Journey to Wellness March 2009 T

Journey to Wellness
March 2009
THE GOOD NEWS, NATURALLY HEALTHY NEWSLETTER

Hello to everyone from warm and sunny Davis, California, U.S.A., where it is a beautiful 70 degree sunny spring day. I hope it is equally lovely where you are.

The purpose of the Betty's House...Life After MS website, and this newsletter, is to help all people with Multiple Sclerosis believe that they need not be a victim of MS, but rather that they can be a victor; that they can be "enabled" by their MS rather than "disabled," and that the choice is up to them. I believe our body is designed to be self-healing, and that our challenge is learn how to "listen" to our body and to support our body's self-healing process.

As I do with each issue of Journey to Wellness, I hope something included "speaks" to you and challenges you to move ahead in your own journey to wellness.

This is a very special anniversary issue of Journey to Wellness, and if you are a new subscriber I warmly welcome you.

IN THIS ISSUE:

My View - Happy Birthday to Us!

	Bon Appétit - Healthy Food Tips and Recipes Powerhouse Oatmeal Breakfast Avocado Stuffed Tomato Salad Baked Pesto Chicken Flourless Almond Cookies
	Exercise - Use It or Lose It
	Our Internal Guidance System
	Internet Fun
	Featured Exercise DVDs and Books
	From My Mailbox
	Research News Drug Nonsense from the FDA Can Breastfeeding Reduce Multiple Sclerosis Relapses? 4-Aminopyridine (4-AP) Improves Walking Ability in Some Patients With MS

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______|______|MY VIEW|______|_____|___

Happy Birthday to Us!

TWELVE YEARS!

That's right . . . this is the 12th anniversary issue of Journey to Wellness. And I am probably the most surprised person of all. I never set out to have either a website or a newsletter. But I did write and self-publish my first MS book, From MS to Wellness. Then after deciding to market it on the Internet and hiring a knowledge consultant, he said I needed a website. Soon thereafter he said I should begin a monthly newsletter, which was initially to be a subtle marketing tool for the book.. I was not eager to do that, because I thought after two or three issues I would have written everything I knew about MS.

Remember . . . the Internet was still in its infancy at that time, and I had just gotten comfortable with e-mails and hardly knew what the Internet was. I couldn't afford a webmaster to create my website, so I learned to create a simple webpage. Then my consultant suggested an Internet publisher, and I signed an agreement with them and the first issues were born. For several years all the newsletters were in "plain e-mail text format." I didn't even know the differences in various kinds of text - like plain text, HTML and hyper-text at that time. Sometimes I would have something happen that I couldn't understand and which totally baffled me. Added to that was the fact that I could not afford to publish the newsletter in HTML, which would have been a lot nicer looking and could have been in color with "live links" like we have on Internet websites.

I quickly learned that plain e-mail text does not allow for color, bold, italicized or underlined text, and that HTML is the language of the Internet.

Gradually by trial and error I learned the ins and outs of the Internet. I still sometimes have a question the answer to which I do not know, and I find that I need to learn something else. Oh the joys of being self-taught!

In preparing for this issue I went back and read the first few issues, as well as a printed version of the first version of the website. I am amazed at how little my recommendations have changed. They worked then, and they work now. But the first issues of the newsletter were quite elementary.

Well, here we are, twelve years later, and the newsletter continues to grow, with subscribers all over the globe. A few days ago I received the following note from a subscriber:

Hi Betty,

It is hard to believe we have been together for 12 years. Thank you for your dedication to keeping
the newsletter going. Best wishes. /s/ Adelle H.

            Hello Adelle. Thank you for sticking with me through all my learning lessons. Every subscriber is
            important to me.   And just knowing that I have been able to help you along your own journey to
            wellness makes it all worthwhile.

In the early years of the newsletter I used to get really hateful mail from people who wanted to believe that I was a fraud, or that I had not really had MS at all, or had been misdiagnosed, or that the facts of my story were overstated. Thankfully that almost never happens any more. Even the MS Society said I gave people false hope. Now almost all of my mail is positive. I have even come to appreciate the religionists who pray for me to be "saved!" I now bless them because I know that they have good intentions and mean well. Those of you who have been down this road with me through the years know that I am a deeply spiritual person.

