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 S5E8Check out Overcoming MS-friendly recipesCreate your Overcoming MS Meal PlanRead Sam’s bioNew to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory pageConnect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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.

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Sue Tibbles as our guest! Sue is an MS nurse and Overcoming MS facilitator who follows the Program. She is a qualified mindfulness teacher with a Master’s in Mindfulness from the University of Aberdeen. In this episode, she discusses tips for setting up a mindfulness practice, the role of stress and MS and shares some different mindfulness practices. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 01:19 Sue’s stress-related MS diagnosis. 05:59 Navigating the difficulties of starting a mindfulness practice. 09:24 Effective ways you can settle the mind. 10:54 Practical tips for setting up your own mindfulness practice. 13:05 The role of an MS Nurse. 16:23 How to talk to your healthcare provider about the Overcoming MS Program. 18:52 Tips for when you are newly diagnosed or new to the Program. 24:51 The impact of stress in MS flares. 30:21 Formal vs informal mindfulness practices. Selected Key Takeaways: Don't stress if your healthcare professional initially dismisses the Overcoming MS Program 17:03 “I think it's a really nice opportunity for you to be able to teach [your healthcare professional about the Program]. If you come across resistance from them, I don't think there's an awful lot of point in becoming resentful about that. That's not going to achieve anything at the end of the day. There is lots of support within [the] Overcoming MS [community], if you're not getting it from your MS nurse or your neurologist. Although I think a lot of healthcare professionals are becoming better at being open about these things.” We can’t control what’s going on outside of us, but we can control our response to it 24:51 “I will regularly say to my patients, 'We can't change what's going on outside of us, we can't change that stressful situation at work, we can't change the builders coming in and messing up. We can't change any of that, but we can change our response to it.’ That's what we need to work on, and mindfulness helps with that.” There are no downsides to following the Overcoming MS Program 34:30 “When I was first diagnosed and discovered the Program, I remember thinking to myself, ‘What have I got to lose? By eating a bit more healthily, doing a bit more exercise, [and] doing a bit of mindfulness, what have I got to lose? What is there to gain?’” 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 Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis bookLearn more about Professor Jelinek’s storyListen to S5E13 Meditation tips with Professor Craig HassedFind out more about the Overcoming MS Pop-up Tour in 2024Check out one of our guided meditationsRead Sue’s bioNew to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory pageConnect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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.

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Dr Stefano Pluchino as our guest! Dr Pluchino is a Professor of Regenerative Neuroimmunology at Cambridge University and has been researching stem cell therapy for progressive MS. In this episode, Dr Pluchino speaks to Geoff about what advanced cell therapy is, the success of his phase one trial and what the future of DMTs looks like indicating what people with MS may experience. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 01:31 Dr Pluchino’s background and research into stem cell therapy for progressive MS. 02:52 The difference between types of MS. 05:09 Navigating DMT options for progressive MS. 08:40 Dr Pluchino’s advanced cell therapy research trial: The success of phase one and plans for phase two. 21:05 How advanced cell therapy compares to HSCT or bone marrow transplants. 26:02 What it means for the future of DMTs. 33:39 How you can be part of groundbreaking MS research and trials. Selected Key Takeaways: There are nuances in types of MS beyond ‘relapsing’ or ‘progressive’. 04:23 "It is becoming more complex between active and non-active types of primary and secondary progressive MS where activity is attributed to other episodes. Clinical episodes of disease or radiologically evident episodes of disease, which can be identified by the use of contrast agents at the time of the MRI. So, they are very complex very heterogenous types of disease, with or without activity, which inevitably undergo accumulation of neurological deficits.” The next generation of DMTs will target progression rather than relapses. 06:39 “What's becoming very interesting is that [over the last] few years, there is a general worldwide consensus that progressive MS is becoming and has become a clinical unmet need. The old MS world is concentrating on financing, funding and efforts towards stopping MS through the development of a new generation of DMDs which will eventually target progression rather than relapses.” The future of advanced cell therapy research will look at remyelination, reduction of inflammation and neuroprotection. 19:10 "There is space for assessing whether a proportion of the injected cells [can] differentiate in vivo into new myelin-forming cells. There is a space to assess whether some of the cells [can] increase the survival of neurons in the brain. There is space to assess whether the transplanted cells [can] reduce the type of inflammation which characterises progressive MS, which is what we call a smouldering inflammation. These highly diffuse homogeneous, low-level activations of microglia (immune cells of the central nervous system) and astrocytes (star-shaped cells that hold nerve cells in place) might be reduced by means of advanced cell therapy and the reason why I am specifically alluding to these three major biological mechanisms of disease, remyelination, reduction of inflammation and neuroprotection is because we have managed to identify each of these mechanisms in clinically relevant animal disease models in the last 25 years. So, there is [an] expectation that a clinical trial designed in a way that will allow us to establish the efficacy of the treatment will reveal what we have established already in one of these models.” 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: Video on Early-stage stem cell therapy trial shows promise for treating progressive MSDr Pluchino’s websiteDr Pluchino’s bioIf you have progressive MS you may be eligible for the Octopus trial Learn about HSCT from Professor Richard Burt in Season 5 Episode 25Read about the Shinya Yamanaka  and John Gurdon’a Nobel Winning iPSC technologyFind out more about the latest research in progressive MS from the International Progressive MS Alliance New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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.

