Can wake-up sunshine help with MS?

  

Pulling back the curtains or running up the window shades immediately upon awakening in the morning has become a popular natural elixir for lots of folks. It’s not exactly a new discovery, but lots of health experts are trumpeting the merits of catching a glimpse of sunlight right after waking up.

 Starting the day with a glimpse of natural light can be soothing and cheery at the time, but it also may provide some significant ongoing health benefits.

 

Sunlight (or UV lighting) isn’t just a treatment for seasonal affect disorder anymore.

 Experts agree that, although excessive exposure to sunlight may cause skin cancer, sunlight can aid in resetting the body’s circadian rhythms (internal clock), adding vitamin D, generating emotional well-being (by boosting serotonin and melatonin in the brain), improving vision, easing certain skin conditions (eczema, psoriasis, and vitiligo), treating jaundice, reducing blood pressure, and perhaps helping with weight management.

 Scientific American says it may help with cognitive fog, fatigue, inflammation, lethargy, and other symptoms common to MS. The National Library of Medicine offers support of the theory that sunlight (or light therapy) can reduce MS-related fatigue.

 A 2021 study published in Neurology magazine suggested that children and young people spending considerable time outdoor in summer months might be less likely to develop MS than those who did not.

 Some actually use ultraviolet light boxes to self-treat autoimmune diseases like arthritis, Crohn’s, colitis, diabetes, and more. Oh, and multiple sclerosis.

 

Step outside, if you can!

 Direct sunlight is a known source of vitamin D, which is healthy for everyone, but especially difficult to build up for many MSers. It seems we can’t get enough of it. A short jaunt outdoors (or perhaps a brief stop to read a chapter of a good book) can be just the ticket.

 

Sunshine before screen time

 There’s something to be said for taking a few moments to breathe deeply and enjoy a peek at the outdoors before picking up the phone, tablet, laptop, TV remote, or other screened device. Starting the day with a pause seems like a healthy thing to do – especially as a stress-buster. It’s a way of changing the channel before jumping into the plentiful concerns of the day.

 Personally, I love to open the blinds and let the sunshine in (or just natural light, if it’s a cloudy day) and then crawl back into bed for a few minutes. Sometimes I can spot birds, rabbits, or other delightful sights. It’s a great time to ponder the day to come and think through my plan of attack, so to speak. Even that is likely to start a new day in an intentional and deliberate way.

 Hey, it can’t hurt.

 

Related items:

• Bright lights, big pity
• Learning to plan down-days
• MS is like a carnival thrill ride without the thrill.
• MS style: Sporting shades in the shade ... or fog or rain
• What is it with MS and sleep apnea?
• What's a weather-related migraine?

Lost my glasses atop my head again!

  

Stop me, if you’ve heard this one. Heck, you may have done it too!

 Blame it on MS fog, if you want. Because vision issues are common among those with multiple sclerosis, we tend to wear eyeglasses regularly.

 How many times have I searched for my eyeglasses, only to find that I am wearing them on top of my head?  (True confessions: I’ve done this with sunglasses too. My kids tease me repeatedly about the time they caught me with a pair of sunglasses and a pair of eyeglasses riding on top of my hair.)

 

Is it really such a terrible idea to wear glasses on top of your head? Maybe.

 Hair products, natural oils and sweat can muck up your glasses. And it’s hard to move those eyeglasses around without leaving fingerprints on the lenses.

1. Eyeglasses can bend stretch and lose their proper fit by sitting atop your head. No one likes wearing wiggly spectacles!
2. After repeated wearings, eyeglass hinges loosen and break. (And how can you see what you’re doing with those tiny eyeglass repair kits, if your glasses are broken? That’s right. You need another pair of glasses to do it!)
3. Too-tight eyeglass frames can give you a headache, and MSers already have plenty of those.
4. Oops? Glasses tend to scratch and break when they fall off your head too many times.
5. Hats don’t fit, if they are put on over those glasses on your head.
6. Eyeglasses aren’t actually helpful, unless they are on your eyes.

