MS Mental Health Research Study Results- Good Stuff!

This just in from the National MS Society: 

"The researchers found that the risk of depression [for those diagnosed with MS] was higher in people with poor diets, low levels of exercise, obesity, social isolation, and in those who smoked or were taking interferon.

They also found LOWER risks of depression in people who took omega-3 fatty acids (particularly flaxseed oil) supplements and vitamin D supplements, who ate fish frequently, who meditated, and who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol."

Results from a study by Keryn Taylor, MBChB from St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia and colleagues report the result of an online survey on depression in BioMedCentral Psychiatry.  

Personally, during the first year of my diagnosis, I noticed a correlation between feeling depressed and missing daily vitamin B-complex supplements.  (I talk about that more in this video.)

Another study shared by the MS Society caught my attention: 

"Forty-three people with MS completed a 10-week wellness program, consisting of 90-minute group sessions geared to increase awareness of social, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual factors that can affect the overall well-being of people living with MS."

Results?

"The researchers found significant reductions in depression, anxiety, overall mental health, perceived stress, and pain in the group that completed the program compared with controls."

The bottom line: lifestyle matters. How you treat your body, and how you engage your soul, makes a difference in your healing.  

I consider myself fortunate that I was a meditation guide prior to being diagnosed. I learned and taught tools that helped confront and remove fear. At a point where I could have felt taken down, I moved higher.  

But don't dismiss what I'm saying by think I'm special; anyone can do it.  Though it first takes knowing that we can shift out of fear into something much better, and then learning the tools that support that.  

If anyone has questions about how to get started with a lifestyle practice that supports the mind+body+spirit. Let me know!

I'm here to help.  xx M