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Laura Crowder as our guest! Laura is a health coach and recently joined the Overcoming MS team as an Overcoming MS facilitator. In this episode, she talks to Geoff about what the ‘Change your life for life’ pillar means, how to make lifestyle changes easier to adopt and the importance of looking at your overall lifestyle. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 01:02 Intro: Laura’s MS diagnosis. 02:08 Laura’s new role as an Overcoming MS facilitator. 03:48 Change your life, for life: What it means and how you can implement it. 08:18 How finding your deep ‘why’ makes lifestyle changes easier to adopt. 13:40 How you can feel empowered by following the Overcoming MS Program. 15:28 The impact of reducing alcohol on your physical and mental health. 25:48 What it means to feed the soul and the body. Selected Key Takeaways: Positive lifestyle changes can have immediate health effects. 05:08 “The minute I read [the Program was] evidence based, I thought, ‘I've got to read this.’ I read the entire book, and I jumped straight in. I implemented the diet and the vitamin D straight away, I couldn't do much about the exercise at the time, because I was still off my feet. Eventually, I started walking and then running. It was brilliant. I felt the effects instantly, I think because my previous lifestyle was so poor.” Some people find reducing alcohol consumption can have a positive impact on mental and physical health. 17:05 “Karen Law speaks about this in the Overcoming MS Handbook about how she just noticed that her stress response was better without alcohol in the mix. I think that was probably quite a significant part for me as well. My running improved hugely, I actually completed my first marathon last year, and just my health in general [improved]. So, for me, I decided that I didn't want to start drinking again.” Our health is impacted by our overall lifestyle. 27:00 “Our health is not just what we eat, it isn't just exercise [or] supplementation. Things like our career, relationships and finances, these aspects of our lives are so important in terms of nourishing us. If we're dealing with conflict or unresolved issues, or if we have got very destructive or negative relationships in our lives, that's going to have a really adverse effect on our health, even if we're eating all the superfoods in the world.” 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: Check out our upcoming Overcoming MS events Read the ‘Change Your Life for Life’ chapter in the Overcoming MS book or the Overcoming MS HandbookWatch charity founder Linda Bloom’s story of hopeFind out more about spiritual and health teacher Caroline MyssRead Laura’s bioNew 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: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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.

In this episode, we are sharing highlights from our webinar, ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing’ with Michelle Overton. Michelle is a qualified counsellor and Mental Health First Aid Instructor Trainer. She discusses the impact of life’s challenges on your mental health, coping mechanisms for stress and her top self-care tips. You can watch the original webinar here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 01:03 Michelle shares her own mental health journey. 06:05 How does mental health shape your self-esteem and confidence? 08:27 The impact of life's challenges on your mental wellbeing. 11:00 Stress and how it can affect your DNA. 13:53 Shifting from unhealthy to healthy coping mechanisms. 19:14 Michelle’s top self-care tips for improving your mental health. 24:02 The power of listening. 25:46 How you can find ways to improve sleep and mindful practices. Selected Key Takeaways: Mental health impacts many aspects of life. 07:01 “Confidence can be gauged in new situations [by] learning new skills [or] it could be in a workplace. Self-esteem is how you value yourself on the inside. Our mental health will govern how we feel, how we think, how we behave and how we manage change. It will [also] govern how we make, sustain and end relationships.” Stress can impact our physical health.   10:35 “After you've been experiencing stress for more than two weeks, your body will start to kick out hormones. Your double helix is your DNA and at the bottom of it, you've got the bottom of your shoelace strings that keep it together at the bottom, when the hormones are being kicked out from the stress, what happens is the shoe lay strings get corroded, and it comes undone. And this is when we start to get rogue DNA going around. And that's why it's been linked to being carcinogenic." Find what works for you and your mental health.   25:52 “It's finding what's right for you. I find talking has been a really helpful space for me, whether that's in therapy, or whether it's support services. Making sure that you're hydrated as well. Water can be a very simple thing that can really help instantly.” 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 5 Ways to Wellbeing from MindFollow Michelle on social media on LinkedIn or InstagramRead Michelle’s bioStudy: Effects on DNA Damage and/or Repair Processes as Biological Mechanisms Linking Psychological Stress to Cancer Risk New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page Join a Circle and connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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.