Again this month I have included informative e-mail exchanges, research news, together with regular features. I hope you will find the information shared to be helpful to you in your own journey to wellness.

Please note the special price reduction on the Yoga and Qi Gong DVD programs. And remember that this newsletter is meant to be interactive. I encourage you to share your thoughts, ideas, challenges, and questions. When you write to me, please include a photo and I'll include it in the newsletter.

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THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Again, as I do every month, my thanks and big hugs to all of you who help make this on-line newsletter and Betty's House possible by contributing $15.00 per year. In our precarious economic climate contributions have been very few and far between for the last few months. If you find benefit in Journey to Wellness, your contribution will be greatly appreciated. It may be sent to Iams House, 139 Inner Circle, Davis, CA 95618, or by credit card by calling 800-651-3155, or 530-753-5595, or by sending me an e-mail. YOU make the website and this newsletter possible. Without your help both will disappear.

Help . . . yes that's the proper word. I have a simple favor to ask of you. Many of you buy items from time to time on Amazon. Please consider using the Betty's House link to Amazon and using that link when you browse their shelves. Every time you do a few pennies flow our way that really make a difference. It is simple and that extra few dollars each month can help keep our newsletter free and focused on our mission.

Just click on this Amazon link, then when it opens bookmark it in your "favorites," and it will be easy to always use it. You'll be amazed at all the products available there. They have a lot more than books today, and it really makes for easy, trouble-free shopping. For all of you who have been shopping using the Betty's House Amazon link, thank you for remembering to do that. Each order you place using the Betty's House link means a few cents is returned to Betty's House to help pay the monthly fees for the website and publishing fees for this newsletter. It is not very much, but every little bit helps.

PLEASE NOTE:

1) Archives of the past year's issues of Journey to Wellness are available here. If you are a new
subscriber you will a treasure trove of information in the archives.

    2) If you wish to send an e-mail to me, please be sure to use one of the following as the subject:

            "Order" if you wish to place an order
            "Report Please" if you are requesting the recommended Supplements list
            "From a Newsletter Subscriber" for all other correspondence

Please remember to do that so your e-mail isn't lost in the never-never land of spam!!

Bon Appétit - Healthy Food Tips and Recipes

POWERHOUSE FOODS

Today we keep hearing and reading about ten or so most healthy and anti-aging foods. Three of those most prominently featured are oats, walnuts and blueberries.

I know, walnuts and blueberries are expensive. But if you shop carefully, buying in quantity when they are available at reduced prices, those of us on limited budgets can afford them. And if you compare that cost to the cost of medicines, it is a small price to pay for being healthier.

Shopping tips: I keep blueberries frozen for easy use. I purchase them fresh in quantity, wash and dry them carefully, then place them in zip lock storage bags and freeze them. If you purchase them already frozen they cost from two to three times as much.

I suggest you purchase whole walnuts in bulk. I have a local co-op which features them at about half the cost of supermarkets. I also purchase them in quantity and store them in freezer storage bags.

Here's the perfect and tasty way to combine them into a . . .

POWERHOUSE OATMEAL BREAKFAST

(2 servings)

2 t. olive or canola oil

1/2 c. steel-cut oats (I find it in the bulk bins at my health food store)

2 c. water

blueberries

chopped walnuts

salt to taste

In saucepan, heat the oil and add the oats. (It is best to preheat your pot over high heat before adding oil and oats.) Stir continuously for 2 or 3 minutes to toast. Toasting improves flavor and makes the oats very fragrant and somewhat sweet. Add the water slowly (being careful to avoid burning yourself from the hot steam), cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Keep at a low simmer for about 30-35 minutes, without stirring. Then stir well and let set for about 2-3 minutes until all moisture is absorbed. Add defrosted blueberries and walnuts before serving.

Serve with sweetener of choice, adding Rice Dream or milk as desired.

NOTE: You may use "Old Fashioned" oats instead of steel-cut (sometimes called Irish style). Then follow label directions, adding the blueberries and chopped walnuts as desired.

