With the New Year upon us many of us are contemplating what we will do different for next year. Regardless of multiple sclerosis we are all individuals who have aspirations, dreams, and desires. We are not our MS.

I’m sure you’ve heard of people who do the New Year’s resolution thing, they go out and change their diet, exercise- what ever it might be. But soon enough these mighty ideas are cast to the wind. The end result is feeling guilty, just one more thing I didn
‘t accomplish. Flogging yourself that you didn’t do this or that and that your just not disciplined enough to go through the course of action.

I’ve been setting goals for the past 2 years and there are reasons as to why people don’t follow through with their initial good intentions. Based on my observations there are some reasons why people don’t achieve their New Years Resolutions.

1. Big lofty ideas: Are your resolutions realistic? Too big of an idea with not enough time, energy and resources can spell a disappointment. Pick just one large resolution, but break it down into steps. What do you have to do to achieve this resolution, think about the steps and how much time and energy it will cost you to achieve.

2. Not writing them down: If you don’t write them down, you might as well consider them lost in space. Sit down and grab a piece of paper, write down your resolutions in details and describe to yourself how you are going to get there. Also, your resolution should include your feelings of achievement. If you don’t write down your resolutions they just won’t seem real and present.

3. Post your resolutions: Place your hand written resolutions in a prominent place where you will see them each and every day. Remind your self each morning. Remember we are forgetful and need to be reminded. This is critical for success. A great idea is to write these resolutions on index cards and place in a spot where you may have a few minutes each day. Perhaps in the car while waiting or driving. Or if you’re me, I don’t drive and have my resolutions posted in my closet. Each day when dressing I’m reminded of my resolutions.

4. Having a support group: Talk to others regarding your resolutions and how you are doing. Resolutions don’t need to be a private affair, talk to friends and family for support in avoiding the pitfalls.

Robert Groth is the author of “Conquer Multiple Sclerosis”. To receive a FREE ebook on reclaiming your life and conquering Multiple Sclerosis go to http://www.ConquerMS.com

I certainly can’t claim that I’m a minimalist, but the fact remains that I can’t stand clutter. Clutter not only is stuff lying around, but it’s stuff that clutters my mind. Clutter leads to more frustration, lack of clear thinking, and just plain craziness.

Clutter also leads to creating more work. Just think about that time you were looking for something- perhaps a bill you needed to pay. Shuffling though piles of paper, getting more frustrated and anxiety ridden as the moments went by. All of us have been there.

The benefits of creating a minimalist home are: less time cleaning, more appealing, and less stress.

Realizing that you have multiple sclerosis means that you have to conserve your reserves. What I mean by this is your energy and tolerance for taking care of your stuff is truly limited. Just looking for that misplaced item could very well put an end to a day that none the less would have been great.
Focus on one room at a time: Don’t even think about tackling any of those other rooms in your house, focus on one room at a time. Trying to tackle the rest of your home could truly be discouraging and therefore make you give up and throw the towel in.

Start with one item: Focus on one item; maybe it’s the big pile of stuff sitting on your coffee table, or the kitchen table surface that you can’t seem to find. Again, don’t feel overwhelmed. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Remove what you don’t use: Here is a rule of thumb, if you haven’t used it in the last 3 years then donate it to someone who will. That stuff is just sitting in your home could really benefit someone else in need. And wouldn’t you love to help someone else out.

Think about what you really need: Do you really need everything you buy? Think about needs vs. wants. Yes, you’ve heard this before, but so many of us buy things because we like them and don’t really need them. The end result is a lot of stuff lying around our house and the bill that goes along with the stuff.

A place for everything: Keep counters clear by finding a place for everything. Papers filled in cabinets, dishes in cabinets, food in the pantry, clothes in the drawers. Make sure items end up where they need to go. Not putting things away is the biggest contributor to clutter!

Realize that creating a wonderful home is a work in progress, so set a goal. Maybe you’ll want to have your kitchen de-cluttered. You’ll find the changes refreshing and a great way to start out the New Year.

Robert Groth is the author of “Conquer Multiple Sclerosis”. To receive a FREE ebook on reclaiming your life and conquering Multiple Sclerosis go to http://www.ConquerMS.com

So much of the constant struggle with multiple sclerosis is a mental game. Who do you turn to in the darkest hours?

When reading the commentary from people struggling with any disease the feeling of aloneness is ever present. The feeling of rejection and abandonment is hard to overcome.

Why me?

What did I do to deserve this?

How could a loving God have allowed this to happen to me?

I have gone through all these emotions and more. The questions in my mind have always been what could I have done to prevent this. Is this disease a punishment for past actions, or lack of faith in God? I know intellectually that this was not a punishment.

You may think I’m crazy, but I have come to consider this disease as a gift. This gift was given to me to serve a higher purpose. The person that I have developed into could not have happened without this disease. We choose whether something is good or bad. I have learned to not treat this as either good or bad. It just is.

