Monthly Archives: August 2021

Possible MS Causes

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I have wondered what the cause or causes of Multiple Sclerosis are since I was diagnosed twenty years ago, but the truth is there are no definitive answers. The disease has never made sense to me, and I am the type that questions everything, but not having answers is frustrating. If you think about it, most diseases have a logical cause and some, not all may be avoidable. Of course, I do understand some diseases are genetic or at least have some answers to what the causes might be, but when I asked my Neurologist 20 years ago for answers, he did not have any and he was a brilliant man.

What I have known and thought to be true about Multiple Sclerosis is it is a disease which the immune system attacks that protective sheath (myelin) which covers nerve fibers. MS is a chronic, progressive disease that involves damage to the sheaths of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. No matter how you look at this disease, there currently is not cure. It does have the potential to be debilitating and can include relapses without notice.

Recently, my husband shared a thought-provoking article with me about possible causes for MS and it made me think about the past. This article was written at The University Chicago Press Journal in December of 2011. In this article, it suggests MS is a dysfunction of the metabolism of lipids. Maybe not thinking about MS as a neurological condition, but more as a dysfunction of the metabolism of lipids would provide clearer reasons and causes. If this is true about MS, there might be ways to correct the issues and changes would be helpful for this unpredictable illness.

One part of this article talks about homeostasis, which is a part of cells, tissues, and organisms that allows for the maintenance and regulation of the stability and constancy that is needed to function properly. It is well known that stress can and does cause major problems with those of us with MS, which is why the next part had me thinking deeply about what caused me to have MS. The homeostasis of lipid metabolism collapses during an acute-phase inflammatory response that was triggered by a pathogen, trauma, or stress, which may have started a feedback loop of increased oxidative cytoxic foam cells that crossed the blood brain barrier, and both catabolize myelin and prevent remyelination.

If we start recognizing MS as a chronic metabolic disorder it would irradiate four major aspect of disease onset and progression including pathophysiology, genetics, environmental and pathogen triggers, and the sex ratio. If you have Multiple Sclerosis, can you think of any specific time before being diagnosed where you had a traumatic event or a stressful time? Has it ever crossed your mind that a traumatic event from the past triggered your disease? I know there were times in my past that were traumatic and stressful, it would make sense that even though my diagnosis was decades later the negative events contributed to my disease.

Part of me thinks this article was a stretch and I am not sure how much I believe every word of the article. Experts have researched MS for decades and still do not have answers. I am not sure how much people at the University of Chicago Press would have answers that experts do not have. There is a huge difference between hard facts and thoughts, and I need hard 100% true facts before I will believe anything. I have wanted to know the causes of MS for two decades, but at the same time want proof of these causes.

Please know that I am not a medical professional in any way, but the information in this post was all based on an article that I read. I know what my views are on the article I read, but I would love to know your thoughts on the information in this post. I am always a little hesitate about information without know for a fact the information is true.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you enjoyed this post, and I am looking forward to reading what your thoughts and I promise to respond to your amazing comments as quickly as I can. I hope you are having a nice and safe weekend! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

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Let It Go Friday

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It is finally time to say, happy Friday! I hope you had a great week and I am sure you are just as ready as I am for the weekend! Y’all already know that my week was busy, which I do enjoy because the days go by SO much faster. I am really happy the weekend is about here because I need a break from getting up early. The crazy thing is, even though tomorrow I do not have to wake up at 6:30 AM, my cats do not know the difference between a weekday morning and a weekend morning, and still feel the overwhelming need to make sure I am awake to give them a treat. Do you have any plans for the weekend? Whatever your plans might be, please just do everything you can to stay safe!

