Nutrition, fitness, and enjoying each sunrise are the anchor points of Angela Gensler’s MS management.
Each person with multiple sclerosis (MS) is unique, and each person’s approach to fitness is unique. Among the more than 7,000 members of my MS Fitness Challenge Gym Facebook group, some are striving to accomplish simple tasks like walking their dog, while others endeavor to take their fitness to a whole new level. All share the common goal of conquering this disease through fitness.
One of our members, Angela Gensler, agreed to share her experience of living with MS and experimenting with different ways to stay fit. Gensler is 47; she lives on the South Shore of Long Island, New York, has been married for 23 years, and is the mother of two daughters, ages 21 and 19.
Gensler describes herself as follows: “I am a sunrise chaser and find peace and adventure in nature in our bayside community. I have come to seek treasures in the simple, beautiful, daily moments that are otherwise overlooked in life’s hastiness.”
David Lyons: When were you diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and what were your symptoms?
Angela Gensler: It was 16 years ago, following a move into our new home, and I had unbearable headaches with blurred vision; I was unable to function and was incapacitated. I was diagnosed a few days before Christmas, and life as we knew it paused.
DL: Tell us about your MS mission.
AG: I would say personal accountability is my MS mission. For the past 16 years, I have been quietly living with MS and creating my own version of personal care. I made a decision to research and educate myself on self-care through holistic healers, nutrition, and fitness. My decision came after years of witnessing my older sister, who also lives with MS, struggle with dosing and side effects of her different disease-modifying therapies. It frankly scared the crap out of me!
I was handed a photocopy of an anti-inflammatory diet with a simple list of “avoid” foods and “good” foods from my holistic chiropractor. When I read the list, I saw that my daily diet was all on the “avoid” list.
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I made a drastic change to my nutrition, and I began to feel better after a few weeks. This was my first step toward personal accountability in my new life with multiple sclerosis.
Over the years I have found success in different therapies, better nutrition, and supplements.
My fitness commitment has varied through the years. I have done many different types of workouts, including Pilates, yoga, CrossFit, boxing, working out with personal trainers, and Orangetheory.
The instructors or trainers would say, “I’m not sure this is right for you with MS.” My response was always, “It’s a disease of my nerves, not my muscles,” and I always felt I worked twice as hard to prove that to them, and most of the time, I did.
Through these years, my one constant has been personal accountability as my daily defense.
I find that when I stray from my diet, I have flare-ups of symptoms; when stress levels rise, I have setbacks; when I skip the gym, I have greater fatigue.
Simply put, your daily choices can either be on your “good” list or your “avoid” list.
DL: What motivated you to start working out to help manage MS?
AG: Pain and fatigue are a daily occurrence for me, and they can be crippling. I have learned to harness that pain and fatigue in the gym. Those voices in my head that say, “Rest some more, stay in bed; there’s always tomorrow” have been quashed completely in the past two years. I say ‘two years’ because I can truly pinpoint my daily effort since March 2018. I was in a horrific car accident in February 2017. The head trauma I sustained mimicked MS, and it was a yearlong, painful recovery. My biggest goal in May 2017 was being able to walk 20 feet without falling, or bicycle for five minutes without getting sick.
On March 2018, I made my first post on the MS Fitness Challenge Gym Facebook page: “Been 2 years since I’ve been gloved-up. Bad relapse, my father died of Alzheimer’s, followed by a severe car accident with head trauma … I came across this group, the inspiration is endless…. Now here I am, 4 classes in and I feel stronger and more motivated then ever!”
Since my first post, I have not strayed from my commitment to the gym and working out. Through this group, I have come to learn better techniques in the gym, and I have tweaked my nutrition even more.
DL: What are your MS symptoms currently, and have they improved since you started a workout routine?
AG: I am currently experiencing “MS hugs.” They come and go, and I seek my relief with acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, and essential oils. I also use my thoughts to overcome the pain. I use the excuse that I overworked the muscles, did too heavy of a weight — anything except MS. I continue to do what I can every day, through weird numbness and burning pain in my extremities.
