Living Well with Multiple Sclerosis

Finding joy while living with MS | Ardra Shephard (Tripping On Air) | S8E10

What does it really mean to live well with multiple sclerosis over the long term? In this episode, we’re joined by writer, podcaster and MS advocate Ardra Shephard, creator of Tripping On Air and author of Fallosophy: My Trip Through Life with MS. Ardra shares her journey from diagnosis in her early twenties to becoming a powerful voice in the MS community.
Together, we explore the realities of visible symptoms, stigma and learning to adapt when life doesn’t go to plan. Ardra reflects on why she chose to share her story publicly, the role of humour in coping with chronic illness, and how her memoir brings honesty and vulnerability to the MS experience.
She also discusses identity, relationships, and the importance of representation through her work in podcasting and adaptive fashion.
This conversation is a reminder that while MS can be challenging, it’s still possible to build a meaningful, joyful life.
Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Ardra’s bio.
00:00 Introduction to Ardra and her MS journey02:55 Why she shared her MS story publicly06:00 Using humour to cope with chronic illness realities09:08 Podcasting, relationships and the wider impact of MS11:55 Changing representation through adaptive fashion and media14:54 Key lesson: creating joy while living with MS
Connect with Ardra:
trippingonair.com
com/ms_trippingonair/
facebook.com/trippingonair/
New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page
Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub
Visit the Overcoming MS website
Follow us on social media:
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Pinterest
Don’t miss out:
Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here.
Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS.
Support us:
If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please leave a donation here.
Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.
If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

Bonus from the archives: Top hacks for getting into a meditation habit with Alison Potts | S2E15

Welcome to Living Well with MS podcast, where we are joined by Alison Potts. Alison is a meditation coach, wellbeing mentor, meditation teacher-trainer writer and teacher in self-care, meditation, and wellness. Largely due to her own healing journey with MS, she is passionate about teaching the power of cherishing our individuality and intuition, sharing practices to connection to our innate states of freedom, healing, creativity, spontaneity and joy. 
Originally broadcast in 2020, this episode has been edited to remove out-of-date content and reuploaded in 2026 to ensure it remains relevant and useful.
01:24 Tell us about yourself and your with MS and the Overcoming MS program 
07:17 What is your relationship to meditation? What’s Innate Being? 
18:36 What are the main obstacles you find people face in getting into a regular meditation practice? 
23:14 Tips for getting into good meditation practice? 
33:28 Top hacks for getting into the meditation groove and making it a healthy habit 
44:27 Alison conducts a mini guided meditation (5m) 
52:42 Any final words of wisdom or thoughts on embracing a meditation practice? 

Plant-based diets and MS: the science of food, inflammation and the gut microbiome | S8E9

What role can diet play in autoimmune health, and what does the science say about plant-based eating and multiple sclerosis?
In this episode of Living Well with MS, we speak with Dr Elizabeth George, a board-certified family physician and co-founder of the Healthy Eating Adventure programme. With more than 40 years of experience in preventive care, she shares why she began exploring the impact of diet on chronic disease and autoimmune conditions.
The conversation explores the growing research linking whole-food plant-based diets, inflammation and the gut microbiome. Dr George explains how fibre-rich plant foods support beneficial gut bacteria, which produce compounds that help maintain gut health and influence immune function.
We also discuss practical ways people can start eating more plant-based foods, the importance of community support when making lifestyle changes, and how to have constructive conversations about diet with healthcare professionals.
Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Dr George’s bio.
02:38 – Why a family physician turned to plant-based medicine05:22 – The community experiment that launched a 28-day plant-based programme09:53 – Can plant-based diets influence autoimmune conditions like MS?11:42 – Gut microbiome, fibre and the link to inflammation14:26 – Why most doctors receive little nutrition education in training16:08 – Real patient stories of lifestyle change and chronic disease improvement18:37 – Simple ways to start eating more whole plant foods20:45 – How community groups help people sustain lasting lifestyle changes24:38 – Talking to your doctor about diet and lifestyle choices27:48 – Making plant-based cooking easy, enjoyable and family-friendly
Connect with Dr Elizabeth George
Follow Dr George on Facebook
New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page
Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub
Visit the Overcoming MS website
Follow us on social media:
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Pinterest
Don’t miss out:
Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here.
Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS.
Support us:
If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please leave a donation here.
Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.
If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

Webinar Highlights: the evidence behind diet and MS – foods to eat and avoid | S8E8