If you are using old fashioned oats, you may microwave them for 6 minutes at 50% power level.

Please do not ever use instant oats, as they have been precooked and all the fiber and nutrients have been stripped from them. The best nutrition comes from steel cut oats, second best is old fashioned, third best is quick cooking, and instant has no original nutrients remaining.

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Another one of the powerful anti-aging foods we read a lot about today is avocados. Most of us know and love guacamole, and we of course are aware of the avocado's high calorie level. But that does not mean that we should eliminate them from our diet. Here's a lovely way to serve avocado.

AVOCADO STUFFED TOMATO SALAD

1 large ripe tomato per serving

1/4 large ripe avocado per serving

1 t. lemon or lime juice

1/2 rib celery, finely chopped

finely chopped onion to taste

about 1 T. mayonnaise or dressing of choice

pinch salt to taste

1 leaf of green leaf lettuce per tomato

chopped parsley for garnish

Slice off stem-end of tomatoes, then flatten other end so that tomato sits easily on a lettuce leaf. Carefully scoop out the inside of the tomato, finely chopping the firm portions and setting them aside.

Finely chop celery and onion and add to chopped tomato.

Cut around avocado, twist and separate halves. Remove seed and cut each half in half so that you have 1/4 avocado per serving. If you avocado is small use 1/2 of avocado per serving. Carefully remove peeling from avocado and cube. Add avocado to the chopped celery, onion and tomato. Sprinkle with lemon or lime juice and toss with mayonnaise and salt to taste.

Stuff chopped mixture into tomatoes and place on lettuce leaf. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. You may also decorate with little grape tomatoes scattered on the lettuce. Enjoy.

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BAKED PESTO CHICKEN
Four servings

            4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
            ½ c. refrigerated pesto with basil
            2 plum tomatoes, sliced (optional)
            ¾ c. (3 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese (optional for those who eat cheese)

PREHEAT oven to 400° F. Line baking sheet with heavy-duty foil.

PLACE chicken and pesto in medium bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet.

BAKE for 20 to 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove from oven; top with tomatoes and cheese. If adding cheese, bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

NOTE: I like the flavor of fresh pesto so much that I do several variations. One is to marinate the chicken breasts for about half an hour in the pesto in a storage bag in the refrigerator. Then brown in about 1 T olive oil in saucepan, add about 1/4 c. water and 1/4 c. white wine and simmer on low heat until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside. Toss cooked spagettini with the juices in the skillet and serve with chicken placed on top of the pasta. Garnish with chopped parsley and grape tomatoes if desired for a treat for the eyes.

NOTE 2: If you are dairy free simply make your own pesto by combining olive oil, fresh basil, pine nuts and fresh garlic, in a blender or food processor. Experiment with the combination of flavors that works best for your palate.

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Here's a great gluten-free almond cookie that everyone will enjoy.

Flourless Almond Cookies

        1 c. almond butter
        1 c. granulated sugar (see note below)
        ½ t. salt
        2 t. baking powder
        1 egg
        additional sugar for rolling dough

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together almond butter and sugar. Beat in salt and baking powder. Add egg, then mix until combined.

Using a cookie scoop and wet hands, shape dough into a ball, then roll in sugar. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a nonstick silicone mat. Flatten with a sugar-coated glass bottom or use fork to make a crisscross pattern.

Bake about 10 minutes. It's important to let cookies rest for about 5 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet with a spatula. This recipe makes 2 to 3 dozen, depending on size of cookies.

NOTE: You may reduce the sugar to suit your own taste, which helps the nutrition value since we try to limit sugar intake. I like them with about half a cup of sugar. Since almond butter is a "good fat," after reducing the sugar these are heart-healthy and very tasty. (You may also substitute peanut butter if your food plan allows for that.)

EXERCISE - USE IT OR LOSE IT!

Early on in my own journey to wellness, while reading the Yoga Journal I discovered a feature article about Hatha yoga teacher Shoosh Crotzer and her video program for people with limited mobility, now called Yoga for MS. I ordered it immediately and began a journey with Shoosh of many years. I later had the opportunity to meet her when she visited San Diego where I lived at that time.

