Hello and welcome to my first ever blog, and first website too for that matter…
I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis last year (2016) aged 35 which was a huge shock. Once I’d trawled the internet - as we all do – to find out as much as possible about this disease [as up until that point – in my naivety - I hadn’t really known anybody with MS or any real idea of what diagnosis meant] I realised my 35 years of ‘life’ to date with the various qualifications and experience I had accrued actually put me in a good place to help myself and other people to deal with MS, so this website was born.
The general advice offered by websites, books and the huge amount of research published shows that a healthy lifestyle (on a basic level, diet, exercise and managing factors like stress, smoking and alcohol) is key to helping to manage the disease. On the surface, good advice for anyone – whether you have MS or not – but once you develop a disease such as MS this healthy lifestyle advice becomes even more important.
I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis last year (2016) aged 35 which was a huge shock. Once I’d trawled the internet - as we all do – to find out as much as possible about this disease [as up until that point – in my naivety - I hadn’t really known anybody with MS or any real idea of what diagnosis meant] I realised my 35 years of ‘life’ to date with the various qualifications and experience I had accrued actually put me in a good place to help myself and other people to deal with MS, so this website was born.
The general advice offered by websites, books and the huge amount of research published shows that a healthy lifestyle (on a basic level, diet, exercise and managing factors like stress, smoking and alcohol) is key to helping to manage the disease. On the surface, good advice for anyone – whether you have MS or not – but once you develop a disease such as MS this healthy lifestyle advice becomes even more important.
What makes me think I can advise other people on how to help manage this disease?
A long time ago now, my first degree when I left school was in Sport Science – I was always the ‘sporty one’ at school playing in all the sports teams, local club teams and to county level in some sports, then competing in University teams too. Suffice to say I had a good grounding in how important exercise is in keeping us healthy. Following this I spent over ten years working in the advertising industry in various locations (not so healthy by comparison!). I had always loved learning and never really 'got it out of my system' so in 2014 I made the choice to change career into academia by studying for a Master’s degree in ‘Nutrition, Physical Activity and Public Health’ at the University of Bristol with a view to continue on to complete a PhD and eventually work as a researcher in a University. My research pieces for both degrees were in how diet and physical activity can impact various diseases; this was long before I had any idea that I would actually need to apply this knowledge to myself!
Whilst applying for research jobs and PhD places I studied some practical courses in Nutrition for Weight Management and Sports Performance Nutrition (as I said, I never really got studying out of my system!). I also studied to become a personal trainer; a nice little side-line I thought alongside the health research job or PhD I was going to get…
As you can see, I never stood still, stopped or slowed down before this diagnosis, which – as obvious as it sounds – really, and quite literally, stopped me in my tracks.
MS? Really? Are you SURE?
I had a niggling ‘foot thing’ (twisted ankle or even cruciate ligament strain in my knee I thought confidently; typical runner/gym-goer injuries) that sent me to a doctor and swiftly to the physiotherapist. Physio appointments are longer than your typical GP appointment so there was a bit more time to explore what might be going on. I have historically not been a frequent visitor to my GP surgery (oh how things change!) so was super-keen to visit the physio a couple of times be ‘cured’ and get back to the gym. Ho hum.
‘Nonsense’ I thought when it was suggested I see a Neurologist, nonsense. I have a feeling that the words in the heading above may have actually come out of my mouth following the requisite examinations and blood tests which form part of the diagnostic process. Oh, that and the less than sunny results of my first MRI scan. Bother. OK, so this is actually pretty serious now.
‘But are you 'sure sure'?’
I imagine I am rather an infuriating patient; so many questions.
I have been very fortunate so far; this diagnosis was pretty straightforward, none of the years of uncertainty and horrid symptoms I have read about so often, and monthly visits to the hospital for treatment are relatively painless too. So far so lucky.
Why the website and blog?
Following all the research I did shortly after being diagnosed I realised that all the qualifications and experience I had gained in the role of healthy eating and exercise in disease prevention (!) and even advertising (in promoting the site) all somehow came together and it struck me, could be beneficial in helping others (alongside myself) to manage the disease.
I will aim to update the blog weekly with articles on relevant ‘new news’ relating to exercise, diet, lifestyle and how they impact MS. Over time I aim to add in a section on healthy recipes and maybe even exercises (although the MS Trust have this pretty well covered with their in-house Neuro-physiotherapist already); we’ll see. I’m keen for the site and blog to evolve as time moves on.
How can you contact me?
If you would like to comment on what anything I’ve written, the information I have shared, ask a question or just say ‘hello’ please email me [email protected], tweet me (@healthylifems) or send me a message through the site. I would love to hear from you and know what you think. This site is purely to share information, I am not trying to sell anything or make money from it.
I’d love to hear from you.
