Multiple Sclerosis and Junk Food

This morning I went for coffee and used one of the flavored coffee creamers. Wow, was I sorry I indulged in this treat.

- it made me feel sluggish even though it had caffeine (I believe a lot of things that have fake ingredients really reak havoc on people with multiple sclerosis)
- it had caffeine which is never good for multiple sclerosis
- these types of food will undoubtedly help me to gain weight which is hard on my body (excess weight is a bodily stressor negatively affecting multiple sclerosis)

So I ask myself, is the treat really worth it? It made me happy when I was indulging but made me miserable later. My life is bad enough (I do have multiple sclerosis, after all) why do I need something else to make it worse?

Multiple Sclerosis and Reaching Out

I have had Multiple Sclerosis for several years and just now I am beginning to see a common challenge with people that have MS. There are some of us who bury ourselves a little. I believe we do this because:

- having multiple sclerosis has social impacts due the the mobility and cognitive challenges
- some of us suffer side effects of the many drugs we take that prevents us from partaking in social situations
- some suffer from the depression
- we often don't have the energy/stamina for much

However, I believe we have to reach out to other people: people with Multiple Sclerosis, agencies that help like the National Multiple Sclerosis Society as well as friends family and loved ones. They can help in so many ways.

I did not realize that I needed to reach out until I started volunteering with the National MS Society. I volunteer on so many different levels, leveging the experience that I am constantly gaining to help other people. In doing so, I am amazingly fulfilled, I get the resources I need personally and I am helping someone else get something they need.

This last point really stops me from wallowing in my own issues as a person with Multiple Sclerosis and allows me to empathize for someone else. This makes a difference to me in managing the chaos of Multiple Sclerosis. This is what socialization can do for you, too.

Multiple Sclerosis and Food

I have always believed that the type of food you eat affects your multiple sclerosis. Just as poor quality food to the normal person makes them feel bad and sluggish; these same choices have a stronger negative affect on the person with multiple sclerosis. See this most recent case in point...

Over the last several days I have made bad food choices that not only have left me feeling awful, but also made my energy level and my walking ability worse. I have been eating tons of chocolate, pizza and general junk food for the last four days. Today at the gym (I go every day no matter how I feel...I try to do what I can) I could barely walk and I still feel that way. I know it is the trashy diet I have had the last several days as last week I felt amazing (and walked a ton in Las Vegas despite the fact that I have multiple sclerosis!).

When I do the things I need to do to lose weight, oddly enough, I walk better and feel more energetic. I commit to doing the things I need to do to help my health and make my multiple sclerosis that much easier to deal with. I am going to stop the insanity!