Telling a Friend.

Today I told a very dear friend of mine, and it was the closest I have been to crying since first being told. It was rough, but nice at the same time to tell her as she has known something is wrong, but not what. It was nice to vent a little bit. I have told people very easily, assuring them that this is the last they will hear me speaking of it. I don't want MS to define me, but of course it's a part of me now(hence this blog). I told her at the playground we always go to with our kids, and it was great to now and then have a distraction from our conversation to let her process. Many hugs were shared and our already lovely friendship grew even stronger! It was nice to just vent and rant a bit over all the maybe's that MS entails... MAYBE I'll have a relapse tomorrow, MAYBE I wont have one for another year or so. MAYBE I'll be fine! 

...but of course, I can't live like that. That would drive me crazy thinking like that all the time. 

No, instead I am just taking each day as it comes. Enjoying the new foods I am focusing on. 

Life is good, you just need to realize it ;-)!

-Josefine

Kale and Ginger Smoothie

As I have mentioned before I am also following(parts of) the Terry Wahl diet or "the Wahls Protocol" as it's called. One part is the 3x3 cup vegetable model. This model is based on getting the necessary vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for your body to function to the best of it's ability. To find out more about what benefits each vitamin, mineral and antioxidant has that she mentions please watch this video where she explains it all in detail. It is a TED talk, but it has been removed from their site as it is considered "alternative medicine". The amount of people that can testify that changing your diet has a HUGE affect on MS is a lot. So that the neurologist I was speaking to was able to tell me that what I eat has nothing to do with it... crazy! CRAZY!


The 3x3 cup model has 3 parts... duh! 
1. 3 cups of green leaf vegetables (she recommends kale) every day
2. 3 cups of sulfur rich vegetables every day (onion, mushrooms, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower)
3. 3 cups of colorful vegetables every day (carrots, peppers, berries, etc) 

So in order to get my share I have decided to make my morning shake with a kale base every time. This is because I don't always want to make my dinner with kale in it. I have yet to try a savory smoothie, as the thought kind of grosses me out, but this one is a bit of a mix.

Kale and Ginger Smoothie

-1 orange
-1/2 banana
-2x2 cm piece of ginger (less if you dont like a bit if zing)
-Handful of frozen mango or ice (just for the chill (a bit warm otherwise)
-3 cups of kale ( I grabbed 3 large handfuls)


Blend everything but the kale first, then add the kale and blend for a long time :-)! 

Enjoy!!!
-Josefine

Bean and Veggie Soup

This soup is scruuumy! 

One of the reasons I had for choosing to follow the OMS diet instead of Terry Wahl's Diet, wasn't so that I could eat sugar... it was so that I could eat LEGUMES!!!! I can NOT live without legumes.. sorry, impossible! Before I found OMS, I was almost crying at the thought that I would never be able to eat beans again. So you can imagine my joy when finding OMS. There were other perks as well, and I AM following many parts of Terry Wahl's diet also, but not this part. NEVER.

So this is a soup I have made many times before, though then I've added bullion cubes(Knorr or Oxo), and sometimes also heavy cream to make it extra rich. In reading the ingredients for the cubes, there are plenty of things that I should be avoiding on the list. So I went to my local healthfood shop and found a sugar and yeast free bullion as a substitute. Worked a treat! The cream I could be without, but I need my flavourkick! So happy to have this addition to my herb and spice cabinet!

Bean & Veggie Soup

-Extra Virgin Olive Oil

-2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

-1 onion (finely chopped)

-2 celery sticks (finely chopped)

-3 carrots (finely grated)

-1 tin of chopped tomatoes

-500-1000 ml of hot water (depending on desired consistency)

-1-2 Tbsp of bullion powder (depending on amount of water)

-2 tins of mixed beans

-Salt & pepper to taste

-Extra Virgin Olive Oil

-Handful of chopped coriander/cilantro

Sweat the garlic and onions in a little bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, add the celery and carrots and let cook for a further 5 min until it starts to go soft. Add the tomatoes, bullion and 500 ml of water. Bring to the boil and then add the rinsed beans. Add salt and pepper to taste. At this point you can get your mixer out if you want a smoother soup like the one in the picture, but you can also leave as is. with kids however it's always good to hide some of the veggies that might not be their favorite (in Ellie's case: Onions). I top the soup with a "glug" of EV-Olive oil and some chopped fresh coriander (thank you Linda for the tip)! Coriander is my new ketchup(put it on anything)!!! Love it!

