• Avoid smoking - Smoking constricts your veins, thereby reducing the effective flow of blood, which is already impaired by MPD disorders. Alan Carr has some good books and tapes - a good one is entitled 'Easy Way to Stop Smoking'. Hypnotherapy sessions are another successful way of giving up the habit, like the 'Paul McKenna's Quit Smoking Now DVD or Stop Smoking in an Hour. There is also the NHS Quitline; enq 0800 002200.
  
  
• Alcohol should be kept to a minimum. Most doctors recommend one glass of wine per day, red if possible. Alcohol causes damage to our livers, which produce blood cells, but in addition alcohol dehydrates you. This makes the blood even more sluggish. If you are going to drink, make sure you drink twice or three times as much water as alcohol.

• Exercise - Regular exercise provides a boost to your circulation and keeps things moving. Research by the Mayo Clinic shows that exercise is very helpful in reducing fatigue. Suggested levels are thirty minutes of cardiovascular exercises three or four times per week but this varies by age and condition. Young ET patients may be able to run a marathon, while a person with MF may find it enough to walk across the sitting room. The best advice for all is to start slowly and increase your exercise over time. Please consult your GP and haematologist to create an exercise plan for your specific conditions and age. Note that you should avoid contact sports such as boxing, skiing and so on.

• Diet - Eat carefully, choose healthy foods, and avoid putting on weight. Fat increases blood pressure and decreases mobility, all of which you need to be functioning at their optimal levels. In addition, excess fat can lead to diseases such as diabetes, which make it more difficult to prevent MPD complications. For advice on cholesterol and appropriate targets see this link to the British Heart Foundation Site.

• Massage - Massage is great for general well being, helping blood circulation, and, of course, relaxation.

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