I am sometimes asked why I recommend both modified yoga and Qi Gong. The reason (based purely on my personal experience with them) is that this yoga program builds and maintains strength, while Qi Gong is simple movements coordinated with the breath for energy healing.

Over the years Shoosh has written many, many columns in this newsletter, and I am pleased that she has sent the following for this special anniversary issue. Thank you Shoosh for sharing our Journey to Wellness.

Image Copyright © David Martinez. Reprinted with permission of Rodmell Press. Congratulations to Betty on her 12^th anniversary of producing this newsletter! I am happy to have been a part of it for many years and look forward to many more. During these years, yoga has become much more common, but the kind of yoga that is popular is generally geared to the very fit young people in their 20s and 30s, since that is what looks good for marketing. However, this is not usually the kind of yoga that is recommended for anyone who has special needs, such as MS. This is not to say that you shouldn’t do yoga. On the contrary, you just need to be selective and sometimes it may take some time to find the right class and teacher, but it’s worth the effort. Adaptive yoga can be very beneficial in improving your quality of life by reducing symptoms of fatigue, stress, muscle weakness or pain, etc.

Yoga was originated in India and has been handed down and evolved over the centuries. The word yoga comes from Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language, and means “union” of the body, the mind, and the spirit. The most common Western interpretation focuses on refining the body, mind, and spirit through poses, called asanas combined with breathing techniques, called pranayama. In my classes, I tend to let the “spiritual” aspect of yoga be more personal and focus more on the body-mind connection, with the breath being an important tool for that connection.

Yoga is noncompetitive and can be individualized. Alignment is emphasized, so posture and balance may improve. Yoga teaches you where muscles are located and how to strengthen and stretch them. You can learn how to release tension, allowing the body to feel more energized. Yoga also includes relaxation techniques that can reduce stress.

Not all poses and techniques are appropriate for everyone, so before starting, talk with your doctor or health care provider about which poses and exercises would be best for you and which you should avoid. Then listen to what your body tells you. If a pose or an exercise doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. But at the same time, don’t be lazy or afraid of working to make changes.

There are also many yoga tapes available now, but not many that are appropriate for MS. I have been teaching yoga for more than 35 years and I created two tapes that have been widely endorsed and used internationally that Betty sells and whose benefits she has supported for many years. I also have a website: www.mobilityltd.com with further information.

If you have any questions relating to this column or yoga in general, you can email me directly at shsh@mobilityltd.com. (Remember, I am not a doctor, so please do not ask medical questions.)

OUR INTERNAL GUIDANCE SYSTEM

I have been remiss in not writing much about our Internal Guidance System (IGS) in the last few months. I believe our IGS is so important in self-healing that I thought I'd share with you this month some of my own recent growth in understanding how powerful our IGS can be.

I also had a note from subscriber Mike who has been learning to work with his own IGS, and he asked me to write more about it, and to specifically define what it is. So here is a new attempt to define what the IGS is, why we have it, and what it does for us. Please know that is a tall order and I am probably more brave than I should be to even attempt to answer Mike's question.

What is our Internal Guidance System? Very simply it is our connection to the larger Universe (think God). It is our life force energy, also known as chi or prana. It enters our body when life begins, when we breathe our first breath, and stays with us until we breathe our last breath when we leave our body and move on to our next experience. Many spiritual writers see our life force as what in religions is known as the soul.

Why do we have an IGS? That energy is the source of our (all) life. Our IGS truly is our body's guidance system. It guides us consciously or unconsciously, and most importantly it is our link to the Universe, "the one whole body of things and phenomena observed or postulated," according to Webster. Uni means one, so when we refer to the Universe in the context I'm using it, we are referring to how we are all connected, including the one Universal power that many call God.

What does our life force do for us? Many huge books have been written on this subject by authors much more qualified than me. Most importantly our life force maintains all aspects of our functioning as human beings. It is responsible for our intuitive ability. It is responsible for our autonomic nervous system - everything that happens automatically in our body. It is the source of our body's immune response, and it is the source of self-healing, which our body is designed to do. Our IGS is also the source for communication from and by our body. I have often posited in the past that our body "talks" to us, and that we need to nurture the ability to listen to what our body is telling us. With such "messages" as pain or discomfort, indigestion, elimination problems, a headache, etc., our IGS tells us when our body is not happy. It is also the foundation of our emotions.

