Living Well with Multiple Sclerosis

Webinar Highlights: Resilience following Overcoming MS with Dr Rachael Hunter | S6E17

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today we’re sharing the highlights from our webinar on ‘Resilience following Overcoming MS’ with the fantastic Dr Rachael Hunter. Rachael is a clinical psychologist and senior lecturer in clinical and health psychology at Swansea University. She's an OMSer herself and wrote the chapter on resilience in the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis Handbook. She gave us so much interesting information and many helpful tips - we hope you find this really useful in bringing resilience into your own life. Let us know what you think!   Watch this episode on YouTube here and keep reading for the key episode takeaways.     Topics and Timestamps:   00:59 Dr Hunter’s professional background and an overview of the Overcoming MS Program  04:30 What happens to the body physiologically during a stress response  06:55 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and the fundamentals of wellness  09:37 Managing emotional wellbeing and scheduling “worry time”   14:30 Managing anxiety through self-compassion and mindfulness  17:24 The benefits of positive relationships with others    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:   Dr Rachael Hunter was featured on S4E67: ‘Building Resilience with Dr Rachael Hunter’  Follow Dr Hunter on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter  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.   If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.  

Nutritional Therapy with Bristol Ambassador Jenna Cox | S6E16

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Jenna Cox as our guest! Jenna is a nutritional therapist who lives with MS and is an Ambassador for the Bristol, UK Circle. In this episode, she talks about dairy alternatives, calcium and bone density on a plant-based diet and probiotics for the gut microbiome.     Topics and Timestamps:  00:58 Jenna’s MS diagnosis  05:12 Adopting the Overcoming MS Program  09:19 Jenna’s work as a nutritional therapist  12:22 Diary-free swaps for milk, cheese and other products  15:16 Calcium and bone density on the Overcoming MS diet  21:30 Nutrition for PMS and PMDD   27:15 Probiotics and the gut microbiome for people with MS  33:31 The link between MS and cardiovascular issues, especially for women    More info and links: New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page    Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub   Learn more about Jenna’s work at www.jennacox.co.uk  Follow Jenna on Instagram @jennacoxnutrition  Check out the Overcoming MS diet recommendations  Check out the Menopause and MS roundtable hosted by Dr Jonny White  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 vibrant life with MS.  If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.  

Webinar Highlights: Overcoming MS with ‘talkhealth’ and Dr Jonathan White | S6E15

In this episode, we’re sharing highlights from a ‘talkhealth’ webinar: ‘TH+ Expert Webinar with Dr Jonathan White: Overcoming MS’. In the webinar, Overcoming MS medical advisor, Dr Jonathan White speaks about the evidence and benefits of the Program, his personal MS journey and making healthy changes for life. ‘talkhealth’ is a patient-centric online health community based in the UK, that provides a full range of support services.    Topics and timestamps: 02:25 Intro: Jonathan’s MS diagnosis and Overcoming MS journey.  09:27 The importance of a compassionate diagnosis.  10:14 Finding hope with an MS diagnosis with a healthy lifestyle.  11:29 An overview of the Program.  12:35 How Overcoming MS can prevent other conditions.  13:14 The history of the Overcoming MS charity.  16:27 Connecting through Overcoming MS Circles.   18:39 The research behind the Overcoming MS Program.   22:41 The benefits of physical activity for people with MS.  24:53 Mindfulness and mental health.   28:21 Disease-modifying drugs for MS.   32:14 Preventing MS in family members.   39:24 How to change your life, for life.  42:13 The increase in plant-based options at stores and restaurants.   More info and links:   Watch the original webinar Find out more about ‘talkHealth’  Hear Jonathan on other episodes including the 100th Episode, the menopause roundtable, an introduction to Overcoming MS,  Learn about creating habits with Atomic Habit by James Clear Learn about meditation from Ten Percent Happier Sign up to the 6 Months to Overcoming MS course  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. 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.  Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS.  If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.  

Following and supporting Overcoming MS as a couple | S6E14

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Jane and Ian Airey-Regardsoe as our guests! Jane is a member of the Southwest, UK Circle and her husband, Ian is cycling to France as a fundraising challenge, supported by Jane, to benefit Overcoming MS. They chat about adopting the Overcoming MS Program as a couple, their fundraising challenge and why they’ve chosen to support the charity. Watch this episode on YouTube here.  Topics and Timestamps: 01:22 Jane’s MS diagnosis and Overcoming MS journey. 06:49 Adopting the Overcoming MS Program as a partner. 10:08 Tips for adopting the Overcoming MS Program. 11:17 How to improve low vitamin D levels.   14:53 Jane and Ian’s ‘Door to Door cycle’ fundraiser. 16:56 The impact of raising money for Overcoming MS. 18:24 How to prepare for a physical challenge. 24:03 Tips for starting your own fundraising efforts. 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: Door to Door Challenge Facts: Date: 8th to 27th September Distance: 950 miles (1,564 km) Total Ascent: 59,000 ft Total Descent: 46,400 ft Route: Holcombe Rogus, Poole, Normandy, Britanny, The Loire, Poitou-Charentes, Limousin, Midi Pyrenees View the route here Contribute to Jane and Ian’s fundraising page Follow Jane and Ian’s blog 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.

