In this episode of Living Well with MS, we meet adaptive world champion athlete Francis Loye, a Northern Ireland-based father of three who lives with MS.  

Francis was diagnosed in 2021 after experiencing symptoms on a cycling holiday. Since then, he has transformed his life: following the Overcoming MS program, connecting deeply with community, and competing at the very highest level in hybrid and adaptive sport. From the Hyrox World Championships to the gruelling Mallorca 312 endurance race, Francis has shown what’s possible when determination meets lifestyle-led wellness.  

This conversation is full of honesty and inspiration – whether you’re newly diagnosed, returning to exercise, or curious about what adaptive sport looks like in practice.  

Watch this episode on YouTube. Keep reading for the topics and timestamps. 

00:43 Francis’s MS journey: diagnosis, fear, acceptance and choosing empowerment 

04:17 Discovering Overcoming MS: a lifeline of hope 

06:23 Discovering the power of community 

07:59 Adapting lifestyle: challenges and triumphs 

11:04 Family health: balancing MS and parenting 

13:40 The Retreat experience: vulnerability and connection 

16:32 Understanding hybrid and adaptive athletics 

20:01 Training regimen: balancing endurance and strength 

25:29 Winning the Hyrox World Championships 

29:19 Diet and nutrition: balancing performance and health 

31:38 Advice for the newly diagnosed: finding peace and community 

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In this episode of Living Well with MS, Dr Jonathan White is joined by Dr Stephen Simpson-Yap, Senior Research Fellow at the Neuroepidemiology Unit (NEU) in Melbourne, Senior Research Fellow at the Neuroepidemiology Unit (NEU) in Melbourne, focusing on multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune conditions.

Together they unpack the complex relationship between diet and MS: why diet research is so challenging, what the current evidence tells us, how different MS diet programmes compare, and where the science is heading next. Steve explains how epidemiologists study diet, what makes high-quality research so difficult, and why large, long-term studies like HOLISM and the UK MS Register are so important to people with MS.

This episode is a webinar highlights special – originally recorded as a live Overcoming MS webinar and now edited for the podcast to bring you the key insights, questions and takeaways in one place.

You can watch this episode on YouTube. Keep reading for the topics and timestamps.

01:53 How diet might influence MS risk, progression and disability

04:24 Why diet research is so hard

07:31 Inside a diet study – what it really takes to measure what people eat

11:27 Comparing MS diets (Overcoming MS, Whals, Best Bet, and more.)

15:06 How researchers actually study diet in MS

24:54 What we know so far Key findings from existing diet studies,

28:02 The future of diet research for MS and how large data sets could change everything

33:35 What this means for people with MS  

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In this episode of the Living Well with MS podcast we continue the discussion on diet as a key pillar of the Overcoming MS Program, and how to integrate the Overcoming MS diet dos and don’ts into one’s daily routine with nutritional therapist and Overcoming MS Facilitator Sam Josephs as our guest.

01:25 Getting started with the Overcoming MS diet 

05:41 Is fasting worth trying? 

06:04 The 5:2 diet for fast-mimicking effect  

10:54 Is there a connection between gluten and multiple sclerosis? 

17:18 Tips on making cooking easier for people following the Overcoming MS diet 

If you enjoy this podcast, please support the ongoing work and podcasts from Overcoming MS by leaving a donation here.

Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing [email protected].

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Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing.  In this episode we welcome Jack McNulty, professional cook and longtime follower of the Overcoming MS Program. Jack tackles plant-based recipe substitutions, answering community questions and sharing practical advice to help you adapt your favourite recipes while following the Overcoming MS diet.

Keep reading for the topics and timestamps.

01:00 Introduction to cooking with MS

01:44 Understanding the Overcoming MS diet pillar

03:47 Substituting dairy: a functional approach

10:33 Exploring vegan butter alternatives

15:35 The complexity of egg substitutes

25:09 Meat alternatives: flavour and texture

37:12 Replacing coconut milk in recipes

39:48 Buttermilk substitutes and cooking oils

45:15 Using cashew cream and final thoughts

If you enjoy this podcast, please support the ongoing work and podcasts from Overcoming MS by leaving a donation here.

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What does it take to live well with MS for more than 40 years? For professor and theatre maker David Peimer, the answer lies in resilience, curiosity, and transforming anger into creative energy.

In this powerful and deeply reflective episode of Living Well with MS, David shares how he went from being given just four years to live to building a successful global career – teaching, directing, and writing award-winning plays – while following the Overcoming MS Program.

With honesty and humour, David explores how diet, stress management, and self-understanding helped him rebuild his health and his life. His story is a testament to hope, perseverance, and the belief that, even when faced with MS, we can learn to surf the wave rather than be swept away by it.

Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the topics and timestamps and David’s bio.

02:02  David’s early MS journey and life-changing diagnosis

If you enjoy this podcast, please support the ongoing work and podcasts from Overcoming MS by leaving a donation here.