 OK, we get it. But we do it anyway. We give our eyes a break and stick those glasses up on our heads, regardless of the consequences. Plus, a pair of eyeglasses can make a handy headband.

 Complicating matters further, many of us stash our glasses on our necklaces (or neckties), on the front opening of a shirt of sweater, or simply loose in a pocket. Those special specs can get crushed, smashed, or dropped. (Don’t even ask me what happens when the glasses are stashed in a back jeans pocket. It wasn’t pretty.)

 I’ve worn my glasses riding on top of my head, tucked in the neckline of a shirt, or dangling from a necklace more times than I can count. That’s why I sometimes look like I am dancing the Macarena while looking for them.

 Eyeglasses belong in their protective cases, whenever we aren’t wearing them to see. But what if we can’t remember where we put those cases?

 

It’s a quandary for sure.

 Good thing I stock up on those cheat cheater-readers. I’d sure hate to lose or damage pricey prescription eyeglasses!

 Now, if I could only find my car keys …

 

Related items:

• Bright lights, big pity
• MS and vision: How many types of glasses do I need?
• MS can do a triple whammy on vision
• MS style: Sporting shades in the shade ... or fog or rain
• Optic Neuritis: A Look at Sudden Blindness
• Side-to-side eye movement may help memory, but it makes me wanna hurl.

 

 

Image/s:  Adapted from public domain photo

 

Please visit my Amazon author page as well. You are invited to join the Kicking MS to the Curb page on Facebook.

Stop the skipping soundtrack to beat back the beast

 

Living with multiple sclerosis (or nearly any chronic medical condition) can feel a lot like listening to a skipping record.

 Vinyl records are making a comeback, but I sure hope someone has engineered a way to make songs stop skipping. If you’re been around awhile, you may recall the frustration of hearing a song stop mid-phrase and repeat the same measure or two, again and again, until somebody got up and moved the needle forward on the record.

 

Why did records skip?

 Usually, the culprit was dust or dirt on the surface of the vinyl record. Sometimes a scratch in the record’s groove caused it. At other times, the arm of the record player needed rebalancing, or the needle had to be replaced.

 Hmm. I think there are a few lessons to be found – at least, for me. Maybe for you too! Dust and dirt are clutter. Scratching is damage. Lack of balance is a challenge as well. Maybe these factors combine to make life with MS seem like a skipping record sometimes – when the same annoying symptoms crop up again and again and again.

 

How can we stop the skipping soundtrack to beat back the MS beast?

 Sure, we cannot eliminate an MS diagnosis and the struggles that go with it – until a cure is found. But we can equip ourselves to battle it as mightily as possible. Here are some statements of strength that I’ve found helpful. Perhaps they will inspire others, as we take on the MS MonSter in our own daily lives.

 

1. Acceptance is authoritative.

 This is critical, but it’s a tough step. Coming to terms with the reality of owning up to having an as-yet incurable chronic and potentially disabling medical condition is very hard. But accepting this truth helps us to step up to the proverbial plate and slug it out each day, even with MS throws its weirdest hard balls our way.

 There’s a reason people refer to MSers as warriors. Ask any of us, and you’ll hear some vivid stories.

 Consider the name of this website, Kicking MS to the Curb. There are days when MS kicks me – not just to the curb, but out into the middle of traffic. It happens. But with everything I have, I want to take authority over the dreaded MonSter, retaking ownership of my own life, right in the face of strange symptoms.

 

Stop me, if you’ve heard this:  I have MS, but MS doesn‘t have me.

 

2. Gratitude is empowering.

 This is true for anyone facing down any form of difficulty. Even if our vision fails, can we spot something for which we are thankful? Gratitude changes the channel, switching our focus from our struggles to something more satisfying, even for a little while.

