit of cardio sorts of stuff-  it seems that as soon as I get my heart rate up, the symptoms seem to kick in. At least the weights don't seem to bother me.

I just keep as healthy a diet as I can. I could never go on a fad diet - I like my food too much. Fortunately I like fruit, and eat tonnes of it, which is supposed to be good for me :)