The FUMS 6-Pack🍻 | 1/5/25

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Check out last week’s poll results at the bottom of the 6-Pack ⤵️

Hey there,

Ask and ye shall receive! Last week I asked for tips on dealing with cold weather and spasticity and boy did you deliver! Warm baths and epsom salt, heating pads, stretching, getting massages (my favorite suggestion), bracing the areas affected, and, of course, increase the dosage of Baclofen! I L🧡VE how this community jumps in when asked for advice. Thanks everyone!

There’s a big game coming up this weekend. My teams (Commanders, Vikings, & Steelers) are out so I don’t have a dog in that hunt - but I am going to a Super Bowl party! Without a team in the battle, I’ll be most interested in my friends, the food, and the commercials - in that order. 🏈. *I’m picking Taylor’s team to win. 🥳

I was referring to Chief’s lineman Juwaan Taylor - who did you think I meant?? 😉

Let's see what's up in the world of MS, shall we??

1. Happy Black History Month! Here’s a great article that celebrates the contributions of African Americans within the multiple sclerosis community, from our friends at The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation’s MS Focus Magazine: Celebrating Black History Month within the MS community

2. Shout out to FUMS community member John Dallam who spotted this interesting article and passed it on for me to share this week (thanks John): Vagus nerve stimulation may tame autoimmune diseases

3. Hey - Ocrevus peeps: Less frequent Ocrevus infusions are as effective as standard dosing — when treatment is given typically every six months — for controlling MS disease activity, but may help limit the risk of side effects, a new study reports. WOOT WOOT! 🥳 Less frequent Ocrevus infusions in MS may limit risk of side effects

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4. Health insurance in the U.S. is a crazy roller coaster🎢 ride with differing benefits, and it can be VERY expensive. I listened to this podcast episode about how to choose the right plan, advocate for yourself, and lower your insurance costs and I thought I’d share with YOU 🫵🏻 How To Lower Your Health Insurance Cost

5. Shout out to another FUMS community member (and my bestie since 7th grade!!) Cathy McKinnell. She’s a big wig in the Department of Agriculture and sent along information about ultra-processed food research AND a cool new database to help us understand what’s in our food (and make better choices!) Ultra-Processed Foods: Understanding New Research and a New database: GroceryDB and TrueFood

6. Have you ever tried acupuncture? I have - and I LOVED it! I used it for acute pain and spasticity. This study looks at the effects of acupuncture on cognitive functions in people with MS. And guess what? “The present clinical data demonstrated that … acupuncture treatment was effective in improving immediate and short-term auditory/verbal memory, attention, and processing speed in patients with RRMS.” Needles for the win! 🙌🏼 Cognition improves, other MS symptoms ease with acupuncture

Fun Finds & Recommendations Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my links, AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU

The Neuro Studio is a membership program which includes workouts tailored to improve spasticity, walking, balance, and mobility. Enjoy live classes, expert chats, and the MS Master Plan – a comprehensive online MS video resource. AND one of the founders, Mariska Breland, is an MS patient herself. She gets it - because she has it!! Learn more here: The Neuro Studio

That's all folks. Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help you in any way. Otherwise, just keep saying FUMS!! 🧡

Cheers -- 

Kathy

Kathy Reagan Young
Founder
FUMS


 

Sometimes it helps the stress, just to say F-U-M-S

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