Now that we finally made it through the week and will be starting our weekend tomorrow, today is the day to let go of all the stresses, frustrations, and all other negative emotions so we may enjoy the short weekend. I hope the quote I am sharing with you today will fill your minds and hearts with peace, happiness, and positivity! I think it is a short and sweet quote but says so much. I have always thought it takes more energy to be negative than it does to be positive so I do my best to see all situations in an optimistic light. Of course, it is not always easy but I do at least try. I would love to know what you think of this quote and promise to respond to all comments as quickly as I can.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I always appreciate your continued support and kindness. I am going to continue to try doing my normal posts and even one or two extras with information that I think is useful. I hope you have a great and safe weekend. I know I say this in almost every post, but the Delta variant is serious and dangerous and we need to continue to follow the experts advice. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Pick-Me-Up-Thursday

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Finally, it is time to say happy Friday Eve! How has your week been? As I have already said during the week, work is staying rather steady which is great and exhausting. Even though it might have been a long week, things could always be worst. Life can often create monumental levels of stress and we must try our best to maintain the most optimistic perspective on things. I think it is important to try seeing the bright side of all situations and even though that is not always easy, we can help support each other through challenges we face!

I hope your week has been wonderful and you are looking forward to the weekend ahead of us. Do you have any plans for the weekend? I know you will not be surprised, but I have nothing at all planned and after how long the week felt, it is just what I need. So, now that we have almost made it through the week and the weekend is so close, it might help all of us to have a short and sweet pick me up quote! I hope the quote I am sharing with y’all today will give you the boost needed to make it through one last day of the week! With the troubles in the world, I believe we need to find a way to hold onto hope and never let go. With enough hope, compassion, empathy, and strength we can do anything!

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you have enjoyed what I shared and I am looking forward to reading your fabulous comments. Hopefully, your Friday eve is wonderful and lacks any unnecessary stress. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibe!

Always, Alyssa

Inspirational Wednesday

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I have good news for y’all! We are halfway through the week and SO much closer to the weekend we all are waiting for! I hope your week has been great up to this point and the next few days are even better. I can say that work has gotten a lot busy, which I do prefer because it makes the day fly by or at least move along faster. Many that disagree with me and enjoy slow days, but what good is that really? Not only are the workdays a lot busier, but it is insanely HOT where I live and that does not make living with Multiple Sclerosis easy. At least I do not have to leave the house and go out into the nasty heat. I do prefer to not dwell on things I have no control over and just try to enjoy the life I have been given!

Now that we have successfully made it through two days this week and are starting the third, it might help everyone to feel a little inspiration. The quote I want to share with y’all today I find enlightening and inspiring, but I do hope it will do the same for you! I know the quotes I see in a certain way, others might feel something different, but those differences help us view things in a different light and grow. I believe if we all saw things the same way, life would be rather boring with no room to flourish into stronger and more amazing people! With that said, I would love the opportunity to read what your thoughts are on the quote I am sharing today.

I am curious about what your thoughts are on the newest variant of COVID, Delta. I have heard the reason for the majority of hospitalizations is due to Delta and even those that are fully vaccinated are becoming ill. The only good news is the people that have been fully vaccinated are not necessarily becoming deathly ill, but unfortunately, some of the older individuals are losing the battle with Delta. We are continuing to be living in trying times, but I do believe the more people that get vaccinated will end the virus from mutating into viruses that will defy that current vaccine. It is NOW, critical for everyone to get fully vaccinated and we can join together to end the spread!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my site today. I hope you enjoyed what I have shared and it has inspired you to not only get vaccinated but to continue this the rest of this week with a positive outlook. I am looking forward to reading your comments and promise to respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Tranquil Tuesday

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Happy Tuesday, y’all! We have already made it through one day this week and only have four more to go until the weekend is back! I have always wondered why the weekends are SO short and the workweek is SO long, but I guess we just have to learn to make the most of it. I do believe it is true, no matter how challenging the days or weeks are it could always be worse. My grandfather, who y’all know I idolized use to tell me no matter what I was going through in life, someone else was dealing with something much worse. I guess his words stuck with me through the years, partially because he could do NO wrong in my eyes and partially because it is incredibly true!

I will not say unfortunately we have four days left until the weekend, but I will say with there being four days until we reach the weekend again we could use something positive to hold onto. Sadly, the world seems to be struggling not just with a deadly virus, but with there being way too much hate. I have never understood and do not think I ever will why people hate someone else because of the color of their skin, who they love, where they are from or, who they worship because I see everyone in the same light. The only thing I judge people on is the way they treat others. I always say that I am an equal opportunity hater. I guess that is why I love the quote I am sharing with y’all today, but would love to know what you think!

