Cold Weather


We are officially in the throws of winter up here in the North East! It’s been freezing, gross and dreary, very winter like. We’ve had our share of snow storms so far as well. I grew up in Ohio, and we got hit with Lake Effect snow almost round the clock during the winter, so I am no stranger to snow squalls and cold temperatures. But that does not mean that I enjoy them. I down right hate them in fact. I am a summer lover. Actually spring lover now, but that’s another story.

It’s well known that heat and MS are not pals. Heat can exacerbate MS symptoms quicker than anything. So you’d think that us MSers would love when winter comes around, right? Nope. Winter and cold temperatures are just as hard on us as heat, just for other reasons.

Cold temperatures bring on their own group of issues. Cold can bring on increases in pain, stiffness and spasticity.  If you experience the ‘MS hug’ you may find that it gets worse in winter months. Some people actually experience more fatigue in the winter, possibly from dealing with the muscle symptoms mentioned above or an increase in depression, another MS symptom. Something else that often occurs in the winter (and it happens to me ALL THE TIME) is Raynaud’s Phenomenon. This is when either the tips of your fingers or toes lose circulation and turn white then blue when cold. When they eventually warm up, blood returns, but it is very painful.

As with most other things that come with MS, the reason behind why we are affected by cold so much isn’t well known. However, there is new data is coming out constantly about how Vitamin D levels effect individuals with MS and developing MS. It looks like Vitamin D levels do have something to do with relapses, their severity and how symptoms are experienced. Since Vitamin D is obviously lower in the winter months, this may have something to do with why symptoms are experienced at higher levels during winter months when Vitamin D is at it’s lowest in our bodies.

So what can we do about our symptoms RIGHT NOW?

Glad you asked!

  • When you need to go outside, cover up! Getting the appropriate outer wear is necessary. Having a heavy duty coat, gloves and hat is key.
  • Find good boots. Having quality boots during the winter is so important. If you’re going to be outside for ANY length of time, you need something on your feet that is waterproof, going to keep you warm and comfortable.
  • Warm up from the inside out: Grab a mug of your favorite warm beverage, this is my number one way to warm up fast. My neurologist also said that drinking a hot (or cold) beverage is the fastest way to change your core body temperature. It’s science!
  • Make sure you are eating throughout the day. Eating regularly will help your body to stay fueled and working properly. Soup, warm dishes are great options in the winter!
  • Stay active. Sweating might not be number 1 priority during the winter, but it can help warm your body AND help with tight, spasming muscles. Engage in your favorite exercise and it will help you all around.
  • Don’t over do the heat. Taking a hot bath or shower might be really tempting, and sometimes feel good for a few minutes, but eventually it may have the opposite effect and turn on you. Heat can be not friendly too.
  • Get some sun! It may seem like it’s not doing anything, but even a little bit of mid-day sun can go a long way, especially in these dreary winter months.
  • Have fun! This is the hardest for me. I hate winter, so finding things to do that are fun is hard for me. But finding things to do that can keep my spirits up is so important. That can be going to the movies, a new museum or even the mall to get out and walk a bit.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If it is really cold, or really icy, don’t be afraid to ask someone to help you get somewhere, or grab somethings from the store for you.

Although cold weather and MS don’t get along, just as we do with heat, if we are careful and plan around our day, we can get through it all just fine!

What are somethings that you have found that have helped with dealing with the cold?

Let me know! I’d love to hear from you.

 

 

I’M ALISSA!

I help women who have also been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis make specific and personalized diet, lifestyle & subconscious changes so that they can begin to heal their body, reduce disease symptoms, and return to a life they love.hey there,

follow along on Instagram:

I think 90% of my clients have talked about already feeling the shift to Fall and Winter hardddd.

They are worried about seasonal depression coming back with a vengeance, feeling sad summer is gone and so many other things.

I know when so many feel the same way, you might too.
I know I feel this way too.

I’m working with them to put habits in place NOW that will support them through the winter months.

