Most people, regardless of whether or not they have MS, may think running a marathon is, simply put, crazy. While exercise is an important part of the Overcoming MS Program, many people with MS will have symptoms that preclude them from running long distances, or indeed running at all.

This Living Well with MS episode’s special guest, Alex Tsirigotis, is someone who not only runs, but has pushed his body to his limits by regularly running marathons. And the fact that he has MS is just a footnote in his story. 

01:17 Alex’s symptoms, diagnosis, and experience with MS. 

04:20 What lifestyle changes Alex’s diagnosis led to.

06:09 Finding out about Overcoming MS and learnings. 

07:25 How long was it after you started following Overcoming MS did you start to see noticeable improvements?  

09:40 Tips on implementing the Overcoming MS program. 

12:39 Alex’s marathon running. 

17:02 Tips for people with symptoms that can affect their ability to run. 

20:10 Long-term side effects from running marathons. 

21:03 What is the most important piece of advice for anyone contemplating starting the Overcoming MS program? 

24:50 Reasons Alex runs marathons and what’s next. 

If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave 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.  

Love, resilience and real talk – that’s what today’s episode of Living Well with MS is all about. We're thrilled to welcome husband-and-wife team Nikoma and Simone Bell, authors of Marriage & MS: Embracing Life and Love Beyond the Diagnosis. 

Together, they open up about navigating life, love and MS – sharing practical advice on relationships, caregiving, intimacy, and creating space for honest conversations, especially in underrepresented communities. Whether you're living with MS, supporting a partner, or simply curious about how real connection thrives through life's challenges, you won’t want to miss this heartfelt and inspiring discussion. 

01:41 Meet Nikoma and Simone. 

03:09 Top tips for keeping a marriage strong while living with MS. 

05:52 Support for Black men with MS.

08:37 Common struggles among care partners and how to handle them. 

10:27 How to talk to young children about MS. 

12:15 Keeping intimacy alive in relationships with MS. 

13:12 Managing feelings of guilt and being a burden.  

14:37 Staying together despite MS – defying the odds. 

17:30 Talking about what can’t be seen – invisible symptoms.

If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave 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.   

Welcome to Living Well with MS – the podcast where we explore real-life experiences and practical insights on living a full and healthy life with multiple sclerosis. In this episode, we are pleased to welcome trainee Program Facilitator Hayley Baker as our guest. Hayley is an artist and educator who was first diagnosed with MS in 2019. In this open and engaging conversation, Hayley talks about the importance of honest communication, tackling sensitive topics like intimacy and taboo symptoms, and the life-changing impact of connecting with the Overcoming MS community.  

01:32 Meet Hayley and discover her MS journey. 

08:53 Becoming an Overcoming MS Program Facilitator.

10:30 The Overcoming MS Program pillars.

14:05 Hayley’s approach to the more challenging pillars. 

15:39 Her approach to the Family Health pillar.  

17:57 Opening up about taboo symptoms like bladder and bowel problems. 

25:32 The benefits of attending an Overcoming MS Retreat.  

27:11 Balancing honesty and intimacy with a partner. 

32:20 Tips for someone newly diagnosed or new to the Program. 

Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here. 

Sign up for our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS. 

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. 

If you enjoy this podcast an and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here. 

Welcome to Living Well with MS - your go-to podcast for making informed choices to support your health and well-being with MS! In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to welcome a very special guest: comedian and MS advocate Rabiah Coon! Rabiah joins host Geoff to share her journey with MS, how she discovered Overcoming MS through a video shoot, and why she believes that laughter should be the 8th pillar of the program.

Tune in as Rabiah blends humour with honesty, offering unique insights into life with MS while highlighting the power of positivity and community. You won’t want to miss this conversation!

01:29 Meet Rabiah and hear about her journey with MS.

02:31 Finding hope: how Rabiah discovered Overcoming MS through a video shoot.

05:13 Making lifestyle changes: Rabiah shares how she has approached change.

07:15 Transcendental meditation and mindfulness tips.

10:05 Retreat reflections: what it was like to attend an Overcoming MS retreat.

13:37 How Rabiah became a stand-up comedian.

17:17 Laughter as the 8th Pillar.

21:00 Rabiah’s passion for volunteering and the importance of giving back.

26:44 Rabiah’s top tips for the newly diagnosed.

Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis?  Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips.

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.

If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.

In this episode of the Living Well with MS podcast we are pleased to welcome Dr Craig Hassed as our guest to demystify the practice of meditation and provide very sound reasons for why you should consider meditating for its wondrous stress-relieving effects. Dr Hassed, an expert on mindfulness-based stress reduction, will also provide some commonsense tips for successfully working meditation into your daily life. 

01:59 The scientific evidence base for mindfulness.

05:57 What happens to the body under stress? 

