The Courage To Be Who You Really Are & What Is This Blog All About l SMart Choice Lifestyle

The shorter version is that SMart Choice Lifestyle was created with the thought of supporting a brain healthy lifestyle with MS, whilst sharing my experiences of living with the condition and all that I do in between. It then transformed into a general MS platform for the Romanian MSers, but that didn’t continue much, as I didn’t think of myself as experimented as to deal with people’s lives and health.

I’m the type of person that if I am not well prepared to do something, I prefer to not do it until I can really do something worth while. So a few months passed, SMart once more became a personal platform, with an intent to inform and give advice on all types of MS-related issues, such as symptoms, diet and lifestyle. It went on as a tri-weekly blog that had predetermined / themed days that I never stopped brainstorming subjects for (exhausting and frustrating to say the least!).

Here I was, with a lot of personal experience to write about, heartfelt and caring topics to approach, and I focused only on giving the “correct information”, the “researched information”. Don’t get me wrong though. I am always documenting and doing my research from multiple sources before I even dare to trust or believe a piece of information, but this process I was going through was so sterile that I could not put up with it no longer.

So I went on vacation for the winter holidays. Three weeks of vacation that is! Time in which I promised myself I wouldn’t stress so much about the blog as I previously did. Was it successful? Of course not! I had on and off ideas, checked my analytics and drafted new articles from fresh topics.

I began 2016 with the same structure in mind, but finally realised that it didn’t do me (or you) any justice. The MS community and myself needed an authentic voice, not a shared-info-in-my-own-view kind of blog. It sounded more fair to me that way. So I went back to the drawing board and came up with the shapes that best represent who I am and what I stand for.

SMart Choice Lifestyle is my online home. A place where I can invite you all to start a conversation about many topics, whilst raising awareness about MS in the process.

Multiple sclerosis currently affects more than 2.5 milion people worldwide. Although it is a recognized serious illness, many people don’t know much about it and how it affects people’s lives and society’s wellbeing as a whole. I must admit that before receiving my diagnosis I was one of those people. I thought the term “sclerosis” meant you were old and unfortunately senile. Boy, was I in for a surprise!

For the past year and a half browsing through the online MS community, I’ve met so many inspiring and strong people who live with MS on a daily basis. These people always have a kind word to say, in spite of their situation. In 2016, I’m looking forward to meet and learn even more from others living with MS and to dedicate most of my time to share from my experience, to try and help each one of them as best as I can.

Since I’ve discovered the online MS community I have felt less alone. I have felt so inspired by the advice and support that I have received in the past. I only hope that I can offer back the same kind of help to fellow MSers who need it a much as I did when starting this chronic journey.

I find it very easy to talk about my illness, so feel free to open a conversation if you want to know more about it. Ask questions and I’ll be happy to answer them for you. MS is nothing to be ashamed or feel vulnerable about. It’s just a disease that happened to me, the person you have already known for years, or that you are just getting to know via this blog.

To be totally honest, it does change the rules of the game a bit. It has made me less tolerant to wasting time on useless, stressful things and conversations, fights or things that are going nowhere. It has made me understand that I’m not that special (as many of us tend to think about ourselves at some point). MS hits randomly and without a known cause. Once it hits, there is no known cure, you have to live with it for the rest of your life.

Who am I to complain about my fate when there are people who deal with even worse situations in their fight with MS? From another point of view, it has helped me become humble, see the greater picture and how we all have a predetermined place in the world.

Everything that happens, every person that we meet and everything we go through is meant to teach us a lesson. Open your eyes. See the lesson behind every aspect of life. You’ll be as surprised as I was to see all that you need to learn!

MS has made me stronger. It has made me realise that we all have a defined purpose in life and that we must do the smart choice (pun intended) and go for the gold! Go do that very thing that scares us the most, but in which we find the most satisfaction and happiness.

This blog is also a platform where I can share my passion for the visual arts, for understanding the intricate web of the human mind and spirituality, whilst writing short stories and essays on various other topics. It is a place where I can let you know how am I doing at yoga practice and what have I learned about neuropsychology and health.