Here are 2 small shifts we talked about this week:

1. Get sunlight into your eyeballs as soon as you can in the morning.☀️☀️

Ideally this is outside, there will be many science bro’s out there telling you that anything else “doesn’t count” but I say that’s BS.
Yes, the sunlight will have a greater impact if you’re viewing outside, but even if you’re behind a window it will do something.

2. Move your body!! 💃🏃‍♀️

The change in seasons to colder weather makes it super easy to hibernate and move wayyy less than we were in the summer.
I know I’ve been guilty of that this week and it’s showing in my sleep.
But moving our bodies can be so helpful for regulating so many things in our bodies.
Ideally you’re moving in the morning, but again- any time of day will do. 

These are 2 small shifts that can make it easier for your body to transition to, and live with the Winter months.

Let’s crowdsource… what else helps you in winter?? 
I know there are many other things that can!!

I think 90% of my clients have talked about already feeling the shift to Fall and Winter hardddd.

They are worried about seasonal depression coming back with a vengeance, feeling sad summer is gone and so many other things.

I know when so many feel the same way, you might too.
I know I feel this way too.

I’m working with them to put habits in place NOW that will support them through the winter months.

Here are 2 small shifts we talked about this week:

1. Get sunlight into your eyeballs as soon as you can in the morning.☀️☀️

Ideally this is outside, there will be many science bro’s out there telling you that anything else “doesn’t count” but I say that’s BS.
Yes, the sunlight will have a greater impact if you’re viewing outside, but even if you’re behind a window it will do something.

2. Move your body!! 💃🏃‍♀️

The change in seasons to colder weather makes it super easy to hibernate and move wayyy less than we were in the summer.
I know I’ve been guilty of that this week and it’s showing in my sleep.
But moving our bodies can be so helpful for regulating so many things in our bodies.
Ideally you’re moving in the morning, but again- any time of day will do.

These are 2 small shifts that can make it easier for your body to transition to, and live with the Winter months.

Let’s crowdsource… what else helps you in winter??
I know there are many other things that can!!
...

8 4
All the tools that are inside Holistically Healing MS I’ve used myself to decrease my MS symptoms and significantly feel better in my body.

Over the next 8 weeks, let me be your guide on how to make this a reality for yourself.

We start tomorrow at 5:30pm eastern, you coming?

All the tools that are inside Holistically Healing MS I’ve used myself to decrease my MS symptoms and significantly feel better in my body.

Over the next 8 weeks, let me be your guide on how to make this a reality for yourself.

We start tomorrow at 5:30pm eastern, you coming?
...

9 3
I think I’ve said this in every group I’ve run and with every client I meet with.

(A gross oversimplification disclaimer)
But this: 
people pleasing, being all or nothing, perfectionist (I could go on) 

Is (part of) why we got MS.

These patterns we play out each day are the hardest thing to change- and they also keep us with high stress, high MS symptoms and feeling like crap in our bodies.

Changing these patterns takes awareness, focus and support- all of which you get in Holistically Healing MS.

•If you want the ability to say NO when you’d usually just say yes.. (stop overriding yourself)
•If you want to be ok with putting your needs first (cause I know you’re not lol)
•If you want to finally feel like you’re good enough and doing enough (cause you are)

Join us in HHMS. Along with lifestyle strategies, we go process the emotional burden all those patterns have- which helps to move through them.

Comment HHMS below and I’ll send you the link.

I think I’ve said this in every group I’ve run and with every client I meet with.

(A gross oversimplification disclaimer)
But this:
people pleasing, being all or nothing, perfectionist (I could go on)

Is (part of) why we got MS.

These patterns we play out each day are the hardest thing to change- and they also keep us with high stress, high MS symptoms and feeling like crap in our bodies.

Changing these patterns takes awareness, focus and support- all of which you get in Holistically Healing MS.

•If you want the ability to say NO when you’d usually just say yes.. (stop overriding yourself)
•If you want to be ok with putting your needs first (cause I know you’re not lol)
•If you want to finally feel like you’re good enough and doing enough (cause you are)

Join us in HHMS. Along with lifestyle strategies, we go process the emotional burden all those patterns have- which helps to move through them.

