Balancing nutrition, exercise and a chronic disease – it’s a lifestyle now for Marybeth Burroughs who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis five years ago without showing any early signs or symptoms. "I had a neck surgery and they found my MS." MS is an often disabling disease of the central nervous system that interrupts the flow of information between the brain and body. The immune system mistakenly attacks the central nervous system - by eating at the myelin sheath - which protects your nerves. Marybeth takes daily medication to slow the attack on her central nervous system. She believes, however, that diet and exercise really help with the fatigue that comes with the disease. "If I wake up and feel the fatigue hit me, I go for a mile walk and it just gives me life."
Having learned so much about her disease, Marybeth wants to help others, but says she had a hard time finding much of an MS support system in our area. So she reached out to trainers at Saint Mary's Center for Health and Fitness. "I researched,” shared Cassie Goodman. “There really wasn't anything in the Reno-Sparks area." Cassie is the center's Medical Exercise and Safety Supervisor. She helped create a program that incorporates health coaching, nutrition and exercise for people living with MS. "It's a 12-week program. They'll meet once a week - Wednesdays at 2 p.m. - and they'll have a full gym membership for 12 weeks." The program is designed to strengthen muscles that might have started to atrophy, as well improve balance, endurance, flexibility and diet.
Fitness and Nutrition Supervisor, Catie Doucette says cleaning up the menu is a good way to keep symptoms at bay. She will help clients pinpoint possible trigger foods for a flare-up. "If you're eating whole, natural foods, that's typically the place to start. Any processed foods are more likely to trigger. But everyone is different." When she meets with the group for a half-hour every other week she will discuss the importance of hydration, eliminating anti-inflammatory ingredients and how to handle good days and bad. "When they have a flare, they have a lot of issues with being able to move freely - or even a steady hand - so we talk about ways to cook with those limitations."
The goal of this program is to arm clients with tools they can use to not only manage their disease, but to also enjoy life. "There's nothing like it,” expresses Marybeth who is thrilled her idea for this type of MS support group is coming to life.
If you would like to learn more or sign up, contact Cassie Goodman at CGoodman2@primehealthcare.com or call (775) 770-7874. Saint Mary's Fitness Center is located at 645 North Arlington Avenue, Suite 100 in Reno. Enrollment in this program is $79 per person.
