Living With MS: Confidence, Lifestyle, and Health

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation and neurodegeneration in the central nervous system. MS is unpredictable, but common symptoms include numbness and tingling, fatigue, weakness, pain, mood changes, and cognitive changes. Nearly one million people in the U.S. live with MS.

The physical, mental, and cognitive effects of MS can greatly influence quality of life. Professional treatments are available to treat the condition, but there are lifestyle measures that can make living with MS easier.

Read on to learn coping strategies for living with MS.

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Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle With MS

Healthy lifestyle choices are important for everyone, but they can be especially important for people living with long-term conditions such as MS.

While they aren’t a substitute for treatment, lifestyle changes can make symptoms and relapses easier to manage.

These changes don’t need to be made all at once. Be realistic about what works for you. Small changes over time can have a big impact.

Prioritize Mental Health

Struggles with mood and mental health are common in people who have MS. Prioritizing mental health as seriously as physical health can help to preserve and even enhance quality of life for people living with MS.

Psychotherapy approaches can be very beneficial, including:

Medication may be recommended if a mental health disorder is present. Treating mental health conditions in people with MS is similar to treatment recommended for the general population, but interactions with MS medications need to be considered.

Manage Stress

While it’s unclear if stress can worsen the condition, stress is commonly experienced by people with MS. More research is needed into the effects of stress on MS onset and symptoms, but stress management techniques can at least help a person feel better.

Relaxation techniques that may help include:

Deep breathing
Meditation
Visualization/guided imagery
Progressive muscle relaxation
Yoga
Tai chi

Identifying stressors, setting realistic goals and priorities, asking for help when needed, keeping physically and mentally active, and making time for fun can also help reduce stress levels.

Find Support

Asking for help can be hard, especially if you are used to doing everything on your own, but seeking support is important.

Places and people to turn to for support include:

Healthcare providers and mental health professionals
Family
Friends
Significant others
Neighbors and community members
Support groups (online or in-person)
Hired services (such as someone to clean, shovel, or mow)
Colleagues

By JILL LAWLESS – Related Press

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson survived a no-self-assurance vote on Monday, securing sufficient guidance from his Conservative Social gathering to keep on being in workplace in spite of a substantial revolt that leaves him a weakened chief with an unsure potential.

Recognized for his skill to shrug off scandals, the charismatic leader has struggled to switch the page on revelations that he and his employees regularly held boozy functions that flouted the COVID-19 restrictions they imposed on other people. Help amid his fellow Conservative lawmakers has weakened as some see a leader renowned for his potential to join with voters significantly as a liability rather than an asset in elections.

Johnson won the backing of 211 out of 359 Conservative lawmakers in a top secret ballot, much more than the uncomplicated greater part essential to stay in electric power, but still a significant rise up of 148 MPs.

Johnson termed it a “convincing” earn and explained the social gathering ought to now “come collectively.”

“What it means is that as a government we can shift on and emphasis on things that I imagine actually issues to men and women,” he mentioned.

With no apparent front-runner to do well him, most political observers had predicted Johnson would defeat the problem. But the rebellion could however be a watershed second for him — and is a indicator of deep Conservative divisions, less than three years after he led the bash to its greatest election victory in a long time.

Johnson’s winning margin is a lot less than that secured by his predecessor Theresa May in a similar vote in December 2018. She was forced to resign six months later on.

Due to the fact replacing May perhaps as primary minister in 2019, Johnson has led Britain out of the European Union and by way of a pandemic, both of which have shaken the U.K. socially and economically. The vote arrives as Johnson’s government is less than extreme strain to relieve the ache of skyrocketing power and meals expenses.

But the principal blow to his management has been revelations that he and his personnel frequently held unlawful get-togethers through lockdowns. That caused anger in the country, and unease between numerous Conservatives.

Discontent that has been constructing for months erupted following a 10-day parliamentary break that included a lengthy weekend

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