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New year, new successes!
MSQLP's e-newsletter January edition 2014
From a Board Member        
Happy New Year to All!

My name is Kathleen Fischer and I am pleased and honored to write for the first MSQLP e-newsletter of 2014 to my friends and community. First about me--I have been on the MSQLP Board for 1 � years now. Andrea (our former president) caught my attention as I was finishing the Annual MS walk provided by National MS Society in Pacific Grove 2 years ago. I was not familiar with MSQLP and became very interested when Andrea mentioned that MSQLP is a local organization that helps local people! That makes sense! So I got involved and became an official board member!

My history with MS began in 1985 with the onset of optic neuritis. I have managed my MS with the help of my neurologist, support of family and friends, and a weekly injection of one of the many MS treatments, Avonex. I am blessed that is has been fairly stable. I am currently working part-time as a speech therapist for Alliance Home Health, and seeing patients for therapy in their homes. It is a very rewarding career.


We recently had our MSQLP Holiday Party at the Marina Library and it was a wonderful time! Grant's "fishbowl" game brought lots of laughter and was a big success. I admire all of us. Especially those who were able to get to the holiday party and overcome our MS challenges to enjoy an afternoon of fun and friendship with peers. It was definitely a highlight of the holiday season!
   
As we begin our new year, MSQLP will have many new activities and programs that will keep our MS community connected, educated, and healthy.  My hope is that we learn a thing or two on how we, as individuals living with MS, can better our quality of life.  My wish for you in the New Year is that 2014 will bring increased health, happiness and fulfillment! And continued participation with your MS community and MSQLP!

Kathleen Fischer
Board Member
Upcoming Events
(click the underlined topics for more info) 
Tuesday, January 14th
Seminar starts: 6:30PM
Caf� Cruz-  2621 41st Ave.
Soquel, CA 95073

Complimentary meal provided
Call to RSVP: 1-800-887-8100

Tuesday, January 14th
Seminar starts: 12PM
Embassy Suites in Seaside
Complimentary light lunch provided
Call to RSVP:1-866-682-7491

MSQLP wants to inform you of educational opportunities like these as a service and courtesy to you. MSQLP has had no role in developing the content or choosing speakers for these programs. However, we do recommend these events because they are great places to meet other people with MS in the community!

Presentation on Covered CA
Friday, January 17th
11AM-1PM
Marina Library
190 Seaside Ave.
Lunch will be provided

National MS Society Peer Meeting
Friday, January 24th
11AM-1PM
Marina Library
Lunch will be provided

Saturday, January 25th
11AM-1PM
MSQLP Office
519B Hartnell St.
Lunch will be provided.

Water Aerobics
Mondays & Wednesdays 12-1pm
@ Monterey Sports Center
Water Aerobics classes for 2014 will begin Monday, January 6th at regular class time.  
Spotlight on the New Year with CA State Parks
First Day, First Hike with Point Lobos State Park

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is outstanding for sightseeing, photography, painting, nature study, picnicking, SCUBA diving, and jogging. In addition to the spectacular beauty, nearly every aspect of its resources is of scientific interest. There are rare plant communities, endangered archeological sites, unique geological formations, and incredibly rich flora and fauna of both land and sea.

This year of 2014, Point Lobos State Park had a "First Day, First Hike" celebration of the New Year and it was also the 150th anniversary of the California State Park System. MSQLP would like to honor the California State Park System, particularly Point Lobos State Park for implementing wheelchair accessibility to many of their nature trails. This is not a new development, in fact, many state parks in CA have wheelchair accessibility options. Below are two links that have an abundance of useful information regarding which State Parks in CA accommodate for wheelchairs.

(click to access websites)
Access Northern CA

Accessible Features in State Parks

In addition, during the celebration at Point Lobos State Park, KSBW news channel did a special report on location. And it just so happens one of our MSQLP board members was present for an interview. See if you can spot her in the video below! (Hint: She is a Point Lobos docent-in-training!)
Click for the KSBW News Report

Did You Know? 

Season affective disorder (SAD)
Excerpts edited by
Grant Helm- MSQLP Director
 

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) goes beyond the "winter blues". It goes beyond feeling tired or sad or disliking winter. SAD is a form of clinical depression that occurs in the winter. It starts around fall or winter, as the days get shorter and darker, and typically remits in the spring or summer.

SAD affects around 14 million Americans. People with SAD experience a variety of physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms that impairs their daily functioning. They're usually unable to perform at school or work and have difficulty interacting with others. Tasks that once seemed simple, such as household chores or paying the bills, suddenly become overwhelming.

