Living Well with Multiple Sclerosis

Coffee Break with community member Dave Jackman | S4E32

Welcome to Living Well with MS Coffee Break, where we are pleased to welcome Dave Jackman as our guest! Dave is the Overcoming MS Ambassador for Scotland – Fife. Prior to diagnosis, he was a keen runner and played cricket for over 40 years. His interests now include computers, cricket, dogs, music, home exchanging and travel. 
   
Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways.     
    
Topics and Timestamps:
01:51 Can you tell us a little about yourself, day-to-day life as a partner to someone on the Overcoming MS program? 
03:40 So you've mentioned you were diagnosed about 11 years ago. How did you deal with it? 
07:28 When did you come across the Overcoming MS program? 
19:26 Tell us a bit about where you've come from in terms of exercise and how you've managed to continue with exercise post diagnosis. 
21:41 How about the other of the three big pillars, diet, exercise, and mindfulness. 
25:22 You participate in home exchanges, and you've got an Airbnb so can you tell us a bit about that? 
29:54 You've contributed to the Overcoming MS Handbook, this latest book by Professor George Jelinek talking about progressive MS. So how was that working on that project? 
30:35 You mentioned having a food log and a symptom checklist. So firstly, how do you go about having a food log? 
37:34 You mentioned the Launde Abbey retreat. And you're also involved in reunions for that. So how is that with the reunions? Because it's been, I think it may be 10 years since the retreat. Do you still have regular meetups? 
42:26 One final question we always ask, do you have any key nugget of advice for people, particularly people who are newly following Overcoming MS to adopt the program? 
  
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More info and links:    
Read the progressive MS chapter of the Overcoming MS Handbook that Dave contributed to. 
Watch Dave’s Story of Hope: Dave’s Story 
Read Judy Graham’s book: Managing Multiple Sclerosis Naturally 
Find out more about the Thermomix cooking appliance 
New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory 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 episodes here. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. 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 support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, we would really appreciate it if you could leave a donation here. Every donation, however small, helps us to share the podcast with more people on how to live well with MS.

Introduction to Overcoming MS with Dr. Jonathan White (webinar highlights) | S4E31

Welcome to Living Well with MS. In this episode, we are taking you back to one of our particularly popular webinars, ‘Introduction to Overcoming MS’ with Dr. Jonathan White. Whether you are new to Overcoming MS or have followed the Program for years, this episode will be a well-worthy listen as Jonathan guides you through each step and the evidence behind it. 
This webinar was recorded 30 June 2021 as part of our Finding Hope with Overcoming MS webinar series. 
  
Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways.     
    
Topics and Timestamps:
01:25 Introduction and opening speech by Dr. White 
22:58 Diet: Understanding fats and why animal fat is problematic 
26:09 Sunlight and Vitamin D: A range of benefits for MS and other conditions 
32:29 Exercise: Start low but you can push yourself to improve 
35:41 Mindfulness and Meditation: Evidence they reduce stress 
37:16 Medication: Part of the Overcoming MS Program 
39:23 Prevention in family members: Avoid smoking to protect your family 
42:11 Change your life, for life: Follow the whole Overcoming MS Program 
  
Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis? Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips.          
  
More info and links:   
 
The Overcoming MS Program: 
Where to start: New to OMS? | Overcoming MS 
The Overcoming MS Program: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Recovery Program – UK, USA & Australia | Overcoming MS 
Read the Overcoming MS books: Books by Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis | Overcoming MS 
Recipes, Exercise classes, meditation sessions and more: Multiple Sclerosis Books & Resources | Overcoming MS 
Other useful links: 
Film: The Connection 
MSGym with Trevor Wicken 
MSing Link with Gretchen Hawley 
Book: Atomic Habits by James Clear 
   Read the Overcoming MS books: Books by Overcoming  Multiple Sclerosis | Overcoming MS 
Recipes, Exercise classes, meditation sessions and more: Multiple Sclerosis Books & Resources | Overcoming MS 
New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory 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 episodes here. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. 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 support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, we would really appreciate it if you could leave a donation here. Every donation, however small, helps us to share the podcast with more people on how to live well with MS.

