Thanks for visiting our Blog. Laura and I have decided that we would start this site in order to keep people informed about what we are doing and what we have been learning. You see, about 6 years ago right after our youngest daughter was born, Laura was diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis). She first starting having symptoms after the birth of our previous child - about 9 years ago - but the symptoms went away. She was having an "electrical" like feeling in her arms and legs. Then, about 4 years ago she had problems with her memory, speech, and fine motor skills for about a month. She also could not steady her hand in order to write (normally her writing is very beautiful). This was very hard for her - and for me to see her this way. The doctor has said Laura had Relapsing Remitting MS.

The worst part is to see her struggling with fatigue. Fatigue and muscle spasms in her legs are the most frequent and chronic parts of her challenge with MS. When I say fatigue I don't just mean feeling tired. We all can say that from time to time. I mean so physically tired that you can't get out of bed. Ironically, this type of physical fatigue has nothing to do with what types of activities we do such as hard physical labor. It also has nothing to do with sleep deprivation. It can best be described as an overwhelming sense of feeling absolutely physically and mentally exhausted. With this state comes a total inability to physically work, and at times extreme difficulty to process even basic information.

We have tried all the standard treatments, including shots of Rebif and prescription medications such as Prozac, Adderall, and Provigil. None (except Baclofen for her leg spasms) of them seemed to help. The Rebif seemed to make her depressed.

This past summer Laura began a new alternative treatment for MS using low dose Naltrexone - a drug usually prescribed for drug rehab patients. She did very well for the first 2 to 3 months, only having a few relapses with fatigue. However, now she is still struggling with fatigue on a weekly basis.

She recently went back to the doctor, who put her on Concerta, as the Provigil was not helping her fatigue and concentration problems. With all of these attempts to help my wife with medication changes, I'm sure sometimes she feels a lot like some kind of science experiment.

That's why we have decided to take matters into our own hands and learn all we can about MS and about natural alternative treatments. We have been reading at numerous websites reviewing a lot of products and information. We intend to not only learn all we can, but to implement and pass on our knowledge to our readers. We will not only maintain this blog, but will also join forums and communities in order to spread the word and to help as many people as we can - starting today. Here goes.

With Hope and Determination,

Rich Andrews

A health study published in 2003 has shown that by using just a 1/4 tsp of cinnamon every day you may lower your blood sugar, fats and cholesterol by as much as 30 percent. This regimen may also prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes for those at risk .

What follows are some of the highlights of this critical study published in the journal Diabetes Care, December 2003:
A Spoonful of Cinnamon Helps Treat Diabetes
by Alison McCook, Dec 11, 2003.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with diabetes can help keep their bodies healthy by simply adding a dash of spice to their diet, new research reports.

In a study, diabetics who incorporated one gram -- equivalent to less than one-quarter teaspoon -- of cinnamon per day for 40 days into their normal diets experienced a decrease in levels of blood sugar, cholesterol and blood fats.

And for people with diabetes, the less of those substances in the body, the better.

Type 2 diabetes arises when the body loses sensitivity to insulin, a hormone that shuttles the sugars from food into body cells to be used for energy. As a result, the amount of sugar, or glucose, in the blood remains high, leading to fatigue and blurred vision. Over the long term, excess blood glucose can increase the risk of heart disease, kidney failure and blindness.

The current findings suggest that a small amount of cinnamon can help protect diabetics from these and other potential complications of their condition, study author Dr. Richard A. Anderson of the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Maryland told Reuters Health.

Diabetics could add a dash of cinnamon to their morning servings of coffee, orange juice or cereal, Anderson noted. "You can also make a cinnamon tea by simply boiling water with stick cinnamon," he suggested.

Anderson noted that cinnamon may also help stave off the onset of type 2 diabetes in people at risk of the condition.

During the study, Anderson and his colleagues asked 60 people with type 2 diabetes to consume 1, 3, or 6 grams of cinnamon each day for 40 days, or the equivalent amount of wheat flour, as a placebo.

Reporting in the journal Diabetes Care, Anderson and his team found that all cinnamon-takers experienced a drop in blood levels of glucose, fats and cholesterol by up to 30 percent. No change was seen in the people taking placebo.

Anderson explained that cinnamon contains compounds that help make insulin more efficient, improving the hormone's ability to bring glucose to the cells that need it.

As an added bonus, cinnamon contains virtually no calories, Anderson said, allowing diabetics to add zest to their meals without adding to their waistlines.

Previous research has shown that cinnamon appears to help fat cells recognize and respond to insulin. In recent studies, the spice increased glucose metabolism by about 20 times.