What role can diet play in supporting brain health and living well with multiple sclerosis?
In this episode of Living Well with MS, we explore the evidence behind the Overcoming MS diet recommendations and how small, consistent changes to the way we eat can support long-term health. Overcoming MS Program Facilitator and nutritionist Karen Lee explains the research linking diet quality with MS outcomes and introduces the principles behind the Overcoming MS dietary approach.
Karen is joined by fellow Program Facilitator and health coach Ingrid Adelsberger, who shares her personal experience of following the program for over a decade. Ingrid reflects on the practical realities of adapting to a new way of eating, from navigating label reading and meal planning to finding family-friendly recipes that make the diet sustainable.
Together, they explore why the Mediterranean-style dietary pattern underpins the Overcoming MS diet, how reducing saturated fat may support brain health, and why consistency matters more than perfection when making lifestyle changes.
This episode is a webinar highlights special – originally recorded as a live Overcoming MS webinar and now edited for the podcast to bring you the key insights, questions and takeaways in one place.
Watch this episode on YouTube. Keep reading for the topics, timestamps, and our guest’s bio.
00:00 Introduction to the Overcoming MS diet01:34 Overview of the Overcoming MS Program and lifestyle pillars05:35 Why diet matters in MS and the research behind diet and multiple sclerosis16:02 What a brain-healthy Mediterranean-style diet looks like23:54 Ingrid’s journey and creating the Overcoming MS cookbook31:58 Q&A: common questions about the Overcoming MS diet33:27 Whole grains, gluten and choosing healthier options35:27 Managing weight and getting enough calories on a plant-based diet37:30 Flaxseed oil, omega-3s and possible alternatives39:29 Supporting bone health and osteoporosis with diet and lifestyle42:45 Diet research in primary progressive MS44:12 Processed vs ultra-processed foods
Check out the Overcoming MS cookbook
Discover hundreds of Overcoming MS friendly recipes
New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page
Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub
Visit the Overcoming MS website
Follow us on social media:
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Pinterest
Don’t miss out:
Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here.
Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS.
Support us:
If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please leave a donation here.
Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.
If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

Working with multiple sclerosis: fatigue, disclosure and finding balance | S8E7

How do you build a sustainable career with multiple sclerosis? In this episode of Living Well with MS, Heather Carrasco shares how her diagnosis reshaped her relationship with work, rest and self-advocacy.
Diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS in 2023 – though her symptoms likely began years earlier – Heather reflects on navigating the US healthcare system, learning to manage fatigue at work, and deciding whether to disclose her diagnosis professionally.
She also shares how discovering the Overcoming MS Program and finding community helped her move beyond denial and make sustainable lifestyle changes.
This episode will resonate with anyone adjusting to life after an MS diagnosis, managing invisible symptoms like fatigue, or trying to create a healthier balance between career and wellbeing.
Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Heather’s bio.
02:12 Early symptoms, delayed diagnosis and navigating healthcare in the US06:18 Explaining MS to others – invisible symptoms and describing fatigue08:28 Discovering Overcoming MS and deciding to attend a retreat09:51 The Overcoming MS retreat experience and finding community12:02 Work–life balance, rest and putting yourself first15:13 Diet, sustainable change and mindset shifts16:28 Mental health, therapy and mindfulness17:57 Support systems, disclosure at work and psychological safety21:59 Advice for the newly diagnosed
Register your interest in an Overcoming MS retreat
New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page
Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub
Visit the Overcoming MS website

Bonus from the archives: A Guide to the Fasting Mimicking Diet | S8 Bonus

We are pleased to welcome Dr Valter Longo to this episode of Living Well with MS. Dr Longo is the scientist behind the Fasting Mimicking Diet. He is a bio-gerontologist and cell biologist serves as a professor at the USC Davis School of Gerontology and as the director of the USC Longevity Institute. He is the creator of the fasting-mimicking diet, a program that claims to mimic the effects of periodic fasting. To read Dr Longo’s full bio, click here. 
Originally broadcast in 2020, this episode has been edited to remove out-of-date content and reuploaded in 2026 to ensure it remains relevant and useful.
02:08 Today’s rising fascination with fasting diets 
03:50 Main differences between the fasting-mimicking diet and other fasting diets 
05:03 Diving into blue zones, where a higher percentage of the population lives to 100 
06:55 The correlation between the centenarians and people who are fasting  
11:04 Does fast mimicking help people with MS live better and longer? 
14:03 The different types of fast-mimicking diets including 5:2, 16:8 and occasional water fasting 
24:54 What should we eat between fasts? 
29:28 What is the ProLon diet, and for those on a budget, how can peopel get some of the benefits on their own? 

Parenting with MS: advocacy, resilience and raising children with honesty | S8E6

What does it really mean to parent with multiple sclerosis, and how do you talk to your children about something so unpredictable?
In this episode of Living Well with MS, we’re joined by Julie Stamm – MS advocate, author and mother – for an honest and uplifting conversation about raising a child while living with MS.
Diagnosed in 2007, Julie turned her experience into advocacy, determined to be open with her son about her condition in ways that are truthful but age-appropriate. She shares how parenting reshaped her perspective on resilience, how listening to children can ease the guilt many parents carry, and why adapting as a family is a sign of strength, not failure.
We explore storytelling as a tool for empowerment, the importance of peer support and community, and why the outlook for people newly diagnosed today is more hopeful than ever. Julie also reflects on her children’s book Some Days and her work to promote inclusion and diverse abilities through advocacy and education.
This episode will resonate with anyone parenting with MS, considering starting a family, supporting a loved one with MS, or looking to turn lived experience into meaningful advocacy.
Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Julie’s bio.
00:00 Introduction and Julie’s diagnosis journey01:23 Why honesty with children matters02:26 Sharing your story and the power of lived experience03:37 Parenting guilt, resilience and writing Some Days04:42 How MS affects the whole family06:40 Adjusting to change and adapting over time08:39 Becoming an MS advocate and finding your niche10:02 Gratitude, grief and staying hopeful11:23 The importance of peer support and community13:52 Research advances and hope for the future14:58 Advice for newly diagnosed parents
 