In reading the book, Learning to Tell Myself the Truth, by William Backus I started to discover the destructive talk going on in my head. This is a six week guide to eliminating anger, anxiety, depression, and perfection.

When my pastor identified me with every one of these problems: anxiety, anger, and depression over MS.

The next week I saw Pastor Don and had not read a page in my new book,my response was that I had not started it yet. He responded that this was not for everyone and it was OK. Boy that got me upset, I started the book that afternoon, and found it challenged me to recognize what I was telling myself.

Have you ever felt any of these feeling?

Anxiety: I worry about everything that could possibly go wrong
Perfectionism: If something bad happens I should be able to handle it better than I do
Depression: Unable to pick yourself up, not being grateful for what you do have, because I have MS I’m not good enough/or why would you love me.

This book started with a list of questions on how you felt about the individual topics listed above. He then expertly moved you from these questions to your individual truth. How what we tell ourselves is wrong much of the time.

We need to admit that we are a work in process.

I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good. Phil. 1:6, 2:13

Forgive yourself for all the bad things that you are telling yourself and move on with love. Remember that you are a creature of God, perfect in design. God’s perfect love is surrounding you and there is a purpose to everything. Even when we don’t understand it, give up your need to control every situation and release it to Him.

This doesn’t happen overnight, but books like Learning to Tell Myself the Truth, are a start. You need to start today to reclaim your life. Stop telling yourself the lies. You are good enough and will ultimately succeed. It’s taken me nineteen years to realize it. Now I am open to a great world of loving supporters who want the best for me. But this did not happen until I first learned to love myself and accept myself for who I am. A creature of God created in His image with the incredible power to choose how I will look at things. There is no good or bad, there just is.

Robert Groth is the author of “Conquer Multiple Sclerosis”. To receive a FREE ebook on reclaiming your life and conquering Multiple Sclerosis go to http://www.ConquerMS.com

I’m so glad the holidays are almost over, we can get back to reality and maybe the news will get on to something more positive. Enough of this negativity, doom and gloom and my gosh the world is falling down all around us.

I’m here to tell you it’s not, not by a long shot.

So let’s not wait any longer and discuss the 1st thing you can do right in improving your multiple sclerosis and mental outlook for 2009.

1. Turn off the News. Give yourself a healthy break from all the bad things being said on the news. You may not realize it, but the news honestly puts you in a fearful state of mine. Fearful of other people, the economy, the stock market, and believe it or not the weather. I’m sorry folks; the news is exaggerated to the highest degree. We are all going to die tomorrow and not make it another day. And a snow storm will wipe us all out. (In my state this may be true). Watching the news puts you in a state of negativity and anxiety (and yes MS and anxiety are bad, bad, bad).

2. Do Something Wonderful for Yourself. I’m thinking right now of the perfect get away- massage. One hour of release, relaxation, and no anxiety!

Or maybe for you it’s a trip to the movie theater, or the shopping mall, or lunch with a wonderful friend. Be nice to yourself, and look at yourself with kind eyes. If you don’t who will? Make yourself a goal of not treating yourself badly because you have MS.

3. Create a list of goals you wish to achieve this year. My friends, sit down and relax.

Think about what you want to do this upcoming year and the most important think about how you’re going to do it. Create goals on improving your disability, maybe its issues with balance, sight, or perhaps anxiety, depression. Folks, there are books you can read about relieving anxiety and exercises for improving balance, leg spasms, and the list goes on. Post these clear and written goals in a place you can see them daily. Remind yourself each day of these goals- this is so important and why most people don’t achieve their goals- THEY FORGET Structure your goals on improving yourself and reclaiming your life from multiple sclerosis.

4. Create a Mission Statement for Your Life: Who are You- have you ever asked that question? A good mission statement should be no more than a single sentence long, it should be understood by a twelve year old, and you should be able to be recited at gun point. A great book I suggest is The Path, Creating Your Mission Statement For Work and For Life.
Last but not least, (and its not even in my list) make a choice to improve yourself and start it by reading. I can’t say enough about how all the books I’ve read that have brought me out of the well of multiple sclerosis. Make a choice in 2009 to move on and reclaim your life.

Robert Groth is the author of “Conquer Multiple Sclerosis”. To receive a FREE ebook on reclaiming your life and conquering Multiple Sclerosis go to http://www.ConquerMS.com

Back when I was diagnosed with MS in 1989 I emerged with some pronounced symptoms that were sure signs of a windy crazy road I was about to travel down.

Personally, I initially thought I had a brain tumor only because I had a close client that had just been diagnosed.

What else could explain going completely blind in one eye and running around like some pirate with a black patch on my eye? After going in for my first MRI- I was totally relieved to find out that I didn’t have a brain tumor and had been given back the rest of my life.

So that was my welcome to the world of MS, and I’ll tell you it has changed my life forever. And not for the bad either.

