Living Well with Multiple Sclerosis

Over a decade of Overcoming MS with Renee Coffey | S5E6

Welcome to Season 5 of Living Well with MS, the Overcoming MS podcast where we explore topics relating to living well with multiple sclerosis (MS). In this episode, we are pleased to welcome Renee Coffey as our guest. Renee has been following the Overcoming MS Program for over 10 years. She talks about her Overcoming MS journey, her story that was published in the ‘Overcoming MS Handbook’, and her advice to those just starting out on the Program.   Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Renee’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 multiple sclerosis. And if you’re new to Overcoming MS, visit our introductory page to find out more about how we support people with MS.  Bio:   Renee started on her Overcoming MS journey shortly after her first MS episode in 2011 so has been following the Overcoming MS program for over 10 years.   Renee’s career and personal life In her day job, Renee works full-time as the Deputy CEO of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation, a role and cause she cares deeply about. Renee is mum to two boys, aged 7 and 9 and gets to share two older children with her partner Jason - wonderful young women aged 20 and 21.  Renee’s lesions have disappeared and/or shrunk Three years ago, following a routine MRI, Renee was told there was no disease progression. Also, one of the lesions on her spine had disappeared, and one had shrunk to just millimetres. Last year, Renee received the great news. Not only is there no new disease activity, but now the two lesions in her brain have disappeared as well.   Renee’s passion for Overcoming MS Renee is passionate about her Overcoming MS journey and credits her good health and so much of the richness she experiences in her life to the Overcoming MS program and community.  Key Takeaways:   MS Symptoms are varied and sometimes confusing, mimicking other conditions “The itching was across one of those bands around my torso, on one side. My GP clued up on to that pretty quickly. Once he tried a few things, and that didn't work, he actually gave me a referral to a neurologist, which for me was quite surprising because I thought I had been bitten by a spider. Then, I started thinking maybe I had shingles or something like that. As far as I knew, a neurologist was just for your brain, so I was thinking, ‘hang on a second, that seems like an odd referral.’ But I googled the neurologist and he was a specialist in MS.”  Following the Overcoming MS Program will improve your overall health and wellbeing “The Overcoming MS program has brought so much more to me than the absence of decline. I actually think it has brought a lot of richness to me, by way of just changing my outlook on my health and my wellbeing and putting that at the front and centre of what I do. I am definitely a much healthier person now, in a holistic sense, than I was before my diagnosis. I love the way I eat. If you told me tomorrow that I could take a magic pill and you'll cure my MS, I would not be running straight to a cheese platter or digging into a steak. I couldn't think of anything worse.”  Renee hiked part of the Camino de Santiago (an ancient Pilgrim route through Europe) with her family “If you had told me 10-plus years ago that I was even going to want a hike 215 kilometres, I wouldn't have believed you. But I think that's part of this change. I never played team sports before my MS diagnosis, I never had any level of fitness or any interest in any kind of fitness activity or outdoor activities. And so that's all come from this much healthier view on holistic health.”  To hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS, like Renee has done, make sure you sign up to our newsletter   Related Links:  Read the Overcoming MS Handbook   Read more about how to prevent MS in family members  You can hike part of the Camino de Santiago while fundraising for Overcoming MS   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.  Support us:  If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here. 