In previous newsletters I have given a suggestion of how to "feel" the existence of our IGS. Recently I have learned how to do that more intensely and easily. Those of you who have the Tai Chi for Seniors DVD program will remember that Mark Johnson, creator of that program, teaches that we all have some innate healing power in our hands. He demonstrates vigorously rubbing your open palms together to enhance your ability to feel and activate your natural healing ability. Once you learn to feel your IGS, your level of belief and "knowing" will increase exponentially.

A few months ago I injured a knee and overnight it swelled up like a balloon and was very painful. I had my primary physician look at it and was sent for physical therapy. The P.T. helped, but as soon as I had completed a few weeks of that, the swelling and pain returned. My doctor then injected cortisone and lidocaine directly into the joint, and in five minutes the pain was all gone. I was understandably elated, only to be disappointed about 10 days later when the swelling and pain returned.

I was so distressed at that point that I began to search some of my books, videos and various sources for help. Then I remembered that Mark shows self-massage on the Tai Chi/Qi Gong for Seniors DVD and demonstrates how the energy in your legs naturally runs down the outside and then up the inside. He then demonstrates using that technique to massage a sore knee or ankle. That evening I spent about 20-30 minutes doing the circular massage motion that Mark demonstrates. The next morning when I got up all the pain was gone, and there was very little swelling. From that day to this I have continued doing that circular massage of my knee just before I retire each night, and I repeat it each morning.

I cannot say that my knee is 100% normal, because it tends to swell a little, because I have damaged cartilage in that knee. But I can say today that it is at least 95% of normal, and relatively pain free. Just today I walked for about an hour and a half with no knee discomfort.

In doing this every day, always beginning by vigorously rubbing my open palms together, I have discovered that I can feel my IGS to a much greater degree. Try it. IT REALLY WORKS!! This technique is a basic part of Qi Gong, which is a very powerful healing tool. It is now something like 13 years since I started doing Qi Gong, and in retrospect my guess is that Mark's Qi Gong program has been a very powerful healing tool for me.

If Qi Gong is new to you, I urge you to order The Healer Within book by Dr. Roger Jahnke. It is truly the bible of Qi Gong, including the history and the "why" and "how" it works. Your own chi, your life force energy, is the healer. You will also benefit greatly by regularly doing Mark Johnson Tai Chi/Qi Gong for Seniors DVD program. The Chinese have a lot to teach us about maintaining physical health. Incidentally, Chi Gong literally translates in English to "energy work."

If you have questions regarding any aspect of how this works, please let me know and I will attempt to help.

INTERNET FUN

If you like mind games (mental gymnastics I call them) as I do, there is some neat fun stuff at the Real Age Website:

http://www.realage.com/HealthyYOUCenter/Games/intro.aspx?gameType=speedmatch

Enjoy.

Featured Exercise DVDs and Books

I absolutely do not believe anyone can prevent
the tendency of MS to progress without a
consistent gentle stretching and deep breathing exercise program

The worst aspects of MS respond very positively to gentle exercise. Such a deal! And it really doesn't matter what level of disability one has. Many exercises can be done either standing, seated, or lying down. And deep breathing — which is so essential — can be done any time and any where.

I am often contacted by readers about various Qi Gong programs they have purchased that they cannot use. I understand. I have many, many different DVD programs but most do not work for me either. That is the joy of the Tai Chi/Qi Gong for Seniors routine. It is designed specifically for people with limited mobility. It is simple and easy, perhaps deceptively so. At first it seems too simple. But over time when you really learn to work with it and do the simple movements in a slow, meditative way, the benefits are enormous. When combined with the Qi Gong techniques in The Healer Within book, this is a superb healing tool.

Over the years I have evaluated personally many exercise programs, and the absolute best I know of are Tai Chi for Seniors by Mark Johnson, Yoga for MS by Shoosh Crotzer, and Gentle Fitness by Catherine MacRae. I am very confident in recommending them.