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Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Living Well with MS podcast, where we are pleased to welcome Professor George Jelinek as our guest! Professor Jelinek is the founder of the Overcoming MS program and was, until recently, the head of the Neuroepidemiology Unit at the University of Melbourne. In this episode, he discusses how extensive scientific research is illuminating new ways to help people with MS live better and healthier lives through changes made to their diets and lifestyles. 

Watch this episode on YouTube here.

00:10 Geoff’s journey with MS 

01:15 Starting The Living Well with MS podcast 

01:48 Introduction of Professor Jelinek 

03:22 Professor Jelinek’s MS diagnosis 

05:22 Roy Swank’s research paper on diet and MS 

11:45 Overview of Overcoming MS 

14:30 Mindfulness based meditation, is there any science to it? 

22:12 Prevention tips for people with MS who have children 

27:55 Will lifestyle factors enter the mainstream treatment? 

31:15 Impact of diet on multiple sclerosis 

If you enjoy this podcast, please support the ongoing work and podcasts from Overcoming MS by leaving a donation here.

Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing [email protected].

If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

In this episode of Living Well with MS, we’re excited to welcome Josie Crawley – poet, professor of nursing, and Overcoming MS community member. Josie has been living with MS for over 20 years, and she shares how poetry, exercise, honesty and joy help her navigate life with resilience and humour.

From the challenges of walking to the meditative calm of swimming, from embracing “JOYMO” (the joy of missing out) to choosing self-kindness over comparison, Josie’s reflections are moving, practical and full of wisdom for anyone on their own MS journey.

If you’d like to read any of Josie’s poems mentioned in this episode, you can find them here: A collection of poems by Josie Crawley

You can watch this episode on YouTube here. 

00:00 Meet Josie Crawley and discover her journey with MS

05:42 The healing role of poetry in life with MS

09:09 Family, career and adapting to life with MS

16:03 How Josie discovered the Overcoming MS Program

18:46 Ageing with MS: acceptance and challenges

21:25 Why swimming and walking are Josie’s meditations

25:24 Finding joy and (challenge) in walking

28:15 Finding balance in life with MS

31:22 Navigating medication and treatment options

35:10 Balancing privacy and disclosure in work

If you enjoy this podcast, please support the ongoing work and podcasts from Overcoming MS by leaving a donation here.

Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing [email protected].

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In this episode of Living Well with MS, we’re sharing highlights from a popular webinar on physical activity. Overcoming MS Program Facilitator Heather O’Neil hosts a fascinating conversation with renowned researcher Dr Robert Motl and community members Francis Loye and Duarte Valente. Together, they explore the science and lived experience behind why moving your body matters when you live with MS.

Watch this episode on YouTube. 

02:46 Why exercise is ‘medicine’ for MS

05:50 Cells to society: how activity helps at every level

11:55 Personal experiences: community members share their stories

17:38 Overcoming challenges: motivation and mindset

23:38 Q&A: including questions on fatigue and the best types of exercise

29:25 Practical tips for starting and maintaining an exercise program

35:35 Final thoughts and encouragement to get started and keep going

If you enjoy this podcast, please support the ongoing work and podcasts from Overcoming MS by leaving a donation here.

Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing [email protected].

If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

In this episode of the Living Well with MS podcast we are pleased to have Véronique Gauthier-Simmons as our guest! Originally from France and now residing in Portugal, Véronique was diagnosed with MS at the age of 34, but through the Overcoming MS Program and her love of exercise found a way to make staying fit a meaningful part of her life. She now helps others do the same as an Overcoming MS facilitator and qualified yoga instructor and yoga therapist. 

Watch this episode on YouTube here. 

05:30 Véronique’s yoga business, Taming the Walrus 

07:22 How do you decide which exercise is right for you? 

12:54 Should one stay within their comfort zone, or push their boundaries? 

16:25 What kind of exercises can you do if not fully mobile? 

18:59 Between watching exercise videos or taking a fitness class, which is better? 

If you enjoy this podcast, please support the ongoing work and podcasts from Overcoming MS by leaving a donation here.

Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing [email protected].

If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

In this episode of Living Well with MS – the podcast where we explore how lifestyle choices and evidence-based approaches can help people live full and healthy lives with multiple sclerosis – we look at the surprising benefits of dance with Tiffany Stott and Emily Davis from Scottish Ballet.  

Tiffany leads Scottish Ballet’s Dance Health Programmes, and Emily recently completed her PhD on Elevate – a dance programme created specifically for people with MS. What makes Elevate stand out is its inclusivity: whether you’re seated, standing, brand new to dance or have years of experience, the classes are adapted so everyone can take part. 

 Join us as we explore how the arts and science come together to support people with MS, and why dance might be one of the most uplifting ways to live well. 

01:00 Introduction to Dance for MS 

01:57 Scottish Ballet’s health programmes 

05:47 How the Elevate programme was developed 

10:52 The research and evidence for Dance and MS 

15:02 What a class looks and feels like 

20:49 Emily’s PhD findings on Elevate 

24:48 Overcoming barriers to participation 

27:45 Benefits of dance for MS 

30:48 How to get involved with Elevate

If you enjoy this podcast, please support the ongoing work and podcasts from Overcoming MS by leaving a donation here.

Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing [email protected].

If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.