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Interview: An insight into living with MS

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MS Awareness Week

MS has a huge effect on the lives of those diagnosed with the condition. With this week being #MSAwarenessWeek, talkhealth have teamed up with the MS trust to help give others an insight into living with the condition. Today, we caught up with a young teacher, Jenna, who has been part of the MS trust’s campaign for #MSAwarenessWeek.

Jenna is living with MS, and talkhealth got the chance to interview her about her life and experiences with the condition.

talkhealth: How supported did you/do you feel after being diagnosed with MS?

Jenna: For a few days after my diagnosis, I remember feeling quite lost. I hadn’t previously heard of MS and so I was very confused as to how my life would change. It was after I had come to terms with the fact that I had been diagnosed with a lifelong condition that I started to investigate online through the MS Trust website and read through the information guides that I was provided by my neurologist.

TH: Did you find it easy to get help and advice about MS in these early stages?

J: Yes and no. Simply typing the condition into Google will provide you with masses of information. But, this information is often full of medical terms that, unless you are familiar with the condition, can be quite overwhelming to take in as a young adult. It was only after I met my MS nurse a month after diagnosis that I was able to find answers to all of my questions and these answers were tailored to my specific needs or concerns.

TH: Has it impacted how you socialise and interact with your friends and family?

J: More recently, yes. I find that I feel tired a lot quicker than I used to and this means that I sometimes have to limit how much I can do during a day. I initially found it a little upsetting that others couldn’t understand why I had to pass on a particular social event or return home early, but that’s no longer the case. Perhaps this is because I am a lot more open about my condition and the effects of living with MS.

TH: Do you feel it has impacted your work? Have you found ways around this?

J: Being a full time teacher was always going to be a demanding job. That being said, during the early stages, the only way MS affected me was having to return home as early as possible so that I could take my medication, which at the time was administered through an injection. MS has affected my work more over the last couple of years largely due to fatigue kicking in. I have attempted to find ways around this by tackling more strenuous activities, such as marking long essays, during the day when I feel I have more energy. I also listen to my body and try to take rest breaks, well, when I can.

TH: What advice would you give a young person who may be worried about MS?

J: I would want them to know that being diagnosed with MS doesn’t mean that you have to say goodbye to your dreams and ambitions. I still pursued a career in teaching and sky-dived soon after being diagnosed! I would also try to reassure them that they have been diagnosed at a time when new medications are always coming through to make managing MS that little bit easier.

The post Interview: An insight into living with MS appeared first on talkhealth Blog.

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Sylk Intimate and The Eve Appeal – raising awareness into the 5 gynae cancers

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At #TeamEve we are very excited to announce a twelve month charitable partnership between Sylk Intimate and The Eve Appeal.  This partnership  will help to raise much-needed awareness into the 5 gynae cancers and funding for pioneering research into early detection, risk-prediction and prevention.

Awareness of gynae cancer is startling low among women in the UK. So much so, we’re quite often told by women that the first time they’ve heard of womb, ovarian, cervical, vulval or vaginal cancer, is when they’re sat in a white room with a loved one or a friend, alongside a consultant, telling them the devastating news that they’ve just been diagnosed with one. This needs to change and we can’t do it on our which is why partnerships are so vital to reach new audiences with this important, potential lifesaving message.

 

We need to raise awareness – not just for 21,000 women who are diagnosed with a gynae cancer each year – but for every woman who we want to protect from developing one of these cancers by making them aware of the signs and symptoms. This is every mother, daughter, sister partner and friend.

For women recovering from or going through treatment for a gynaecological cancer or who have had preventative surgery (for example if they have a genetic predisposition) – which can be devastating in itself – side-effects such as vaginal dryness can be an unwelcome and uncomfortable fact.

We are thrilled that for every bottle of Sylk purchased over the next 12 months, a donation will be made to The Eve Appeal with a target of £10,000.  This will make such an amazing contribution in supporting our work and we’re delighted that promotional packs are now available.

It’s so important that women are aware of their bodies; what’s normal for them, and most importantly what is NOT normal for them. That’s why we, along with Sylk hope to change this through this partnership.

There is a real need to address the stigma and taboos that surround women’s health and ultimately start women talking about gynae cancers, and their associated signs and symptoms. That’s why using proper anatomical terms around gynae health such as vagina, and vulva are key, whilst talking openly about common symptoms such as vaginal dryness or changes to periods and bleeding.

These are all vital steps towards better awareness and ultimately the early diagnosis of these diseases – which we know is key to saving the lives of women today, and the daughters of tomorrow.

Here’s to a very exciting and relevant partnership we hope will benefit women of today and of the future.”

Visit the SYLK website for more information.

Content written by Athena Lamnisos – CEO of The Eve Appeal

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Let the sun shine into your life with the vital vitamin D

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 After I broke my shoulder in an accident three years ago, my GP suggested a DEXA scan to measure bone density for osteoporosis. I was not surprised, at the age of 70 and more than 20 years after suffering from ulcerative colitis (an auto-immune disease), to be found positive. Evidently, other common conditions tied to osteoporosis are diabetes, breast cancer and Crohn’s Disease, among others.

By chance, a few days after my scan, I read an article by Oliver Gillie, a renowned writer and scientist, about vitamin D deficiency and how it could prevent “modern” diseases such as Crohn’s and UC. I decided to find out more.

As far as I can understand, two of the hallmarks of thinning of the bones are lack of calcium and particularly of vitamin D. But apart from normal growth and strengthening bones and teeth, vitamin D is also essential for improving the health of your intestines. It reduces inflammation, protects the lining and prevents harmful bacteria from entering the blood stream. Vitamin D deficiency is routinely found in patients with IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) as UC blocks its absorption.