Webinar highlights from Ask Aaron with Dr. Aaron Boster | S5E5

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the Overcoming MS podcast where we explore all topics relating to living well with multiple sclerosis (MS). In this episode, we are sharing the highlights from one of our ‘Ask Aaron’ webinars, where neurologist, Dr. Aaron Boster, answers questions about MS from the community. Dr. Boster covers a range of fascinating topics such as fasting, menopause and gut health.  This webinar was recorded in March 2022 as part of our Finding Hope with Overcoming MS webinar series. You can watch the whole webinar here or the podcast highlights on YouTube here.  Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Dr Boster’s bio. Keep in touch: 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.    Dr. Aaron Boster’s Bio:   Dr. Aaron Boster is an award-winning, widely published, and board-certified neurologist specialising in multiple sclerosis (MS) and related CNS inflammatory disorders. He currently serves as the Director of the Neuroscience Infusion Center at OhioHealth.   Why Dr. Boster chose to become a specialist in MS  Witnessing his uncle’s diagnosis with MS when he was 12, he and his family came to see a lack of coherence in the way MS was treated at the time. That experience informed Dr. Boster’s drive to do things differently.   Dr. Boster’s career   At OhioHealth, he spearheads a revolutionary model in MS treatment and patient care drawing on interdisciplinary resources and putting patients and families first. Dr. Boster is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Neurology at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, and a former Assistant Professor of Neurology at The Ohio State University, where he also formerly headed the Neuroimmunology division.   Dr. Boster has been intimately involved in the care of people impacted by MS; he has been a principal investigator in numerous clinical trials, trained multiple MS doctors and nurse practitioners, and has been published extensively in medical journals. He lectures to both patients and providers worldwide with a mission to educate, energise and empower people impacted by MS.   Dr. Boster’s education and personal life  Dr. Boster grew up in Columbus, Ohio and attended undergraduate at Oberlin College. He earned his MD at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and completed an internship in Internal Medicine and Residency in Neurology at the University of Michigan, followed by a two-year fellowship in Clinical Neuroimmunology at Wayne State University.   He lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife, Krissy, son Maxwell, and daughter Betty Mae.    Selected Key Takeaways: Embracing exercise is an important step to improve outcomes for MS “I would encourage the entire family to embrace exercise, when it's nice outside, you go for a walk and kayaking and canoeing and what have you. We have excellent data that people impacted by MS who exercise as part of their lifestyle end up less disabled at the end of their life as compared to they didn't. And so we want to help instil those important, very, very important behaviours in a young person as early as possible.”  Intermittent Fasting is recommended and is safe for MS  “Within the last year, I've become very interested in not just what PwMS eat, but when they eat. When they eat turns out to matter. It's my opinion that intermittent fasting specifically is a bio-hack, not just for people impacted by MS,but for [all] humans. And it's my opinion that intermittent fasting is very safe in the setting of MS.”   What to consider when thinking about alternative medicine  “When someone wants to consider alternative medicine, which I will define as something that I was not taught in medical school, it doesn't make it good or bad. It just means I wasn't taught about it. An example might be acupuncture. I was not trained in acupuncture, which doesn't mean it's not real. It just means I don't know much about it. So, when I'm presented with something that is alternative, then I'm okay with it as long as three rules are met. The first one is it can't be too expensive. ... The second thing is it can't be dangerous. ... And [the] third is it can't be instead of something that I know works.”   Related Links:  Dr. Boster was on three previous Living Well with MS episodes: S1E11: Making the Right Medication Choices   S2E17: Lifestyle Choices and their Impact on MS    S3E43: Let’s Talk About (and MS) Check out Dr. Boster’s popular YouTube channel covering all aspects of MS.    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.    Support us:  If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here. 

MS Advocacy and Accessible Fashion with Roxy Murray | S5E4

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the Overcoming MS podcast where we explore all topics relating to living well with multiple sclerosis (MS). In this episode, Geoff meets MS and disability activist, Roxy Murray.  Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and bio. You can also watch this episode on our YouTube channel 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. Roxy Murray’s bio: If you're keen on driving inclusivity, Roxy's story will be of interest to you. Roxy Murray (@multiplesclerosisfashionista) is a London (UK) based MS and disability, and body positivity and activist. She is also a podcaster, voiceover artist, fashion stylist and the designer of sick and sickening (@sickandsickening) clothing, a brand created to celebrate disabled and invisible illness warriors. She focuses her attention on creating better representation, consideration and inclusion within the MS narrative for people of colour and the LGBTQIA Community. Roxy’s Social Media Through her social media, Roxy combines her love of fashion and art to empower others on their journey, whilst they navigate through life with a disability or invisible illness. She creates videos and Instagram content that celebrates and brings visibility to the beauty of the community with her hashtag #WeAreNotInvisible. She also focuses her attention on helping others take steps to release grief and openly talk about her own mental health battles. Roxy’s podcast She highlights real unfiltered stories and talks about taboo subjects like disabled joy, sexual empowerment and much more on her podcast (@sickandsickening_podcast). Selected Key Takeaways Accessible fashion is adaptable, so that it suits every body, every shape, and every person’s needs Sometimes that might be an adaptable sleeve, it might be magnetic fastening. Jewellery is a big one for me, I find it really hard to clip in the little clips around the neck. You can get ones [fastenings] that are just magnetic so it's easier to pull on and push off for someone that wants to be chic and fashionable and look good, but they want to be able to dress themselves. Then Barbara Met Allen is a new TV show chronicling the UK’s disability rights movement It's more inclusive it's more accessible and people that are disabled are being allowed to tell [their] own stories, which is really special. So, you have a story of when Barbara met Allen and together, after the disability rights generation movement in America, it came over here. They were looking for their own accessibility revolution. There’s no need to desexualize disabled bodies I'm a 34-year-old, unapologetic Aries. I'm going to stand up, be proud and look fabulous. I've literally walked a runway show with a mobility aid, and was like, “I'm going to wear underwear and be fabulous and show people we can be disabled and be sexual and be good and curious and gorgeous”. Related Links: Connect with Roxy on Instagram Roxy's podcast: Sick and Sickening on Apple Podcasts Myelin & Melanin podcast: myelinandmelanin.com Alinker walking bike: www.thealinker.com/ Unhidden Clothing: unhiddenclothing.com/ Watch 'Then Barbara Met Allen' on Netflix: www.netflix.com/gb/title/81406123 The ADAMS study: app.mantal.co.uk/adams Listen to our podcast with Mitzi Joi Willams: S4 Episode 50 Find out more about Dominic Shadbolt’s The MS Guide: dominicshadbolt.com/ Watch Education on Netflix: www.netflix.com/gb/title/80197526 Hot Octopus adaptable toys: www.hotoctopuss.com/uk/en/ Listen to our podcast with Aaron Boster on MS and : S3 Episode 43 Follow Dave Walsh: www.instagram.com/sitting_bull_uk Follow Yazzie: www.instagram.com/yazzietalks/ MS Together www.mstogether.org/ 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.