Comment HHMS below and I’ll send you the link.
...

28 10
At some point you have to start trusting the things you’re doing will help and stop jumping to a new thing each week.

Giving up gluten one week?
Then dairy the next?
Maybe jumping into an exercise class a week later?

At some point you gotta pick 1-3 things and stick with them long enough to give them time to make changes in your body!!

Not just a day or week either.

Yes change can happen fast, but usually not that fast. You need to stick with things for long enough to see if they’ll help.

Often you give up before it has a chance to shift anything.

If you’ve been bouncing from thing to thing, throwing random things at the wall and hoping they stick, hoping something will move the needle an inch so you feel even a little bit better.. 

My course Holistically Healing MS is for you.

This is the place to find what works for you, to decrease your MS symptoms.

Comment HHMS below and I’ll send you details.

At some point you have to start trusting the things you’re doing will help and stop jumping to a new thing each week.

Giving up gluten one week?
Then dairy the next?
Maybe jumping into an exercise class a week later?

At some point you gotta pick 1-3 things and stick with them long enough to give them time to make changes in your body!!

Not just a day or week either.

Yes change can happen fast, but usually not that fast. You need to stick with things for long enough to see if they’ll help.

Often you give up before it has a chance to shift anything.

If you’ve been bouncing from thing to thing, throwing random things at the wall and hoping they stick, hoping something will move the needle an inch so you feel even a little bit better..

My course Holistically Healing MS is for you.

This is the place to find what works for you, to decrease your MS symptoms.

Comment HHMS below and I’ll send you details.
...

6 2
At one point I wanted:

•To be able to comfortably go on a walk again with my boyfriend (now husband)

•To not feel like an anxious mess every time I thought about the future (and potential disability)

• To not have waves of pain coursing throughout my body 

I don’t want those things anymore,
because I have them all.

No, I’m not totally cured of feeling anxious about the future, and I still have days (like today tbh) where I feel like a load of 💩

The difference is: 
I can manage all the symptoms
and anxiety
and feeling like 💩
better and differently than I did before, using all the tools I have accumulated over the 15(!!) years I’ve lived with MS as a patient and practitioner.

And these are the tools I share with my clients.

And the tools I share with you inside my Holistically Healing MS course.

This course is an 8 week journey into supporting your MS body so that it can begin to heal.

I know you have the same dreams as I did, 
I know because you’ve told me we’ve talked about them 🤩

I want you to have those things too.

Holistically Healing MS waitlist is closing tomorrow, comment HEALING and I’ll add you to the list.

At one point I wanted:

•To be able to comfortably go on a walk again with my boyfriend (now husband)

•To not feel like an anxious mess every time I thought about the future (and potential disability)

• To not have waves of pain coursing throughout my body

I don’t want those things anymore,
because I have them all.

No, I’m not totally cured of feeling anxious about the future, and I still have days (like today tbh) where I feel like a load of 💩

The difference is:
I can manage all the symptoms
and anxiety
and feeling like 💩
better and differently than I did before, using all the tools I have accumulated over the 15(!!) years I’ve lived with MS as a patient and practitioner.

And these are the tools I share with my clients.

And the tools I share with you inside my Holistically Healing MS course.

This course is an 8 week journey into supporting your MS body so that it can begin to heal.

I know you have the same dreams as I did,
I know because you’ve told me we’ve talked about them 🤩

I want you to have those things too.

Holistically Healing MS waitlist is closing tomorrow, comment HEALING and I’ll add you to the list.
...

14 6
I was talking to a client this week and she talked about how mad she was that she has a chronic illness.

How frustrated she was that she has to “manage this dumb disease” and “has to pay attention to everything she does”.

She also went onto say that she really wants to do all the helpful things, but just can’t get out of these stuck and frustrated feelings.

I get it- I definitely remember feeling similar feelings years ago. And I’m sure you’ve been here as well and might still be there at times.