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Yasmin Neves as our guest! Yasmin is an HR professional and recently joined the Overcoming MS team as a facilitator through our ‘Train the Trainer’ programme. In this episode, she talks to Geoff about topics to help you with your work: navigating work with MS, how to talk to your employer about your MS, taking time off work for MS and the pros and cons of being self-employed after an MS diagnosis. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 01:11 Intro: Yasmin’s MS journey. 04:10 Yasmin's new role as an Overcoming MS facilitator. 08:14 Navigating your work with MS: when and how you share your diagnosis with your employer. 13:40 Job interviews and MS: should you disclose or not disclose? 18:50 Taking time off or leaving work with MS: practical considerations for you to think about. 26:32 Self-employment after an MS diagnosis: weighing up the pros and cons. Selected Key Takeaways: All the adjustments you can ask your workplace for. 17:23 “In terms of adjustments whilst you're at work, it could be adjusting your working hours, it could be adjusting to working from home more or working at a different location. It could be changing your setup or how you sit on a chair or at your desk. The list is endless. They have to be tailored to your MS, how your symptoms affect you and what is needed as [part of the] job. It's all about making sure that you are given the support for you and your role.” Keeping motivated and having a purpose when taking time out of work. 19:46 “How are you going to feel if suddenly you've got a whole year off? How are you then going to find your purpose? How are you going to keep motivated without having that thing in your life that maybe was once important? That can go either way.” Weighing up the pros and cons of working for yourself. 28:21 “Work-life balance is very important to me because I'm my own boss, I can decide my own diary. There are obviously cons because I don't get things like sickness benefits, which might be quite helpful with a condition like MS. But then I do get other perks, like I can decide who I work with. Stress is so important with this condition, if there is a client or a project that doesn't quite align with my purpose and it causes me stress, I'm fortunate enough that I can say actually, this isn't for me, and I can turn it away.” 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 Yasmin's previous episode on the Living Well with MS podcastWant to adopt the Overcoming MS program over 6 months like Yasmin did? Get started on the 6 Months to Overcoming MS course on the Live Well Hub   Check out all of the Overcoming MS booksSunflower Lanyard scheme for hidden disabilitiesRead Yasmin’s bio New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are thrilled to bring you our 150th episode! Donations make our podcasts possible – so we’d like to take the opportunity of this milestone to ask if you could support us. As we mark this significant milestone, we are pleased to welcome Overcoming MS CEO, Alex Holden as our guest. Alex joined Overcoming MS in March 2023 and, during her time at the Charity, has completed a lot! In this episode, she talks to Geoff about meeting the Overcoming MS community, her experience at the ECTRIMS conference (the world’s largest research meeting in multiple sclerosis) and the exciting plans for the Overcoming MS charity! Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 01:17 Learn about Alex’s background, expertise and how she became CEO of Overcoming MS. 03:30 Alex’s view of the most compelling pillars of the Overcoming MS Program and changing your lifestyle based on evidence. 04:46 The mental and physical benefits of wild swimming. 05:56 Meeting the resilient and hopeful Overcoming MS community. 07:58 Abseil off the ArcelorMittal Orbit and other ways to support Overcoming MS. 10:22 How she keeps busy with her teenagers outside of work. 11:23 In-person Overcoming MS events taking place in 2024 you might like to attend. 14:15 Join the Live Well Hub – the Overcoming MS app – where over 2,000 community members are already sharing tips and advice. 17:43 Alex’s experience at the largest MS research conference in the world, the 2023 ECTRIMS conference (European and American Committees for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis). 21:06 Future plans for the Overcoming MS charity. Selected Key Takeaways: Put respect for individuals at the forefront. 02:32 “Everybody needs respect, no matter what struggles they have, no matter what they've gone through. Understanding people's situations are so individual to them, I think that's shaped where I've gone with the rest of my career.” Your diet can contribute to your well-being and energy. 03:42 “I've always been very interested in nutrition. At one point I did consider training as a nutritional therapist. So that's something that I'm really passionate about the importance of diet and how that contributes to your wellbeing rather than taking things out of your diet, how you look at what's contributing to energy.” One of the main reasons Alex was drawn to Overcoming MS was because of the community 06:42 "It is such a strong community and a very giving community. People who have had really quite devastating news are managing to give each other so many levels of support, tips, positivity and hope. To be part of that community and amongst those people who have that mindset, I feel very fortunate. As an organisation, we're really small. We are absolutely dependent on people who are in our Circles, our Ambassadors, and people fundraising for us. There are only twelve staff members, and most of us are part-time; the only way we can support a global community is through the community themselves.” 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 others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubFundraise for Overcoming MSMeditate with Overcoming MS facilitator Phil Startin and othersWatch the ECTRIMS conference highlights webinar with Brett DrummondLearn more about the Neuroepidemiology Unit at the University of MelbourneNew to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page Visit the Overcoming MS websiteRead more about Alex Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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.

Happy New Year! Welcome to season 6 of Living Well with MS. We are excited to kick off the new season with the musicians of our fantastic, brand-new theme tune, Claire and Nev Dean. Claire was diagnosed with MS in 1999 and has been following the Overcoming MS Program since 2008, her husband Nev also follows the Program even though he doesn’t have MS. They generously wrote a new theme tune just for the Living Well with MS podcast. We really enjoyed speaking with them about their experience following the Overcoming MS Program, Claire’s passion for physical activity and hearing from Nev about being married to someone with MS. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 01:08 Introducing Claire and Nev, musicians who follow the Overcoming MS Program. 04:27 Claire’s MS diagnosis. 06:58 The benefits of following the Overcoming MS Program even when you don’t have MS. 09:46 Online exercise sessions for people with MS. 12:29 Feeling motivated to follow the Overcoming MS Program. 14:21 Writing the new theme music for the Living Well with MS podcast. 17:17 The importance of exercise and core strength in MS. 19:29 Tips for navigating marriage when a partner lives with MS. 21:35 The importance of meditation, even if you only have one minute. Selected Key Takeaways: The Overcoming MS diet is healthy for everyone. 02:11 Nev: “When we got married, I was rather larger. When we started the diet, I did all the cooking. Obviously [as I was doing the cooking], I started eating the same diet as Claire because I had to cook food for her. Over the years I've lost over six and a half stone.” Following the Overcoming MS Program has stopped Claire’s progression. 12:25 Claire: “The year before we found Overcoming MS, we got married, and I was using a wheelchair. Since I've been following the [Overcoming MS] diet, I haven't got any worse and my progression has stopped.” Working out in bed is a viable option. 17:17 Claire: “During lockdown, the MS Centre was closed, and I remember my uncle said to me I could do crunches. I just lay in bed, and I worked on my stomach muscles. I went from 20 [crunches] a day up to 300. I've continued to work on my stomach and my abs. Since then, I've started on the pull-up bar, and I do that every morning.” 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 more about Claire and her online Zoom workouts in our blog Nev and Claire on YouTube Nev and Claire on SoundCloud Cold water immersion for MS symptom relief New Pathways Magazine from MS-UK MOTOmed chair bike 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: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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.

