Thursday, May 26, 2011

RVing With MS. What is MS? MS Can Be Avoided. RV Tips. Ducks. Armadillo. Shopping. "Gas-p"

RV 4 the Cause Interview by RV Education 101

"Patti Shenkman was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2006. After the diagnosis Marty used his professional background as a tax attorney to establish a charity called RV4thecause.
They travel in their Airstream travel trailer educating professional advisers and consumers about estate, insurance, tax and financial planning for those living with chronic illnesses."

Mark Polk with RV Education 101 interviews Marty and Patti Shenkman about their charity "RV 4 the Cause", http://www.rv4thecause.org/            http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/RV4TheCause

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rv4thecause-taking-educational-progra...
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What Is MS?

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"Almost everyone is infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) by the time they reach adulthood. Infection early in childhood typically does not cause severe illness, although infection that occurs in adolescence often leads to mononucleosis."
"The new study shows "that people who are not infected with Epstein-Barr virus do not get MS," Ascherio tells WebMD. "All 100% of people who got MS in our study were infected with Epstein-Barr virus," he says."
From: http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/news/20090504/epstein-barr-virus-linked-to-ms
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What is it like to live with MS?    Tricia's Story of Multiple Sclerosis


Uploaded by MSPacific on Oct 13, 2006

Update from Tricia on September 17, 2008:
 
"Thank you all for your kind and encouraging words! When I hear how my story has touched people around the world, I can't believe it!  When the National MS Society put together and posted the video, I was shocked at the response. Now, three years later, people are still watching it, forwarding it and commenting on it - wow!
My son Jake will be 15 this year, he still loves playing baseball and is a freshman in High School. He helps raise money and awareness for our annual Walk MS event,  and this year he's riding in the Bike MS Tour, all to help create a world free of multiple sclerosis. He is my inspiration and I thank God for him every day!
I have good and bad days, but am blessed with family, friends and doctors who support me. I will continue to fight for a cure with my continued dedication through volunteerism and fundraising. I know I speak for many when I say I want to live in a world free of MS.   With Hope and Love,    Tricia Chandler"
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 NEW Research Explains 61% of Multiple Sclerosis Cases.

Vitamin D—An Essential Health Factor that Can No Longer Be Ignored

"Previous studies have shown that vitamin D can positively affect MS by altering chemicals called cytokines, which modulate your immune system and can either fight or increase inflammation. Therefore, one of the best things you can do for your health in general is also one of the best preventive strategies against autoimmune diseases like MS -- getting enough regular sun exposure so your body can produce optimal amounts of vitamin D.
Studies have also found that increased dietary intake of vitamin D helps protect against the development of MS, so if you don't have access to regular sun exposure, or a safe tanning bed, you may want to seriously consider oral supplementation with vitamin D3.
One such study, published in 2004, found that women who took vitamin D-containing multivitamin supplements were 40 percent less likely to develop MS than women who did not supplement. Keep in mind that this study was based on FAR lower vitamin D dosages than what we now know are needed, so if you optimize your levels, you're likely to reduce your risk by far more than 40 percent…
There's simply no question that one of the most important physical steps you can take to control your health is to make sure your vitamin D levels are optimized to between 50-70 ng/ml."
More at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/17/american-cancer-society-and-dermatologists-dead-wrong-about-the-sun.aspx  
and: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13092524
and: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12847865
and: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21143872
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Fire Safety Tip from Mac McCoy
 "A dragging brake can create enough friction to ignite a tire or brake fluid. Some of the worst fires are those caused when one tire of a dual or tandem pair goes flat, scuffs, and ignites long before the driver feels any change in handling.
At each stop, give tires at least an eyeball check. When tires are cool, tap your duals with a club and listen for a difference in sound from one tire to the next. You can often tell if one is going soft."
Learn more about Mac and fire safety.
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RV Tips:

"Pay attention to the wind when making a campfire. If it's blowing toward your RV you could end up breathing its smoke later when you go to bed. And be considerate of your neighbors if they are close by: it's not nice to "smoke 'em!""
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Don't feed the wildlife:

"If you feed a wild animal, you might as well shoot it afterward because by feeding it you might be killing it, too. When you feed a wild animal, it could become dependent on human food instead of looking for food as nature intended. When winter comes and the tourists are gone, the critter could starve to death." 

Also, what you are feeding them might not be species appropriate.  Such as bread to birds and ducks, it has no nutrition for them.     http://birding.about.com/od/birdfeeders/a/feedingducksbread.htm

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Dump your gray water on a thirsty plant

 
"If you use dishpans, then you can dump your dishwater on a thirsty plant instead of letting it drain away into your gray water tank you can extend your time between dump runs. However, just as you wouldn't dump your whole gray water tank on the ground, find a diffDay 231: Watered Plants With Dish Watererent bush well away from your campsite and the previous spot each time you dump your dishwater. It will be better for the plants and will not turn the campsite into a smelly swamp." 
Tent campers do it all the time.
"I used some of the water from washing the dishes to water my plants."
More at: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/54/

If it is illegal where you are, then use the dish water for flushing, to make your fresh water go further.

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Yesterday:

When I drove down to get Jay, I found out that he had caught an armadillo in the trap he had set for feral cats.  I wish he had told me, then I would have driven the Puddle Jumper instead of the van, as we keep a sheet of cardboard in the back of it.  I managed to find some newspaper, before he put the trap in the back of the van, but it still pooped on the way to the lake, where we set it free. 
We took it over the bridge to the other boat ramp in another section of the subdivision, so I don't think it will find it's way back.  It is a nice wooded area, so I think it will like it's new home.

Jay and I went into Conroe, and zipped through a few thrift shops before we went to Lowes to buy more lumber for the cargo trailer.  I bought some shorts, a top, a solar calculator, a tiny illuminated optical mouse for my laptop, a sturdy dog dish, and a small hanging rack to keep grocery sacks. Nothing over $1.  Jay just bought a few t-shirts.  Next week when the thrift shops have their end-of-the-month sales we will probably spend more time perusing.

As it was hot and humid, we had to turn on the little 12v.fridge in the van upon leaving Dollar General, or the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups would have melted.  That got the fridge cooled down for the grocery bargains I bought at Krogers.  Organic tamales and real organic butter, for $3!!  Butter is better for you than margarine which has additives, as long as you don't overdo it, like any fat. http://besthealth.com.au/why-butter-is-better-than-margarine/


Gone are the days when I could fill up my big Buick for $4.00!!  Oh, well, I guess that was 30 odd years ago.   After shopping in Krogers we went to their gas pumps. A short while ago it would take $40-50 to fill it up, but even with my 10 cents off, it cost over $75, GASP, to fill up my van yesterday.


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