Eat this soup with a side of toasted Gluten, Dairy, Yeast and Eggyolk free bread and you're set! Recipe for that bread (yes it is possible to make a yummy bread without those ingredients) is coming soon!

Good luck!

Josefine

 

Berry Breakfast Smoothie

So I am playing around with different smoothies and how to "food" them up a bit. The first few days of eating correctly I was in agony as I felt hungry AAAALL the time. Now that I have experimented a bit more I have realized that I just wasn't doing it right. There are SO many things that are AMAZING that you can eat even though there are so many things I no longer should eat.

Then my mom came by with a gift from my sister! A smoothie maker! It was BEGGING to be used :-). First up, my Berry Breakfast Smoothie! Yummy, and packed with good stuff! I added almonds and oats to "food" it up a bit, and it kept me full for ages. To make sure the oats are gluten-free, make sure you get the certified stuff! My kids LOVED this! I am so posting a picture of Penelope(one years old) drinking my smoothies next time! So cute!

 Berry Breakfast Smoothie

-Handful of frozen blueberries
-Handful of frozen raspberries
-Handful of frozen blackberries
-Handful of almonds
-Handful of porridge oats
-Half of a banana
-A tsp or so of maple syrup (optional)
-If it's too thick, add some soy,oat or almond milk until desired consistence is achieved

Blend. Erm... that's the extent of the directions ;-)! Well I could say blend for a long time if I was to elaborate :-)!

Cheers!
Josefine

Solarium and Vitamin D

Dare I say that I am excited that i now HAVE to go to the solarium as part of my medication ;-)?! It is so nice and relaxing, AND it helps me get my vitamin D for the day! Went today, my feet felt like elephant feet, and I must have looked funny walking, but it was so nice to be out and up that I didn't care! Yay for the ability to walk at all :-)!!! 

According to Dr George Jelinek and the studies that he has done, Vitamin D has a HUGE factor to play when it comes to MS patients and the frequency in which they have their relapses or episodes. Even the Neurologist I spoke to at the hospital (who claimed that what I eat has nothing to do with how many relapses I have) agreed. He told me that the further away from the equator you get there are more cases of MS. Also people who work the nigthshift have a tendency to have more relapses. He said that he didn't know of any studies (I could tell him of a few) but that that is a strong indicator that Vitamin D has a big role to play. When reading the studies that Dr Jelinek has done it all made so much sense.

According to most doctors a good level of vitamin D in your blood should be around 75nmol/L, but in an MS body this is way to low. Our Vitamin D level should be around 150nmol/L but can be up to 250nmol/L. To achieve these kind of readings you have to consume quite a lot of supplements, I will be taking around 10 000 IU/IE a day during the winter months, unless I go to the solarium in which case I will reduce it to 5 000 IU/IE. During the summer I will most likely continue with 5-10 000 IU/IE unless I feel like I have gotten sufficient sunlight exposure. For all the studies on Vitamin D and it's affect on MS patients go to the OMS website on it here. That page also has more about recommended supplement intake etc, so have a read!! 

Cheers!
Josefine

Oat-Porridge

I will remove maple syrup as well, but one thing at a time ;-)

I LOVE porridge, but it hasn't been on my radar for a while. With small kids you want as few steps as possible, so having to heat something up has been way to complicated ;-). In doing my research on what I am supposed to eat, quite a few of my normal breakfasts are no longer acceptable. Even though the OMS diet  does not specify gluten and sugar, it is still something I really want to remove from my diet as well as everything else (the list is long). The reason is because of all the research done on how it can affect our gut even without an intolerance to it. Also because I am adapting my OMS diet to some of Terry Wahls suggestions (specifically the sugar, gluten and veggie model of 3x3 cups).