~ Yoga for Strength and Qi Gong for Healing ~

In response to questions from some of you, all of the DVD programs have parts that require standing. My observation of each one is as follows:

	Yoga for MS includes sections done standing (a small amount), some sitting, and some on the floor. (It demonstrates instructions for a helper for one who has problems getting up and down.) The standing portions could be done leaning against a wall or holding on to a chair back.
	Gentle Fitness also includes sitting, standing and floor sections.
	Tai Chi (Qi Gong) for Seniors includes both standing and seated portions. Most of this routine can be done seated in an armless chair (like a folding or dining table chair).
	The Healer Within can be done standing, seated or lying down. For the wheelchair-bound person with very limited physical ability, this is the program for you. This book includes sketches of each movement, in all three positions.

YOGA FOR MS AND RELATED CONDITIONS - I found this modified yoga program in the Yoga Journal about 11 years ago, and it remains a mainstay of my own exercise program. This program is recommended by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

TAI CHI FOR SENIORS - This is a simple, easy-to-do Qi Gong (chi kung) Tai Chi video program. It was the very first exercise program I found after being diagnosed with MS, and about 13 years later I still find it very beneficial and do it almost every day. This program complements the Yoga for MS routine beautifully.

GENTLE FITNESS - Catherine and I connected on the Internet about 8-9 years ago, and I ordered her Gentle Fitness. I find it an excellent program, and use sections of it together with the Yoga for MS program.

These videos make up my personal exercise library, and alternating the programs keeps me from getting bored. Together with deep breathing exercises for a few minutes at least a couple of times a day, and walking about a mile several mornings a week with my ExerStrider poles, weather permitting, not only keeps me fit and energetic, it keeps my legs strong and moving.

~~ PRICE REDUCTION FOR TAI CHI AND YOGA FOR MS DVDs!! ~~
for newsletter subscribers

If you have been waiting to order one of these programs,
now is the time. Temporarily the price is reduced to
$21.50 each plus $4.00 shipping and handling.

The price of the Gentle Fitness program remains $29.50 plus $4.00 shipping and handling. (There is an additional $3.00 charge for international air mail shipping.)

Follow this link for more information on these videos and books

FOUR STEPS TO OVERCOMING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS includes just about everything I have learned in my own journey to wellness. It is an easy to read, understand and follow e-book guide to the management of Multiple Sclerosis using the healthy lifestyle approach that I practice and recommend. It incorporates each of the four areas, exercise, meditation, diet, and supplements. This book includes an extensive recipe collection as well as an all inclusive guide to the Best Bet for MS food plan. It now includes a complete guide to our Internal Guidance System.

Four Steps to Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis is available for $21.50.

You may order any of the above by providing credit card information by e-mail to me,
or by calling 800-651-3155 (in the U.S. and Canada), or 530-753-5595.

Follow this link for more information on this e-book.

THE HEALER WITHIN is an excellent book by Roger Jahnke, a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, which is truly the "bible" of Qi Gong and oriental medicine. I have benefited greatly from the information I learned from this book. Unfortunately I no longer carry it in stock. You may, however, order it from Amazon.com. Just click on this Amazon link to order. The Healer Within includes very simple easy-to-do Qi Gong based movements that I highly recommend. The best thing about this book is that all the movements may be done standing, seated or lying down.

FROM MY MAIL BOX

Hi Betty

I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed Journey to Wellness since I "stumbled" on your site on the Internet a year or so ago. You are so inspirational. I have enjoyed our conversations and I am following your suggestions and doing well. Thank you so much. /s/ Michelle K.

Thank you Michelle. I remember talking with you. I am pleased that you are doing well.

Hello Betty

I am newly diagnosed and just found your website. It all sounds wonderful, but overwhelming at the same time. Could I ask if you have a simple summary? Thanks. /s/ Marie S.

Hi Marie. Welcome to this elite MS club!

