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Bulletin Autumn 2015

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A special 150th edition.

A day trip to Antarctica

A day trip to Antarctica John Cooper and Julie Nelson White Party food Ros Harman An Australia Day flight to Antarctica fulfilled a long-time dream for John and was a spur of the moment decision for Julie. John was able to cross two things off his bucket list; he flew over Antarctica and did it in business class deluxe. This gave him extra room during the flight and the window seat was a bonus. You may have seen John talking about the flight on Channel 7’s Today Tonight in January. It was great seeing Antarctica from 10,000 feet up with the relatively cheap and safe option of flying. Julie’s aisle seat was in economy but she was luckily able to snag a window seat halfway through the Antarctica adventure. The 12 and a half hour journey on the Boeing 747 jumbo jet with 350 other passengers was cloudy until the pilot spoke to Michelle from Casey Station, Antarctica. She told us the weather was fine, although a rather cool -51°C. We changed course and experienced four hours of majestic cloud-free viewing of the ice and snow. We could feel the excitement in the cabin when we saw our first iceberg. The windows were mobbed and there was feverish clicking of cameras. Because we were so high, scale was difficult to understand but Julie remembers seeing a ship hard up against an ice cliff and it looked about half the size of a fly speck. John was a little disappointed that the clouds covered the ranges, including Mt Erebus, making the pilot decide to head back to Perth. We arrived home at 9.30pm. Overall, the scenery was fantastic and created unforgettable memories for us both. Everyone on the flight was there to have a good time, and it showed with the easy smiles and camaraderie that grew between passengers. There was an Australian official on board who was able to naturalise two new Aussies over Antarctica. All passengers sang the national anthem with enthusiasm and repeated an oath of affirmation to Australia. The flight crew were fabulous in assisting John when needed and even dressed up for Australia Day. It was a fantastic trip and well worth the money for an unforgettable bucket list experience. Protecting yourself from the flu Access to flu vaccinations will be delayed slightly this year, due to the changes that are being made to the vaccine. We have been told that the vaccine won’t be available until approximately mid-April. Please check with your GP. Each winter brings the risk of flu. Our Members often ask if they should have the vaccination or not. Our medical advisor Professor W Carroll says, “There is no evidence that these vaccinations make multiple sclerosis worse or cause a relapse. Should a relapse occur around the time of flu vaccination, it is thought to be a coincidental event. “Occasionally, people with MS who have vaccinations can experience a brief exacerbation of existing MS symptoms, but this is not worsening of the MS. People with MS are advised to discuss this with their treating neurologist or physician as soon as possible as it is essential to have the vaccination earlier rather than later to reduce the risk of contracting the flu.” Don’t forget that your GP and neurologist can advise you on these important health matters. And, seek advice from your neurologist if you are on disease modifying therapies and need vaccinations for travel. I was at a party recently and not knowing anyone, I joined a group of shy people who were hovering at the side of the room. Introductions were made, glasses handed around, and we all admired the view from the picture window. After an awkward silence, I tried to break the ice by making a comment about the latest political headline but this only led to a few muttered grumbles and a general feeling of despondency. I’d forgotten my mother’s advice – if you want to make friends, don’t talk about politics or religion. A waiter appeared with a tray of canapés and at that moment a woman could be heard asking, “Are these gluten free?” All of a sudden the atmosphere in the room changed and the party really got started as everyone launched into an animated discussion about food. It started with food intolerances, moved on to the advantages of ancient grains and lingered for a while on whether blueberries could stave off dementia. I learnt something new - apparently cauliflower is the new kale and we can expect to see a lot more of it this year in everything from purees to pizzas. It was only seven years ago that Masterchef seduced us into thinking we could all be maestros in the kitchen and Jamie continues to insist that we can whip up a gourmet feast in 15 minutes. An endless string of celebrity chefs on television keeps us abreast of the latest culinary techniques while it only takes a few keystrokes on the computer to find a recipe for anything. Television and Google have made us all food experts; in theory at least, if not quite in practice. I have been interested in food for a long time. I grew up in a household where meat and three veg was the formula for most meals, albeit adorned with olive oil and lemon to please my Greek father. I was a teenager when I began to make the connection between diet and health as I simultaneously discovered mung beans and flared jeans. When my father was diagnosed with cancer, my mother, having read about the miraculous benefits of carrot juice, bought a large noisy juice extractor which took pride of place on the kitchen bench. I embraced health food with a vengeance causing my mother much angst as I filled the fridge with cottage cheese and alfalfa sprouts. Determined to save the world through food I went to university planning to become a dietician, but my stomach for the course disappeared in the third week when I realised just how much science I would have to digest. I abandoned dietetics for literature instead and I’ve been devouring books ever since. When I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 26, the Pritikin Diet was all the rage and some people claimed it could help people with multiple sclerosis. It seemed to me that its main premise was that you shouldn’t eat anything that makes food taste better – no salt, no sugar, no fat, no alcohol, minimal meat, and only the whites of eggs. I stuck to it for nearly a year. The climax came one miserable night when out for dinner with friends, I sat bleakly picking at a lettuce leaf while watching all sorts of gourmet delights appear and disappear around me. I spent the evening hungry and unhappy, unwillingly at the centre of attention as I repeatedly tried to explain to my amazed dinner companions why I was not eating. I gave up the diet after that. I don’t know if the Pritikin Diet helped reduce my multiple sclerosis symptoms. I didn’t enjoy it, but despite its stringency it was good for me in a roundabout way - I learnt a lot about myself that year, about my relationship with food and how to be in control. Diets and food fads have come and gone. Back at the party my new friends and I knew them all, casually scattering our expertise through the conversation like Celtic sea salt. We deftly distributed our knowledge of cholesterol, carbohydrates and calories alongside minutely described anecdotes of our digestive health. Clearly people are more comfortable talking about food than politics and I soon knew more about their colons than their careers. As I sipped my champagne and nibbled on a nori roll, I reflected on how glad I was not to be worried about what I was eating. So long as food is fresh, tasty and generally good for you, I will eat it. I’m fortunate that I don’t have a weight problem and my appetite is in sync with what my body needs to stay healthy. These days I have gone back to my Greek roots and follow what I like to call the Aristotle diet. It was he who is credited with first saying, “Everything in moderation.” And, if I might add, washed down with a glass of wine, it’s the only way to go. 18 Autumn 2015 The MS Society of Western Australia The MS Society of Western Australia Autumn 2015 19

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