Embrace Your Destiny: Keep Your Eye on the Prize

Physical Therapy

My prize has always been walking. When I could no longer walk with ease without falling, that's when I had to find out what was wrong. First thing my neurologist had me doing after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis was to see a physical therapist. That was fourteen years ago. At that time, my right ankle seemed to be frozen. My joints were creaky and out of alignment. My balance was really bad. Walking on grass was out of the question. 

Embrace Your Destiny: Everyday is Different

Everyday I feel a little bit different. Early in the week, I usually have great energy. I feel like cooking, blogging, or picking up trash on our pick up route. Then there are days at the end of the week when my legs feel tired and I'm just a little bit draggy. I will go out walking, but it's usually an effort. Those days, if I get very much done other than the regular yoga, gym, piano practice and meal preparation, it's just an effort. 

Then there are the days when I can tell I'm not right. That happened when I came back from my yoga retreat. I was rested, but then I developed a cough. After going to the doctor, I learned that I had allergies. I was like so many other people this year that were impacted by the strange weather and the tsunami of pollen that hit BAM. It sure locked into my immune system and wouldn't let go. I felt bad for about a month. I believe that the MS compromises the immune system and lingers making total recovery take longer. 

Embrace Your Destiny:Take Charge!

Working the Core

Today has been a typical Wednesday. Toastmasters  at 8:00 am, followed by workout at Gold's gym, followed by lunch, piano practice and left over chores. Everyday, I try to include elements of physical exercise and mental exercise. I practice piano and do puzzles for the mental exercise. Diet is also monitored. Everyday I try to consume a 16 ounce juice and a cup of bone broth. The rest of my diet will be mostly plant based. 

I have found this combination of practices helps improve my MS symptoms. Physically, I have good energy and low pain. That allows me to do more that I want to do. Mentally, I am quicker in decision making and less bothered by stress.   

Everybody is different and all forms of MS are different. However, I do think I'm on the right track with this approach. Brain& Life magazine, the MS research on the MS Society website, and medical magazines from Medicare and AARP all validate that these practices are good for anyone with a neurological issue or is simply dealing with the aging process.  Specifically, I'd like to tell you why I find investing time in Toastmasters and a personal trainer are valuable to my improvement. 

Embrace Your Destiny: Indulge with NO GUILT!

Ingredients for Cacao Treats

One of the sessions I participated in was a cooking class. It wasn't a hard sell for me. This class was going to be about making and eating cacao treats. I was surprised when I got there because half the class were the men! They were really into the treats and the whole business of cacao.  

Julia of New Avatar Healing, informed us about the amazing cacao bean. I had heard it was a superfood, but I had no idea it was so packed with all this good stuff we need. Therefore, I concluded we can indulge with no guilt and even a bit of lust. 

Embrace Your Destiny:: Stretch Your Limits

Here I am in Puerto Morelos, Mexico on the long awaited Yoga Retreat. Our studio teacher and owner Adi Westerman and  Janet Horn former teacher and studio owner in Shelby, NC, put together this retreat at the end of last year. It proved to be a wonderful mix of people: city and rural, experienced and novice yogis, and of course age and interests. The glue that bonded us all together was a love of yoga with a healthy respect and admiration for our teachers. The location in the warmth of Mexico and at Casa Om where we stayed also contributed to the fun experience.  

Embrace Your Destiny: Anticipate Success With Neurologist

Check-in at Durham Office

I always look forward with anticipation to the twice yearly visits with my Neurologist, Dr. Scagnelli with Raleigh Neurology. I've been seeing Dr. Scagnelli for a year since my long time doctor, Dr. Gregory Bertics semi-retired. Dr. Scagnelli and I are still getting acquainted but overall, I'm pleased with him and hopefully he is with me. Much to my surprise and delight, I discovered that he has a very nice office in Durham. This is 30 minute closer on a long 4 1/2 hour road trip to Raleigh.

I usually have high expectations when I go for my check-up. I usually think I am doing good overall. What I really want though is unsolicited confirmation from him. The changes I feel in walking, strength, balance and general ability is slow to recognize. Family and friends who see me regularly rarely comment about any improvement they see. I'm sure changes in gait in particular are so slight they probably aren't noticeable. I really work hard for and appreciate good feedback from anybody, but I live for the day the doctor tells me, "You are doing great!"

Embrace Your Destiny: Practice What You Love!

Several of our yoga teachers have said that often people start Hot 26 to look better, but they keep up their practice because of the mind benefits.  Both reasons work for me. MS puts me on the edge of stress all the time. In the moment, I can feel stress building up. My reaction of anger, fear, anxiety or whatever is way over the top of what it should be. This is definitely one of the day to day symptoms of MS that require a management strategy. For me, Hot 26 is my ticket to feeling calm as well as feeling good physically all day. I prefer practicing this yoga daily, but sometimes life gets in the way. Lucky for me, I love doing it and especially love the way I feel after class and the rest of the day.