Highly Sensitive People and MS with Psychotherapeutic Counsellor Rachel Burn | S6E13

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Rachel Burn as our guest! Rachel is a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and follows the Overcoming MS Program. In this episode, Rachel talks to Geoff about who should work with a therapist, how to choose a therapist, how to unpack our emotions and how to know if you’re a highly sensitive person. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 01:46 Rachel’s background and her MS and Overcoming MS journey. 08:14 Who should work with a therapist? 09:49 How you should choose a therapist and style of therapy. 12:27 How to unpack your emotions scientifically as waves of chemicals. 16:06 Unhelpful tactics of clinging to emotions or suppressing them. 19:29 The connection with highly sensitive people (HSPs) and autoimmunity. 21:43 How to know if you’re highly sensitive. 26:05 The power of the Overcoming MS community for the newly diagnosed. 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 Rachel on the Live Well Hub Follow Rachel on TikTok @born_a_bodymind Listen to Craig Hassed’s episode on meditation tips Find out more about the books that Rachel mentions: Gabor Mate’s book When the Body Says No Elaine Aron’s book The Highly Sensitive Person Bessel van Der Kolk’s book The Body Keeps The Score Susan Gehrig’s book Why Love Matters Lisa Feldman Barrett’s book: How Emotions Are Made 'Key to Successful Therapy' Read about the 90-second life of an emotion 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.

Accessible Live Music with Bee Grzegorzek from Attitude is Everything | S6E12

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Bee Grzegorzek (she/they) as our guest! Bee is the Inclusive Communities Manager for UK-based charity, Attitude is Everything, which connects disabled people with music and live event industries to improve access together. They talk to Geoff about making a festival safe and enjoyable, her top tips for finding accessible venues and red flags to look for in a venue’s accessibility. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 00:56 Introduction: What is Attitude is Everything? 03:10 Environmental, organisational and attitudinal barriers to access. 05:34 Advances in accessibility in the last 20 years. 07:36 Whose responsibility is it to educate people about accessibility? 08:57 Bee’s top tips for finding accessible venues. 10:49 Red flags to look for when asking about a venue’s accessibility. 15:13 What to do if there’s an accessibility problem during an event. 17:52 Bee’s recommendations for making a festival as safe and fun as possible. 21:51 How to navigate food at venues with dietary requirements. 23:50 The benefits of accessibility scheme cards. 25:21 Personal assistant tickets. 26:38 Helping disabled artists get their access needs met. 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: UK Access Card Hynt Scheme for Welsh access MS Society “I have MS” card for access needs Visit Attitude is Everything’s website Overcoming MS chef cards for dietary needs 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.

Lifestyle Medicine with Dr Fraser Quin | S6E11

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we explore topics relating to living a full and healthy life with multiple sclerosis. In this episode, we are pleased to welcome Dr Fraser Quin as our guest! Dr Quin is the Executive Director of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM), a charity that promotes the role of lifestyle medicine in improving people’s health and wellbeing. He speaks to Dr Jonathan White about the role of lifestyle medicine for people with MS, the importance of sleep and how healthcare professionals are training to support their patients with lifestyle medicine. Topics and Timestamps 00:00 Dr Quin’s background and role at the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM). 04:02 What is lifestyle medicine? And what isn’t lifestyle medicine? 07:02 The role of the BSLM in the healthcare landscape. 10:28 The history and future of lifestyle medicine across the globe. 16:08 Why sleep is such an important pillar of lifestyle medicine. 20:28 How doctors are being trained in lifestyle medicine. 29:27 The #1Change Campaign: How making one small healthy change can change your life. 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: Learn more about the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine Find out more about the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Find out more about the Royal College of Psychiatrists Watch back our livestream on talking to skeptics with Dr Jonathan White and Yasmin Neves Learn more about the #1Change campaign Learn about creating habits with Atomic Habit by James Clear Sign up to the 6 Months to Overcoming MS course 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 Dr Quin’s bio: Dr Quin’s career Dr Fraser Quin is the Executive Director of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine, European Lifestyle Medicine Council and World Lifestyle Medicine Organisation. Fraser is currently a Non-Executive Director of Ark Housing Association and was previously Chair of Deaf Action, Scotland’s largest Deaf charity. His academic background Fraser also has a background in higher education and was formerly a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, completing his PhD at Edinburgh University. His personal life Fraser is a strong advocate for Lifestyle Medicine and is in his own words “living the dream” as a keen cyclist, with his type 2 diabetes currently in remission. He is also an avid motorcyclist and regularly tours Europe and the UK on his Triumph. 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.