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Audrey Zannese as our guest! Audrey is a mindfulness expert living with MS and specialises in the relaxation method, sophrology. This practice has helped her to live well with MS. She talks to Geoff about her MS journey, what sophrology is and the research behind it. At the end of the episode, Audrey gives a guided sophrology practice. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps 01:19 Audrey’s MS journey. 05:25 Managing stress. 08:19 The origins of sophrology. 11:22 The aims and benefits of sophrology. 14:00 Audrey’s switch from research scientist to sophrologist. 18:43 The research into the positive effects of sophrology. 22:25 Guided sophrology practice. Selected Key Takeaways Sophrology is a stress-reduction technique.   06:14 “Sophrology is a uniquely structured mind-body practice that combines both Western relaxation methods and Eastern meditative practices. It can be used for personal development, enhancing performance, but also for improving health and well-being. It includes a variety of exercises that are accessible and easy to incorporate into your daily life. There are gentle body movements, breathing exercises [and] aspects of mindfulness and meditation.” The aims and benefits of sophrology practice.   11:22 “The aim of sophrology is to help you reconnect with yourself. Self-awareness of how you're feeling inside helps you build the capacity to regulate your internal state but also builds the capacity as you would find in mindfulness and meditation of acceptance and letting go when things cannot be changed. Through this work, as it is repetitive and very much a practice, you get to a place where you are feeling balanced in terms of your mind, body, and emotions.” Sophrology is a big part of how Audrey lives well with MS.   15:04 “I remember one day I came out of my flat, and I was so happy to be alive. I didn't feel [my] MS anymore. I wasn't scared, I knew I had everything in me to live my best life, in a way I had never been [able to] before when I was healthy. When I look back, I look with compassion, but I realise that through this journey, what it was to be happy.” 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: Visit the Step into sophrology websiteThe Sophrology Academy websiteEssential Guide to Tap into The Power of the Mind-Body ConnectionNew to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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 our charity to share how to live well with MS with more people.

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Krystina Christiansen as our guest! Krystina is a filmmaker who has recently finished a documentary about an end-of-life letter she found, written by a man with MS. Overcoming MS wants everyone to live a full and healthy life with MS, but it is inevitable that everyone, with or without MS, will pass away. It is therefore unhelpful that death is often a taboo subject. Krystina talks to Geoff about healthy ways to think about your own mortality, her new film, ‘Dear Brandon’ and planning ahead for your end of life, which is something that everyone needs to consider. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 02:29 Krystina found an end-of-life letter from a man with MS on a mountain in Hawaii. 04:12 ‘Dear Brandon’ is a film about death and grief, but also hope and community. 10:41 Healthy ways to think about your own mortality. 12:31 Writing a will and planning your funeral. 14:55 Resources at the end of life. 18:00 Death doulas can help the dying and their families. 20:18 Death cafes are safe spaces to talk about mortality. 24:35 Follow along with Brandon’s story and Krystina’s films. Selected Key Takeaways: Talking about death and dying doesn’t have to be taboo 07:03 “To know Brandon is to know someone who is going to die, he is on his deathbed. That's the social contract that you agree to when you become friends with him. I’d also like to point out that that's the social contract you have with everybody. It's just more obvious with him, I guess. I've learned that sometimes just talking about [death] does make it a bit easier for everyone.” Make a plan for your funeral and estate 09:32 “Make sure that you plan for your death if it is something that we have the opportunity to do. Planning makes not only your end of life a bit smoother, but also for the ones you leave behind. It makes their lives a lot better and allows them to just focus on grieving versus dealing with the business of death.” Death is not an emergency 19:05 “If you have someone in the home who passes away, you don't have to call anyone immediately. You can take your time and be with your loved one. There is no rush. You can even have people come over and say goodbye in the home. You can prepare the body in the home, there are so many different options.” 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 Krystina’s work and “Dear Brandon”See the people and places Brandon’s letter reachedConnect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS websiteConsider leaving a give to Overcoming MSNew to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page  Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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.

Welcome to Living Well with 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. In this episode, Dr Boster covers a range of topics, including heat intolerance, when to start a DMT and his tips for self-managing MS. You can watch the original webinar here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways.   Topics and Timestamps: 02:13 Considerations for changing to a less stressful job and stronger DMTs. 05:09 Talking to clinicians about stress. 06:25 Hyperbaric oxygen therapy. 08:11 Stem cell transplants for PPMS. 10:35 Tysabri during pregnancy and breastfeeding. 12:23 MS and Stroke. 13:52 MRI showing brain cysts. 16:57 Betaferon and slow progression. 19:45 Changing from Tysabri to Ocrevus. 21:41 Vertigo. 23:05 Ampyra for walking, spasticity, and nerve pain. 25:50 Types of inflammation. 28:05 Anesthetic or epidural and MS. 30:15 B-cell depletion therapy and allergies. 31:17 Tips for self-managing MS. 37:42 Heat intolerance. 40:30 When to start on a DMT. 41:22 Ocrevus and low lymphocyte levels. 43:40 Diet and MS. 48:50 Nausea as an MS symptom. 51:30 CBD for MS. 52:45 Bursitis and MS. 53:36 Choosing a DMT and considering side effects. 55:16 Invisible illness in an ableist world. Selected Key Takeaways: Exercise as part of your daily lifestyle  34:42 “Exercising as part of a lifestyle means that if you do it, you're not rewarded. There's no reward for doing something as part of your lifestyle and if you don't do it, there's no punishment - you're not sent to the naughty corner. So, for example, I have a lifestyle of brushing my teeth. I don't tweet about it. I don't make YouTube videos about it. I don't even talk about it when I get to work. It's just something I do every morning and if I happen to forget to brush my teeth before I head off to the office, I'll run upstairs and do it. This is part of my lifestyle. So, I need people impacted by MS to exercise as part of their lifestyle.” Plan your day to minimise symptoms like heat intolerance 39:43 “We can conserve energy during those times when it's really hot out. Whereas I would normally encourage a patient to park at the back of the parking lot to get their steps in. If it's the middle of the day, [walking that far is] going to sap all your energy so that when you get to the grocery store you can't shop, that doesn't really work very well, does it? And so that's an example where we would have someone drop us off at the threshold of the grocery store so that you can be successful in your shopping.” Be brave in using mobility aids and seeking accommodations. 57:27 “I tell people who are embarrassed by their cane, ‘Don't you dare be embarrassed by your cane, a cane is a sign of intelligence.’ A person with a cane would like to not fall. So, when a little boy is walking with [his] mum, and says, ‘Mummy, why is she using a cane?’ That's an opportunity for the mother to say, ‘Well, she doesn't want to fall, she has a problem with her leg and the cane helps her.’ It normalises it. So, one of the things that we need to do is to be brave. I'll remind you of the definition of bravery, ‘doing something despite being scared’. The second thing is, I want you to be very selfish. You need to be selfish; you live your life once. You're not living your life so some stranger, you don't know, thinks nice polite things about you.” 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 here.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 Sex (and MS) Check out Dr Boster’s popular YouTube channel covering all aspects of MS.New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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.

