Living
with any type of chronic disease can be frightening and life-altering. However, with multiple sclerosis, it is also
confusing. One day the afflicted can
appear quite healthy and the next whirling around in a wheelchair. In my two decades of living with a
progressive form of MS, the biggest lesson I have learned is to keep the pounds
off. This entails watching my diet and
exercising every day.
Does this chair make my derrière'
look big?
MS
hit me hard and fast. Within my first
year, I was in a wheelchair. My legs
were stiff, I hurt all over, and I was too dizzy to walk more than a few feet
without falling. These were not my best
days. Sitting all day and allowing depression
to set in, I gained over 30 pounds within a year. This was the first time in my life that I could
not balance my calorie intake with exercise.
As a life-long fitness geek, I was at a loss—until I decided to fight
back.
First, we diet.
Not
picturing myself as a balloon on wheels, I focused on improving my diet. Since I do not believe in trendy
diets using gimmicks restricting certain food groups, I chose what has always
worked best for me. Although it may seem
old fashion, calorie-counting while including all food groups has never failed me. With my limited mobility, however, the weight
came off very slowly. Nevertheless,
within a couple of months, I could exert myself for longer periods.
Three wheels are better than
two.
As
the pounds slowly disappeared, I stepped up my exercise
routine. I began gardening for as long
as my body would allow. I found that if
I stayed calm – no stress – and did not allow myself to become too tired, I
could accomplish much more than I ever thought possible. I found the key: listen to my body and work
until it tires. By now, I was also
accustomed to the pain, so it did not deter me from moving.
Soon,
I could resume my former weight training and aerobic exercises. Obviously, I was not nearly as strong as I
was pre-multiple sclerosis. Nevertheless,
to be able to exercise again was priceless.
The only thing missing was cycling.
I used to ride my bike for miles every day just for fun, but with my
balance issues, biking was off my fitness plan ...or so I thought. Luckily for me, I live in a city known for
cycling: Davis, CA. Three-wheeled cycles
are quite common here and perfect for those with balance issues. After a few minutes on the tricycle, I was
hooked. This became my mode of
transportation.
Ditch the chair, slip on the
skinny jeans.
It
took an entire year to lose weight and build up my strength. Over two decades have passed, and I haven't slipped
back into my chair in over 15 years. With
my well-balanced low-calorie diet and exercise, I am strong, fit and my MS
symptoms are fewer.
My
advice to anyone, whether afflicted with a disease or not, is to eat a variety
of healthy foods, focusing on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit portion size. Listen to your doctor and take all the
vitamins recommended. For me, this
includes calcium and an extra dose of vitamin D – known to reduce MS
relapses. Finally, exercise as if your
every step depends on it. It just very
well may.
Keep Reading
How Multiple
Sclerosis Helped me to be a Stronger, Better Person
Why the
Mediterranean Diet is Best for Long-Term Weight Loss
What
I Want You to Know About Multiple Sclerosis
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