Ask Jack - Soups | S4E30

Welcome to Ask Jack, featuring the prodigious culinary talents of professional holistic chef Jack McNulty answering soup-related questions generated by you, our community. Don’t forget to submit your questions for Jack by emailing them to podcast@overcomingms.org. 
  
Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways.     
    
Topics and Timestamps:
02:06 Are there any Overcoming MS compliant vegetable stock cubes or powders? 
06:28 What's the benefit of making a stock from scratch? 
11:08 How can one modify basic soup to batch cook but still have some variety for the fussy eaters? 
12:54 Is there a good way to make Overcoming MS compliant bisques and chowders that that would typically include dairy? 
18:23 So you've got a number of different machines: soup maker, pressure cooker, slow cooker, a saucepan and Wonderbag. Which equipment would you recommend and why? 
23:25 What are some of your favorite Overcoming MS compliant Asian soups? 
26:32 What is the quickest and most nutritious soup?  
33:40 Do you have any ideas of accompaniment to soups other than bread?  
36:10 I used to love a thick and hearty beef stew do you have any suggestions on getting that thick and umami stick-to-your-ribs flavor and texture from an Overcoming MS compliance stew? 
40:04 How could you make an Overcoming MS compliant stock with fish bones? 
  
Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis? Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips.          
More info and links:   
Connect with Jack:  Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook  
New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory 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 episodes here. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. 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 support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, we would really appreciate it if you could leave a donation here. Every donation, however small, helps us to share the podcast with more people on how to live well with MS.

10 minutes with George: Learnings after following the program for years and the future | S4E29

Welcome to Living Well with MS. We are pleased to welcome Professor George Jelinek as part of a short series, '10 minutes with George’. These special episodes with the creator of the Overcoming MS Program mark the 10th anniversary of our charity, Overcoming MS.  In this final episode, George explains his learnings after many years on the program and his hopes for the future. You can also watch it here.   Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Professor Jelinek’s bio.  Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS. And if you’re new to Overcoming MS, visit our introductory page to find out more about how we support people with MS  This is the fifth instalment of a five-part series. Listen to parts one, two, three and four.      Bio: Professor George Jelinek developed the Overcoming MS Program and founded the Neuroepidemiology Unit at the University of Melbourne's School of Population and Global Health which continues to research its benefits.  George’s Story When George was diagnosed with MS in 1999, he was determined to do something. His mother had died as a consequence of her MS, which spurred him on to sort through the medical literature on MS. His career as a Professor in Emergency Medicine and his background as Editor-in-Chief of a major medical journal gave him the tools to do this.  It became clear to George that remaining well after a diagnosis of MS is more than just a possibility. He found that with commitment to the right lifestyle changes, there is the real probability that many people with MS can live long, healthy lives, relatively free of the usual problems associated with the illness. These lifestyle recommendations are now referred to as the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis (OMS) Program, which he detailed in his book Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis.  George has remained free of further relapses, as have many people who follow the OMS Program.    Selected Key Takeaways:   The Overcoming MS Program can improve your mental health, even if you don’t physically get better. (4:25) “Some of the best things I've seen have been in people who didn't physically get better. A good example is someone who came to the program very early on when I first started running the retreats, who was using a wheelchair and had had MS for 25 years and was very disabled and was very depressed…. I saw her again, some months and then years later, and she was still using a wheelchair to get around and she still clearly was very disabled. But for me, there was this sort of radiance coming from her…. And I thought, now there's an outcome worth celebrating, even though it doesn't quite fit into some of the preconceived ideas we might have about overcoming [MS] or recovering.”    As evidence accumulates, the program evolves. Cryotherapy is one potential example.(10:36) “There's stuff in the literature now about cryotherapy – about regular exposure to cold – and some people have already adopted that. But these things are in their infancy, really, and we aren't at the point where I think it's sensible to adopt it as a mainstream recommendation in the program. But like all evidence-based programs, as the evidence keeps accumulating, the program will keep evolving, and that's how it should be.”  The key elements in the OMS Program involve modifying the factors which cause the illness to progress. (12:24) “There's no guarantee, but if you can modify the risks, (and there's a good science on which factors cause the illness to progress)... then you give yourself every chance of having the best possible outcome. And these are generally diet, exercise, stress, sunlight and vitamin D. They're really the key planks [of the Overcoming MS Program].”    Related Links:   Overview of the OMS program  Don’t miss out: Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favourite podcast listening app. If you enjoy Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.  If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.

