Published: Thursday, 4th September, 2008 16:20
Me and MS
By Me and MS
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Aberdour woman Jo Stewart (34) has recently set up a healthy diet website www.just4joco.co.uk to help fellow multiple sclerosis and others improve their well being. Here, Jo writes exclusively for www.dunfermlinepress.co.uk about coming to terms with her condition and regaining control of her life.
BEING diagnosed with a condition like MS is not an easy thing to come to terms with.
For me, first there was relief to finally know what was making me feel so poorly. Second the confirmation that it was not terminal.
Finally there was acceptance, this was the hardest. I felt isolated, like I was left to accept the diagnosis with my family and learn to live with its consequences, whatever they may be. To move on and make the most of what I have.
Move on, what does this mean, carry on like I did before pre diagnosis? Show no fear, when I am tired? Carry on and use those precious reserves until I have no more, can give no more?
It was with pure desperation that I commenced the Swank Diet. I needed something to hope for, some form of reassurance that I would not slowly get any worse.
I was ecstatic when the benefits started to show. They took some time to present themselves, but when they did, WOW it was great!
It confirmed that I was finally starting to regain control and all those hours spent in the supermarket checking ingredients was worth the effort.
I am now sharing my good fortune through my website just4joco.co.uk and hopefully giving others the chance to also experience the positives found when following the Swank Diet.
The diet is not restricted to those diagnosed with MS, it benefits everyone, as my partner has found.
I have been very lucky to meet and speak to many people who have been diagnosed with MS. I was speaking to a woman yesterday, who also shares Swank Diet positives.
She gave me the best piece of advice since diagnosis: when I am tired after doing too much, instead expressing that I am tired (everyone gets tired), I should use the word 'fatigued'. It gives more emphasis on what is making me feel this way (MS).
I tried it yesterday afternoon and it helped a lot. It is not easy to to ask for help in the first place. It is even harder when I ask for help and do not receive any. Fatigued works!
The response I have received from the publicity and website is amazing! It has gone well beyond all hopes and dreams.
It makes me want to do more, create many more recipes, develop the website further in order to make product identification easier.
I would like to take my story beyond Fife / Scotland and make eating out easier by recommending diet friendly restaurants.
I want to travel and find out what diet friendly products are available in other countries and include these in the just4joco website.
There is so much I would like to do. My son has just started school nursery and I have been spending time settling him into the new school environment.
Conscious that time is ticking by fast, however, family comes first and I must still respect the boundaries of my MS diagnosis, not an easy thing to do.
Ultimately what is for me, will not go by me. Hopefully I will be able to expand my dreams and help turn hope-shared to results-celebrated.
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has helped make my dream a reality. xxx
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'Too sexy' shop finally opens in Dunfermline