Fats can be good. Omega 3s are getting lots of press for heart health, joint health, and general beauty and health. Good fats, like Omega 3s (aka EFAs), also help promote healthy brain and eye function.
Omega 3s help your body create the "veto" enzymes that turn off excess inflammatory response from your immune system, which is one way they help joint health, as well as any kind of inflammation in the body.
Neurotransmitters in the brain send their messages along fat cells in the brain and MS people need all the healthy fat cells we can get, along with that cool anti-inflammatory response effect.
Best brands are Nordic Naturals, Carlson Labs, Natural Factors, Spectrum, and/or Nature's Way. These brands use clean sources AND use pharmaceutical grade distillation to remove mercury and dangerous contaminants so don't settle for crappy drugstore brands. Many of the brands I name above are available with lemon or fruit flavor added to the pill.
If you are a vegetarian, I would recommend fish oil. Omega 3s from flax oil and vegetarian sources have to be converted in your body, whereas the Omega 3s in fish oil have already been converted by the fish when they eat algae. The difference comes down to: 2 or 3 pills of fish oil is equal to 13-18 pills of flax oil!
If you still must have veg, take flax or hemp oil (Barlean's, Manitoba, Spectrum, or Living Harvest) and vegetarian DHA from Algae like from Nature's Way (aka Neuromins), New Chapter, or Solgar. It won't be equivalent but it'll be the best you can do.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Supplements with Benefits
After reading my last post, you might be thinking there aren't any supplements that an MS person can take since we need to avoid immune boosters, but there are plenty of supplements that may help your body's fight against MS without interfering with the work of your prescription injections.
Suggestions given here are NOT to be substituted for the advice of a knowledgeable, and qualified health practitioner. If you know of any reason why these supplements would not be good for you, err on the side of caution. Having said all this, I also advise that you use common sense with the use of any dietary supplement and discontinue use if you have negative reactions. I purposely choose widely-used supplements that have the most comprehensive tonic benefits with little to no known toxicity or risk, but every human is unique in their chemistry.
Since inflammation is linked to MS, and is thought to be the first stage of many diseases (cellular inflammation), from arthritis to kidney disease, I look for food-sourced supplements that benefit the body by keeping the inflammatory response in check. One of my favorites is Bromelain, an enzyme from pineapple that breaks down the proteins that cause inflammation when it is taken on an empty stomach (if you take Bromelain with meals it will be used to digest proteins in your stomach-which is good for you too).
Another favorite is Turmeric, and its main constituent curcumin, which are known for giving curry a distinct color and flavor. Turmeric is known in the natural health world as a cellular healer and protector. It is a truly superb herb.
Never forget Ginger, in all its glory, which is so beneficial for numerous common bugs and annoyances, like motion sickness, digestive discomfort, sinus congestion, and achy joints. Ginger is also a revered herb due to its ability to assist the body's natural inflammatory control mechanism. Lastly, Ginger has a synergistic benefit, since it helps make other herbs work faster and more efficiently in the body. My final thumbs up goes to Ginger because it so cheap and easy to find at your local commercial grocery store, and in many many forms at your local health food stores.
If you suffer from sinus troubles and/or allergies you may have heard of Quercetin, which is my third top choice for balancing inflammatory response. Quercetin can be extracted from the white pith of citrus fruits, or from eucalyptus (do not consume the essential oil). It is a bioflavanoid that exists alongside vitamin C in nature, and compliments vitamin C in absorption in the body. Source Naturals makes a supplement called Activated Quercetin that is a combo of quercetin, vitamin C, and bromelain, which is great. Quercetin may also benefit bruising, vein issues and even skin inflammation in some people. All the while, it is supporting the body's natural healing processes.
Next... more on Good Supplements... and recommendations on brands.
**Remember to check with a knowledgeable physician about your choices, and do not substitute supportive tonic herbs for the advice your physician gives you, use them as a tonic addendum to your regular prescribed treatments.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Supplements to Avoid for MS
Since I work as a retail supplement specilaist, I get a lot of questions about what supplements are the best for specific conditions. Since I've been diagnosed with MS, I've received lots of advice from well-meaning but misinformed or naive sources about what I should do to benefit the disease.
