It’s tough right now living through a pandemic. I assume I’ll live through it, but many will not. I appreciate hearing from people who are having a hard time, because I’m glad they’re expressing themselves. I think the silent ones are sometimes the ones to worry about most.
When I think of everything I need to figure out, solve and do, it’s overwhelming: work while adapting to a state of emergency, isolate physically, help others in need, maintain Continue reading
Well here we are forced to be hermits with this virus going around. While embracing our inner hermit is just part of some MSers lives already, it is different when your inner hermit is forced to be a hermit. Having a choice to be a hermit is now not our choice.
In light of this, connections and support are essential. Sanity is imperative. Online or phone connections are all the rage. Face-to-face is Continue reading
This March, MSAA hosted a number of online activities with a focus on wellness through The Mind, Body, and MS Connection campaign. Each online activity highlighted emotional, mental, or physical health concerns of the MS community.
This is a significantly stressful and anxious time for everyone, and that can make it difficult to focus on wellness. As MS Awareness Month comes to a close, Continue reading
Wee-Ha! Phew, it has been cray–zee celebrating MS Awareness Month! Wait, what? You want MY recipe for mind/body wellness? Oh, I don’t know, we are all so very different. What works for ME might not work for YOU.
It’s like a recipe for chocolate chip cookies—everyone makes them a tad bit differently. Well, sure. If you are okay with it, here is my personal recipe for mind/body Continue reading
The knee bone is connected to the thigh bone; the thigh bone is connected to the hip bone, and it is all connected to the brain bone. Ok, so the brain is not a bone, but that line sounds better poetically. The mind-body connection is often ignored and overlooked, especially if there is nothing wrong. When something does go wrong, many people bury it deep in their psyche, like a squirrel that hides his nuts for the winter. This disguise over Continue reading
The concept of wellness can encompass many different pieces. However, when we hear this term the first thought that usually comes to mind is physical wellness. Maintaining a strong, healthy physique is a goal for many. So how can we improve our physical wellness? That is the million-dollar question that everybody wants to know—I know I do!
Physical wellness encourages us to care for our bodies through physical activity, proper nutrition, and positive thinking. It doesn’t have to be about Continue reading
Exercise is medicine. As a physical therapist, I believe that, and I teach my patients the benefits and opportunities that exercise can grant them daily. As a person with MS, I am grateful that I am able to exercise unencumbered by symptoms at this time. I know that someday, that might change, but for now, I’ll enjoy every minute of it.
I started rock climbing the year I was diagnosed with MS, which was also the hardest year of my life in school. Climbing was Continue reading
With the current coronavirus spreading, wellness is at the forefront of the news. I live in Washington state where the first confirmed cases and deaths from COVID-19 (the coronavirus) in the United States occurred. My neurologist’s office is in Kirkland, the epicenter of the US outbreak. We have a confirmed case in my community, and others are pending test results.
I’m writing this on March 8, 2020, and news updates are frequent. By the time I hit publish on this post, Continue reading
A common misconception with MS is that the disease affects the body mostly in just the physical sense. This can be true for many diagnosed. However, one’s mental health may be impacted as a result of MS too. MS and its unpredictable nature can create a roller coaster of emotions, changes, and ups and downs for those affected. That kind of ride can impact all parts of one’s mind and body. Understandably so.
It’s not always easy to recognize or bring attention to Continue reading
Emotional health plays such an important role in your wellness journey. The mind and body are connected which means that your emotional wellness can have a direct effect on your physical well-being. Individuals looking from the outside in are unable to see certain MS symptoms that can influence your emotional health. However, depression and anxiety are very real emotional symptoms that often accompany MS. Unfortunately, because others cannot physically see depression and anxiety, these Continue reading