Welcome to Living Well with MS. In this episode, we are sharing the highlights from our webinar, ‘A guide to the Overcoming MS Diet’, with Gillian Robertson and Ashley Madden. Gillian and Ashley are both professional chefs who follow the Overcoming MS Program. In this webinar, they discuss how to adopt the diet, the benefits of a plant-based diet, dairy substitutes and much more. Watch the original webinar here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps 02:52 Practical ways to adopt the Overcoming MS Diet. 08:56 What is a plant-based diet? 14:58 Meals and snacks that offer a complete protein. 22:32 Substituting cheese and ice cream. 27:13 Cooking without oil. 33:13 Meal planning equipment. 39:33 Plant-based meal planning on a budget. Selected Key Takeaways A whole food, plant-based diet is health-promoting. 11:00 Ashley Madden: “A plant-based diet is high in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fibre. It's overall anti-inflammatory because we're getting a lot of antioxidants from all those colourful plant foods. It's low in saturated fat, which is important for us, of course, and also has extensive health benefits that go beyond. A plant-based diet has been shown to reduce the risk of some cancers, it can help with weight loss or weight stabilisation, and it can also decrease the risks and sometimes reverse some of the modern-day chronic diseases that we're seeing in a lot of the developed countries.” It’s easy to get enough complete protein on a plant-based diet. 14:27 Ashley Madden: “What modern science has taught us is that the amino acid gaps in one plant food are filled in by another plant food. The bottom line is that you don't need to strategically pair plant foods in specific meals to get the protein that you need. We now know that eating a variety of whole plant foods will get you all of the essential amino acids that are required. I have here listed just some simple meal and snack ideas that actually do offer you complete protein that you're probably already doing and don't even know it. So brown rice and beans, oatmeal, and nuts and seeds or soy milk, sprouted bread is a great one because it has a combination of legumes and grains and nuts and hummus on whole wheat toast.” Plant based cooking can be done on a budget. 39:45 Gillian Robertson: “Organic now is a big trend. Obviously, it can be very expensive. Don't feel that you always have to buy organic. As long as you're washing your fruit and vegetables well, you're going to be okay. And it's okay to look at frozen fruit and vegetables as well as fresh ones, these are often cheaper, they're just as nutritious and they can help save time because they're often pre-prepared as well. Frozen fish can also be much more economical. If you start thinking about the inexpensive items in plant-based cooking, [such as] grains, pulses, seasonal vegetables, if you make those the base of your meals, then your meals really are not going to cost that much money. More info and Links: Watch the original webinar  Try out some recipes on our websiteRead our blog for tips on shopping at the supermarketNew to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory pageConnect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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, we’d appreciate it if you could leave us 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 appreciate it if you can leave a donation here.

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Jack McNulty as our guest! Jack is a professional cook and a longtime follower of the Overcoming MS Program. In this episode, he answers questions from the community about how to cook with tofu. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 01:42 What is tofu? 02:37 Is it possible to make tofu from scratch? 03:59 Benefits of adding tofu to your diet. 05:54 Debunking the myth that ‘tofu is bland’. 07:03 Saturated fat levels in tofu. 08:52 Different types and textures of tofu. 16:24 The difference between tofu and tempeh. 21:49 Ways to change the texture of tofu. 28:57 Do you have to press tofu before cooking? 31:22 Jack’s favourite tofu marinades and recipes. Selected Key Takeaways: Tofu is an affordable, easy-to-digest, source of protein.  04:25 “Tofu is fairly easy to digest. A lot of people who may have trouble [digesting] legumes can actually digest tofu a little bit easier than they can from the whole bean, which is nice. It's definitely a good source of protein. It’s really affordable. The other thing that I think that's really interesting with tofu is it's basically just a blank canvas." Tofu vs. tempeh 17:01 “Tofu is made from soy milk from the whole soybean turned into milk and then coagulated. Tempeh which originates from Indonesia (and you see it a lot in Indonesian cooking) is [made from] whole beans. It's generally soybeans, but it can be made with other kinds of beans like chickpeas and is pressed together and inoculated with a mold and then packaged so it has this sort of white net around the beans, which gives it a very specific flavour.” Pressing tofu can make it dry.   29:19 “You want to be careful [pressing tofu] because you're forcing out a lot of the moisture from the interior of the tofu that's going to make it fundamentally dry at the end. I would be very cautious with recipes that say, ‘start off by pressing the tofu’. I think it's much better to take a different approach, maybe freeze it, maybe pour some boiling salted water over it, or marinate it rather than pressing it.” 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 Jack’s Marinated & Dry-sautéed TofuTry Jack’s Tofu Vegan MayonnaiseListen to ‘S4E48: Ask Jack’ for his tofu scramble recipe New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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.