 Little and large points of appreciation can come from unexpected places, such as:

• a delicious snack that doesn’t trigger any symptoms
• a flare-up that waits till after an important event
• an encouraging phone call from a friend
• a long-lasting symptom that finally abates
• a few moments outside on a mild day
• an appointment suddenly canceled, leaving newfound time for rest
• a cozy reading time with a warm blanket, fresh from the dryer
• an MS scan that shows no new changes

 It’s all about perspective. We are boosted when we notice.

 

3. Hope is helpful.

 It’s easy to fall into the cancellation rut, living with such a tiring condition. And it’s hard to commit to repeating responsibilities or plans. How do we know how we might feel on such-and-such a day? The what-ifs can be even more crippling than our actual symptoms.

 Most of us find that we have to educate our friends and loved ones about MS, at least enough that they can understand when we bow out of plans (often at the last minute). But isn’t that better than not making plans at all?

 A teacher I have long respected, who carried a chronically disabling condition for his entire adult life, used to offer this advice repeatedly (almost like a mantra):

Don’t skip the plans, even if you end up having to skip the event.

 He knew that anticipation was worth plenty. Maybe we all need to look forward to something. So we go ahead and fill in our calendars (even if we clutter them less than we used to do), and hope for the best. Yes, we learn to balance busy and idle, and we might aim for lighter schedules. But we still make some plans.

Then we hope for good MS days, rather than bad ones.

 

4. Attitudes add up.

 I only knew one grandfather, when I was growing up. Folks called him Tiger, because he was such a fighter. He wasn’t angry or contentious. He didn’t pick fights. But he fought back when life was hard. When his health failed, he fought even harder. His attitude was upbeat, even when his body felt beaten down. He enjoyed his life, despite difficulties.

 That’s a lesson. Many of us haven’t fully learned that yet, but we want that spunk.

 

5. Platitudes are pointless.

 Every one of these statements only rings true when we preach them to ourselves. When someone else parrots them at us, then they are mere platitudes. That feels like we’re being shut down, instead of supported. And that helps no one.

 But when we learn (often the hard way) how mighty our mindsets can be, then we become much more than the medical condition with which we contend. That’s how we stop the skipping record, or maybe just stop the sound from getting under our skin. Sure, we cannot stop the symptoms, as MS stages yet another onslaught. But we grow stronger in spirit, so we can rise (even figuratively) to do as much as we can for as long as we can.

 Maybe that’s all anyone can ask for. Let’s play that tune again … and again … and again.

 

Related items:

• Can infirmity be a blessing?
• Hold on! Having MS, I'm thankful for ...
• Is there glory in enduring MS?
• Life with MS: Sometimes you feel like toasting, but other times you're just toast.
• Maybe MS has taught me something, after all.
• MS makes me wanna cheer anyone struggling to exercise
• Stress brings MS to excess
• You have MS? I know someone who has that.

 

Image/s:  Adapted from public domain image.

Feel free to follow on Twitter. Please visit my Amazon author page as well. You are invited to join the Kicking MS to the Curb page on Facebook.

HELP is a four-letter word with invisible illness.

Living with an invisible illness (such as multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, lupus, Crohn’s, chronic fatigue, or any of the variety of others) takes guts. Those of us who battle such conditions daily often seem to have a certain amount of independent spirit and spunk. That’s important, as it keeps us fighting.

 

But it also makes it tougher for us to ask for help, even when we need it.

 Consider a holiday like Thanksgiving, for example. Have you ever tried hosting a large family gathering, only to find the angry hidden beast of invisible illness attacks in a frenzy, sapping energy and making even routine daily tasks a whole lot harder?

 Maybe we’ve all been there.

 Or perhaps the occasion isn’t marked by a full-scale exacerbation, and we feel pretty good. So we do and overdo. We work and overwork. We keep going and going and going.

 

Eventually we run out of gas, even if it’s the next day.

 Again we chastise ourselves, “Why didn’t I ask for help?”

