sandmen

[sandym42]

Firstly, I am 42 and I have just been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which was a major blow in itself, but it has also made me change some of my plans I have had for my life and happyness. Basically I got pregnant late at 37 at just 5'3" I went up to 170 pounds, so after I had my daughter I started seriously working hard to maintain an above average fitness and health plan. I was able to achieve 107 pounds and I have been given compliments that I looked more like 29  than 42 years old because of healthy body and skin. My dad who I really look up to was always healthy and fit and since he took really good care of himself he is now in his late 60's and is very young looking and smart for his age. I was really on track to being healthy by cutting out butter, eliminating bad oils,avoiding fats and sugers, eating lean protien and fish, having steamed vegatables and low calory fruits and doing moderate excercise. Now I have been told about all the affects of MS. My question is that even though I have been so vigilant in trying to stay young and healthy in order to live a longer life, is this now all futile because of this destructive disease . I started wondering about this when I saw a special on Discovery Health Channel with Dr. Oz and he explains how not taking care of yourself alone can age you faster. He created a plan to counteract the fast aging process in some heavy and stressed out volenteers and reversed their aging progression with healthy food and excercise. In my case, I can not excercise any harder without really hurting myself and I can't eliminate any more calories without starving myself, so with this disease how can I possibly still keep myself  healthy in the brain and in my body especially with all of the medicine I also started taking as therapy for my MS. Do I have to through in the towel because no matter what I do I can't change this disease's faster aging progression course. I also wen't to a couple seminars and I have seen the result of years of this disease on the body. I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice or possibly some answers about this. Thanks.      

[jenny2008]

hi, sandy

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, unpredictable neurological disease that affects the central nervous system. (brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord). It is thought to be an autoimmune disorder (immune system incorrectly attacks the person's healthy tissue)

Women are more susceptible to get MS.

MS is not contagious and is not directly inherited.

Most people with MS have a normal or near-normal life expectancy.

The majority of people with MS do not become severely disabled.

There are now FDA-approved medications that have been shown to "modify" or slow down the underlying course of MS. In addition, many therapeutic and technological advances are helping people manage symptoms.

The prognosis (the expected future course of the disease) for a person with multiple sclerosis depends on the subtype of the disease; the individual's sex, race, age, and initial symptoms; and the degree of disability the person experiences. The life expectancy of people with MS is now nearly the same as that of unaffected people. This is due mainly to improved methods of limiting disability, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, along with more successful treatment of common complications of disability. Synthetic interferon is also used to slow disabling factors and reduce relapses. Corticosteroids or ACTH, a hormone that stimulates the body to produce its own corticosteroids, can shorten the duration of attacks and reduce inflammation. Non-drug treatments such as exercise and physical therapy may be beneficial in maintaining coordination and strengthening muscles, while speech therapy can help with difficulties swallowing and speaking.

MS patients commonly seek out alternative therapies that aim to reduce inflammation and are based on changes in the diet and lifestyle.

So Pl don't stress . Try Yoga to reduce stress.