In conversation with Associate Professor Michelle O’Donoghue |S5E3

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the Overcoming MS podcast where we explore all topics relating to living well with multiple sclerosis (MS). In this episode, we are pleased to welcome Dr Michelle O’Donoghue, OMSer (someone following the Overcoming MS Program) and co-editor of the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis Handbook, as our guest.  Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Michelle’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.  Michelle’s bio:  Career  Dr Michelle O’Donoghue is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a practicing physician in the Cardiovascular Division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She is the inaugural recipient of the McGillycuddy-Logue Distinguished Chair in Cardiology.   Dr O’Donoghue earned her medical degree at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. She subsequently completed a Master’s in public health degree at the Harvard School of Public Health.   MS diagnosis and Overcoming MS  Dr O’Donoghue was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2010 and adopted the Overcoming MS Program (diet and lifestyle changes) shortly thereafter. She has lived free from clinical relapses since that time.  In 2022, Dr O’Donoghue, Professor George Jelinek and Associate Professor Sandra Neate published the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis Handbook that they co-edited together which provides an accessible overview of the Overcoming MS Program created by Professor Jelinek, including empowering community stories.   Selected Key Takeaways  Overcoming MS offers hope and a way to change the trajectory of MS   “I think that when people first get a diagnosis [of MS], they envision that it is a course towards progressive deterioration, and progressive symptoms, and then that course can't be modified. And so, for me, it was so exciting, and it gave me so much hope, to feel like there was some ability that I might have to change that trajectory and that's a big part of why I adopted the Overcoming MS plan.”  It can take time to come to terms with an MS diagnosis and it may take time to fully embrace the Overcoming MS program   “I came across Professor Jelinek's book about Overcoming MS and the first time that I read the book, it didn't initially resonate with me as much as it did when I picked it up several months later. When I look back, I think to myself, ‘why was it that I didn't initially embrace his suggestions?’ I think that there are many reasons for that. One of which was, I was still just in an initial denial in general about my diagnosis and I was going through the different phases of grief really to cope with that, and my initial reaction was denial.”  Following the Overcoming MS Program will improve your overall health   “Professor Jelinek appropriately emphasizes that all elements of the program are equally important. I try to remind myself of that on a regular basis. At the end of the day, I think that [for] anyone who's considering the Overcoming MS program, I would encourage them to recognise that it's a win-win. Following a predominantly whole food plant-based diet, adopting stress management strategies, and making sure that you deal with any mental struggles that you may have, face those demons. I think it leads you to a better place overall.”  Related Links:   Read the Overcoming MS Handbook: Roadmap to Good Health: https://overcomingms.org/overcoming-multiple-sclerosis-handbook-roadmap-good-health Read the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis book: https://overcomingms.org/resources/overcoming-multiple-sclerosis-book Find out more about Roy Swank’s research on a low saturated fat diet for people with MS https://overcomingms.org/latest/swanks-paper-looking-effect-low-saturated-fat-diet-ms 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. 