To be absolutely certain that your oats are gluten-free, buy one that is certified as such. Oats in themselves are always gluten-free (their protein is different), but those with an intolerance to gluten can react if the oats have been cross-contaminated (wheat growing in the field next to the oats for example). So to be sure buy the certified stuff ;-)! 

Porridge base:
1 dl (approx.1/2 cup) rolled oats
2 dl (approx. 1cup) water
a pinch of salt

Put all the ingredients in a deep bowl and microwave for 3 min, or cook on the stove till it's the desired consistency.

Still getting used to my new milk...

Suggestions for additional ingredients:
-BLUEBERRIES (brilliant "brain-food" very high in antioxidants)
-Raspberries
-Strawberries
-Blackberries
-Currants (black,red,white)
-Banana (the greener the better as it has less sugar)
-Apple pieces or homemade applesauce (less sugar)
-Maple syrup
-OATLY Oatmilk
-ALPRO Soymilk

All of these ingredients would obviously be best fresh, but if you are like me and don't get to do my foodshop every other day; frozen is fine too. I always keep berries and fruit in my freezer. perfect for other things like smoothies as well. Sweden is a great country for berry-picking, so I tend to spend a few days every summer doing just that and then freezing them down for the winter! That way I know where they come from, and what is better than wild berries?! YUM.

Good luck!
Josefine

Water

One of the things I have NEVER been good at is my intake of liquids.


....And in the light of changing my whole life I am now changing that too! 2 liters of water WILL be going down my throat EVERYDAY! I don't know if this has anything to do with MS, but my body sure will thank me for it either way, and so will yours if you do it! 


So instead of filling an empty soda bottle (cuz you know, I don't drink that stuff anymore) I am filling 2x 1 liter IKEA bottles! They are lovely sturdy, and I think even pretty :-)! They are currently in my fridge! One of them is almost empty(YAAAAY, GO ME) !!!

Cheers! 
Josefine

Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis

So in the short time I have had this disease I have been doing my research. In doing so I have been going crazy with all the conflicting ideas that are out there on how to best live and eat to prevent episodes and to help recover from them. On a whim I went looking for different groups on Facebook to see if I could get some ideas there. I found a Facebook page called "Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis". In reading some of the information on there I clicked on a link to their webpage. All I can say is: BY FAR the most informative page so far!!!! With each suggested lifestyle change they suggest they back it up with studies and proven results. This is what I am doing from the get-go. Taking my Vitamin-D, Magnesium, Calcium and Vitamin B12. Eating as little saturated fat as humanly possible, and eating a healthy wholefoods based diet. I will also be exercising 5 days a week. Here are the links to both the Facebook page and their webpage:

Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis - Facebook
http://www.overcomingmultiplesclerosis.org/

I would love to hear your stories how living the "OMS" lifestyle has helped you!

This lady has summorised my confusion and came to the exact conclusion that I did concerning all the diets out there. SO instead of writing another post exactly like hers(since she litterally took the words out of my head) I am sharing a link to her blog here.

The MS Foodie

Cheers!
Josefine

..And so it starts!

Hi,
I am totally new to this whole thing.. how new you ask? Weeeell I got my diagnosis 4 days ago. Yeah, THAT new. Many of you who read this who have had it for many years will probably stop reading now and look for something else to read concerning MS ;-). What I do feel that I can offer with this blog is my zest for life. I intend to eat healthy (food that is good for people with MS) and exercise. Most of all however I intend to live life to the fullest everyday. 

As I am writing this I am laying down on the couch from my recent spinal tap. Yupp. Anyone who has had one will know that it's a rough one. My head is pounding so much it feels like its ready to explode. My diagnosis is so new that they are still in the process of ruling out any other neurological diseases. 

So Thursday the 14th of March 2014 I was standing in the kitchen making the kids some food when I noticed a very weird sensation on my back. Every time I moved my blouse did not feel as it should against my skin. It felt tingly and slightly less at the same time. Being busy I didn't have much time to think about it. Throughout the day I noticed the soles of my feet, while putting my hair in a ponytail I noticed the back of my head having that same odd loss of sensation. looking these symptoms up on google (as you do) I came to the conclusion that I must have some vitamin and mineral deficiency, more specifically B12 and Magnesium. So I asked my husband to pick me up some supplements on the way home from work.