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Mike Newton as our guest! Mike is an industrial chemist and follows the Overcoming MS Program. He lives in Australia and has been following the recommendations of Dr Roy Swank and Professor George Jelinek for 25 years. He talks to Geoff about the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats, heating oils and his Overcoming MS journey. Watch this episode on our YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 01:13 Defining oils, fats, triglycerides and lipids from a cooking and chemistry perspective. 07:35 Fats to avoid and include in your diet. 12:54 What’s the difference between plant, animal and fish triglycerides or fats? 16:44 Why do we want to increase our Omega-3s and decrease Omega-9s? 19:24 The difference between monoglycerides and diglycerides is in the melting point, lower melting points are better for brain health. 22:50 Overcoming MS and Dr Roy Swank Selected Key Takeaways: Defining Oils and Fats  01:40 “Triglycerides are the encompassing description of all oils and fats, whether they are from plants or animals, and whether they are liquid or solid. The terms oil and fat are more for the layman and the cooking man. Oil is a liquid at room temperature, and fat is a solid at room temperature.” Hydrogenated fat in commercially produced foods 16:09 “The reason that they use hydrogenated fats is to give the [food] structure so that they can make a pie that you can eat with ease without it all collapsing around you while you're eating it. So, it's purely done for your mouthfeel and structure, so you can eat it (more easily).” Roy Swank’s theory on fat and MS  24:27 “Swank took the theory that the brain is made of a very high percentage of fat and cholesterol. If [your brain] is rock hard like this candle, then when it's rattling around in your head, the lesions in your brain will be scraping against your skull or another very hard piece of brain, causing more symptoms than that you would get if your brain was fluid and malleable.” 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: Recommended Oils on the Overcoming MS Program Guide to understanding Fats in the MS DietRole of Fats in the Overcoming MS Diet Types of fats in your dietNew to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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.

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Dr David Bilstrom as our guest! Dr Bilstrom, MD is the Director of the International Autoimmune Institute & Bingham Memorial Center for Functional Medicine and an expert in treating autoimmune diseases. He talks to Geoff about what autoimmune diseases are, about Vitamin D and gives his tips for sticking with lifestyle change. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 00:59 Dr Bilstrom’s introduction and work in autoimmunity. 01:48 Reversing MS symptoms. 03:32 Infections and autoimmune diseases. 05:52 Vitamin D and MS. 10:45 Supplementing with butyrate. 12:23 Leaky gut and autoimmunity. 14:34 Oestrogen dominance and autoimmunity. 19:03 Adverse childhood events and autoimmunity. 23:40 Tips for sticking with lifestyle change. Selected Key Takeaways: The risk of autoimmunity increases if a parent has an autoimmune disease. 02:04 “It's so easy if you get one autoimmune disease to get a second or third or fourth, but also, if a parent has an autoimmune disease, the child is at a higher risk of every autoimmune disease. For example, if a parent gets rheumatoid arthritis, that child is at a 5.4 times greater risk of getting type one diabetes. We want to educate people about what we know about why people get autoimmune diseases.” Vitamin D and prevention of autoimmune diseases 06:38 “If a woman's vitamin D is above 50 during pregnancy, she's going to decrease the risk of her child ever getting MS by 50% … Vitamin D is uber important when it comes to immune system stuff, such as preventing MS in pregnancy. Cancer is the flip side of the same coin, that's [another] autoimmune disease. If a woman's vitamin D is above 60, she has automatically decreased her risk of ever getting breast cancer by 82%. Kids that take vitamin D 2000 IU in the first year of life will decrease the risk of ever getting type one diabetes by 90%.” Epigenetics and autoimmunity 11:11 “We used to think our genes, our DNA in our cells, [that] whatever we got from our parents [and] grandparents we’re stuck with it. If a parent has MS, they’d think “well, I wish I could change some of the genes my child has.” Well, it turns out, it's not what genes you have, it’s which ones get turned on and turned off. So, it's epigenetics, the things that influence gene expression. There are a lot of bad genes that drive chronic disease, we’ve got to turn those guys off, as well as good genes that drive health, we’ve got to turn those guys on.” 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 Dr Bilstrom’s workTake Dr Bilstrom’s free online courseNew to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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 our charity to share how to live well with MS with more people.

In this episode, we are sharing highlights from our webinar, ‘Breathwork for people living with MS’ with Dr Véronique Gauthier-Simmons. Véronique is a qualified yoga therapist, follows the Overcoming MS Program and has supported Overcoming MS as a facilitator. She discusses what breathwork is, how it can help people living with MS and ends the talk with a breathwork practice for you to try. Watch the original webinar here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Véronique’s bio. Topics and Timestamps 00:58 Véronique’s background 06:25 Véronique’s breathwork training 08:58 Breathing basics 11:24 Dysfunctional breathing patterns 13:31 The power of the breath 16:00 Using the breath to influence other body systems. 18:37 Benefits of breathwork for MS 24:01 The diaphragm 27:00 Breathwork practice Selected Key Takeaways You can take control of your breath. 15:22 “We don't have to think, ‘I need to breathe in, I need to breathe out.’ It happens automatically. But we can also tell the brain, ‘I'm taking over the control, I'm in charge now’. That is the only system in the body that can do that, and that gives us the power to change how we feel because they are connected. We can use the breath as a language to communicate with the different systems in the body.” You can reduce inflammation with breathwork by stimulating the Vagus Nerve 20:26 “There is a really interesting link between breathing and inflammation. I'm sure you've all heard about the Vagus Nerve, and we can stimulate the Vagus Nerve with breathing, [which] reduces stress and inflammation, [as] we know that stress leads to inflammation. So, there is an indirect way to reduce inflammation via the Vagus Nerve with breathwork.” A tense diaphragm can negatively impact our breathing.26:12 “The problem with the diaphragm is that we are not very aware of it, and it can get tense because it’s linked with the Vagus Nerve and the psoas muscle, which connects the upper body and the lower body. So, when we spend many hours sitting [and] when we are stressed, everything tightens, everything gets tense. This affects the movement of the diaphragm and our breathing.” 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: Find out more about Véronique here: Taming the WalrusBreath by James Nestor  Dr. Ela Manga  New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory pageConnect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest Don’t miss out:  Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS episode 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.