10 mins with George Jelinek: Defining ‘overcoming’ MS and ‘recovery’ | S4E28

Welcome to Living Well with MS. We are pleased to welcome Professor George Jelinek as part of a short series, '10 minutes with George’. These special episodes with the creator of the Overcoming MS Program mark the 10th anniversary of our charity, Overcoming MS. In this fourth episode, George explains how he uses and defines “overcoming” MS and “recovery”. You can also watch it here.  Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Professor Jelinek’s bio. Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS. And if you’re new to Overcoming MS, visit our introductory page to find out more about how we support people with MS. This is the fourth instalment of a five-part series. Listen to parts one, two and three. Bio: Professor George Jelinek developed the Overcoming MS Program and founded the Neuroepidemiology Unit at the University of Melbourne's School of Population and Global Health which continues to research its benefits. George’s Story When George was diagnosed with MS in 1999, he was determined to do something. His mother had died as a consequence of her MS, which spurred him on to sort through the medical literature on MS. His career as a Professor in Emergency Medicine and his background as Editor-in-Chief of a major medical journal gave him the tools to do this. It became clear to George that remaining well after a diagnosis of MS is more than just a possibility. He found that with commitment to the right lifestyle changes, there is the real probability that many people with MS can live long, healthy lives, relatively free of the usual problems associated with the illness. These lifestyle recommendations are now referred to as the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis (OMS) Program, which he detailed in his book Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis. George has remained free of further relapses, as have many people who follow the OMS Program.  Selected Key Takeaways: “Overcoming MS” can mean stabilizing rather than deteriorating(4:06) “My own health started to more than stabilize. And that was a surprise to me. In that I started to not only not deteriorate, but I started to feel better than I did before.” For us as a charity, “Overcoming MS” means living a full and happy life after a diagnosis. Although there is currently no cure, depending on your starting point, the Overcoming MS program may lead to improvements in your physical and mental health, reducing the impact of your MS symptoms, slowing or preventing its progression. Some people recover function and, most importantly, you can lead a full and happy life with MS. For George, “recovering from MS” is an ongoing process rather than an outcome(7:10) “I'd say I'm recovering from MS. [But] it's a process, not an outcome. In my view, we're not looking for a final destination. In life, the only final destination is death. I'm not trying to get somewhere, it's the process of how I'm living every day that constitutes recovering from MS.” For us as a charity, we look at a range of uses of the word recovery: recovering lost function, recovering mental strength and recovering quality of life. These different outcomes are possible depending on your starting point and personal situation.  The Overcoming MS program manages symptoms, it’s not a cure(9:00) “A cure has never been part of this. It would be ridiculous to say that living a really healthy life like this cures MS. Because I know if I was to return to my former bad habits, that there'd be every chance that I'd get a flare up of some sort.” Related Links: OMS Blog: How to Stick with OMS OMS Blog: Latest NEU Paper Shows Diet Quality Predicts Long-Term Quality of Life in MS OMS: What are the next Steps? Don’t miss out: Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. If you enjoy Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here

