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WHAT IS NEUROPLASTICITY?

If you have a neurological condition and wondering whether it is possible to get better or
find relief…. IT IS ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE.

Your brain can change itself.
Your brain can heal itself.
You brain can learn how to counteract your symptoms.

Once an area of your nervous system is damaged, your brain can access other neural
pathways, learn to use those instead of the damaged ones, and eventually the
“alternatives” become the preferred pathways to help you move better.

Some powerful ways to improve your brain’s ability to change and learn – to become more
‘plastic’ – are the following:

1. Exercise – raises BDNF a chemical that improves your brain’s ability to learn.

2. Eat nutrient rich food and get enough water – raises BDNF and connects you to your
food.

3. Sleep – lack of sleep raises cortisol which inhibits BDNF and suppresses
neuroplasticity.

4. Reduce stress- stress elevates cortisol, cortisol decreases neuroplasticity.

5. Work on improving your mental health, spiritual health, and thought life – a healthier
mind, spirit, and mindset directly affect your brain’s ability to heal.

6. Invest in healthy and rewarding relationships – toxic and draining relationships
suppress brain activity and drain you of valuable energy.

7. Start something new: hobby, instrument, language, volunteer position – learning
new things stimulates BDNF in your brain which improves your brain’s ability to
change and be more changeable.

8. Serve others – changing your focus from yourself to others in need improves
serotonin and dopamine which positively impact BDNF, lowers stress, and gives you
a sense of purpose, meaning, and connection.

#multiplesclerosis #movementismedicine #neurologicaldisorder #neurologicconditions #neuroplasticity #mswarrior #mssucks #mssymptoms

Exciting News!

So honored to get a shout out on today’s first episode of ‘Messy’ with Christina Applegate and Jamie Lynn Sigler ! For those of you first 👂hearing about us we encourage you to check out our free resources on YouTube ( just type in ‘the MS Gym’) , our free Facebook group with 30 k members and our website www.themsgym.com

⚔️ MS DIET WARS ⚔️

*** If you want to learn more about how to counteract your symptoms and improve your mobility please download your FREE EXERCISE GUIDES Www.exercisewithms.com

Keto.
Carnivore.
Paleo.
Plant-based.

Everybody online swears THEY have the “perfect” MS diet.

Here’s the truth:

✨ There is NO single perfect nutrition plan for every brain. ✨

If you’re living with MS or another neurologic condition, nutrition is bigger than just “eating healthy.”

🍽️ Your food is fuel for your brain.

What you eat directly impacts your brain’s ability to:
🧠 move
🧠 learn
🧠 adapt
🧠 recover
🧠 create neuroplastic change

And here’s the part most people miss👇

Your neurology, metabolism, hormones, stress levels, activity, and nervous system are constantly changing.

So the diet that helped you a year ago…
might not work the same today.

That’s not failure.
That’s biology.

Instead of forcing yourself into someone else’s nutrition box, become your own food scientist 🔬

✅ Track what you eat
✅ Track your symptoms
✅ Track your energy, movement, sleep, and recovery
✅ Use apps like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer
✅ Look for patterns

Because your body is ALWAYS giving feedback.

One thing IS non-negotiable for neuroplasticity though👇

🧠 Your brain needs fuel.

Protein.
Healthy fats.
Carbohydrates.

Without enough fuel, your brain struggles to fire, adapt, and build new pathways.

And when your brain doesn’t have energy…
progress becomes harder than it needs to be.

I’ve changed nutrition styles multiple times over the years.
Some worked great for a season…
then stopped working as my body evolved.

That’s not weakness.
That’s wisdom.

🍽️ Learn your body.
🍽️ Study your patterns.
🍽️ Adjust when needed.

Because your nutrition may be one of the most powerful tools you have to support your neuroplastic recovery journey.

Your brain is worth the effort. ✨

#TheMSGym #MSAwareness #Neuroplasticity #BrainFuel #NeuroNutrition

SEATED SA Row

*** If you would like to start counteracting your neurologic symptoms and rebuilding or
improving your balance, TYPE “BALANCE” in the comments and I will DM you the link to your
program.***

If you want to use strength training to effectively reduce your symptoms, improve your sitting,
standing, walking, and SAVE ENERGY during your activities of daily living, you must activate
your KINETIC CHAINS & BUILD STRENGTH AROUND THEM.

The Seated Single arm ROW is a powerful kinetic chain exercise that improves your POSTERIOR
CHAIN and stabilizes your spine which is responsible for storing kinetic energy, holding you
upright, and propelling you forward when you walk.

We put your body in a vertical posture.
We then have you stabilize your upper body.
We then have your do a row/pull with one arm and have you stabilize the other arm.

WE IMPROVE YOUR BALANCE

WHY?... because that is what happens when you walk. If your swing your right arm forward,
your left arm has to stabilize your upper body. Your trunk has to stabilize your upper body when
you walk.

This exercise is SUPER FUNCTIONAL and will help you sit, balance, move, and potentially walk
better. You just need to stay relaxed and stable throughout the entire movement.