"Since your immune system is weakened, you should take immune boosters," or "My friend has MS and started Tai Chi and was able to reduce his medication," and so forth, are the kind of responses I've been getting. It occurs to me that I happen to be blessed with a better understanding of the disease than most and perhaps I can share it with others to help arm them against misinformation.
There are dietary supplements that can help support your body's fight against MS and may even help prevent the onset of the disease or exacerbations of the disease. It is really important to note that none of these regimens can replace or substitute for the medications that we know will likely reduce the exacerbations, such as interferons, or the drugs that slow an existing exacerbation, like steroids.
I'm going to start with supplements that I think might work against the body's fight against MS. These supplements should be avoided unless they've been recommended by a MS-knowledgeable physician who is aware of your medical history:
immune boosters of any sort
IP6, cellforte
echinacea
cat's claw, saventaro*
oregon grape root
mushrooms like shiitake, maitake, lion's mane**, reishi
oregano oil
goldenseal root & herb
MGN-3
Pau d'arco
*Saventaro-TM is the only form of Cat's claw that I ever recommend to customers, since it is a PA-Free form of the herb. Please note that Saventaro is an extremely effective tool in the fight against Lyme disease, but might work contrary to the fight against MS so I would avoid it unless you can get specific scientific substantiation of the benefit. If you are not sure yet if you might have Lyme disease, it may be worth a try. (I took Saventaro heavily in the weeks I was waiting for clinical determination of MS vs Lyme, and I do not believe in my case that it worsened my condition at all).
**This mushroom has been studied for helping the body repair damaged neurons in the brain associated with Alzheimer's. This could be interesting for MS people, but because mushrooms might strengthen the immune system's activity, I think we should avoid all mushrooms until the benefit vs. risk ratio can be adequately determined. I will update if more study info becomes available. (I also took this mushroom heavily during my wait for clinical diagnosis and I do not believe it worsened my condition at that time.)
In general, herbs and supplements that are formulated to increase immune activity should be avoided. Please note, the FDA laws governed by the DSHEA laws of 1994 actually limit the claims a supplement company can make on the labels of their product to avoid false claims to the public, and as a bizarre twist of fate, this means the consumer who is trying to avoid certain activity in their supplements may have a hard time determining what will supply that unwanted activity. In other words, supplements won't say "immune booster" on the label, but will say "immune-balancing", or "supports a healthy immune system," or "immune modulator", even though they contain actual immune-boosting ingredients. Please be aware!
Next: herbs and supplements that may help benefit your body's fight against MS, and supplements that can be used for specific conditions unrelated to MS that won't interfere with your body's fight against MS (like cold & flu, cough, yeast issues, etc).
"Since your immune system is weakened, you should take immune boosters," or "My friend has MS and started Tai Chi and was able to reduce his medication," and so forth, are the kind of responses I've been getting. It occurs to me that I happen to be blessed with a better understanding of the disease than most and perhaps I can share it with others to help arm them against misinformation.
There are dietary supplements that can help support your body's fight against MS and may even help prevent the onset of the disease or exacerbations of the disease. It is really important to note that none of these regimens can replace or substitute for the medications that we know will likely reduce the exacerbations, such as interferons, or the drugs that slow an existing exacerbation, like steroids.
I'm going to start with supplements that I think might work against the body's fight against MS. These supplements should be avoided unless they've been recommended by a MS-knowledgeable physician who is aware of your medical history:
immune boosters of any sort
IP6, cellforte
echinacea
cat's claw, saventaro*
oregon grape root
mushrooms like shiitake, maitake, lion's mane**, reishi
oregano oil
goldenseal root & herb
MGN-3
Pau d'arco
*Saventaro-TM is the only form of Cat's claw that I ever recommend to customers, since it is a PA-Free form of the herb. Please note that Saventaro is an extremely effective tool in the fight against Lyme disease, but might work contrary to the fight against MS so I would avoid it unless you can get specific scientific substantiation of the benefit. If you are not sure yet if you might have Lyme disease, it may be worth a try. (I took Saventaro heavily in the weeks I was waiting for clinical determination of MS vs Lyme, and I do not believe in my case that it worsened my condition at all).