10 mins with George Jelinek: The importance of mindset and support | S4E27

Welcome to the third episode in our short series '10 minutes with George', with Professor George Jelinek. This series marks the 10th anniversary of the charity Overcoming MS. In this episode, George talks about the importance of mindset, mental health and support from others with MS. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Professor Jelinek’s bio. You can also watch it 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. And if you’re new to Overcoming MS, visit our introductory page to find out more about how we support people with MS. This is the third installment of a five-part series. Listen to parts one and two. Bio: Professor George Jelinek developed the Overcoming MS Program and founded the Neuroepidemiology Unit at the University of Melbourne's School of Population and Global Health which continues to research its benefits. George’s StoryWhen George was diagnosed with MS in 1999, he was determined to do something. His mother had died as a consequence of her MS, which spurred him to sort through the medical literature on MS. His career as a Professor in Emergency Medicine and his background as Editor-in-Chief of a major medical journal gave him the tools to do this. It became clear to George that remaining well after a diagnosis of MS is more than just a possibility. He found that with a commitment to the right lifestyle changes, there is a real probability that many people with MS can live long, healthy lives, relatively free of the usual problems associated with the illness. These lifestyle recommendations are now referred to as the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis (OMS) Program, which he detailed in his book Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis. George has remained free of further relapses, as have many people who follow the OMS Program. Selected Key Takeaways: Take care of your mental health(6:04) “If you're going through… struggles, I would recommend talking to someone like a psychologist. Personally, when I first was diagnosed with MS, I had quite a number of sessions with a psychologist to help me understand what I was going through, what my emotions were about, and how that was playing out in the context of my life.” Others with MS are a great support(6:49) “Peer support is great for people who are struggling because, let's face it, all of us struggle with things at different times in our lives. There's nothing more helpful in many ways than someone who's been on the same journey and has worked out how to deal with it.” Health should be included in our top priorities(10:28) “I was into goal setting and things at the time that I was diagnosed. That was at the age of 45. And I looked back through a number of my goal-setting documents that I produced for myself, and I always left health blank. Now, what does that tell you? Everything else was filled in: work, leisure, finance, you name it, but health was always blank. So, it was an interesting wake-up call for me to get a serious illness.” While Overcoming MS isn’t currently holding retreats, you can find information about other events we are holding here. Related Links: The OMS Mental Health Hub Stories of Hope from other OMSers Join an OMS Circle Don’t miss out: Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favourite podcast listening app. If you enjoy Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.

10 minutes with George Jelinek: Exceptions to following the program | S4E26

Welcome to Living Well with MS. This is the second episode with Professor George Jelinek in our short series '10 minutes with George', which marks the 10th anniversary of the charity Overcoming MS. Some people see the Overcoming MS Program, which Professor Jelinek created, as needing an 'all or nothing’ approach. George explains how and why some people make exceptions to following the program. You can also watch this episode here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Professor Jelinek’s bio. Make sure you sign up for our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS. And if you’re new to Overcoming MS, visit our introductory page to find out more about how we support people with MS. You can listen to part one here. Bio: Professor George Jelinek developed the Overcoming MS Program and founded the Neuroepidemiology Unit at the University of Melbourne's School of Population and Global Health which continues to research its benefits. George’s Story: When George was diagnosed with MS in 1999, he was determined to do something. His mother had died as a consequence of her MS, which spurred him on to sort through the medical literature on MS. His career as a Professor in Emergency Medicine and his background as Editor-in-Chief of a major medical journal gave him the tools to do this. It became clear to George that remaining well after a diagnosis of MS is more than just a possibility. He found that with a commitment to the right lifestyle changes, there is a real probability that many people with MS can live long, healthy lives, relatively free of the usual problems associated with the illness. These lifestyle recommendations are now referred to as the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis (OMS) Program, which he detailed in his book Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis. George has remained free of further relapses, as have many people who follow the OMS Program.   Selected Key Takeaways: What you do most of the time matters more than an occasional slip-up (4:50) “Your health in 20 or 30 years’ time will reflect the whole range of things you've done and your daily activities over all that time. And that's true, in general, in any illness. The occasional slip up in that context is essentially mostly irrelevant.” Look inward if you're struggling to stay on track with the Program (7:10) “If there's an inner struggle going on around [sticking to the program], then trying to get some help and understand what that struggle is about is useful... Is it related to not valuing oneself, not valuing one's health? [Or] because of perhaps the way we've been brought up? There are all sorts of different reasons why not placing yourself and your own health as important in your life would manifest in not doing everything that you can to try and stay well.” The support of a partner is crucial (9:51) “When partners came to the retreats, we would often find that their highly sceptical attitude at the beginning of the retreat was replaced with a total commitment by the end. Not only to support their partner but to do everything they could for their own health, because they would come to realise how important it is to stay well for themselves.” While Overcoming MS isn’t currently holding retreats, we do invite partners to play an active role in supporting the PwMS in their life by  adopting the Overcoming MS Program.   Related Links: Join Circles Online, OMS’s virtual support groups Sticking with the OMS program Tips and information for following the Overcoming MS diet   Don’t miss out: Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favourite podcast listening app. If you enjoy Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.