How do you feel about the way things are going in the world today? Do you think people should be getting the vaccine because it will stop the spread and hopefully end any new variants from popping up? Where you live, has there been an increase in the levels of hatred, or has it always been there? I think there is a chance I have been naïve to levels of hate because I have never hated anyone for anything besides their behaviors. I have always been a firm believer in love, equality, respect, and fairness!

Thank you for visiting my site today! I hope you are having a great week and you are staying safe! It might not be easy, but it is crucial to try to stay optimistic. Just like negativity is contagious, so is an optimistic outlook! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Motivational Monday

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Happy Monday, y’all! I hope y’all had a nice, relaxing, and safe weekend! I guess ready or not, a new week is in front of us. We all have the opportunity to stay focused, determined, and optimistic for good things to happen. I do understand that it is not always easy, but we should consider the new week a blessing because tomorrow is never a promise. I have been struggling to do the normal posts I have always done because of numerous things, but I am refusing to surrender to the challenges in life. Yes, saying goodbye to the weekend is hard, but it happens every week and things have to continue to improve.

As we embark on another new week, we need to continue trying our best to stay positive and motivated. It is my hope the quote I am sharing with y’all today will provide you the motivation needed to begin the week and hope with each day the week gets even better. We are all incredibly strong due to the obstacles we have faced and continue to face. The only thing that can stop us, is our inner critic. Lord knows that I am my own biggest critic and enemy because I am hard on myself. Even with that said, I am working on ending that vicious cycle!

Life is not easy and it takes strength, determination, and resilience. During the past 18 months, we have all faced distressing times that we never could have imagined. There is a song I heard many years ago that is so powerful and something that the world needs now more than ever. I am going to encourage all of you to listen to this song and please let me know what you think of it.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AjkUyX0rVw&list=RD9AjkUyX0rVw&start_radio=1. The song is called “We Are The World” and it is being sung by several iconic singers of our time. I do remember this song being powerful when I was younger, but today it makes me cry tears of sadness, enlightenment, strength, and hope!

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope y’all have a great and safe day. I know I say this in every post, but it is because I care about people and want everyone to be safe with COVID getting bad again. If you have not already gotten the vaccine, I want to urge you to do so. The vaccine is keeping everyone safe and preventing additional deaths. I understand vaccines can be scary, but the vaccine was not created by any government, but by scientists. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

~Challenges, Memories & Reflection~

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Happy Tuesday y’all! The good news is, we have one day down and only four to go before the weekend is back! With how hectic and chaotic life can get, it can become easy to get overwhelmed and forget the good things life has to offer. I want to remind you that no matter what challenges we might face each week or maybe daily, it is better to view those challenges as an opportunity for growth. Of course, I believe strongly that every opportunity in life makes us stronger and wiser. Everyone around the world is indeed different, but we all need to think about what helps us process the challenges we have faced and what we learned from those challenges.

Memories can sometimes flood our minds, but do we always remember everything exactly the way they happened? Yes, there are some memories I would much rather forget, but then there are some memories I will cherish forever. I think it might be a great idea to take a little time and write our future self a letter that we can reflect on later in life.

I am not going to ask you to share the letter you write to your future self, but I am going to share somethings you might want to write to yourself. What is a lesson you have learned in the past eighteen months and how did it make you stronger? What was something that happened recently that made you smile on the worst of days? Has there been a situation that has taken place recently that made you proud of who you are now? Is there any advice you would want your future self to remember years down the road? What fears do you have and how have you overcome them?

Reflection is something we all need to be able to do. Reflection means serious thought or consideration, and this is something that can help us to persevere in life. If there is anything we have learned during the past eighteen months of the pandemic, it is life is short and tomorrow is not guaranteed. Life is fragile and we might often take it for granted, but we need to try to never take life, loved ones, health, or anything else meaningful for granted. Even if we are not seeing loved ones or friends regularly, we should do our best to reach out as much as possible. It is amazing what a letter, text, or email can mean to someone we care about.