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Melanie Lown as our guest. Melanie is a mindfulness teacher, has an M.A. in Psychology, and follows the Overcoming MS Program. She talks to Geoff about her MS diagnosis, the power of mindfulness and the importance of self-compassion. Watch this episode on YouTube here.  Topics and Timestamps: 01:30 Melanie’s introduction and MS diagnosis. 03:58 Balancing self-advocacy with compassion for healthcare professionals. 07:07 Using a diagnosis to discover your purpose. 09:48 Discovering Overcoming MS. 12:02 Our lived experience is as valid as datasets. 13:29 DMTs and COVID. 16:31 The growing popularity of mindfulness in Western medicine. 21:45 Meditation physically changes the brain. 23:33 Depression and spiritualism are opposite sides of the same neural pathway. 27:54 The awakened brain vs. the achieving brain. 29:39 Activating the parasympathetic nervous system with self-compassion. 33:39 Emotions are not ‘good’ or ‘bad’. 35:44 Mindfully choosing your healthcare team and treatment. 42:22 Tips to incorporate mindfulness into your lifestyle. 47:54 Non-judgmental awareness. More info and links: Visit Melanie’s Website or follow her on Instagram: @welcometothemat.Melanie’s Recommended Meditation teachers and guides: Vinny FerraroAmanda GilbertElisha GoldsteinTara BranchDavidjiInsight Timer New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Melanie’s Recommended Books: The Awakened Brain by Dr. Lisa MillerSelf-Compassion by Kristin NeffHow to Change Your Mind by Michael PollanRadical Acceptance by Tara BrachCured by Jeffrey RedigerLearned Hopefulness by Dr. Dan Tomasulo Melanie's Recommended Scientific Articles: Fredrickson, B. L., & Losada, M. F. (2005). Positive affect and the complex dynamics of human flourishing. American psychologist, 60(7), 678.Miller, L., Bansal, R., Wickramaratne, P., Hao, X., Tenke, C. E., Weissman, M. M., & Peterson, B. S. (2014). Neuroanatomical correlates of religiosity and spirituality: a study in adults at high and low familial risk for depression. JAMA psychiatry, 71(2), 128-135.Miller, L., Wickramaratne, P., Gameroff, M. J., Sage, M., Tenke, C. E., & Weissman, M. M. (2012). Religiosity and major depression in adults at high risk: a ten-year prospective study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 169(1), 89-94.Portnoff, L., McClintock, C., Lau, E., Choi, S., & Miller, L. (2017). Spirituality cuts in half the relative risk for depression: Findings from the United States, China, and India. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 4(1), 22. Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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.

Welcome to Living Well with MS. In this episode, we are delighted to welcome neurologist, Professor Stephen L. Hauser as our guest. Professor Hauser has been researching MS since the 1970s, and his team’s research led to the development of the disease-modifying therapy ‘Ocrevus’. He talks to Geoff about the future of DMTs for MS, what autoimmunity is, and how he and his team developed one of the most world-renowned MS DMTs.   Questions and Timestamps 01:45 Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your work? 04:23 What is autoimmunity and how does it relate to MS and inflammation? 06:37 Are some people more prone to develop autoimmune conditions? 10:11 How can a person get the most out of the time they have with their neurologist? 14:01 The benefits of participating in a clinical trial. 16:01 How is MS similar or different from other brain conditions? 20:11 Is there a role of infection in brain diseases like MS? 23:10 The role of hygiene in autoimmunity. 25:40 Book excerpt and how Ocrevus was developed. 32:53 What’s next in B-cell research and MS? 37:58 What tips do you have for lifestyle modifications for people who have MS? More info and links: Read more about Professor Hauser from the American Brain FoundationRead The Face Laughs While the Brain Cries: The Education of a DoctorRead the key episode takeaways and Professor Hauser’s bioNew to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory pageConnect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest Don’t miss out:  Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS episode 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.