10 minutes with George Jelinek: Getting started with Overcoming MS | S4E25

Welcome to Living Well with MS. We are pleased to welcome Professor George Jelinek as part of a short series, '10 minutes with George’. These special episodes with the creator of the Overcoming MS Program mark the 10th anniversary of our charity, Overcoming MS. In this first episode, George explains how to get started with the Overcoming MS program.  You can also watch it here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Professor Jelinek’s bio. Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS. And if you’re new to Overcoming MS, visit our introductory page to find out more about how we support people with MS   Bio: Professor George Jelinek developed the Overcoming MS Program and founded the Neuroepidemiology Unit at the University of Melbourne's School of Population and Global Health which continues to research its benefits. George’s Story When George was diagnosed with MS in 1999, he was determined to do something. His mother had died as a consequence of her MS, which spurred him on to sort through the medical literature on MS. His career as a Professor in Emergency Medicine and his background as Editor-in-Chief of a major medical journal gave him the tools to do this. It became clear to George that remaining well after a diagnosis of MS is more than just a possibility. He found that with commitment to the right lifestyle changes, there is the real probability that many people with MS can live long, healthy lives, relatively free of the usual problems associated with the illness. These lifestyle recommendations are now referred to as the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis (OMS) Program, which he detailed in his book Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis. George has remained free of further relapses, as have many people who follow the OMS Program.   Selected Key Takeaways: The Overcoming MS Program is evidence-based (04:03) “The OMS book is obviously a must-read. And that gives you the credibility and the science behind the whole program. This isn't something that has just occurred to me in the middle of the night or anything like that. It's taken quite a bit of work and a fair bit of time, and the right sort of background to understand the science to really put it together.” Overcoming MS is about choice (09:24 “The whole basis of OMS isn't to tell people what to do. We've never, never sought to give rigid guidelines for people or anything like that. This is all about providing choices for people, choices [so] that they're able to look at the range of what's on offer and choose what's most appropriate for them. For some people, that's all of the program for some people, there will be parts that don't feel appropriate for them.” Meditation can benefit all aspects of life (11:55) “Quite apart from the health benefits, there are enormous benefits to one's whole life in terms of the insight aspect that comes with meditation practice, [and] the improvement in one's inner landscape and emotional life that that comes along with that. You develop and learn the skill of tolerating difficult thoughts and situations.”   Related Links: Books: Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis and The Overcoming MS Handbook The Overcoming MS program Try a guided meditation   Don’t miss out: Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. If you enjoy Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.