I wanted to share the reframe that really helped her:

I told her, instead of focusing on “managing your disease”,
what if you thought about how you can set your future self up for feeling better/success/health.

Take the disease totally out of it.
What is 1 thing you can do to help your future self today?

She paused for a moment and I could almost see the light bulb go off in real time (one of my fav moments lol).

She said: that feels so much better and more doable.

If you’ve also been struggling with frustrated feelings about “managing your disease” these are the types of conversations we’ll have in Holistically Healing MS.

Yes I’ll be sharing about diet strategies, movement to help symptoms and stress management techniques, but we’ll also dive deeper into your feelings about it all.

Over the many years I’ve been working with clients, I’ve discovered that these thoughts, feelings and beliefs you have about yourself and your health are the biggest thing to stand in your way.

And when you have support to work through these feelings, you’re able to feel so much better faster.

Only those on the HHMS waitlist will get the presale price, and the opportunity to join the waitlist is dwindling (waitlist gets access next weekend!).

Comment WAITLIST below and I’ll add you to the list!!

I was talking to a client this week and she talked about how mad she was that she has a chronic illness.

How frustrated she was that she has to “manage this dumb disease” and “has to pay attention to everything she does”.

She also went onto say that she really wants to do all the helpful things, but just can’t get out of these stuck and frustrated feelings.

I get it- I definitely remember feeling similar feelings years ago. And I’m sure you’ve been here as well and might still be there at times.

I wanted to share the reframe that really helped her:

I told her, instead of focusing on “managing your disease”,
what if you thought about how you can set your future self up for feeling better/success/health.

Take the disease totally out of it.
What is 1 thing you can do to help your future self today?

She paused for a moment and I could almost see the light bulb go off in real time (one of my fav moments lol).

She said: that feels so much better and more doable.

If you’ve also been struggling with frustrated feelings about “managing your disease” these are the types of conversations we’ll have in Holistically Healing MS.

Yes I’ll be sharing about diet strategies, movement to help symptoms and stress management techniques, but we’ll also dive deeper into your feelings about it all.

Over the many years I’ve been working with clients, I’ve discovered that these thoughts, feelings and beliefs you have about yourself and your health are the biggest thing to stand in your way.

And when you have support to work through these feelings, you’re able to feel so much better faster.

Only those on the HHMS waitlist will get the presale price, and the opportunity to join the waitlist is dwindling (waitlist gets access next weekend!).

Comment WAITLIST below and I’ll add you to the list!!
...

11 2
My reality has changed a whole bunch over the years.

I started out with only a few symptoms. But I could get through the day.

Until all of a sudden I couldn’t.

All within a few years I went from “fine” to:
Having horrible symptoms, had 3 relapses and found myself with “aggressive MS”

This was not ok with me.

Eventually, I took my life into my own hands and rethought how I did most things.
I realized I had to make some changes, or else idk what else was gonna happen to me.

So I did.

I changed my diet.
I changed how I worked out.
I changed my job in the name of stress management.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

If you want this transformation for you too (I know it’s possible) I’m launching my signature course: Holistically Healing MS in a few weeks. 

This is the course you need to get started on this path for yourself.

Only the waitlist is gonna get the pre sale price… 
Comment WAITLIST below and I’ll add you to it!!

My reality has changed a whole bunch over the years.

I started out with only a few symptoms. But I could get through the day.

Until all of a sudden I couldn’t.

All within a few years I went from “fine” to:
Having horrible symptoms, had 3 relapses and found myself with “aggressive MS”

This was not ok with me.

Eventually, I took my life into my own hands and rethought how I did most things.
I realized I had to make some changes, or else idk what else was gonna happen to me.

So I did.

I changed my diet.
I changed how I worked out.
I changed my job in the name of stress management.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

If you want this transformation for you too (I know it’s possible) I’m launching my signature course: Holistically Healing MS in a few weeks.

This is the course you need to get started on this path for yourself.

Only the waitlist is gonna get the pre sale price…
Comment WAITLIST below and I’ll add you to it!!
...

49 9

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