I often do summaries because I think most people believe it is hard to develop and stick to a self-healing program. I assure you that it is relatively easy, and anyone can do it. Here for you and all new subscribers is a brief summary:

(1) A consistent exercise program using Qi Gong and/or modified Yoga

(2) Supplements Vitamin D, Essential Fatty Acids, and B-12

(3) Stress reduction for which I strongly recommend the discipline of meditation

(4) Diet modification - KIS, keep it simple, and begin by eliminating white flour and sugar

Does this work for everyone? Nothing works for everyone! But you have a very good chance of never developing neurological damage if you begin early. Can you reverse neurological damage? For some people the answer is yes, and for some no. I used to think that for the primary progressive person like myself that it could not be done, but with consistency over the years I have been able to do that to a very big degree. It has been quite a few years since I have had any evidence of active MS in my body. Just recently working with a great physical therapist, I have realized that there is almost no difference between my so-called weaker leg and my stronger one. As I am sure you know, MS is almost always one-sided. In my case it was my right leg which was effected. Today the strength is just about equal in both legs. I have never had any upper body involvement.

Remember, keep your program simple, believe in yourself, keep a good attitude, and stay focused. If I can do it, I assure you that YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

Hi Betty,

I am a long time reader but this is my first time to write to you. Thanks for all the help you have given me for the last few years. I am still working and living my life with some modification thanks to my "uninvited guest." The last few issues of the newsletter have really moved me. Thanks for sharing your own personal growth with your readers. I especially liked the quote you had last month from Dr. Oz. I am again determined to learn to meditate. Thanks again for just being who you are. /s/ James K.

Hi James. Thanks for sharing those lovely words. For those who may have missed it, here's that quote from Dr. Memmet Oz again:

"You can control your immune system with meditation!"

That is a very powerful statement, and a very powerful concept.

RESEARCH NEWS

DRUG NONSENSE FROM THE FDA

The Most Ridiculous Drug of All?
From Dr. Weil

Earlier this month I wrote about the drug industry's efforts to pathologize everyday human experiences such as occasional impotence or shyness by giving them serious-sounding names (erectile dysfunction and social anxiety disorder, respectively), and then push pills to combat these "illnesses."

Now, the "drugs for everything" approach has reached a new high - or low - with news that Allergan Inc. (the company that gave us Botox) has received FDA approval to market a topical drug trade-named Latisse that will increase the length, thickness and darkness of eyelashes.

The active ingredient, bimatoprost, was originally developed to treat glaucoma, but Allergan estimates that global peak sales for a rebranded eyelash-enhancing version could top $500 million a year.

In my view, using a glaucoma drug this way is unwise. The eye is a sensitive mechanism, and applying a pharmaceutical to the eyelid for a subtle cosmetic enhancement is a classic example of an unfavorable risk/reward ratio. True, side effects were moderate during a 16-week study: four of 137 patients dropped out because of mild or moderate eczema, dry eye, eye inflammation or dermatitis. But what might happen after years or decades of applications?

I hope that drugs like this one represent the last gasp of an out-of-control pharmaceutical industry, and that the incoming administration will staff the FDA with officials who understand that not all human imperfections are "diseases" that can or should be addressed with drugs.

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Can Breastfeeding Reduce Multiple Sclerosis Relapses?
American Academy of Neurology (AAN)

Newswise — Women who have multiple sclerosis may reduce their risk of relapses after pregnancy if they breastfeed their babies, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle, April 25 to May 2, 2009.

For the study, researchers followed 32 pregnant women with MS and 29 pregnant women without MS during each trimester and up to a year after they gave birth. The women were interviewed about their breastfeeding and menstrual period history.

A total of 52 percent of the women with MS did not breastfeed or began supplemental formula feedings within two months of giving birth. Of those, 87 percent had a relapse after pregnancy compared to 36 percent of women with MS who breastfed exclusively for at least two months after pregnancy.

Sixty percent of the women reported their main reason for not breastfeeding exclusively was to start taking MS treatments again. Women who began taking MS treatments within the first two months after giving birth had significantly higher risk of suffering a relapse than women with MS who did not start taking medications early, regardless of whether they breastfed. Those who breastfed exclusively got their menstrual periods back later than the women who did not breastfeed or began early supplemental feedings.

