By Juliann Hanson-Zlatev, OTR, Heuga Center Program Staff Member

By Gail Hartley, NP, MSN, MSCN, Heuga Center Program Staff Member

Spring has sprung and it is time to look forward to a new season of growth. Growing a garden—whether flowers or vegetables—is a wonderful, relaxing and therapeutic way to get you in touch with Mother Nature.

Here are some simple suggestions for digging into this enjoyable activity.

By Baldwin Sanders, MS, RD, Heuga Center Program Staff Member 

What does your snacking behavior look like? Are you a vending-machine junkie? Does your co-worker bring in tempting sweets made especially for you? Does your snacking generate a guilty feeling?

How to talk to others about living with MS
By Pat Kennedy, RN, CNP, MSCN, Heuga Center Nurse Educator

Being diagnosed with MS or being told your loved one is diagnosed is like being told a secret. You can keep the information to yourself or share it with everyone you meet. Neither of these are good long-term solutions to help you live a quality life. You’ll need time to decide who you want to tell, who you don’t want to tell and how much information you want to share with people.

By: Greg Farmer, M.S., M.P.T., Heuga Center Program Staff Member

With less daylight and colder temperatures it can be a challenge to stay active and maintain your fitness in the winter.  By understanding your symptoms and using some creativity, you can have fun and maintain your fitness goals during the winter.

By: Greg Farmer, M.S., M.P.T., Heuga Center Program Staff Member

With less daylight and colder temperatures it can be a challenge to stay active and maintain your fitness in the winter.  By understanding your symptoms and using some creativity, you can have fun and maintain your fitness goals during the winter.

By Pat Kennedy, RN, CNP, MSCN, Heuga Center Nurse Educator

By:  Pat Kennedy, RN, CNP, MSCN, Nurse Educator - Bio

What is the most important part of the upcoming holidays to you?  While some “love it all”, few of us can “do it all”. 

Many of us face the challenge of maintaining balance in our lives.  One of those challenges is being able to maintain motivation for your exercise program.  With our busy lives, many times it is difficult to ‘find motivation’ for exercise.  However, if you approach your exercise in a ‘mindful way’ you can be successful in maintaining your motivation during the holiday season.  These strategies can also be applied to those who are starting an exercise program and have found difficulty ‘getting started’.

Spasticity is a common symptom seen in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and can play a major role in disability.  Spasticity has important clinical manifestations including tonic increases in muscle tone with limb rigidity and/or a phasic pattern of uncontrolled spasms.  Spasticity, with or without muscular weakness, is a cause of loss of function and pain.  Secondary complications occur due to impaired mobility.  These include contractures, skin ulcerations, and infection.  An interdisciplinary approach is an effective way to manage spasticity in people with MS.