 And we know it’s because “help” is a four-letter word with invisible illness. We are reluctant to enlist assistance. We may even reject help when it’s offered, claiming we can do it ourselves. We might have pleaded for help before and been denied, so we’ve stopped asking.

 

Color me thankful today.

 A few members of my own family have really clued in lately, especially in the past year or so. After a long time of relatively smooth sailing (as far as MS is concerned), I started experiencing a ramping up of some difficult symptoms. My energy and activity levels dropped dramatically. Like any other invisible illness battler, I wanted to keep on doing life in all the ways I always had.

 For years, I’d been like the Little Red Hen in the well-known children’s story, offering to do it all myself.

 But how refreshing it was to find these special people stepping in and stepping up. This year, they insisted on coming over and cooking Thanksgiving dinner – right in my house. Sure, I did some assisting, but they did all of the heavy lifting, proverbially and practically speaking. It was amazing, and we all had a blast, sharing my little kitchen to pull the whole thing together.

 Maybe I should have invited such help long before now. But you know, “help” is a four-letter word with invisible illness. We hate to ask.

 

Related items:

• Cooking with MS: It's all about timing
• Hold on! Having MS, I'm thankful for ...
• How do you manage MS for the holiday season?
• Learning to plan down-days
• Mama’s not faking … or bellyaching.
• Should you tell people you have MS?
• What if a spouse urges an MSer to file for disability?
• Who goes with you to your MS appointments?

 

Image/s:  Adapted from public domain image. Word cloud generated by this user.

 

Feel free to follow on Twitter. Please visit my Amazon author page as well.

You are invited to join the Kicking MS to the Curb page on Facebook.

Pain & fitness: Sometimes the answer is the last thing we wanna do

 

Feels like sciatica, I sighed. Actually, I may have used less scientific and more graphic terminology. And it may have been the all-too familiar nerve pain that can come with having multiple sclerosis.

 

But let’s not split hairs here.

 My lower back was giving me agony. Bending, stretching, twisting, and even standing still hurt. Sitting and reclining were the worst.

 I moaned and groaned (mostly to myself, but more than once to a couple of others) for two days. I spent two whole nights, squirming and wincing and trying to find a sleep-able position. Didn’t happen.

 Ask any MSer what happens when we get overtired. It’s not pretty. And I was there.

 

Something had to change.

 Finally, on the third day, I dragged myself out of bed, hobbling like a fairy tale monster. I forced my feet into my sneakers and made my way to the gym for a stretch/cardio/strength class. Honestly, I expected to limp out of the session early.

 

But it actually helped.

 Moving was the last thing I felt like doing. The mere idea of stretching made me want to cry.

 As it turns out, all that activity was just what I needed. Isn’t that often the case?

 

This can take all sorts of forms.

 Maybe it’s physical therapy. It might be walking up and down the driveway once or twice. It could even be taking a shower, when symptoms are making the MS life extra tough. The thing that could help the most still draws our dread.

 When we make that move, we may be surprised to find some relief.

 

Let’s not get carried away here, though.

 It’s easy to overdo things, while battling MS. When we are able to get up and get going, we may be tempted to go all-out, making up for lost time (when we were sidelined). That’s a danger zone. We know it. But we still fall into that trap.

 I’m not throwing shade at anyone who is immobilized today, with the MS MonSter attacking in full force. The battle looks different for each of us.

 It’s just that sometimes I need the extra internal shove to work out some relief. Anyone else know the feeling?

 Let’s hope I don’t regret today’s workout tomorrow (or even tonight).

 

Related items:

 ·        Beware the MS hiatus hangover

·        Despite MS, sometimes we just have to take it to the limit

·        MS makes me clumsy sometimes.

• MS makes me wanna cheer anyone struggling to exercise
• Who wants to exercise when your head is pounding?

 

Image/s: Adapted from public domain image/s.

 

 

Feel free to follow on Twitter. Please visit my Amazon author page as well.

You are invited to join the Kicking MS to the Curb page on Facebook and the Making the Most of MS board on Pinterest.