"Our findings call into question the benefit of choosing not to breastfeed or stopping breastfeeding early in order to start taking MS therapies," said study author Annette Langer-Gould, MD, PhD, of Stanford University in California, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "Larger studies need to be done on whether women should delay taking MS medications in order to breastfeed."

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Wadsworth Foundation.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as multiple sclerosis, restless legs syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, narcolepsy, and stroke.

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4-Aminopyridine (4-AP) Improves Walking Ability in Some Patients With MS

NEW YORK -- February 26, 2009 -- The drug 4-aminopyridine (Fampridine) improves walking ability in some patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and seems to be well tolerated in patients with all disease course types of MS, according to a phase 3 study published in the February 28 issue of The Lancet.

Andrew Goodman, MD, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, and colleagues conducted a randomized trial to assess the efficacy and safety of slow-release 4-aminopyridine on walking ability and leg strength in patients with MS at 33 centers in the United States and Canada. Patients were eligible if they had any disease course of MS and were able to complete 2 trials of the timed 25-foot walk (T25FW).

A total of 301 patients aged 18 to 70 years were randomized to receive either 4-aminopyridine 10 mg BID or a placebo for 14 weeks. Patients were assessed for walking speed measured with the T25FW at 2 weeks, and then every 4 weeks for 14 weeks. The 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12) was also used to measure the patients' perception of the effect that difficulties in walking were having on them.

Findings showed that the number of timed walk responders (patients who achieved a faster walking speed in at least 3 of the 4 assessments when they were on treatment compared with the fastest when they were not on treatment) was significantly higher in the 4-aminopyridine-treatment group (78/224; 35%) compared with the placebo group (6/72; 8%).

In addition, among the responders taking 4-aminopyridine, improvement in walking speed compared with placebo was 25.5% versus 4.7%. Improvement in leg strength was also greater in 4-aminopyridine-treated patients than in people on placebo. Further, timed walk responders reported a greater improvement in all 12 items on the MSW scale compared to timed walk non-responders -- so responder did translate into an improvement in patients' perception.

The authors reported that 11 patients in the 4-aminopyridine group (5%) were withdrawn from the study due to adverse events, with 8 of those (4%) involving treatment-emergent events. Only 2 serious adverse events (focal seizure and severe anxiety) were considered as being connected with the drug. However, the authors pointed out that risk of seizure shown in previous studies seems to increase in a dose-dependent way with 4-aminopyridine.

"Treatment with 4-aminopyridine produces clinically meaningful improvement in walking ability in some people with multiple sclerosis, irrespective of disease course type or concomitant treatment with immunomodulators," the authors concluded.

In an accompanying comment, Alan Thompson, MD, University College London, London, United Kingdom, and Chris Polman, MD, VU Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, welcome the findings but add that: "Better understanding of the treatment profile, in terms of the full functional treatment effect and identification of those most likely to respond, is needed to allow for effective implementation in treatment regimens for multiple sclerosis."

SOURCE: The Lancet

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As always I hope you have found something in this issue of Journey to Wellness to help you along your own journey to wellness. If something in this newsletter raised a serious question for you, please send me a note and I'll try to respond. I thank you all for your continued support and encouragement. I love reading your correspondence. You are all very special to me. Please also remember that Journey to Wellness is intended to be interactive. I really want to hear from you! Please send me your experiences, challenges, etc. and I will try to include them. And please, include a photo.

Yet again I remind you, please remember to smile and laugh a lot, and to say "I love you" often to those you love. One thing I truly do know for sure, and that is that when all is said and done, and we move on to our next experience, it is only the love that lasts!

I truly believe that love is the greatest gift you can ever give or receive. Love and {{hugs}} to you all.

Betty

PLEASE NOTE: I AM NOT A MEDICALLY TRAINED PERSON, AND I DO NOT GIVE MEDICAL ADVICE. BUT I HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS STUDENT OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS FOR MANY YEARS, AND I HAVE DEVELOPED A PROGRAM THAT KEEPS ME RELATIVELY SYMPTOM FREE, ABOUT 14 YEARS NOW SINCE PRIMARY PROGRESSIVE MS FIRST MADE ITS APPEARANCE IN MY LIFE.

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