Webinar highlights from The Overcoming MS Handbook: Roadmap to Good Health | S5E2

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the Overcoming MS podcast where we explore all topics relating to living well with multiple sclerosis (MS). In this episode, we are taking you back to the launch of the ‘Overcoming MS Handbook: Roadmap to Good Health’ with Professor George Jelinek, Dr Jonathan White and Dr Phil Startin. Together they discussed how the new book was created, the highlights from the book and answered questions from the community. We were excited by the arrival of the new book, as it provides an engaging overview of the Overcoming MS Program combined with stories from the community. This webinar was recorded in February 2022 as part of our Finding Hope with Overcoming MS webinar series. You can watch the whole webinar here or the podcast highlights on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and George, Jonathan and Phil’s bios. Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis. And if you’re new to Overcoming MS, visit our introductory page to find out more about how we support people with MS. Professor George Jelinek’s 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 and assess 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 MS Program, which he detailed in his book Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis. The new book in this podcast episode is a newly launched accessible overview of his findings. George has remained free of further relapses, as have many people who follow the Overcoming MS Program. Dr. Jonathan White’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. He contributed to the new book in this podcast episode. Overcoming MS and personal life: Jonathan was diagnosed with RRMS in October 2015 and has been following the Overcoming MS Program ever since.  Dr. White assists Overcoming MS 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. Dr Phil Startin’s Bio Career and Overcoming MS: After a DPhil in Quantum Physics, Phil left his academic roots for a more peripatetic career in management consulting, initially with Price Waterhouse. After years of travelling around the world for both work and pleasure, including a two-year assignment in Geneva, he was diagnosed with Primary Progressive MS (PPMS) in 2007. Phil discovered Overcoming MS in 2011, and coupled with his earlier discovery of mindfulness meditation, it awakened a whole new area in his life. With training and supervision from Bangor University, he now teaches an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course to people with MS and to the general community on a pro-bono basis. He is also a trustee for MS-UK. Personal life: Phil lives in Arrochar, Scotland with his American wife, Cristina, whom he met over a weekend at the Jazz Fest in New Orleans. Phil’s completely convinced that the Overcoming MS program and mindfulness have positively affected the trajectory of his condition. Selected Key Takeaways The new book gives different perspectives from the Overcoming MS community Professor George Jelinek said: “After what seems like quite a long time of bringing this message to people, I’m hearing the message come back to me through the filter of all of these different people's lives and experiences, joys and sorrows. It's just a wonderful read for me to sit down and say that all this has been happening in our community and that people have worked out ways of adopting and maintaining this program, many of which I've really never considered given that I've got only my own particular view of the world.” Overcoming MS supports the use of medications alongside lifestyle changes Dr Jonathan White said: “I think sometimes the medical community thinks it’s “us or them” [with] lifestyle or medication and that could never be further from the truth. I personally have always chosen to use medication as part of my way of managing MS and I wouldn't change that. But nor would I change using lifestyle to manage my MS. Undoubtedly for many people medication has many benefits and is a huge part of your armor and protection against this disease. But why ignore the underlying things that caused the problem in the first place, you know, stress, lack of exercise, low vitamin D levels, poor diet and processed and altered fats and animal fats in your diet?” The Overcoming MS program is relevant for both relapsing and progressive forms of MS Dr Phil Startin said: “By following the Overcoming MS program, you absolutely can make a difference [to your MS], you can change the trajectory of that condition, and you can improve your quality of life. Through neuroplasticity, you can even recover some functions. The Overcoming MS program is just as relevant for us with a progressive form of the condition as it is for those with those newly diagnosed and with a relapsing form, possibly even more.” Related Links: Overcoming MS Handbook: Roadmap to Good Health Watch the original webinar 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. Make sure you also 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.