Personally, I’ve experienced the unpredictability, and the no answers from any doctor a disease like multiple sclerosis can carry. For those of you who may
may be wondering if you have MS below you’ll find a list of pronounced symptoms that are related to Multiple Sclerosis.

I’m not a doctor but I strongly suggest that you arrange an appointment with a neurologist who specializes in Multiple Sclerosis.

Yes, it’s frightening to acknowledge that you may have this disease but sticking your head in the sand will not help you either. In fact studies show the longer you wait to be diagnosed and receive treatment the worse off you may be.

This conclusion is also supported by the National MS Society. They recommend that treatment with disease-modifying medicines should be considered as soon as possible following a definite diagnosis of MS with active disease (i.e., recent relapses and/or new lesions on MRI), and may also be considered for some patients with a first attack who are at high risk of developing MS.

Pesenting symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis are the following:
1.Visual disturbances may be the first signs and may be slight to intense.
2.Muscle weakness, coordination, balance issues including problems walking
3. Muscle spasms, fatigue, tingling , and numbness in hands and feet
4. Loss of speech or pronouncing words. Problems swallowing.
5. Loss of concentration, attention deficits.
6. Depression
7. Bowel/Urinary incontinence
8. Swallowing Problems
9. Sensitive to Heat
10. Physical Fatigue- just not having the energy you used tohave.
11. Grumpy and cranky
12. Anxiety

My struggles are eye sight, balance, numb toes and hands, muscle weakness, anxiety, sensitive to heat, and mood swings, (my wife will agree to that).
Each and every person has their own set of symptoms and not everyone is affected by Multiple Sclerosis in the same way.

Robert Groth is the author of “Conquer Multiple Sclerosis”. To receive a FREE ebook on reclaiming your life and conquering Multiple Sclerosis go to http://www.ConquerMS.com

Naturopathic treatment, among other things, involves nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. It is believed by many, the course of an illness, such as Multiple Sclerosis,can be changed with a better lifestyle and a healthy diet. One negative impact on our health comes from food sensitivities. This is often referred to as allergies.

A food “allergy” is usually known because of the immediate and strong immunologic reaction, referred to as an immune response. Food “sensitivity” is a physiological reaction to a food eaten where no immune reaction occurs, but the physiological response may include; head ache, diarrhea, constipation, sinus congestion, sore throat, and joint pain.

Food allergies can be detected with a test, but you may also need to take the Elimination and Challenge diet. This is where you first eliminate from your diet the most common foods that are known to cause sensitivities. You then reintroduce them, one at a time, into your diet. This also is called a hypoallergenic diet by licensed Naturopathic Physicians. These doctors are trained to monitor elimination and challenge diets, while providing guidance and support.

Some common foods you may try first eliminating from your diet are;
1. Wheat products(pasta, breads, processed food)
2. Gluttonous grains(rye, barley, oats, hops)
3. Dairy products(milk, cheese, yogurt, cream)
4. Corn products(tortillas, chips, cornstarch)
5. Peanuts(peanut butter, peanut oil)
6. Soy products(tofu, soymilk, soy protein powder, soy oil)
7. Red meat(the additives are the problem)
8. Caffeine(coffee, tea, cola)
9. Chocolate
10. Sugar substitutes(aspartame, saccharine)
11. Food coloring, dyes
12. Pesticides and chemical spoilage retardants
13. Sulfites (canned vegetables, tuna, fruit)

When dealing with Multiple Sclerosis, as with any new diet or lifestyle change, use this article only as a resource. Talk to your physician, who is knowledgeable with your MS condition, before trying any alternative and complimentary treatments.

Acupuncture, a common procedure used by some Naturopathic Practitioners, is the insertion of fine needles into specific points on the body. All acupuncture has effects that are useful for pain or dysfunction in one area. Some specific points affect the body as a whole.The practitioner of acupuncture has mastered the location of the points, the needling techniques, and the insertion to the correct depth. Needles are sterile, and generally disposed of after use, but some states allow the practitioners to use sterilization techniques. Each point has a name and also a numerical designation. There are about 361 points on the human body.

There has been research to understand why and how acupuncture works, but there are no facts of the mechanism behind it. Since there has been growing interest in Chinese Medicine, research is needed to provide more insight and benefical effects for the person suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.

Every physician would conclude that being on a healthy, nutritious diet has benefits. It does help your immune system when you have a good balance of all the required nutrients. However, with modern day farming practices, the way our food is green harvested and processed, it is getting more difficult to get the required nutrients from the food we eat. But even with good food, not all people eat a correct healthy diet which, for most people, should include all foods from the food pyramid. For some with MS, a “Paleolithic Diet” seems to provide better results. If you think you suffer after eating a certain food, talk to your doctor about having an allergy check-up

Gilbert Lowe has been dealing with multiple sclerosis for more than 14 years. You can see how he manages Multiple Sclerosis at http://www.gilbertlowe.info