Welcome to
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS MAKEOVER
Resources, Education, & Wellness Coaching for people living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Because we know that, when the Duck’s not happy, nobody is happy.
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Why Multiple Sclerosis Makeover?
Welcome to the Multiple Sclerosis Makeover! I'm Jan Jenkins and appreciate you stopping by. As both a Advanced Practice RN and a Wellness Coach, my goal is to offer education and support to empower you to strengthen your health and wellness, manage your MS and symptoms, and remain 'in charge' of your life and your MS.
Some refer to MS as "A Monster". I decided long ago to call MS my Duck. This made it less frightening and easier to deal with this incurable and potentially disabling disease, especially in the early days. Read my story to learn more. ​
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I chose Makeover because when one is diagnosed with MS, there are many changes necessary to be successful in managing MS while keeping their life goals and overall health & wellness on track. This is an ongoing process. One of my favorite undertakings is the One Year MS Makeover. This is an opportunity to explore your unique challenges and work together to set goals and actions to improve your MS, life, health, and happiness one step at a time.
Some of the changes that come with the diagnosis of MS are not obvious or welcomed! It's important for you to remain in charge even when you feel MS has taken over your life. There will most likely be changes needed to manage your MS and build the life and health You want - Your way. Over the years, changes naturally occur with life and health, with aging and with MS. Being prepared for and dealing with the changes can make a huge difference.
Whether MS is new to your life or has been part of life for decades, you can benefit from this makeover coaching process. As I finish my 30th year of life & learning with my Duck, I realize just how much I've learned (sometimes the hard way). By combining the scientific medical knowledge with my real life experiences I am considered a "Success Story" by many. To be sure, I worked hard to be successful and still do. Now I want to help you to achieve your highest levels of success in living well with MS, managing the symptoms, and keeping your life going in the direction that you want it to.
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A favorite message from some individuals that I've worked with is - "Thank You - I've got my life back"! This makes my heart smile .
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About Jan...
After a highly successful career as a Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Educator, I am now adding the principles of Wellness Coaching to my tool set to help tackle the challenges individuals face in living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). I am a Advance Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), Certified in Neuroscience Nursing (CNRN), and now add Wellness Coaching Certifications from the Mayo Clinic and the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching (NB-HWC). I believe that when you combine medical management of MS with quality education, a little motivation and wellness coaching, you can change the outcomes and lives of those living with MS.
What sets me apart from many other health care professionals, educators, and coaches is my personal experience of living with Relapsing Remitting MS (RRMS) for over 30 years. I have lived through the good, the bad and the ugly (and even the REALLY ugly) that can come with the diagnosis and a life with MS. Over the years, I found my path to Success with MS and now share my professional and personal knowledge to support others with MS. From the point of diagnosis through every phase of life, there are actions to take to prepare for and succeed in living the best life possible with MS in the picture.
It is also my personal mission to ensure wellness programs become part of MS Care and available in Neurology Clinics and Comprehensive MS Care Centers.
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More About Wellness Coaching
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Wellness Coaching may be the critical missing link to achieving the life and health you desire with MS in your life. Most of us know what behaviors and actions will impact our health, wellness and our MS (both positive and negative). Even with that knowledge, we often struggle to make needed changes. A few facts we now know from current research: smoking has been linked to MS and it can speed up progression of the disease; nutrition and lifestyle impact MS and its symptoms; staying active has a positive impact on mobility, emotional health, fatigue and can reduce disability; Disease Modifying Therapy (DMT) has been shown to reduce MS attacks and slow disability progression; comorbidities, stress, depression, and aging can and do negatively impact all aspects of MS care; and ultimately, our Quality of Life is impacted by all of the above and more!
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Despite all of this research and knowledge, many people with MS struggle to identify what changes to make, where to start, and how to safely implement changes to improve their health, wellness, and gain better control of their MS. MS adds many challenges to all areas of lifestyle and it can sometimes be tricky to change behaviors without impacting symptoms or stressing the MS.
This is where a Wellness Coach can have a major impact. With a Coach, you work together in a safe, judgement free, and trusting space to identify what changes to make, where to start, and how to move forward safely. As a team, we tap into your values, strengths, and passions to promote lasting changes. We find your unique path to overcome barriers to change and open up possibilities for improving your life with MS. You have an accountability partner and a trusted supporter to bounce ideas off of and challenge the 'status quo'. We work together to build success and create the life that you desire and deserve!
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