**This mushroom has been studied for helping the body repair damaged neurons in the brain associated with Alzheimer's. This could be interesting for MS people, but because mushrooms might strengthen the immune system's activity, I think we should avoid all mushrooms until the benefit vs. risk ratio can be adequately determined. I will update if more study info becomes available. (I also took this mushroom heavily during my wait for clinical diagnosis and I do not believe it worsened my condition at that time.)
In general, herbs and supplements that are formulated to increase immune activity should be avoided. Please note, the FDA laws governed by the DSHEA laws of 1994 actually limit the claims a supplement company can make on the labels of their product to avoid false claims to the public, and as a bizarre twist of fate, this means the consumer who is trying to avoid certain activity in their supplements may have a hard time determining what will supply that unwanted activity. In other words, supplements won't say "immune booster" on the label, but will say "immune-balancing", or "supports a healthy immune system," or "immune modulator", even though they contain actual immune-boosting ingredients. Please be aware!
Next: herbs and supplements that may help benefit your body's fight against MS, and supplements that can be used for specific conditions unrelated to MS that won't interfere with your body's fight against MS (like cold & flu, cough, yeast issues, etc).
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Summer in the City
So, the heat has waved up and down the east coast and has put our air-conditioning to work here in DC. Actually, I noticed that the sun seemed to be splitting through my skull and cooking my brain as I walked just to the car and back.
I mentioned how hot it was to a coworker and learned that were actually in the middle of a full-blown heat wave. Prior to that revelation, I was honestly thinking I was going to have to move away, to somewhere much cooler.
Days later, my neurologist mentioned that I should stay out of the heat and that it seemed to aggravate the symptoms of MS. I kind of wished he'd mentioned it before the week-long stretch of 100+degree weather, but I made note nonetheless.
I find myself trying to take great advantage of any moderate to mild weather so that I can stay active and have fun, yet still avoid the searing heat of the worst days so far.
This week I was at a funeral in Long Island and found that despite fairly neutral temperatures, I was greatly appreciative of the light breezes that happened by.
Maybe I could start wearing big, broad hats like ladies at the Kentucky Derby. It might be only the second good excuse for such fashion!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Out & About with MS
When I was diagnosed with MS a few weeks ago it was not my first brush with the disease. I happen to be in a line of work where I have customers who have MS and disclose it me as I help them shop for healthy foods and supplements.
Over the years, people have disclosed it to me and I would've never otherwise known they had any disease. Other times, it was painfully clear the customer was suffering from some type of difficulty. In order to better serve my customers, I have researched bits and pieces about MS so I would know what types of products would be in line with their needs and which ones would be detrimental. Since the attacks can affect any part of the brain, eyes, or spine, the symptoms are extremely varied and hard to imagine.
Only now, since my diagnosis, can I really understand the sometimes odd-looking expressions and body language of my MS customers, like spasticity in the limbs. During an attack, or after a severe episode, many of them would exhibit less eye contact, focus, and motor coordination. It was hard to understand the changes they would go through. I especially never knew exactly how to interact with them since just last week they were walking and talking pretty normally. I didn't want to overreact or condescend, but it was clear that sometimes they needed help with simple things, like putting a vitamin bottle back on the shelf.
I try to imagine now if I were going through an episode. Immediately, I feel great admiration for them for going out and shopping. I think of how nice it must have been for them to come back and see the same friendly person that helped them many times before, which makes me want to try harder to be patient and spend time with them even though I'm usually super-busy at work.
One day I will most likely find myself in the same state and I think of how much I will depend on someone else to help me shop, read labels, compare prices, and pay for my loot. I will need to extend great trust in a very vulnerable state, to complete strangers.
If you run into a disabled person in public who seems to be struggling with something, even if that person cannot make eye contact or does not directly respond to your offer, I think it is a good idea to help them out. Even the most independent and capable of able-bodied people need help sometimes and do not know how to ask for it, or do not know exactly how to accept it, but appreciate it nonetheless. It could make their day.
