Fair Warning
It's one thing to know that you have a chronic illness, and then there is another thing to know that you have not managed your illness and it could inevitably end your life. This is what happened to me. I was at my long standing neurologist and he informed me quite seriously that my body could not take another six years of numerous relapses that I have been having over the course of six years. He looked at me and told me that at the rate I was going I would not see my 50th birthday! This is and was a very sobering thought, but one that I knew in the back of my mind all the time. I knew that my body, and my will would not make it very long with my illness and I really hadn't tried to get a real grip of this disease, this multiple sclerosis. Well, looking at my children, their young age, I want to be with them for more than just seven more years. So...the hunt began as to how to tame this beast, this multiple sclerosis.
I started trolling twitter for anything and anyone connected with MS. I had been thinking about drastically changing my diet and going on the Swank Diet which is the only diet that I knew of for reducing the relapses of MS. Well, on twitter, I found a wonderful website,www.overcomingmultiplesclerosis.org. The things that I read on this website I knew, but wasn't doing. I got in touch via twitter the man behind the website and the book, Professor George Jelinek. This just might be a God send. This time I am actually not only reading, but implementing things to better my health and to be here for my 50th birthday. The good professor told me that it is all about the right supplements, the correct amount of rest, the correct exercises and the correct diet.
Years ago when I probably had MS and didn't know it, I had a very strict diet and very strict exercise regime. So, Professor Jelinek's diet and regime feels like a old comfortable companion who has missed me over the years. This is my first week on my new regime. Though I am still weakened from my last relapse I try to get as close to 10,000 steps that I can, some days I manage only 5,000, but I am still recovering and giving myself a break. When my I totally regain my strength I will start my more physical exercise regime, which will include cardio and yoga with my daughter. Also, what I have never done and starting to learn is to meditate. I did not realize how important it is to meditate, still your mind and your soul. This is imperative in healing and staying healthy. And I am back to watching my saturated fats, which is not good for anyone, but especially a person with MS. So, my saturated fats are 25 grams or less, no dairy, no processed meats or foods, good clean living and eating. The whole process is to become vegan, and, well...I am going to have to work on that one. I have given up red meat, and pork, I am slowly weaning out chicken and the last thing to be weaned out is fish. But, I have increased my fresh fruits and fresh vegetables and watching my saturated fat. To be honest, I do feel better, so this is enough for me to keep going and the fact that I HAVE to gain control over this disease.
So, a change of diet and lifestyle is nothing compared to being able to live and be here happy and healthy for my family. So, I am looking forward to eating healthy, living healthy and...being here to celebrate my 50th birthday and then some.