Learn more at Julie’s website www.iamstamm.com
Follow Julie on Instagram at @iamstamm
New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page
Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub
Visit the Overcoming MS website
Follow us on social media:
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Pinterest
Don’t miss out:
Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here.
Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS.
Support us:
If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please leave a donation here.
Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.
If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

Webinar Highlights - Experts Insights - Change your life for life with Laura Crowder and Hayley Baker | S8E5

If you’ve ever felt stuck between knowing what could help you live well with MS and actually making it stick, this conversation is for you.
In this episode of Living Well with MS, Overcoming MS Program Facilitator Laura Crowder explores the ‘change your life for life’ pillar, the inner work that helps make lifestyle changes feel sustainable rather than overwhelming. Laura is joined by Overcoming MS Program Facilitator Hayley Baker, who shares her personal experience of building confidence, resilience and self-compassion while following the Overcoming MS Program.
Together, they reflect on why mindset matters, how hope and empowerment can support wellbeing, and what to do when life inevitably knocks you off track.
This episode is a webinar highlights special – originally recorded as a live Overcoming MS webinar and now edited for the podcast to bring you the key insights, questions and takeaways in one place.
Watch the full webinar on  YouTube. Keep reading for the topics, timestamps, and our guest’s bio.
00:58 Exploring the pillar: Change your life for life 
04:36 Choice, autonomy and taking control after diagnosis 
09:56 The role of hope in living well with MS 
12:37 Awareness, acceptance and managing difficult days 
16:02 The power of language in habit formation 
21:13 Empowerment and making lifestyle change sustainable 
22:45 Community support and shared experience 
25:36 Hayley’s personal journey with MS 
35:01 Advice for people new to the Program 
37:50 Q&A: common challenges, motivation and self-compassion 
Read the Overcoming MS books
Learn more about the “Change your life, for life” pillar
New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page
Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub
Visit the Overcoming MS website
Follow us on social media:
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Pinterest
Don’t miss out:
Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here.
Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS.
Support us:
If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please leave a donation here.
Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.
If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

Developing Tailored Mental Health support for people with MS with Eva Fragkiadaki | S8E4

How can mental health support be better tailored to the real, lived experiences of people with MS? In this episode of Living Well with MS, we’re joined by Dr Eva Fragkiadaki, counselling psychologist and Senior Lecturer in Counselling Psychology at the University of the West of England. Her whose work focuses on developing personalised, evidence-based mental health interventions for people living with MS.
Eva shares insights from her research into group-based psychological support, including her co-designed MyMS-Ally intervention. Together, we explore why traditional mental health approaches don’t always work for people with MS, the power of peer connection, and how concepts like identity, self-compassion and visibility of disability shape emotional wellbeing.
This conversation will be especially valuable for anyone living with MS, supporting someone with MS, or interested in how mental health care can become more person-centred, inclusive and accessible.
Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Eva’s bio.
00:00 Introducing psychosocial interventions for MS
03:38 Researching group therapy and therapeutic change
06:07 Gender, representation and inclusion in MS research
08:19 What kinds of mental health support help in MS?
10:30 Why group interventions matter
12:47 Peer support, safety and community connection
15:10 Integrative and personalised therapy approaches
17:29 Visible and invisible disability in MS
20:15 Self-compassion and identity
22:23 Future directions for mental health care in MS
 
Learn more about Eva and her work
Learn more about Eva’s research on mental health and MS
New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page
Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub
Visit the Overcoming MS website
Follow us on social media:
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Pinterest
Don’t miss out:
Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here.
Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS.
Support us:
If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please leave a donation here.
Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.
If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

Bonus from the Archives: Lifestyle Choices for MS with Dr Aaron Boster | S8 bonus

Originally broadcast in 2020, this episode has been edited to remove out-of-date content and reuploaded in 2026 to ensure it remains relevant and useful. 
In this episode of the Living Well with MS podcast, and we are pleased to welcome Dr Aaron Boster, an Ohio-based board-certified clinical neuroimmunologist specializing in MS. Given we are surrounded by temptations – from that delicious pint of ice cream to the lure of sleeping in instead of hitting the gym – we are happy to tap his expertise to help us understand how lifestyle choices impact MS and our overall health.