Meditation

[clay_07]

I am looking into meditation to help with my MS. Has anyone ever tried it and if so what kind of meditation did you do?

[Saavik]

Hello clay!

I practice meditation on a daily basis and I can say it does help. But meditation alone won't work that well if it's not combined with a healthy lifestyle (i.e. a regular exercise schedule, healthy food, enough sleep etc).

As for a method ... well it's something I created myself by taking bits and pieces from a lot of materials I've read. For instance, sometimes I just find a soft spot, lay down, close my eyes and slowly count from 50 to 0. I just focus on the counting and nothing else.

Sometimes i use a motivational phrase which I keep repeating in my mind as a sort of mantra. Or I just relax and let my mind wander around. I don't know the theory of meditation but I am sure there are plenty of writings on this matter.

All I can say is that things that work for me might do nothing for you. So just take some time to find what suits you best. It took me almost a year to develop certain meditation steps so it's a long process. But that again depends on each and everyone.

Hope this helps you in any way

[MarkLavelle]

I've been doing mindfulness meditation as taught by Jon Kabat-Zinn on and off since 1996. The book was called "Full Catastrophe Living" and companion cassettes were available. Now you can get the guided meditations on CD: http://www.amazon.com/Guided-Mindful.../dp/1591793599

[Seasha]

I have tried many forms of meditation over the years, starting with TM back in the 70's when I was young.

What I do now and what works for me is focusing on my slow breathing. Eyed closed, "watching" it enter to fill my chest cavity slowly~~, expanding in all directions, and watching it exit my body slowly~~ sometimes watching it fill my chest cavity and belly too.

Then other times, while laying down, I watch the breath enter my toes - up my legs to my chest cavity and back down through my toes again. The main thing is of course, is taking deep, slow breaths. If my mind wanders, I just gently bring my attention back to the breath. When I fully concentrate, all my worries and concerns melt away~

Hope you find a technique that works for you, clay. And btw, I'm going to move this thread to the general Q and A forum to get more attention.

[Thood1983]

Meditation can truely help. I started doing it about 4 years ago and now I just can't go without it.
It helps to clear your mind and get a positive outlook on life.
Meditation combined with calm fitting music is absolutely the best, but of couse, only try that once you get used to meditation in silence.

[clay_07]

I have started TM and so far it is slowly starting to help with everything.

[MSer102]

YAY! That's great clay! Thanks for the progress report.

[andreagwolford]

THE STRICT DAILY REGIME THAT CLAIMS TO OVERCOME MS

Follow a diet that is meat/poultry and dairy-free. Eat only wholefoods (no processed/ready-made foods) so your diet is low in saturated fat and rich in seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, seeds, pulses and grains.

Take omega-3 fatty acid supplements. Start the diet by taking 20ml a day of standard-strength fish oil and some flaxseed oil on your food.Gradually replace the fish oil with flaxseed oil over nine months. On days when oily fish is eaten, omit fish oil supplement.
After nine months you should be taking 20 to 40ml of flaxseed oil every day.

Optional. Take B group vitamins or B12 supplement if needed.

Expose as much of your body as possible to sunlight for 15 minutes daily, three to five times a week to gain Vitamin D, deficiency of which is linked to development of MS. Take Vitamin D3 supplement of at least 5,000IU daily.

Meditate for 30 minutes every day.

Do 20 to 30 minutes of exercise that elevates the heart rate, about five times a week, preferably outdoors.
Walking, running and swimming are good examples of this type of exercise.

Hope it helps

[clay_07]

I am working on getting the diet together. It is hard to find the non processed foods.