Functional Medicine with Magic Barclay | S5E1

Welcome to Season 5 of Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome holistic health practitioner and expert Magic Barclay as our guest!  Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Magic'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: Magic Barclay is the lead practitioner and founder of ‘Wholistic Natural Health Australia’, a holistic health practice. She also is a host of the podcast “A Magical Life: Health, Wealth and Weight Loss”. Magic’s life changed when she faced multiple life-threatening conditions and at the same time, found herself divorced and raising her two children alone. She decided to find the root cause of her health issues and that set her on a path of life-changing learning that affected her whole family. Magic is a Master Practitioner in immune health, mould toxicity recovery and Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immunology (the study of the interaction between psychological processes and the nervous and immune systems of the human body) of trauma. She tells us that she is a “mum of two amazing humans and two gorgeous furbabies, a grower of organic food for her family and a passionate native gardener”. Magic’s mission is to help people heal naturally, reconnect to the environment and reach their own potential. She mainly works with women aged 45-65 who feel unheard or misled by mainstream medicine and anyone who wants to bring their health back to basics. Selected Key Takeaways: The purpose of functional medicine Functional medicine involves looking at the systems of the body. It looks at what each system does and how it works with the other systems. We often say, "no system works alone." We particularly look at the root cause because if you don't look at that, then other issues keep arising. Belief in yourself is a powerful part of healing If people don't believe in themselves, they're not going to get well. We see a lot of people just given diagnosis after diagnosis, label after label, and they start believing that's who they are. Magic believes that this is a really awful way to live because you're a person, you are not the label that was given to you by your doctor. You are still a person. So, what they do in functional medicine is uncover: Who is that person? And who do [they] want to be? Reduce stress by acknowledging the stressor isn’t forever If you find yourself around people that increase your stress, don't be around them or decide to be around them for five or 10 minutes. Give yourself a time cap and tell yourself after 10 minutes “I'm out of this situation and I'll be okay”. If you find you are stressed by work, a doctor's appointment or driving, either take yourself out of the situation, find an alternative, or give yourself a time limit so that you know internally it's not forever. And don't sit there thinking, “I'm so stressed,” as your body hears that and guess what? It replies, "Really? This is a low level of stress, you want to be stressed? I'll raise the bar." Related Links: Magic’s Wholistic Natural Health Find out more about PNEI and Dr. Gabor Maté https://drgabormate.com/ Make natural laundry detergent from horse chestnuts/ conkers/ buckeyes https://wastelandrebel.com/make-laundry-detergent-out-of-chestnuts/ Parkinson’s protein from gut to brain https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/tracking-spread-parkinsons-proteins-gut-brain The Blood Brain Barrier in MS https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8395058/ Th1 and Th17 response in MS https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5491887/ 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 also 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.

Building resilience with Dr Rachael Hunter | S4E34

Welcome to Living Well with MS. In this episode, Geoff catches up with Overcoming MS facilitator, Dr Rachael Hunter, a clinical psychologist and senior lecturer in clinical and health psychology at Swansea University. Rachael talks to Geoff about the meaning of resilience and looking after your psychological health. 
   
Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways.     
    
Topics and Timestamps:   
02:03 Can you tell us a little about your professional background and personal journey with MS and Overcoming MS? 
09:26 What is resilience? 
17:47 How would you relate resilience and having traumatic diagnosis of something like MS? 
21:45 What are the building blocks of resilience? 
25:05 You have a 3Ps framework. Could you explain what that is? 
27:53 You’ve got pleasure, purpose, and practice. How could you get more pleasure in your life? 
31:11 Moving on to purpose, how can people connect to and find their true purpose? 
34:12 And then the final one, practice. What do you mean by practice? 
36:14 So if one is trying to look into more of self-care, what would you say is self-care approach to take? 
  
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:     
Buy a copy of the latest book, the Overcoming MS Handbook, launched at the end of 2021. 
Read the 2022 Global Resilience report here. 
PTSD stats: https://www.ptsduk.org/ptsd-stats/ 
Follow Rachael on social media: IG @drrachaelhunter, Twitter @drrachhunter 
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rachael.hunter.908 
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.

Disrupt Move and Transform with Kathy Chester | S4E33

On this episode of Living Well with MS we are pleased to welcome Kathy Chester, a certified fitness trainer and podcaster with MS.  
 
Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways.     
    
Topics and Timestamps:  
02:09 Could you tell us a bit about yourself and where you're from? 
07:26 How did you come to understand that these factors affected you? 
11:25 You're the creator of Disrupt, Move and Transform, a specialized fitness training program delivered online for people with MS and other autoimmune conditions. Can you tell us a bit about the program? 
14:37 Why did you make the choice to risk known financial income to jump into an unknown market? 
16:28 If people want to learn more about Disrupt, Move and Transform, what's the process of getting involved? 
17:22 You've mentioned about the podcast and Move It or Lose It podcast now in its second season. Can you tell us a bit about your podcast? 
19:42 Another thing that came out of the podcast is you have a group called Women Who Disrupt MS. What are the goals of that group? 
21:44 If people are interested in joining Women Who Disrupt MS, how would they go about that? 
  
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:    
Try an Overcoming MS exercise video   
Find out more about Kathy’s Disrupt Move and Transform exercise program   
Listen to Kathy’s podcast Move It or Lose It   
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.

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? 
  
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:    
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.