I will be the first to admit that the workweeks can be demanding, and I forget to stop, and take a break. I put so much time and effort into making sure my husband and cats have everything they need and try doing everything I can at work. The simple things in life that brings me the most joy is watching the way my sweet cats interact with one another and finding creative ways to express myself. The crazy thing is, I sometimes find it hard to know what exactly I want to write about, and this might be because I always have so many random ideas on my mind.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you enjoyed what I have written about today and I am looking forward to reading your comments. Considering we have accomplished getting through one day already, I hope your week is going well so far and only gets better as the weekend nears. Whatever you do this week, please do what you can to stay as safe as possible. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Motivational Monday

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We are starting another week and another month again. I cannot believe it is already August. I mean where has this year gone? I know we are still dealing with stress from COVID, but it seems to be getting worse. The newest variant is Delta, and it is even more contagious, and fatal, but still so many are still refusing the FREE vaccine and or wear masks. I suppose people are just never going to make sense to me. I can remember how much I wanted the vaccine for my safety and to keep those around me safe. If it had not been for my husband, I would have had to wait months instead of when I got the vaccine in February. Currently, there are many vaccines available, and no one must wait, but there is resistance for reasons I will NEVER understand.

Instead of dwelling on the vaccine and people being perfectly fine being part of the bigger problem with the spread of the virus, I would prefer to try staying optimistic and motivated. So, with that said, I am trying to get back to my normal posts and spread extra motivation today with a wonderful quote that I hope motivates y’all. I can admit this quote is simple, but I think it is powerful as well. I would love the chance to read what you think about this quote because your views are important to me.

I would like to apologize to y’all for my absence from the blogging community. I have been dealing with headaches, fatigue, and pain which is probably due to the nasty heat I deal with in the south. Do not get me wrong, I do love summer but only at the beach. There is a lot of beauty in the ocean and the breeze from the ocean helps to eliminate some of the heat. Maybe the ocean’s beauty just makes things easier to tolerate. Unfortunately, I might not get to the ocean this year because of all people who will not cooperate with the expert’s advice, but hopefully, the ocean is not going anywhere, and I will make it back to my happy place someday.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my site today. I appreciate your time, support, and patience when I am not posting anything. I hope you had a lovely weekend, and you are ready to start this first week in August with a positive mindset. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Boost your immune system

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During the past year and a half, eighteen long months we have learned many valuable lessons about the world and those living in it. From coast to coast, throughout every country people have endured the stress, fear, and anxiety from a wildly contagious and deadly virus. Some of the most prominent issues with COVID-19 are the misinformation that has been shared in the news and social media, but also those that are refusing to get vaccinated and or wear a mask. Too many people have politized this virus, which should NEVER have been a political issue because it is science-based. This virus has already killed millions of innocent people worldwide and has not stopped. Throughout this post, I am going to share important information on the complications from COVID and ways we can strengthen our immune system to defend against illnesses and viruses.

COVID-19 may be different for each person that gets the virus, but some are going to be similar. Symptoms may range from minor to severe and even lead to death. The symptom may include fever, coughing, shortness of breath, trouble breathing, fatigue, chills, body aches, headache, sore throat, congestion, loss of smell or taste, nausea, and diarrhea. Some people are asymptomatic, which means they have the virus, but do not display any symptoms and are continuously spreading the virus.

Unfortunately, some people may experience COVID-19 complications that are caused by a condition called “cytokine storm”. This condition is when an infection prompts the immune system to flood the bloodstream with cytokines, which is are inflammatory proteins. These proteins may kill tissue and damage organs, and, in some situations, lung transplants will be required.

The immune system behaves similar to the way a security system we have in our homes does. My immune system does not behave the way it should, which is where my fears stem from. Although, our immune system is complex it is the first line of defense against illness. Our immunes system is comprised of various organs, cells, and proteins that have several vital roles, which include:

1. Fighting disease-causing germs such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi and eliminates them from our body.