Over the years, people have disclosed it to me and I would've never otherwise known they had any disease. Other times, it was painfully clear the customer was suffering from some type of difficulty. In order to better serve my customers, I have researched bits and pieces about MS so I would know what types of products would be in line with their needs and which ones would be detrimental. Since the attacks can affect any part of the brain, eyes, or spine, the symptoms are extremely varied and hard to imagine.
Only now, since my diagnosis, can I really understand the sometimes odd-looking expressions and body language of my MS customers, like spasticity in the limbs. During an attack, or after a severe episode, many of them would exhibit less eye contact, focus, and motor coordination. It was hard to understand the changes they would go through. I especially never knew exactly how to interact with them since just last week they were walking and talking pretty normally. I didn't want to overreact or condescend, but it was clear that sometimes they needed help with simple things, like putting a vitamin bottle back on the shelf.
I try to imagine now if I were going through an episode. Immediately, I feel great admiration for them for going out and shopping. I think of how nice it must have been for them to come back and see the same friendly person that helped them many times before, which makes me want to try harder to be patient and spend time with them even though I'm usually super-busy at work.
One day I will most likely find myself in the same state and I think of how much I will depend on someone else to help me shop, read labels, compare prices, and pay for my loot. I will need to extend great trust in a very vulnerable state, to complete strangers.
If you run into a disabled person in public who seems to be struggling with something, even if that person cannot make eye contact or does not directly respond to your offer, I think it is a good idea to help them out. Even the most independent and capable of able-bodied people need help sometimes and do not know how to ask for it, or do not know exactly how to accept it, but appreciate it nonetheless. It could make their day.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
The New Normal
Every morning you probably have a few seconds when you are just barely conscious and you start to pull yourself into wakefulness. It is in those first few seconds everyday that my 31-year old mind has begun a new habit - I take inventory. Is everyone on-board today?
Legs, arms, ears, nose? Yep. Feet, toes, fingers, eyes? Yep. Everybody's on-board this morning, which bums me out just a little as I realize I have to go to work after all.
Legs, arms, ears, nose? Yep. Feet, toes, fingers, eyes? Yep. Everybody's on-board this morning, which bums me out just a little as I realize I have to go to work after all.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Cherry Blossom Festival
I had my first attack during the Cherry Blossom Festival here in Washington, DC. It was still pretty cool outside and the breezes picked up the light scent of cherry blossoms. My boyfriend and I decided to go downtown and walk around the Tidal Basin for a bit. At the time, the left side of my body was only partially under my control. I'd lost taste in the left side of my mouth.
My left arm and leg were fascinating to me at the time because they were like disobedient pets: if I wanted to walk forward, those two limbs would only partially pay attention and I'd have to put extra effort into steering them correctly. If I approached stairs, my left leg would shoot up in the air, suddenly attacking the steps as I went up, which certainly surprised the public. If I went to put a glass down on the counter and turned away, my left hand would "forget" to let go of the glass and instead swipe it off the counter.
I know it sounds kind of alarming but at times it was humorous. I would turn back to my hand and say in my head, "What is your problem? Do I have to do everything for you?," which made me chuckle.
This silent confrontation rarely resulted in any improvement. Later I would turn to my leg and say "Grow up! Stop overreacting, you baby," when it would charge up the stairs.
Needless to say, the trip downtown was interesting because there were tens of thousands of tourists and crowds everywhere. I managed to navigate just fine and didn't fall off any walkways into the tidal basin. I even reached up to smell the blossoms clinging above our heads. I noticed I had already developed a fear of accidentally kicking someone walking near me, but I did not.
It was a beautiful night, despite the unruly pets.
My left arm and leg were fascinating to me at the time because they were like disobedient pets: if I wanted to walk forward, those two limbs would only partially pay attention and I'd have to put extra effort into steering them correctly. If I approached stairs, my left leg would shoot up in the air, suddenly attacking the steps as I went up, which certainly surprised the public. If I went to put a glass down on the counter and turned away, my left hand would "forget" to let go of the glass and instead swipe it off the counter.