Continual practice of this drills will improve:
- Sitting and standing balance
- Fall prevention
- Exercise versatility
- Upper body spasticity
- Spinal pain
- ENERGY / ENDURANCE – due to improved efficiency
- Spacticity

Let’s train on PURPOSE Gymmer!

#movementismedicine #TheMSGym #NeuroPlasticity #HealingIsPossible #chronicillness

WHY YOUR EXERCISE PROGRAM MAY NOT BE GETTING YOU RESULTS

*If you want to learn more about how to counteract your symptoms and improve your mobility please download your FREE EXERCISE GUIDES Www.exercisewithms.com*

🧠🧠 Did you know your brain controls everything you do in fitness and rehab?

Your nervous system has 3 essential parts:
1️🧠 Sensory Input – what you see, feel, and sense (eyes, vestibular system, proprioception)
2️🧠 Neural Integration – how your brain processes and organizes that information
3️🧠 Motor Output – the actual movement you create (squats, pushups, lunges, corrective
exercises)

🧠 THE PROBLEM?
Most fitness and therapy programs only train the motor output piece.

That’s why so many programs feel incomplete — they skip the brain’s input and integration
systems that drive movement quality.

✅A truly effective, brain-based exercise program must include:
🧠 Sensory drills (eye + vestibular training)
🧠 Neural integration (kinetic chain + coordination)
🧠 Motor output (traditional strength + corrective training)

This is exactly what I build for you inside The MS Gym — programs that train your entire
nervous system, not just your muscles.

Because when you train your brain, your body follows. 🧠

#TheMSGym #BrainBasedTraining #NeurologicalFitness #MSWarrior #Neuroplasticity

ALL OR SOMETHING
HOW DO YOU APPROACH LIFE?

If you want to learn more about how to counteract your symptoms and improve your mobility please download your FREE EXERCISE GUIDES Www.exercisewithms.com

Are you an ALL OR NOTHING person who won't stop until their goals are complete AND possibly run the
risk of only taking action when COMPLETION is certain?

OR

Are you an ALL OR SOMETHING person who also has goals BUT can still keep taking steps toward that
goal REGARDLESS of how small in number or size those steps are?

To find success in counteracting your neurological symptoms and improving the way you move and feel,
it’s not about making your life revolve around exercise, eating, medications, and appointment.

I encourage you to instead seek to find a rhythm and flow to your life where you can invest in building a
healing lifestyle that will serve you well and help you manage your neurological condition with efficiency
and effectiveness.

We have found that many of our most successful MS Gym members successfully manage their
neurological symptoms by learning to:

- Expect the unexpected
- Allow your path to be derailed sometimes
- Know what you have to do to stay consistent in the pursuit or change
- Accept that your best plans may be sidetracked but improvement is STILL POSSIBLE.

It’s not about being perfect or living the optimal life.

It’s about taking one step at a time toward finding your personal path to more choice, freedom, and
movement in your life.

Live All Or Something and find FREEDOM!

#movementismedicine #TheMSGym #BrainBasedTraining #chronicillness #MoveWithConfidence

🚨 NEUROPLASTICITY KILLERS 🚨

If you want to learn more about how to counteract your symptoms and improve your mobility please download your FREE EXERCISE GUIDES Www.exercisewithms.com

Want to fight back against neurological symptoms?
One word: NEUROPLASTICITY. 🧠⚡

Neuroplasticity is your brain’s ability to create new pathways, adapt, relearn movement, and build stronger connections around damaged areas. Your brain is ALWAYS listening to how you live.

Here’s what HELPS your brain heal and adapt👇

✅ Exercise
Movement boosts BDNF — a powerful chemical that helps your brain learn and rewire.

✅ Nutrient-rich food + hydration
Your brain needs quality fuel to function, repair, and connect.

✅ Sleep
Poor sleep raises cortisol, and too much cortisol suppresses neuroplasticity.

✅ Stress management
Chronic stress keeps your body stuck in fight-or-flight and slows recovery.

✅ Mental, emotional & spiritual health
Your mindset matters more than people realize. A healthier mind supports a healthier brain.

Now here’s what can BLOCK progress 👇

❌ Sitting all day
A sedentary lifestyle suppresses brain activity and can worsen neurological decline.

❌ Processed foods & excess sugar
Low-quality fuel = low-quality function.

❌ Sleep deprivation
Running on cortisol may keep you awake… but it also works against brain healing.

❌ Chronic stress
Stress overload can increase symptoms, inflammation, fatigue, and disease progression.

At the end of the day, healing habits are built through daily choices. 💯

You are more than a diagnosis.
You can live by DESIGN, not by diagnosis. 🔥

Every positive step you take toward better health can help reduce the frequency, intensity, and duration of neurological symptoms.

Your brain can change. The question is: what are you teaching it every day? 🧠

#multiplesclerosis #Neuroplasticity #NeuroFitness #TheMSGym #BrainBasedTraining

TICK TOCK, IT’S TIME TO IMPROVE YOUR BALANCE.