Embrace Your Destiny: Yoga Therapy Works

I have been doing Hot 26 as alternative therapy for my MS for almost 4 years. I wish I had taken pictures of various things I could and could not do in a before and after context. I began tracking physical improvements such as balance early in my practice. After two years, I began to see changes physiologically as well. I've been going daily for Hot 26 for two years. With the variety of teachers we have at Hot Yoga Asheville and the difference in the floor surface, I have made amazing improvements in balance, strength, and flexibility.

Practically speaking, I that regular yoga practice for helping me improve doing daily tasks. I get dressed twice as fast as when I started practicing. For example, putting on pants would sometimes consume 3-5 minutes. I'd try and miss the leg, try and miss the leg again and again. All this because standing on one foot and lifting the other without falling or getting the lifted leg stuck takes concentration and time.  Simple things like fastening bras, pulling on tight tops that have to be pulled over my head, working zippers on the backs of dresses can be done by myself if necessary and definitely quicker. 

Most notable is that I can get in and out of my soaking tub without assistance. This is a big deal! I like to use my tub everyday, if possible. I need independence 

When we built our house on the home farm in Mills River, we designed almost the entire house around this Victoria Albert tub. I saw one similar to it at my friend Eleanor's home in Durham. We were gathering ideas about what we wanted to include in our new house at the time. I especially liked it because Eleanor told me it is made of volcanic ash which is an organic material. That means it holds the heat of hot water as long as it needs to stay hot. Plus, it felt like an elegant smooth rock to touch. Having had other acrylic and fiberglass in jacuzzi tubs, I knew what I wanted when I saw it. Keep in mind it never occurred to me that getting in and out of the tub would be hazardous. The handrail is an important tool in the process. I am glad to report that other than the water sprayer making a mess occasionally, I have had no issues with my tub. 

Aside from the physical benefits of improved balance, flexibility of ankle, knee and shoulder joints, and strength, I have enjoyed many physiological benefits. For example, I use to have headaches regularly. Those began diminishing very early in my practice. Numbness of fingers and arms has decreased significantly. I was diagnosed with carpel tunnel syndrone about the same time of the MS diagnosis. Up until a year ago, I wore an arm brace overnight to keep from having severe arm pain that would wake me up and be very difficult to shake off. I no longer do the arm brace and rarely have numbness that interferes with anything during the day. Constipation was always an issue as was bloated stomach. Those issues are gone completely.

Perhaps the most significant benefit I receive is the stress reduction medicine it affords. Stress is a big deal for MS people. I know I don't handle stress well. Donnie takes care of all the household duties that cause me stress. Luckily, he enjoys doing financial work. That stresses me. He picks up duties related to hosting parties that he knows stress me. We love doing parties on our patio, but, that does add a certain element of stress. Donnie sets up everything and cleans up everything. By the time we are done, I'm usually very tired.

 He helps me manage stress at home. Yoga helps me manage other stresses around family time. My 95 year old mother is a joy. We do nails regularly and she dearly loves going out for Sunday lunch. My sister makes the big trip from Boston to see her about every six weeks. My brother and his wife Judy do the Poppins Posies Flower Farm. When we all get together around holidays and celebrations, it's great fun, but is a stressor I plan for. Yoga has taught me how to pace myself and in general, keeps me grounded during all the preparations and festivities. If possible, I will l make a yoga class on big days, especially to help me control my stress. What I can report is that it works.   

Embrace Your Destiny: Keep Moving - Everyday is Different

One of the fundamental truths we learn in Hot 26 yoga is that our body feels different every single day. It also responds differently. This is Sean, one of our many great teachers at Hot Yoga Asheville, with me after one of my 7:30 AM yoga classes. Sean always reminds us at the end of class that "the most important thing in your life, is your life." I think about that some mornings at 5 AM when the alarm goes off and I feel a bit out of sorts. Luckily, my husband Don also gets up and usually goes with me to yoga. That helps! We all need help sometimes to encourage us to get moving.  

Embrace Your Destiny: Try an Acupuncture Facial

Chinese Elements

The Chinese have been doing face reading and healing for over 3000 years. The elements of wood, fire, air, metal and water  are linked to various personality traits, and overall health. Experts say that face reading is an excellent diagnostic tool to use for prevention of disease.  Each part of the face corresponds to a specific part of the body. For example, the cheeks are linked to the lungs, the brows to the liver and the lips to the digestive. When I have an ulcer or cold sore on my lip, I usually have some digestive issue. Acupuncturists have to have very advanced training to qualify for doing an acupuncture facial. My acupuncturist, Sarah Fields of Natural Pathways is certified. 

Embrace Your Destiny; Find Your Voice

Join Toastmasters 

I've been a member of Toastmaster International for five years.  There are several clubs in the Hendersonville area, but I chose FourSeasons Toastmasters. We meet at Lake Point Landing retirement community in their general assembly room downstairs in the main building. The location and 8:00 am meeting time works well for me.