Since the 1930s, and especially in the last 20 years, Crohn’s and UC have been increasingly recorded in developed countries. So far, 18 auto-immune diseases (including 11 identified in a study published in BMC Medicine, Oxford, in 2013) have been associated with low levels of this key vitamin. **

Public Health England has recently published data that pointed out that more than one in five people has below the accepted levels of vitamin D. According to Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer, in her report of 2013, as many as 40% of young children are vitamin D deficient. She is “profoundly ashamed” to see the return of rickets in children, blamed on low levels of this vitamin. During World War II the government prescribed cod liver oil, one of the natural sources of vitamin D to all children. Since then, free supplies have gradually been restricted to a small percentage of pregnant and breast-feeding women and under-fives who are on state benefits. Mr Gillie believes that a great advance could be made by providing all pregnant women and babies with free vitamin D supplements.

I was interested to learn that vitamin D takes two to three months to get into general circulation of the body. So babies born in October/November have a higher level during the final months in the womb. As a March baby, after the English winter, I was more at risk.

So how do you get vitamin D into your body? Diet provides only 5-10% of our needs. The remainder comes from exposure to the sun – but advice from the cancer charities in particular has made us worried about sunbathing. Over the last few years reduced exposure to UVB rays (the part of sunlight that promotes vitamin D) together with a more indoor lifestyle has lowered people’s levels. The National Osteoporosis Society maintains that 15 to 20 minutes of sunlight per day on the face and arms during the summer months enables the body to store enough vitamin D to last the rest of the year. Recent guidelines suggest up to 20 minutes around midday, wearing little clothing and no sun screen, is the way to go. After all, it is sunburn itself that is dangerous.

If you can’t get out in the sun (or, typically, if the weather is too bad) vitamin D supplements can raise your levels and reduce symptoms of IBD. Mr Gillie has written about clinical trials that show that patients with Crohn’s Disease may do better or have fewer relapses when they take vitamin D supplements, so long as the condition is not too advanced. Another study at Massachusetts General Hospital, USA, described in the journal Inflammatory Bowel Disease in 2013, demonstrated that the risk of surgery was reduced in Crohn’s patients who took a supplement that increased their blood level to normal.

I had always thought of vitamin D as just the sunshine vitamin that helped bones and teeth. Now I know that its impact and effectiveness is much, much more. Have you had your sunshine ration today?

** Other auto-immune diseases that can be affected by inadequate levels of vitamin D include food Allergies, Asthma, Autism, some types of Cancer, type 1 Diabetes, Lupus, MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Schizophrenia.

The article by Sandy originally appeared in the IA Journal (The Ileostomy & Internal Pouch Support Group) Issue 225 Autumn 2014.

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3 Tips for Incorporating Healthy Living Into your Family’s Life

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If you have a family, you will want to do all you can to keep them healthy. This will take the right amount of effort on your part and know-how. It’s important to understand how and why you will want to be a bit more diligent at maintaining the health of your family. Of course, you will want to avoid being sick at all costs and dealing with medical issues that are more likely to arise when you don’t care for your health. It’s ideal to know some tips that can allow you to add more health to your day.

Tip #1: Have family meetings

One of the things you will want to do is to pay close attention to all the members of your family. If you have teenage kids, it’s important to look for signs of potential drug use.

The first thing to do to ensure your kids remain as healthy as possible may rest in having a drug intervention. This can address an issue of this magnitude and work to decrease the chances of it causing a major issue later on in life.

You’re sure to have much more success by getting the support you need from professionals in this field. Many of these individuals can be found and are ready to provide the expert advice you need if this situation does arise.

Tip #2: Buying better foods

It can be tempting to purchase junk food at the store, but this won’t help you have a healthier life. It’s imperative that you eat foods that nourish your body and allow you to feel your best each day.

The next time you go to the grocery store, you will want to shop for healthier food choices. This obviously could assist with weight loss for yourself and loved ones eating out of the same fridge and cabinets. Taking time to add vegetables and fruits to your cart can be one of the ideal ways to enable everyone under your roof to be healthier.

You should also work to get in the necessary amount of protein each day by adding lean meats that can allow you to do so. Keep in mind that studies show women should eat at least 46 grams of protein per day and men should have 56 grams daily to maintain health and feel good.

Tip #3: Join a gym

One of the top things to do may be to take the time to look at local gyms in your area. In fact, you may get a discount if you have a large family that wants to join.

There are numerous health benefits to joining a gym, and some of these are listed below:

1. Equipment – Being able to have instant access to all types of equipment that is expensive to own is ideal. This may be the key to getting in a good workout and being as healthy as possible.

2. Swimming pool – Most gyms have a pool that can allow your family to relax and have fun. This is a great way to spend time together and get in your exercise.

3. Entertainment – The cost of going to a movie or out to eat can get pricey. However, if you have a gym membership, you can simply go there to have time outside of the house.

4. Personal training – You may need a bit of extra guidance when it comes to getting healthy and fit. The good news is that you can consult with a fitness expert that can help your family get in the best shape of their lives.

The key to having the highest quality of life possible is taking care of your health. All of your family members are certain to appreciate the effort you put into making this possible. There are numerous benefits of doing all you can to feel your best and taking care of your family is sure to be high on your list of priorities. You can help your entire clan enjoy better health and feel more energized to tackle each day when you make this one of the things you put lots of effort into making happen. Get started today for allowing your family to be healthier tomorrow.

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