My improvement is my strength, which I continue to build upon. That strength is like a personal bank account that I am investing in daily; my investment continues to grow as long as I keep depositing everything I have on good days. Then during my not-so-good days and challenging times with the numbness and balance and vertigo, I have that muscle memory to draw from.
There are times when I can’t feel my left foot, but I can see my leg muscles raise it up and move it. When I had a sudden bout with vertigo a few weeks back while on the phone with my sister, I was able to lower myself safely to the kitchen floor (slow motion) and used a squat motion and arm strength to pull myself to a different room where I remained till my husband got home.
DL: What is the biggest challenge in your workouts?
AG: Currently my biggest challenge is the gym being closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I know this is a struggle for many people around the world, but through the MS Fitness Challenge group, there are many no-cost video workouts available and plenty of inspiration. I am a creative person and have found ways to continue my daily workouts despite the current situation; I’m actually having a lot of fun with it!
DL: How did you initially get started on an exercise program?
AG: Fitness and weight training have always been a part of my life, sometimes for vanity reasons, and other years I battled weight and self-esteem issues. Since my diagnosis with MS, it has all become about function. Finding that level of optimal daily function has been my goal over the past 16 years. My commitment to self-care these past two years has yielded my greatest strength since diagnosis. Through personal accountability and aligning with people who inspire and encourage fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness, I continue to feel stronger and feel that life is more profound with each sunrise I am given.
DL: How do you stay motivated to continue exercising?
AG: My improved daily function is my motivation. I promised myself six years ago, after losing my eyesight for several months, that if and when it returned, I wouldn’t miss a sunrise. I will continue that promise, as I am thankful for my sight. In addition, each day since recovering from my accident, I promise myself that I am starting a daily workout routine, and I will continue that promise, as I am thankful for my strength.
DL: Have there been any times when you wanted to quit or give up?
AG: This one is easy: No. I was a mom of two small babies when I was diagnosed, and quitting on them was never an option.
DL: What is your current exercise routine?
AG: I work out daily. Prior to the pandemic I was attending Orangetheory classes six days a week. During this time of social distancing, I am walking, running, rowing on a home machine, and using weights and bands, et cetera. I challenge different muscle groups daily and do online videos, and I follow along with you, too!
DL: Have you altered your diet and nutrition regimen since being diagnosed with MS?
AG: I follow an anti-inflammatory diet. There are many of them out there under different names and authors, and I have made up my own mix of them. I’m always tweaking my own personal list of “avoid” and “good” foods. I removed all “fake” products from my diet 16 years ago. The biggest change I have made, for almost a year now, is switching to intermittent fasting. This has been a game changer for me, as I can’t do damage in my six-hour window of eating a day. I rarely drink alcohol, as I can’t afford to lose a whole day following a fun night out.
DL: How has working out changed your life and helped with your MS?
AG: Working out has had a tremendous impact on my daily function, how I feel about my growing capabilities and myself. It has given me hope and a sense of security that the strength I build will be there to help get me through my challenging MS days.
DL: What fitness goals do you have for the future?
AG: The past two years of daily commitment to fitness and nutrition have led me to begin personal training certification classes this past February. I want to build upon my knowledge and to explore future plans in the profession. This is an optimal time, as my children are grown and my daily “mom” demands are ended. My classes are currently on hold, but I am committed to staying the course. I know that I want to share my passion and belief in self-care with fitness and nutrition to improve people’s daily function and strength with multiple sclerosis.
DL: Do you have any advice for those who want to conquer MS through fitness?
AG: I truly believe exercise and strength training can change your life with MS. I go back to my belief that muscle memory and strength will help you fight through fatigue and numbness. MS is a disease of your nerves, not your muscles. I believe nutrition is a huge component of healthy living, along with fitness. I hope other people can see that I am just like them, and when you decide to put it into action, your capabilities will flourish.
On tough days, be extra kind to yourself, and on good days, challenge your strength!
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