Expect to read posts on all things healthy living, having a balanced lifestyle, yoga struggles and tips and tricks, the belief in the higher power of God, meditation, mindfulness and prayer, soothing the mind, books, stories and writers, photography, movies and music, with an occasional travel diary from wherever my life will bring me to.

Also, be prepared for articles about human psychology, the anatomy of the nervous system, neurology, people’s social behaviour and emotions and how does that all link to living with a chronic illness like MS.

If you got here and didn’t get tired reading all this, if you’re looking forward to being witness and a part of my journey, you might as well sign up to my email list, to be sure you’ll get the three main articles I publish every week, plus an occasional fourth or fifth post when I have something new to share!

Thank you for taking the time to be here!

Until next time, make the SMart Choices for your lifestyle ;)

Love,

Alexandra

P.S. To all my fellow MSers out there: SMILE! It hugs your soul! :)

How To Deal With Anger Without Damaging Your Relationships? (+ DOWNLOADABLE FREEBIE PDF JOURNAL) - #LifestyleFriday

When was the last time you were angry? Do you remember why? What made you boil up inside? Was it annoyance? Anxiety? Fear? Was there a mix? Who did you backlash at? What were the consequences? To all these questions I’m going to shed a little light so that we can all start the weekend more peacefully and a bit more calm.

Like all human emotions, anger has been explained on and off by psychologists and regular people alike. Today we’re going to treat it like a result to a perceived threat, as a result of the fight-or-flight response, the mechanism that helps our survival for millenia.

When we are facing some type of danger, our brains have two possible choices: to help us stand and fight or make us run for our lives. Dealing with multiple sclerosis, this gets a bit tricky, and in some cases even impossible. We have to put up with an illness we have no control over, with a danger that we can’t escape from.

Enter frustration. This one is a natural response to the lack of options we have in order to deal with our anger. Therefore, everything begins to anger us: not having a cure, being surprised by a nasty symptom, having a relapse, losing some of our abilities, and so on. We become more sensitive to external stimuli. Who wasn’t annoyed by the simple: “it’s all in your head!”?

The biggest and most widespread human fear is that of the unknown. Life by itself is unpredictable and a stress bringer now and then. But humans adapt. Multiple sclerosis only adds to this uncertainties, making our lives even more stressful. We are all diferent and so are our coping mechanisms, but there will always be a time to snap / vent / melt, call it as you will.

A moment in time when all the uncertainty, fear and expectations get to us and we become Mr. Hyde.

For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, Hyde is a novel character, in the book “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by …. It is basically the dark side of each of us, the “monster” that lies within, our deepest and most secret impulses, primal violence and such. When I say that we become Mr. Hyde, I’m describing how we can literally transform from the most kind person to a raging ball of fire, that snaps at people, causing only pain and resentment. 

This is one of the main causes of why people around us get distant, and sometimes leave. Relationships get tared, bonds get cracked. They’re already scared, our anger only adds up to their feeling helpless and more frustrated. Not a happy place to live in. Could you bear this forever? Think about it!

What I’ve learned so far, having my own large dose of being angry, is that you need to deal with it. I went deep within myself and analysed the reasons for getting so angry. Clearly it was an over-the-top reaction, that in other conditions wouldn’t have happened. For me, daily journaling helped put things into perspective. 

We all thing the reasons why we’re angry are so legitimate, others so ignorant and we ourselves so missunderstood. Wrong! In most cases, we overreact. I know I did! When I began accepting it, things gradually got better. Time helps you to better understand your triggers and to catch yourself before you snap. Or help you to snap less, to be honest! 

We all have good days and bad days, we all have ego colisions with other people. MSers tend to become a bit more sensitive that other people. We develop a type of vulnerability that not many people can understand fully.

I chose to transform this vulnerability into something positive. It’s damn hard! It takes a lot of focus and dedication. But when you do it daily, you CAN transform anger into love. Agression into compassion. Frustration into gratefulness. I experience those two opposing forces on a regular basis. 

