There is a saying in Tibetan: Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength. No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that’s our real disaster.
~ Dalai Lama

I am in love with this lately. I feel like I am constantly walking a tightrope of over-analyzing what may (or may not) be there tomorrow. I understand that this is something that most people do, in fact, some use this misapprehension to make major decisions in life.

However, I’m speaking from a bit of a different place. I wake up each morning, open my eyes, stretch and begin to move very slowly out of bed. With each step I feel as though I am examining anything that feels worse (or better) than the day before. Can I feel my limbs? Check. Do I have a headache? Not today. Am I seeing clearly? Yes I am! Dizzy? All good! I am now free to move throughout the cabin called life.

I wanted to chat a little more about my latest full infusion and also the intermittent fasting I have been doing for a little over 6 weeks. First, there were no reactions during my last infusion! Yay, I think they have the individual “cocktail” needed for me to make it pretty much smooth sailing. So glad – my next full is in November so I am hopeful for another good experience.

Aside from the infusion itself, I am still happy with the level my physicality has increased. I am still working out regularly (giving it my personal best) and not using my cane AT All! The infusion weight gain will eventually be in my rear view as I move forward with, the more important thing, strength and endurance.

So, intermittent fasting has been a new type of adventure for me! However, I am happy to report that I am seeing positive results come out of eating only during a 10 hour period daily. After some research and reading about the effects intermittent fasting can have on you cognitively, with MS or without MS, and a few things to keep in mind. For example, hormones in women possibly changing the effectiveness of intermittent fasting as a whole and other risks…..there’s a ton of information out there so do your research too – everyone is an individual! Personally, I altered my “eating window” to 10 hours and am in a fasted state for 14 hours of everyday (the 16:8 method altered to best suite me!).

I’ll start from the beginning of my fasting journey, almost 6 weeks ago. Day 1, I was ok because my body was just like “ok, it’s one day of a different eating pattern, I won’t entirely freak out”. Then, day 2 through the first week was miserable for me. My body felt like a cruel joke was being played on it and I was NOT feeling much smarter, which was really the point for me; to help with the recent disappearance of my cognitions.

Pretty dramatic, right? Ha! I decided to stick with it for a few more days after the first week. I am so glad I did! The fog cleared and the hunger pains stopped! It’s like my body gave in and started to enjoy the benefits! I started to handle it better too – my grumpiness and weakness began to subside and I started to enjoy the positive results that intermittent fasting was laying on me. My energy increased which means my workouts also increased in duration. I was able to think more clearly and my confusion over the little things, like my schedule, started to minimize. Still present, but better. I don’t think I will ever find something that makes everything disappear 100%, or someone would be very rich for finding the cure for MS!

I completely understand my eating pattern will not influence that completely but it has made my life with MS a little easier to deal with from day to day. So there it is, I have always said a positive attitude and staying active are the keys for me living the best I can with MS, and now I can add intermittent fasting (my way) to that. If I stray, I believe that I will always come back to what works best for me.