Momentum - Spring 2012

Medications are crucial to treating MS, but they work better in combination with a healthy lifestyle. “There’s some evidence today that exercise may play a role in neural regeneration and cognitive reserve,” Kennedy explained.

A small study published in 2010 in the journal Brain Research found that fit people with MS performed better on tests of brain function. Those who exercised more also had fewer disease-related lesions and a larger volume of gray matter in their brains.

FANCY/GLOW IMAGES

“People with few symptoms
should combine a regular
form of aerobic exercise, such
as walking, swimming, or
running, with something that
involves strength training, like
weights or resistance bands,”
said Janet Townsend, MD,
chair of Family Medicine at The
Commonwealth Medical College
in Pennsylvania and a member
of the Society’s Professional
Education Committee. “If you
have a higher level of disability,
it’s important to work with a
physical therapist to identify
ways to stay as strong as
possible.”

Mind the menu

There’s no dietary cure for MS, but good nutrition, important to everyone’s health, is even more important for someone with MS. “It’s important to ‘put gas in the car’ by maintaining a good nutrition level to help reduce your fatigue,” Kennedy explained.

A healthy diet for a person with MS looks pretty much the same as a healthy diet for anyone else: a variety of foods that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean meats and other healthy sources of protein, and less saturated fats and sugars.

For more on healthy eating,
visit nationalMSsociety.org/diet.

Kick the habit

Smoking is bad, period. Studies have found that smoking is a risk factor for developing MS in the first place, and the habit has also been implicated in the progression

of the disease. “There’s evidence that people who are smokers are more likely to become secondary-progressive in their MS—and sooner,” Kennedy said.

A 2009 study published in the Archives of Neurology found that people with MS who currently smoked had higher levels of disability and lower levels of brain function than those who never smoked.

Running the marathon of MS

Young people with MS should also be sure the focus on their MS doesn’t lead them or their health-care providers to overlook other issues. This means regular checkups and screenings such as Pap smears, blood pressure checks, and cholesterol readings, as well as screenings for symptoms of depression or anxiety—both of which are more common in people with MS. Go to nationalMSsociety.org/ preventivecare for a full list of recommended health screenings for people with MS.

Dr. Townsend urged young people with MS to realize the disease does not define them. “It’s not the whole reality of who you are,” she said. “It’s just one part of your life. Living with this disease is a marathon, not a sprint, so learn to pace yourself and make room for all the different parts of your life.” n