Of course it’s easier to snap, yell and take some steam off. But is it really worth the effort? Is it really worth the damage? You get dear ones angry, you become stressed, the whole thing could turn into a full blown conflict and for what? For multiple sclerosis? REALLY?

Accept your anger. Let it go and search for the love within. Find reasons to be grateful and happy for your life. Focus on what you can do and do more of that. Capitalize on your strenghts.

There are millions of people who go through the same issues as you do. Of course we are all different, but in the end we all have multiple sclerosis roaming around in our brains. The true secret is the way we choose to react to what’s happening to us. The way we let it get to us. Or not. Accept, adapt and overcome.

I prepared a printable journal to use as a tool for getting to know your triggers and focus on what is good in your life. Download it by clicking this link Accept.Adapt.OvercomeJournal

Let me know your story with anger in the comments below. Subscribe for more articles!

Lots of love,

Alexandra

Flax, Chia & Turmeric. 3 Superfoods That Help You Better Manage Your Multiple Sclerosis - #HealthyThursday

Flax, chia and turmeric. How do these three so-called super-foods help you on the long run? How do they contribute to your wellbeing and help with MS management? Let me tell you my story. Feel free to do your own research and draw your own conclusions.

Nowadays, it’s hard to live a healthy and antiinflammatory diet, given the consumption patterns and all the zero nutrient foods that are mass produced. So, what do we do other than try to eat as healthy and as organic as we possibly can? We add natural helpers. Tiny roots and seeds that are nutrient dense and help digestion and promote healthy functioning of the whole body.

When dealing with multiple sclerosis, doing your best to avoid inflammation and nourish the body naturally are two of the best things you can do to ensure optimal health. To have any result, all the foods, exercise and relaxation measures we may take need to be implemented on the long run. Healthy choices that become habits, that eventually make you stronger.

The trick is finding the right mix that suits your tastes, lifestyle and capabilities. All we do in life is choose on a daily basis. Below are three of my little choices that have made me enjoy experimenting with healthy foods, not thinking that I might become defficient in any essential nutrient.

Flax and chia seeds are the type of products that I wouldn’t normally crave. But stirring them into smoothies or greek yoghurt (if you choose to eat dairy) with honey and I had a lovely dessert, full of calcium, vitamin B6, omega-3 and omega-6, iron, copper and loads of other vitamins and nutrients good for my health. You can also add them in baked goods, replacing flour and / or eggs, as flax contain plant-based fats. 

Since I began using them, my intestinal transit got better, meaning that flushing toxins was a little bit more efficient. Like all things in life, I ate them moderately, as to not upset the stomach or get my body immune to them (pun not intended).

When I first ran into turmeric, a few years back, I didn’t think so much about it, as its bitter taste didn’t make me associate it with something pleasant, as most foods do. So I left it where it was. Little did I know that I will end up making and drinking turmeric tea three times a day. It has become a staple in my morning, afternoon and evening routine.

Turmeric Tea Recipe

I mix ½ tsp of turmeric powder, ¼ tsp of cinnamon powder, 1 tsp raw honey and the juice of half a small lemon. Mix and pour over about half a cup of hot water. I mix again and enjoy! It is known to reduce blood pressure, boosts energy, it protects the liver, reduces inflammation and many more. For me, it has replaced coffee, reduced inflammatory states and made me feel better overall since I started cosuming it more than a year ago.

These three are potent antinflamatory, healthy protein and calcium, fiber and healthy fats dense foods that you can add to your diet tomorrow. Give them a try for at least a month and tell me how you think. We all react differently so just try and see. If it works, and you feel better, keep it. If it doesn’t, just try something else. I’ll be here weekly with other choices on #HealthyThursday.

Tell me your story in the comments below. Maybe you’ve already tried one or all of these foods. Maybe you have an inspiring story about nutrition and MS management that others might like. Don’t forget to subcribe for more articles!

Lots of love,

Alexandra