In this episode, we are sharing highlights from our webinar, ‘Movement and Breathing Better whilst Living Well with Overcoming MS’ with Gillian Robinson. Gillian is a physiotherapist at the MS Therapy Centre in Lothian, Scotland. She discusses how MS affects breathing, how to breathe better and the importance of physical activity for people with MS. This webinar was recorded as part of our Finding Hope with Overcoming MS webinar series. Watch the original webinar here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Gillian’s bio. Topics and Timestamps 00:57 Why and how we should breathe. 04:22 How MS can affect respiration.   09:13 Consequences of ineffective breathing. 11:00 Monitoring and slowing your breathing helps with fatigue and stress management. 14:05 Posture and nasal breathing are important. 20:19 Deep breathing exercises can be part of your meditation practice to strengthen respiratory muscles. 27:23 Benefits of exercise for people with MS. 33:00 Include both aerobic and anaerobic activities in your routine. 36:38 Vestibular retraining, physiotherapy, Tai Chi and Thera Bands can be helpful for people with MS. 38:16 Breathing exercises can strengthen your pelvic floor and abdominals. 40:06 Virtual reality and visualisation can both be used to improve wellbeing. 41:53 Noticing your breathing is the first step to improving it. Selected Key Takeaways Breathing can be affected by MS, so it’s important to keep active to strengthen muscles in the respiratory system. 04:24 “It's only in recent years that it's been demonstrated that the respiratory system can be affected quite early on in MS. I think most of us are aware that it can be affected in the more advanced stages of MS. [These early effects are] logical really, as we know that muscle strength can be affected by MS in the disease process itself, as wherever your lesions are, they can cause muscle weakness in the rest of our body. So, it makes sense that it will cause muscle weakness in our respiratory system. Not only is this primary weakness a result of the MS itself, but if you're not using [your] muscles and reducing levels of activity, you can develop secondary weakness or deconditioning.” Nasal breathing is really important for optimal health.17:17 “Nasal Breathing is really important. We know that chronic mouth breathing can cause problems with your respiratory system and your lung function and certainly impair the effectiveness of your breathing. You can get dental problems by breathing through your mouth, and you're losing 40% more moisture than you do by breathing through your nose.” Visualisation whilst breathing can help strengthen muscles. 41:00 “An interesting bit of research out there shows that through visualisation activities alone, you can improve muscle strength. So, if you struggle with activity and getting your body moving, visualise activities that you might enjoy. The more detail that you can add to your mental imagery, the better and the more likelihood of success. Just try to bring your awareness of your breath. We've talked about how important breathing technique and exercising your respiratory muscles is.If your breathing is optimised, it most definitely has a knock-on effect on your wider wellbeing.” Noticing your breathing is the first step to improving it.42:39 "Notice your breathing responses during activity, so notice what your breathing patterns do. Do you start to get more shallow as you get more effortful? Do you start to breathe through your mouth? Be more mindful of how your breathing responds to activity." 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 and access downloadable contentFind out more about the breathing techniques Gillian has mentionedFind out more about the Wim Hof methodNew to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory pageConnect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest Don’t miss out:  Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS episode 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. Gillian’s bio: Gillian’s qualifications and career background After graduating from Dundee University with a BSc Hons in Anatomical Sciences, Gillian went on to study physiotherapy. She graduated in 2002 and worked in Croydon University Hospital for 10 years where she cemented her passion for neurology. During her time in Croydon, she completed an MSc in Acupuncture from Coventry University, a useful tool for the treatment box. The MS Therapy Centre In 2012, Gillian moved to Edinburgh where she began working at the MS Therapy Centre Lothian as Lead Physiotherapist. Here she has developed a reputable service for those who attend the centre and has established strong links with the medical and healthcare professionals who are involved in their clients’ care. The ethos promoted by the MS Therapy Centre is one of supported self-management, encouraging and enabling the clients to understand and take control of their symptoms. Within her role Gillian is dedicated to helping people explore their capabilities and facilitate them to achieve a fitter, healthier, happier self. The Health Design Collective – designing products to support people with MS. Gillian is also a director of the social enterprise, Health Design Collective. Set up in 2019, they have a vision to create innovative products for people with long-term health conditions through co-design with the end users. Their first product currently under development is footwear for people with foot drop.

Welcome to Living Well with MS. In this episode, we are pleased to welcome Mike Kennedy as our guest. Mike was diagnosed with MS over 10 years ago and is an advocate for living a healthy life and following the Overcoming MS Program. He will be discussing with Geoff the lessons he has learnt along the way, including when he deviated from the Overcoming MS diet. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Questions and Timestamps: 00:33 Could you introduce yourself? 02:32 Can you tell us about your MS and Overcoming MS journey? 11:21 Unhealthy vegan food 18:25 Experience with first neurologist 21:42 Cryotherapy or cold exposure 25:26 Hyperbaric oxygen therapy 29:50 Homeopathy 33:15 The placebo effect 38:31 Family prevention   43:44 Tea and plant-based milks 45:38 Matt Embry’s influence 49:28 What advice would you give to someone newly diagnosed? Selected Key Takeaways: Change your life for life 15:01 “If I was told right now, ‘Mike, you no longer have MS, you will not [get] it again', I would not go back to eating cheese. I would not go back to eating dairy. I would not go back to eating big fat burgers. Honestly, I think that it's all habitual because these are the habits that I built around my life.” Cryotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy helped Mike’s inflammation.  23:13 “At the 10-year mark, my symptoms at that time were a little more pronounced. I tried hyperbaric oxygen [therapy] for an hour and then cryotherapy. I can only say it was the most incredible relief or feeling I've [ever] experienced. [When] I got out of the cryotherapy tank, I felt like I could run a marathon, and I have never run a marathon. All the inflammation in my legs [was] gone; it was just like fresh blood came into my legs and it was the most incredible feeling. I recommend anyone with problems with inflammation or MS to try cryotherapy.” There can be a silver lining to an MS diagnosis 53:40 “Believe me, it's not all bad news. There's so much you can do to make this situation much better for yourself. In fact, in so many ways, I'm a lot healthier now than I would have been had I not had MS. I know that sounds pretty strange, but it's true. I got healthier; my weight’s a lot healthier. I'm not saying I wouldn't wish I didn't have it, but it certainly gives me a lot of positives as well as negatives, without doubt.” 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 Mike on Twitter @mrmikekennedy or Instagram @miketonykennedyWatch the BBC programme 'Ultraprocessed Foods: A recipe for ill health?'Visit Conor Devine’s MS siteWatch 'The Placebo Experiment: Can My Brain Cure My Body?' by Dr Michael MosleyListen to Trevor Wicken's podcast episode MS Workouts with Overcoming MSListen to Dr Gretchen Hawley's podcast episodes: Season 2 episode 18Season 3 episode 39 Listen to Dom Thorpe's podcast episodeListen to Matt Embry's podcast episodeFind out more about Mike’s mum’s charity, ‘Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer’New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well HubVisit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: FacebookInstagramYouTubePinterest 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.