Me and my husband an hour or so into 2014!

That night, after dinner I started feeling a cold coming on. Weakness, fever, achy joints and tiredness. This reassured me somehow. It was when the cold symptoms went away on Sunday the 17th of march and instead a very extreme dizziness and nausea took over. At one point during the day I decided that I was being lazy and thought it would be a GREAT idea to tackle some dishes. Weak as I was I made my way downstairs and started unloading the dishwasher. Halfway through ny nausea took over and it wasn't a pretty sight! So from then on I laid down and stayed that way. Slowly but surely it escalated from not being able to stand because of dizziness and nausea to not being able to SIT, then eventually by Tuesday the 19th of march, not being able to turn around in my bed without throwing up. 

Okay, so now you are probably wondering what the heck, why didn't she just call for an ambulance? For me calling an ambulance is a LAAAAST resort. On the Monday I did go to the doctor in our village, where they took bloods and thought that my symptoms were very odd. I managed to throw up on arrival from the strain of getting there and I probably looked a right mess. But I did get the impression they thought I was a bit cuckoo. I think they thought I was sick with the flu and the rest was just in my head.

So Tuesday evening the 19th of march my husband had had enough. He called the ambulance. Something was majorly wrong with me and it wasn't getting any better. While on the phone with them he was asked if an ambulance was really necessary as my symptoms sounded much like I had the flu. And even after reassuring him that I know what a flu feels like and that this was most definitely NOT it, he would only put me on a late priority and he wasn't happy about it.

My 30th birthday!

The ride into the hospital was torture. Every bump in the road, every turn, and every speed change made me more and more dizzy and nauseous. And to make a long story short... it wasn't pretty ;-). The next couple of days were a blur, as they often are in hospitals. I remember being taken to the ear and infections department because they initially suspected my dizziness to have something to do with my ears. After a lot of cleaning out my ears(gross) and a lot of testing if my ears they finally ruled out anything to do with their department. 

They then sent me for an MRI. Anyone who has been diagnosed with MS will probably have had one and will probably know what they found on mine. Lesions. A number of lesions in my brain. Four to be exact, of which one was active. I was still in the Ear and infections department at this point, and the person who told me the results was one of the doctors who had been dealing with me up until that point. He told me that he had only glanced at my results and didn't know if he was doing the right thing by telling me since he wasn't an expert in neurology, but he wanted me to be prepared for when a neurologist came down to tell me officially. It was in MY eyes one of the best things that could have happened. From the moment he told me and in the following hour until the neurologist came, I had time to process and think and had many questions ready for him when he came. I was also able to remember everything that we talked about MS, instead of being clouded by grief and chock. I had also spoken to my husband and crying with him, but also figuring out my plan of attack. My way of dealing with it all. Since then I have expected a wave of extreme grief. I have expected to cry myself to sleep, and for some reason that has not come. All I feel is motivation and dare I say excitement to figure this out. By this I mean my life and how to best live so that my MS does not and will not affect me negatively. I feel like I went through the stages of grief within moments and acceptance has stayed with me since then. Even after hours of research and Googling I still feel encouraged. Even after seeing and reading about all the many ways this awful disease has affected so many people. I am motivated and intend to share my life, research and progress with you here. I would also love your input and love to hear your experiences. 

I love working with kids!

So to summerize my initial episode, or my first noticed one, since my MRI showed I had had a number of previous episodes without knowing about it. My symptoms included loss of sensation on the soles of my feet, on my but, back, back of my head and ears. I also experienced muscle weakness, dizziness and nausea. For other common MS symptoms go to wikipedia here.

So here I am. Laying on the couch, dealing with my kids as best I can from a vertical position, and writing this.
Looking forward to my spinal fluid to normalize and to get the energy to start executing all my new plans for food and exercise. 

Thanks for reading,
Josefine