Webinar Highlights: Accessible Movement for the Overcoming MS Community with Véronique Gauthier-Simmons | S6E10

In this episode, we’re sharing highlights from our webinar ‘Accessible Movement for the Overcoming MS Community’ with Dr Véronique Gauthier-Simmons. Véronique is a qualified yoga therapist who follows the Overcoming MS Program and supports Overcoming MS as a facilitator. She discusses the benefits of exercise, how to make it more accessible and how to stay motivated. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 01:01 The benefits of exercise. 07:09 How you can set SMART goals to stay motivated to exercise. 12:40 How you can modify physical activity for your ability and balance. 15:14 Breathing exercises to work your core muscles. 20:46 Examples of chair-based exercises for the arms, legs and spine. 29:15 Your intention can change how an exercise feels in your body. 34:20 Dopamine release doesn’t occur until six weeks into a new exercise routine, so don’t give up! 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: Watch the original webinar Read: The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal Find out more about Veronique’s movement classes Try an Overcoming MS exercise video Join Veronique's free live classes Learn more about Veronique 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.

Sticking with the Overcoming MS diet with Kim Venter | S6E9

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Kim Venter as our guest! Kim is a trained teacher, professional psychological counsellor, and nutritional consultant. She is also currently training to become a facilitator for Overcoming MS. In this episode, she discusses how to switch to a plant-based diet, how to make your healthy habits stick and her experience starting disease-modifying therapy. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 01:04 Kim’s diagnosis and MS journey 06:45 Switching to a plant-based diet. 07:38 Top tips on meal planning and grocery shopping on the Overcoming MS diet. 10:08 Making your healthy habits stick. 13:09 Mindful activities you can do to manage your stress. 15:09 Her experience with disease-modifying therapy. 17:23 How diet and pharmaceuticals complement each other. 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: Listen to Kim’s episode from season 2 Create your own Overcoming MS meal plan Learn more about MS and Mindfulness Learn more about medications for 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. Kim’s bio: Kim Venter is a British South African currently living in London who was diagnosed with MS in 2010. Kim’s professional background She is a trained teacher, professional psychological counsellor and nutritional consultant who thoroughly enjoys working with people and helping them overcome various challenges in their lives. Kim is particularly interested in health psychology, which explores the impact on the mind of what is going on in the body. She feels that this training has increased her awareness of the psychological impact MS has and how the food we eat affects the health of our minds.

Webinar Highlights: Your opportunity to ask a qualified nutritional therapist about the Overcoming MS diet with Sam Josephs | S6E8

In this episode, we are sharing highlights from our webinar, ‘Your opportunity to ask a qualified nutritional therapist about the Overcoming MS diet’ with Sam Josephs. Sam is a qualified nutritional therapist and Overcoming MS facilitator. In this episode, she discusses fasting patterns, tips for Overcoming MS-friendly meals on a budget and how to prevent weight loss. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 02:40 Can fasting help you reduce inflammation? 05:58 How much calcium is safe for you with high doses of vitamin D3? 08:11 Comparing benefits: flax oil supplements vs Omega-3 rich foods. 09:40 Can you have coconut or meat in the absence of Overcoming MS-friendly options? 11:25 Vitamin D2 vs D3 in fortified foods. 13:40 The link between eating dairy and osteoporosis. 16:48 The different types of saturated fats. 19:11 Can you ever eat fast food or processed foods? 22:12 Can you eat egg yolk or meat occasionally? 25:59 How much vitamin K should you have to prevent calcium buildup? 27:16 Is there a limit to the number of egg whites you can eat? 28:18 Can you eat lean meat on the Overcoming MS diet when trying to put on weight? 30:12 What minerals can you take to help with spasticity and tight muscles? 21:46 Tips for cooking Overcoming MS-friendly meals with a busy schedule. 36:48 Snacks to help you prevent weight loss on the Overcoming MS diet. 40:23 Alternatives to flax oil for Omega-3 supplementation 41:59 The benefits of a variety of whole grains for your gut bacteria 44:20 Budget tips for cooking Overcoming MS-friendly meals Selected Key Takeaways: Highly processed foods have negative health implications. 20:11 “Highly processed foods sometimes irritate the gut lining, which can affect our friendly bacterial populations. We're only just starting to understand the detrimental effects of some of these unknown food chemicals, not to mention high levels of salt, and high levels of sugar, all of which on a metabolic level are not good for us. Salt can cause excretion of calcium, which we're trying to retain. The sugars can cause metabolic issues, things like becoming overweight and obese.” A variety of whole grains is beneficial for the gut. 42:35 “It’s important not to rely too heavily on one grain or another. But to keep that variety because each grain has a different nutritional profile and will be broken down differently in the body. The more variety you have with your grains, the more you're encouraging healthy bacteria which indirectly calms MS activity so think about different rice: what about wild rice [or] the red rice? What about buckwheat? Have you tried quinoa yet?” There are multiple intermittent fasting methods to suit your lifestyle. 03:05 “Some people do the five-two diet, which involves eating normally five days of the week, and then just eating dinner on two days of the week, consuming much lower calories. You could fast overnight for 16 hours and then eat your food in a much smaller window of eight hours. It could be done as a water fast where you don't eat anything at all, and just drink water one day a week or a couple of days a month.” 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: Sam Josephs has been featured on S1E3, S1E4, and S5E8 Check out Overcoming MS-friendly recipes Create your Overcoming MS Meal Plan Read Sam’s bio 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.