The 100th episode with Dr. Jonathan White | S4E24

Welcome to Living Well with MS Coffee Break #36, where we are pleased to welcome Dr. Jonathan White as our guest for this very special episode, our 100th podcast in the Living Well with MS series! Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Jonathan’s bio. Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS. And if you’re new to Overcoming MS, visit our introductory page to find out more about how we support people with MS. Jonathan’s bio: Career: Jonathan went to University of Glasgow Medical School, graduating in 2008 (MBChB). He completed a further five years of training in Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (MRCOG). He works at the Causeway Hospital, Coleraine and has a special interest in early pregnancy and recurrent pregnancy loss. In April 2022, Jonathan was awarded “Doctor of the Year” at the inaugural Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Awards. Overcoming MS and personal life: Jonathan was diagnosed with RRMS in October 2015 and has been following the OMS Program ever since.  Dr. White assists OMS as a medical advisor and event facilitator. He lives on the North Coast of Northern Ireland, is married to Jenny and father to Angus and Struan. His interests include the great outdoors, cycling and running (reluctantly), reading, rugby, film and spending time with his family. You can learn more about his background here.  Selected Key Takeaways The new Handbook is an accessible version of the original Overcoming MS book: (8:58) “I've always thought of the main OMS book as being a textbook, almost like a reference guide. Whereas the, Overcoming MS Handbook is a lovely light and easy [book] that you could dip in and out of. I loved reading it and I picked up lots of tips. And it was great to hear from the community itself.” The first 10 years of the Overcoming MS charity’s message of hope has been groundbreaking: (13:39) “I think [the OMS charity] has been paradigm shifting and groundbreaking. That message of hope, of us giving people a sense of mastery. That the traditional description of this condition - and how it affects people - doesn't have to be that way through relatively simple things that you can do for yourself. And I think that [message] came at a time where it was so needed. In fact, now it's needed more than ever.” The Overcoming MS Community plays a very important role: (20:41) “[The Overcoming MS Community] fills the bucket completely for me. It's been a wonderful privilege professionally, as well, to be able to spend some time with people, like myself, living with MS. And to hopefully give them a little bit of information, to clarify some things for them and to maybe steer them in the right direction. And then to see the amazing changes that they implement in their lives. It is so gratifying professionally to be able to help someone like that.” Find the life worth enjoying… with rebellious hope: (25:40) “Dame Deborah James, who was a phenomenally passionate cancer campaigner, … sadly passed away in June, 2020. But her very last Twitter post....just spoke to me and I thought she's put this so beautifully. This is exactly how I feel about OMS [Overcoming MS] and MS generally. So I'm going to use her quote. She said, ‘Find the life worth enjoying, take risks, love deeply, have no regrets and always, always have rebellious hope.’ And I just love the idea of rebellious hope, because that to me is me and it's me and [Overcoming MS] OMS.” Related Links: Books: Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis and The Overcoming MS Handbook Join an OMS Circle Dame Deborah James’ You, Me and the Big C podcast   About Coffee Break: Our Coffee Break series is your chance to get to know members of our diverse OMS community. In each episode, you’ll join Geoff Allix for an intimate chat with a different member of our global community. Our guests share their personal stories and talk about their challenges and victories, large and small. We hope you find common cause and a source of inspiration from the stories of these very special people. As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. We hope you enjoy this episode’s conversation with Dr. Jonathan White, coming to you straight from Northern Ireland.   Don’t miss out: Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favourite podcast listening app. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.

Calming the Chaos – in Conversation with Mattie Cummins | S4E23

Bio:   Mattie is a counselor, brain coach and CEO of Cerebrations, LLC, with over 25 years of experience in social work, counseling and coaching for people with anxiety, chronic pain, neurodiversity, and other life transitions. Mattie guides people on a journey to harness the power of brain science and body awareness to master the art of thinking, and begin thriving, instead of just surviving.   Mattie has a bachelor and master's degree in social work and her varied experience in nonprofit leadership, system advocacy, program development, brain function, and counseling provide a unique perspective on resilience, creativity, and how to empower people to tap into their own inner strength, beauty, and experiences to calm their internal chaos.   Selected Key Takeaways   Mindfulness is about being present and aware of your body and emotions as much as possible throughout the day: (7:19) “We do a mindfulness practice around breathing or visualization to calm down the brain so that you can then begin to, to hear what's happening in your brain so you can actually change the cognition.”   There are a multitude of factors that influence mental and physical health in a PwMS, some that are directly related to multiple sclerosis and others that aren’t. (8:21) “There are all these layers of the reason why we live in chaos. And that can be lack of sleep. That can be grief from the MS. That can be just changes in our relationships because that happens too. And that's going to affect the way that we feel.”    It’s important to have a variety of strategies and tools to deal with stress and life changes. (11:54) “Life changes anyway, I mean, but when you have autoimmune disorders, life changes drastically sometimes at the drop of a hat. You have the, like, I call it a toolbox. You have a toolbox that you go, Hey, life's got more stressful. I'm going to pop open the top. I'm going to pull out the tools that work for me. And we're just going to add in some different tools for this particular situation.”   No one is perfect and self-compassion is vital to reducing stress and embracing the unexpected.   (17:24) “Thriving to me is living in the joy of life and being present. When we have the capacity to be present, understanding when we don't have the capacity to be present, but that we actually walk through every day with a calmness that today is going to be whatever day it is.     Related Links:     OMS blog by on tips to reduce stress-related inflammation OMS resources for managing anxiety Check out the Art of Anxiety class online Join the Calming the Chaos Collective, a free group experience Dig deeper into Mattie’s thinking by reading her blog   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.