Letter from the Editor

Healthy living is the topic of this issue of MS in Focus. For people with MS, healthy living can have many different meanings: for some it means simply refraining from unhealthy habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol; for others, it includes an array of activities and practices that promote fitness and overall well-being. True healthy living is a combination of including those things that are beneficial to good health, whilst excluding those that are harmful.
There are many aspects to healthy living that encompass not only physical health but also spiritual and mental well-being. Exercise, meditation, hobbies, sports, travel and volunteering are examples of practices that help the person with MS participate in family and social activities, and which can be satisfactory substitutes for other activities no longer possible due to MS. They can contribute to overall good health and to preserving a positive self-image.
Health-promotion interventions can be cost-effective ways for decreasing the burden of MS, especially when they are compatible with the person’s lifestyle. Healthcare professionals can have an important role in promoting the exploration, initiation and maintenance of health-promoting behaviours, including strategies that enhance physical activity, socialisation, good nutrition and stress management.
This issue of MS in Focus discusses different aspects of healthy living that we feel are of interest to the person with MS as well as to the MS professional. On behalf of the Editorial Board we hope that you find Healthy Living informative and useful. We look forward to receiving your comments.

Michele Messmer Uccelli
Editor