*** If you would like to start counteracting your neurologic symptoms and rebuilding or
improving your balance, TYPE “BALANCE” in the comments and I will DM you the link to your
program.***

One of the major causes of falls and balance struggles is your brain’s ability to CHANGE
DIRECTIONS.

However, like I always say:
YOU MUST TRAIN YOUR BRAIN TO GET BETTER AT WHAT YOU WANT TO GET BETTER AT
DOING.

In today’s movement drill:
CLOCK STEPS, you are going to practice stepping toward the hours on a clock face.

This will take you through 180 degrees of dynamic rotation on each leg.

This will result in your balance centers, visual system, spinal reflexes, and legs being
activated, strengthened, and mobilized.

As you take a step in each direction:

1. Keep your not-stepping leg planted (but it can rotate)
2. Rotate your hips and trunk toward the hour hand in a slow and smooth movement.
3. Once your foot lands, slowly bend knee and lean into the stepping movement.
4. Pause, regain your balance, let your brain relax into that angle.
5. Push back using your quad and glute.
6. Rotate your body back to center, regain balance, and take your next clock step.

This is a really powerful strength, balance, and agility drill that I have used with thousands
of people to help them move and walk better.

Enjoy!

#multiplesclerosis #StabilityTraining #TheMSGym #movementismedicine #BalanceTraining

YOUR WORDS CAN HEAL YOU OR HURT YOU.

If you want to learn more about how to use movement to counteract your symptoms and improve your mobility please check out our website at www.themsgym.com .

Words have power.
Words have can bring life.
Words can bring death - Death to your mind, spirit, soul, attitude, and outlook in life.

We all know that living life with a chronic illness or disability is not easy.

Honestly, most
people couldn’t handle what you are dealing with right now: the pain, spasticity, weakness,
fatigue, or lack of freedom.

It is completely normal and understandable that words of frustration, anger, sorrow, or
resentment have entered your mind and words at some point.

Negative words have certainly entered my mind during my 7 flare-ups from Lyme Disease.

I’ve thought “why me?” or “why don’t I heal? I’m doing all the right things.”
I laid in my bed with feet so painful, I wanted to cut them off and hands so weak, I couldn’t
even hold my children.

Negative thoughts fed my anxiety, deepened my depression, and slowed my recovery.

However, when I started capturing my thoughts, rejecting the lie that I could not heal, and
speaking words of encouragement, positivity, and hope over myself, things began to
change.

When I focused on doing what I could every day and putting in the EFFORT to move and
connect with my brain without EXPECTING a specific result, things began to change.

I encourage you to start paying attention to the conversations going on in your head and the
words coming of your mouth because YOUR WORDS WILL AFFECT your ability to
counteract your symptoms, manage your condition, heal your brain.

Strong Mind, Strong Body.

You got this.

#multiplesclerosis #movementismedicine #chronicillness #mswarrior #TheMSGym

ADDUCTOR LIFTS

*If you want to learn more about how to counteract your symptoms and improve your mobility please download your FREE EXERCISE GUIDES Www.exercisewithms.com*

Let's get you sitting, standing, and walking better!

Improving adductor strength is directly connected to improving BALANCE & FOOT DROP.

Why, because your adductors control your pelvis and when you have better neurologic control
of your pelvis, the signals between your brain and feet improve = BALANCE & REDUCED LOWER
BODY SPASTICITY.

As you do this exercise, focus on keeping your body in a straight line and lift your leg from your
high groin area and not your foot.

When you improve adductor strength, it will help you:

- Reduce leg spasticity
- Reduce knee hyperextension
- Improve hp flexion
- Improve balance
- Prevent falling

Focus Gymmer, this one is effective!

#multiplesclerosis #mswarrior #chronicillness #movementismedicine #hipstrengthening

SEATED Chest press

*If you want to learn more about how to counteract your symptoms and improve your mobility please download your FREE EXERCISE GUIDES Www.exercisewithms.com *

If you want to use strength training to effectively reduce your symptoms and improve your
sitting, standing, walking and movement during your activities of daily living, you must
STRENGTHEN HUMAN KINETIC CHAINS & BUILD STRENGTH AROUND THEM.

The SEATED CHEST PRESS is a powerful kinetic chain exercise that improves your ANTERIOR
CHAIN which is responsible for stabilizing the front part of your trunk as you sit, stand, and walk.

We put your body in a vertical position.
We then have you stabilize your upper body.
We then have your do a chest press and stabilize your core.

We IMPROVE YOUR BALANCE because we are improving core stability and movement
integration.

WHY?... because that is what happens when you walk. You must stabilize your trunk while your
arms move or as you use your upper body.

This exercise is SUPER FUNCTIONAL and will help you balance and move better. You just need to
stay relaxed and stable throughout the entire movement.

Continual practice of this drills will improve:
- Postural balance
- Fall prevention
- Exercise strength
- Seated mobility
- ENERGY / ENDURANCE – due to improved efficiency
- Spasticity

Let’s train smart and specific Gymmer!

#multiplesclerosis #mswarrior #chronicillness #NeuroFitness #movementismedicine