There are many ways to treat symptoms of SAD. In 2006 the Food and Drug Administration even approved the antidepressant Wellbutrin XL for preventing episodes of SAD. However, in this article we will highlight a natural therapy: Light therapy.

Extensive research has shown that light boxes work well in boosting mood and energy. Light boxes emit artificial light that mimics the sun's natural light. They are useful to regions where the sun may not be readily available or exposed due to this season's often cold and gloomy climate. Light therapy requires a daily commitment, and direct light from the sun is recommended to treat SAD if available. It's best to absorb light (whether from the sun or from a light box) in the early morning for 15-20 minutes or more during the winter months. However, you can use this time to read or talk on the phone as you're receiving light therapy. In fact you can do anything during your light sessions, as long as your eyes are open and you're facing the light source.

MSQLP Website
www.msqlp.org

Our Mission:     

The Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Project (MSQLP) recognizes that people living with chronic illness have unmet needs. MSQLP is committed to filling these gaps by improving the quality of life of persons with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in the tri-county area of Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito. Our programs have expanded to serve families living with Parkinson's disease (PD) in Monterey County. We work with clients and their families to create comprehensive individual plans and programs that support client independence. All of our services are free.

Make a Donation

$30 will fund outreach services for one client.
$70 will fund one water aerobics class.
$100 will fund a HouseCall for a client.
Click to support MSQLP
Help us reach our goal of $3,000! 
Any donation towards the Birdies for Charity fundraiser will be increased by 20% courtesy of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation!
MSQLP Merchandise
January '14 Sale!
$10 Bundle Deal:
MASSIVE savings when you buy a shirt and bag together!



$15 pick-up   $20 shipped
LIMITED QUANTITY LEFT!

Call 831-333-9091 to donate and get your MSQLP merchandise!
Click on iGive logo for details!
Benefit MSQLP just through shopping online!

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Tip of the Month
Successful New Year Resolutions
By Angie Garayalde- MSQLP Staff

With the New Year upon us, many of us will be partaking in the long-standing convention of creating New Year's Resolutions. Some of us will resolve to be healthier, tighten up our wallets, or to read more. While this can be a great way to make positive changes in your life, according to CBS News, only 8% of the commitments made will make it to completion. So how can we help ourselves have a better shot at achieving our resolutions?

Setting realistic goals is one of the most important things you can do to improve your chances. Resolving to lose 20 pounds can seem fairly daunting; however, resolving to eliminate sugary drinks and unhealthy foods from your diet is a much more manageable goal that can also help you achieve weight loss and better health. Enlisting support from others can also be a great tool in helping to maintain resolutions. MSQLP support group meetings are a great place to get together with others to share resolutions and receive encouragement in the pursuit of goal achievement. In fact, starting this month, MSQLP will begin a caregiver support group, giving your family and/or friends a great place to share their goals and resolutions as well.
 
Last but not least, reflection can play an important part in making current resolutions stick. Ask yourself, what worked for me last year? What didn't? Looking back on the accomplishments made in the previous year can help you to maintain a positive attitude and the motivation needed to keep working towards your goals. Jennifer LaRue Huget, blogger for MS Connection, reminds us about what achievements were made in the MS community during 2013 and what is on the horizon in 2014. You can read her reflection here:  
MS Connection 
Amy's Corner
MS triggered by an environmental factor?

By Amy Lamb Heckel RDH

 

An article was published in Newsweek magazine on October 17, 2013 that describes a possible new insight as to the cause of MS (and therefore, potential new treatments!) A bacterium by the name of
Clostridium Perfringens is thought to be the culprit. The most common form of this is typically harmless and is often found in the digestive tract of humans. However - you knew that was coming, didn't you - subtype B of this bacterium can produce a toxin which can cross the blood brain barrier and bind to myelin causing significant damage.

 

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College and Rockefeller University discovered that the blood and spinal fluid of MS patients contained 10 times the antibodies to fight the toxin produced by Clostridium Perfringens type B than did the same fluids from non-MS patients. If further research validates the idea that the toxin produced by this bacterium is what activates the body's immune system, a true paradigm shift will occur. Dr. Timothy Vartanian (who directs Weill's Judith Jaffe Multiple Sclerosis Center) explained that previously it has been thought that MS began by the body attacking itself, not by mounting an immune response to an outside organism. He went on to say, "We are very excited about this work and what it means for people with MS."

 

For those of you who want to learn more, I have included a link to the Public Library of Science article published on October 16, 2013 on this subject. There is also a link to the Newsweek article from October 17, 2013.

 

Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Project
519B Hartnell Street
Monterey, California 93940
831.333.9091
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