I know it sounds kind of alarming but at times it was humorous. I would turn back to my hand and say in my head, "What is your problem? Do I have to do everything for you?," which made me chuckle.
This silent confrontation rarely resulted in any improvement. Later I would turn to my leg and say "Grow up! Stop overreacting, you baby," when it would charge up the stairs.
Needless to say, the trip downtown was interesting because there were tens of thousands of tourists and crowds everywhere. I managed to navigate just fine and didn't fall off any walkways into the tidal basin. I even reached up to smell the blossoms clinging above our heads. I noticed I had already developed a fear of accidentally kicking someone walking near me, but I did not.
It was a beautiful night, despite the unruly pets.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Let Me Introduce You...
If you do not know what MS is, let me give you an introduction: You, meet Multiple Sclerosis. I don't know if you'll get along but you probably won't need to unless you've been diagnosed as well as introduced.
MS is a mystery disease. If you go to 100 different websites, including Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown University and so on, you'll see all kinds of different theories and assertions about the disease.
This is what can be basically agreed-upon: we're pretty sure its an auto-immune disease, meaning the body does not know how to turn off the militant immune system, and it ends up attacking its own tissues. In the case of MS, the brain, spine, and eyes are under attack. More specifically, the myelin (or protective "jacket" around the nerves) in the brain, spine, and eyes are under attack.
Both men & women get it, but more women than men, and it is normally noticed between the ages of 22 - 35 when the symptoms become more obvious. It is supposedly more prevalent in areas further away from the equator, although I haven't researched that assertion.
Neurologists are the doctors that diagnose and treat MS. They do this, in my experience, by setting you up in numerous scary and painful tests like blood tests, spinal tap (aka lumbar puncture), MRIs, MRAs, and whatever weird medical bizarreness they're into this year. Then they try and find anything else that it can be - a brain tumor, Lyme's disease, lupus, cancer, avian flu, West Nile virus, and so on. This process is totally alarming, as these terms roll right off the tongues of the neurologists and then they send you home each week wondering what horrible future you might be facing. It takes between 5 days to a couple weeks for most of the results to come back, so don't plan on sleeping or eating because you'll be freaking out the whole time!
By the end of those couple weeks, you've googled a few things and decided MS is not really the bottom of the barrel in that group and so you better hope for that! That attitude will come and go as you settle in to this, I concentrated on being happy that no one had to cut through my skull for this disease, since that seemed like a perk at the time. It still does actually. I also appreciated that I didn't have to be sterilized and quarantined in a secret army base somewhere for this particular diagnosis.
Here is the most important news about MS - most MS people have relapsing/remitting MS and even though you may have to deal with relapses for the rest of your life, you will also most likely have remittances for the rest of your life. That means it will come and go. Concentrate on the "and go" part, its more important.
Other good news: even a couple decades ago MS people had little-to-no options for treatments and were completely at the mercy of the disease. Today, a handful of drugs exist that nearly stop the progression of the disease in its tracks and allow MS people to go on with fewer, less serious relapses, and so life does not have to stop as you know it. It needs to bend, yes, but not stop.
You can still have children (with the advice of your doctor), and MS people can adopt children too.
If you know an MS person, you can expect them to have good weeks and bad weeks. They may have a "bad arm" or leg for a few weeks, and then be back to normal for a few months. They may have to go to bed earlier than you, they may have to eat better than you, and they may have to inject medication with a tiny machine every couple of days, but they are still themselves. Give them time to deal with the disease and they'll be back to normal before too long.
Keep visiting my blog to find out more about how to be a friend to an MS person, how to deal with the diagnosis if you are an MS person (I'm not saying I have the right way, but I'll share my way), and just what its like to have your world turned upside down by a neurological event like this.
If you are an MS person, or friend of an MS person, please comment to me. I'd love to hear from you. I'm new to MS and I don't know anyone else who has it yet. Peace.