2. Acknowledges and negates harmful substances from the environment

3. Fights disease-causing changes in the body.

Considering how crucial our immune system is and the ways all the variants of COVID-19 are impacting the world, we must do everything we can to keep our immune system healthy. Personally, the medication I take for my Multiple Sclerosis causes my immune system to be weak. Even though I have been fully vaccinated, I work from home, have groceries delivered, and rarely leave the house, I am still worried. On the rare occasion, I do leave my house, I do wear a mask because there is no way to know if the vaccine was effective for me. Also, I would not want to be an asymptomatic carrier and pass it onto someone else, even though they had the option to get the vaccine and did not.

Unfortunately, as we age our immune response capability may become reduced. With cases of COVID from the Delta variant steadily increasing, now is an important time to do everything we can to keep our immune system as healthy as possible. I am going to share several ways to help build and maintain a healthy immune system. Before you continue reading, please remember I am not a physician, nutritionist, or health expert, this is just information I have learned through a little research.

Maintaining good gut health could be the golden ticket! It has been suggested that doctors believe up to 80% of our immune system is found in our gut. A diet that is abundant with plant-based and unprocessed foods such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spice display a protective effect. Utilizing this type of diet can reduce inflammation and promote good gut bacteria, which establishes stronger immune health.

As COVID-19 continues to mutate into different and more contagious variants, continuing good hand hygiene is crucial. Washing our hands multiple times, a day for at least 20 seconds is the best and most effective way to not spread bacteria, viruses, and infections. You can count to 20 each time you wash your hands, or you can sing happy birthday or Mary had a little lamb 2 times as you wash your hands!

Continue or start taking vitamins daily. Vitamin C supplies immune defense by assisting cell function and defending against environmental contributors. If you do not want to take a vitamin C supplement, there are several natural sources including oranges, strawberries, spinach, kiwi, and grapefruit. Vitamin D can increase the immune response and defend against respiratory conditions. Of course, there are vitamin D supplements, but 10 minutes of sun exposure a day is an effective natural source.

We have all heard many times that stress is a silent killer, but it also harms our immune system as well. Stress can cause us to produce additional levels of cortisol and cytokine, which triggers inflammation. Stress can also decrease the number of white blood cells in our body that help fight off infections. Discovering ways that work best for us will restore much of what is needed for a healthy and fulfilled life.

Developing a schedule to get an adequate amount of sleep every night can help boost our immune system. Research suggests that less than six hours of sleep each night might make someone four times more likely to get sick, than someone that does get the proper amount of sleep. Our body depends on a full night’s rest to replenish cells and proteins. Of course, during the workweek, it is easier to stay with a sleep schedule because we have a set time our workday will begin, but we should use the same sleep schedule on the weekends as well

If you are currently a smoker, it is time to quit. Smoking does so many awful things to our bodies and increases the risk of cancer. There are many programs available to help you quit smoking, but it does take you making the first step! If you drink alcohol, it is best to only do this in moderation. Alcohol not only creates negative impacts on our physical body but also on our mental health.

Staying hydrated might not protect us fully from viruses but becoming dehydrated has many negative impacts on us that can easily be avoided. Dehydration can cause terrible headaches and hinder our physical performance, focus, mood, digestion, heart, and kidney function. I have mentioned before the importance of staying hydrated and provided a few useful tips. I drink water all day and even have a bottle beside my bed at night, so if I become thirsty it is available. I have purchased a few phenomenal bottles on Amazon that keep my water cold all day. I leave one bottle in the freezer, filled halfway with water so when I take it out there is ice in the bottom that helps keep the water even colder! I will share a link to the bottles that I have and hope you will find them as helpful as I do! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0764PGKL4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I hope the information I have shared will be helpful for you. I know there are many other ways we can work to keep our immune health the best it can be, so if you have other advice, please share with us! I have already said before, the vaccine is free, and everyone needs to get this as soon as possible. Being vaccinated and or wearing a mask will save lives. The people that are not getting vaccinated and wearing a mask are contributing to the death count, which is wrong and selfish.

Thank you for visiting my site today! I hope you are having a relaxing, safe, and wonderful weekend! I am looking forward to reading your comments, which I will respond to as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa