There is a current study on forms of exercise and the benefit for people with MS here, interestingly this article and the medical study to which it refers are not debating if exercise is good for people with MS ( and by extension many neurological diseases) but the efficacy of different methods. The key part is below (and yes, I’ve just worked out how to insert quotations);

There is a very strong direct correlation between a healthier heart and a healthier brain. If you are living with MS, it is important to know that if you want to protect and or improve your brain, exercise is probably the best thing you can do. While brain games like crossword puzzles are great if you like doing them, it’s been shown recently in multiple ways and multiple populations that those brain games are really not effective for overall brain health. It is much more effective to be more physically active, engaged in social and family activities, and problem solving real-life situations in your daily life.

The combination of physical activity, social and family activities and problem solving (OK I’m not working at this moment but when I go back it’s very problematic solving and analytical) really forms the way I want to live. It fits well with Dr Federenko’s mantra of “good food, good exercise, good life”.

Now it’s just over one month since my stem cell transplantation. There have been a few outings to the beach, coffee shops where I can sit outside and some one else order my black coffee for me, and a couple of very short driving trips. I’ve been pretty good at doing my exercises, and reading the article above, very glad of that.

The independence brought by being happy to drive short distances is very valuable although assistance from my community of friends has helped immensely, and has meant these two and half weeks have passed very easily.

I do have to monitor my energy and rest a huge amount, yesterday was a busy day ( for me) of driving, wool shops and a succulent shop, gardening and Julie & Colin being here for dinner, so the rest of today is very quiet and sofa based. The drive to South Beach, then watching the people and dogs from a distance, was lovely but is my only outing for today, rest is for more important than I would have realised a while ago.

And I am eating so much ! It seems crazy, then Julie reminded me that bone marrow is very fatty, so to rebuild my rather dead  bone marrow will take a lot of energy, hence a lot of food.

For me, I need to remember that the food/ rest/ exercise balance needs to be very different to normal for a while.

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