MS is a mystery disease. If you go to 100 different websites, including Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown University and so on, you'll see all kinds of different theories and assertions about the disease.
This is what can be basically agreed-upon: we're pretty sure its an auto-immune disease, meaning the body does not know how to turn off the militant immune system, and it ends up attacking its own tissues. In the case of MS, the brain, spine, and eyes are under attack. More specifically, the myelin (or protective "jacket" around the nerves) in the brain, spine, and eyes are under attack.
Both men & women get it, but more women than men, and it is normally noticed between the ages of 22 - 35 when the symptoms become more obvious. It is supposedly more prevalent in areas further away from the equator, although I haven't researched that assertion.
Neurologists are the doctors that diagnose and treat MS. They do this, in my experience, by setting you up in numerous scary and painful tests like blood tests, spinal tap (aka lumbar puncture), MRIs, MRAs, and whatever weird medical bizarreness they're into this year. Then they try and find anything else that it can be - a brain tumor, Lyme's disease, lupus, cancer, avian flu, West Nile virus, and so on. This process is totally alarming, as these terms roll right off the tongues of the neurologists and then they send you home each week wondering what horrible future you might be facing. It takes between 5 days to a couple weeks for most of the results to come back, so don't plan on sleeping or eating because you'll be freaking out the whole time!
By the end of those couple weeks, you've googled a few things and decided MS is not really the bottom of the barrel in that group and so you better hope for that! That attitude will come and go as you settle in to this, I concentrated on being happy that no one had to cut through my skull for this disease, since that seemed like a perk at the time. It still does actually. I also appreciated that I didn't have to be sterilized and quarantined in a secret army base somewhere for this particular diagnosis.
Here is the most important news about MS - most MS people have relapsing/remitting MS and even though you may have to deal with relapses for the rest of your life, you will also most likely have remittances for the rest of your life. That means it will come and go. Concentrate on the "and go" part, its more important.
Other good news: even a couple decades ago MS people had little-to-no options for treatments and were completely at the mercy of the disease. Today, a handful of drugs exist that nearly stop the progression of the disease in its tracks and allow MS people to go on with fewer, less serious relapses, and so life does not have to stop as you know it. It needs to bend, yes, but not stop.
You can still have children (with the advice of your doctor), and MS people can adopt children too.
If you know an MS person, you can expect them to have good weeks and bad weeks. They may have a "bad arm" or leg for a few weeks, and then be back to normal for a few months. They may have to go to bed earlier than you, they may have to eat better than you, and they may have to inject medication with a tiny machine every couple of days, but they are still themselves. Give them time to deal with the disease and they'll be back to normal before too long.
Keep visiting my blog to find out more about how to be a friend to an MS person, how to deal with the diagnosis if you are an MS person (I'm not saying I have the right way, but I'll share my way), and just what its like to have your world turned upside down by a neurological event like this.
If you are an MS person, or friend of an MS person, please comment to me. I'd love to hear from you. I'm new to MS and I don't know anyone else who has it yet. Peace.
New to MS
Wow, what a terrifying month it has been! I woke up one day to find my life has changed forever, and I've had to learn myself in a whole new way. I can tell I've only just gotten started.
While researching MS and its treatments I've come across some other brave bloggers, who are documenting and sharing all the details of their experiences and I commend them & thank them. I am not that brave.
I've also come across questions posed on health forums from MS-diagnosed people and some of them have made my heart hurt because I know some of them are going through this with a lot less support and help than I am.
My blog is more or less to reach out and share some of my experiences with this "new normal" I am living. I hope to share some of the laughs, tears, and relief so that healthy people and MS people alike can kinda "get" it. Peace.
While researching MS and its treatments I've come across some other brave bloggers, who are documenting and sharing all the details of their experiences and I commend them & thank them. I am not that brave.
I've also come across questions posed on health forums from MS-diagnosed people and some of them have made my heart hurt because I know some of them are going through this with a lot less support and help than I am.
My blog is more or less to reach out and share some of my experiences with this "new normal" I am living. I hope to share some of the laughs, tears, and relief so that healthy people and MS people alike can kinda "get" it. Peace.
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