2019 Gift Guide for People With Multiple Sclerosis
Give a Great Gift to a Person With Multiple Sclerosis!
Gift giving is a huge pain in the butt unless the receiver has a known hobby that requires tons of ever evolving gear. Giving a gift to a person with a disease is even harder because their limitations are usually unknown to anyone who is not extremely close to them. I am hard to buy for on both levels so this year I created a list of gifts I would love to get. The person in your life with Multiple Sclerosis may like this stuff as well.
- Membership to an MS Specific Gym. These “gyms” are on line programs that can help improve an MS’ers quality of life even if the MS’er in question has a great quality of life. These programs help people move more with limitations taken into consideration. They are all great programs that offer not only a work out but also community. Aside from diet change, I have never seen more success stories than in these groups. People walk better, talk better, have less pain. I have tried exercises from each group and wholeheartedly recommend all three. There is: The Neuro Studio, MS Workouts, and The MS Gym.
- A Massage Gun or Hypersphere. There are some serious options for relief of muscle tightness and muscle issues that may cause spasticity. Releasing muscles with these machines can make the difference with mobility. I’ve listed most of the popular options for these devices here from high end to mid range. There is: Hyperice products, The Purewave, The Renpho. If you look any of these up on Amazon you can see a lot of reviews and see cheaper alternatives.
- Gift Certificates for Massage or Acupuncture. Research a massage therapist or acupuncture practitioner in the gift receiver’s area that specializes in limitations, pain, etc. Or just get them a gift cert from anywhere that looks nice. Even a bad massage is better than no massage. With acupuncture I would research a little deeper than with massage but both modalities come with scores of reviews on search engines. Yelp, Google, Facebook, people love to give their opinion! Get a good one.
- Many people with MS can’t drive. An Uber Gift Certificate can be a godsend! Here is where you get one: Uber Gift Certificate
- Infrared or Red Light Therapy Bulb. Red light therapy is a serious anti inflammation, pain, detox, sleep enhancing wunderkind. An infrared bulb or sauna experience can greatly benefit MS’ers. Some MS’ers are extremely sensitive to heat so a single, targeted bulb option may be a great choice. Like anything there are high end down to DYI options. Here are a few popular ones: Joovv, Sauna Space, Do It Yourself. There are also places that offer the use of infrared, a gift certificate there would be a great gift. For example, this place in Boca Raton: Infrared Spa
- Hippotherapy, Therapeutic or Regular Horseback Riding. This is another option that can benefit someone who is mobile or immobile. Hippotherapy (or therapeutic riding, people can’t decide what they’re going to call it) is clinically proven to improve balance and pelvic tone in people with MS. This is an expensive gift that requires research but it has the potential to change a life.
- A Meal Service. Many people who have MS are on a specific diet. Or not! Who wouldn’t want a break with cooking no matter what eating style they go for? These are meal services that cater to food allergies and specific diets: Paleo On the Go, Pete’s Paleo, The Good Kitchen
- Hemp Products. If your MS’er is already taking hemp products, buy some of that! If you’re in a state where it’s legal try something with a CBD /THC blend since a 1:1 ratio has been clinically proven to help MS. There are edibles (keep it gluten free and dairy free), oils, creams, balms, joints, bongs, bowls. So many gift options here. I saw on the Goop gift guide that there is an automatic joint roller available which is a great gift for an MS’er with limited hand dexterity! Here is the link to that: Automatic Joint Roller
- Trekking poles. Even though these are 100x more awkward, trekking poles are better for movement than a cane. If you’re close enough with someone who uses a cane and might be looking for a better option, these are your jam. I recently used them to go hiking in the mountains and I loved them. They gave me the confidence to get out there and hike. Learn about poles for mobility here: Poles For Mobility
- Light box! This is another in a long list of things I made fun of that turn out to be great. (other things I’ve made fun of that now I love: Zumba, The Paleo Diet, RV’s). My light box gives me energy, the regular kind and the sexual kind. After three years of using it, there is no denying that using a light box when I don’t get outside enough increases my libido. Here is a link to the one I have and love but if you look this brand up on Amazon you’ll see other alternatives you may like better: Nature Bright Light Box.
- Cooling Scarf. This was a great summer accessory for me! I wore it any time I was going to be active and outside in the heat. Here is a review of the best available cooling scarves: Cooling Scarves
- Meditation. It is critical for MS’ers to manage their stress. Meditation is a great way to do it. Breath work and meditation are both things that can be explored for free but this is a gift guide and you need a gift! Here are some links to meditation and breath work things you can buy including accessories: Calm, Meditation and Relaxation Pro, Transcendental Meditation , Meditation Accessories Audio Dharma (Free), Breath Work Info
- Voxx Socks. Some people swear by these! Worth a try for anyone with balance issues. “VOXX HPT is a very specific sequence and pattern of neuroreceptor activation on the
bottom of the feet that triggers a signal that aides in the brainstem reaching homeostasis. The VOXX HPT pattern is woven or molded into different iterations of products including hosiery and footwear accessories.” They have an MLM sales model (but in a good way if there is such a thing) so you may be able to find a local rep. Voxx Socks