b"New Ways You Can Help Us Help OthersMatching gifts are a great way to double the effect of a gift to MS Focus. Ask the company you work for if they have a matching gift program or encourage them to set one up. If an employee makes a donation to a charity, the company they work for matches that donation dollar-for-dollar. Many companies would love to support a charity if given the opportunity,soaskthemtosupportMSFocus: theMultiple Sclerosis Foundation.What changes have you made to your way of cooking or eating because of MS? Also, What are some of your favorite MS-friendly dishes?Tony FerroMost think I am crazy for saying MS was the best thing to ever happen to me. The rst 5 years was extremely tough and lost lots of different functions. It ultimately allowed me to become aware of the reckless life I was living. There is too much research out now to deny that food can play a massive role in how you feel. I was in the pizza business and walked away to focus on my health journey and its been a pretty great ride. I no longer indulge in fast food, packaged, or processed foods, I also stay away from gluten, dairy, soy, and limit grains. I went from cooking feasts with all that crap to focusing on nutrient-dense whole foods. I stopped counting calories and focused on nutrients. I also lost over 150 pounds to date. I will always be a fat kid at heart and enjoy eating but had to break many addictions and still struggle with some but have a whole new approach to cooking and food. Along with nutrition, I put focus on sleep quality, stress reduction, movement, and, self-love and acceptance. It can be a lot to unlearn and relearn what we thought to be okay. The information is out there: its up to us to be our own advocate and put it into motion. I am going on my 13th year and feel better than ever! Keep rocking warriors! Mary Ellen Smolinski I was obese for most of my life. It made moving with MS even more unbearable. So I had gastric surgery from a clinic that combined it with regular education and check-ins. The diet was protein only to start. Graduating into a more traditional keto diet. It took me one year to lose 140 pounds. So far, for 10 years, I 've kept off 120 of it. No dairy except cheese. No carbs except fruits and vegetables. I exercise, with ease, ve days a week. And generally am able to tolerate my MS and aging aches and pains. Stacie Ritter Wooten I dont have MS, but my mother did. I have avoided anything with tomatoes in it because of the inammation producing properties of the tomatoes. 37 msfocusmagazine.org"