11:13 Is there a difference between chronic stress and acute stress? 

14:38 Practicing mindfulness. 

16:51 Should you get professional help as well as mindfulness training if you experience anxiety or depression? 

19:58 Does religious faith reduce stress? 

22:28 Should we keep a journal? 

24:53 Is mindfulness the same as meditation? 

30:35 Is it necessary to follow guided meditations? 

36:15 Free online course on mindfulness.

Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis? Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips.

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

If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.

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

Welcome to Living Well with MS – your go-to podcast for making informed choices to support your health and well-being with MS! In this episode we are pleased to welcome Dr Terry Wahls, a respected clinical professor of medicine, researcher, and someone with lived experience of MS. Diagnosed with secondary progressive MS, Dr Wahls has dedicated her career to exploring the impact of lifestyle interventions on MS and other progressive health conditions.

You can learn more about her work at terrywahls.com, or follow her on Instagram @drterrywahls, and on Facebook/Twitter at @TerryWahls.

01:30 Meet Dr Terry Wahls: her MS journey and the inspiration for her research.

07:35 Lifestyle and MS what the research really says about improving outcomes.

08:26 Various diets and their impacts on MS.

11:41 The role of dairy and its impact on MS.

13:22 The science of nutrition: what MS studies are missing and why it matters.

15:25 When will neurologists recommend a whole food diet as standard care?

20:16 Real results: practical symptom improvements through lifestyle changes.

24:42 MS in families: understanding risk and tips for reducing it.

27:46 Good stress: and how to harness it to live a longer, healthier life.

31:33 Hope in action: small powerful steps to lifestyle change.

Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis?  Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips.

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.

If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.

This is a "Bonus: From the archive" episode of the Living Well with MS podcast.

Many experts believe that vitamin D is a key regulator of the incidence and severity of MS, and this is one of the reasons why ensuring sufficient intake of this critical natural resource is one of the pillars of the Overcoming MS Program. So, it’s timely that this episode of Living Well with MS picks the topic apart with a guest well-versed in his own right on the topic, Dr. Conor Kerley.  

For more information on the latest vitamin D research and advice check out our webpage: MS & Vitamin D Deficiency | Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis

Topics and Timestamps:   

01:29 General importance of Vitamin D 

02:18 Why is Vitamin D especially important if you have MS? 

02:44 Could MS cause low vitamin D rather than the other way around? 

06:01 How to measure your Vitamin D level?  

08:43 What’s a healthy level of Vitamin D to have?   

11:38 What type of vitamin D should I take? 

12:41 Balancing the benefits of getting Vitamin D from the sun with the risks of too much UV exposure 

22:22 How often do I check my Vitamin D levels? 

23:12 Anything else we should know about Vitamin D?  

26:12 Are there any other supplements someone with MS should consider taking? 

31:52 Is taking a multivitamin tablet better than individual vitamins? 

35:14 What minerals should be considered? 

37:51 Any future or current research into supplements? 

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:       

Follow us on social media:  

  Don’t miss out: 

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.

If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.

Welcome to Living Well with MS – your go-to podcast for making informed choices to support your health and well-being! In this episode, we’re diving into the fascinating world of gut health with Dr. Emma Short, a leading gastroenterologist. She joins Overcoming MS Facilitator and Nutritional Therapist Sam Josephs to explore the gut microbiome and its impact on MS, discover healthy habits for better digestion and overall health and untangle the role of pre-, pro-, and post-biotics in gut health.

01:43 Introduction to gastroenterology and Dr. Short’s groundbreaking work

Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis?  Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips.

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.

If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast that helps you make informed choices to support your health and wellbeing with MS. This week we delve into stress management and mental health with insights from Overcoming MS facilitators Yasmin Neves and Dr Phil Startin. They are joined by community members Melanie Lown and Bill Morgan, who share their personal experiences.

Meditation has been shown to improve quality of life in people with MS but it’s not always easy to get going. As Phil shares, "When we run Overcoming MS retreats or events, often one of the first questions we ask the group is 'which steps in Overcoming MS do you find the hardest to adopt?' And it's always meditation."

If this resonates with you, tune in to gain valuable perspectives and practical tips to help you manage stress.

Personal experiences with stress management 

00:56 Yasmin introduces herself and dives into the stress management pillar—and why it's key to thriving with MS.

05:26 Phil shares his journey as an Overcoming MS facilitator & meditation teacher and how mindfulness transformed his life.

15:36 Melanie opens up about her Overcoming MS journey and the importance of being kind to yourself while adopting the program.

21:53 Bill reflects on how his MS diagnosis led him to meditation—and why it became a game-changer for his well-being.

Example practices

29:13 Yasmin explores the benefits of gratitude and heart-centered breathing for emotional resilience.

31:02 Phil discusses how slowing down during stressful times can help you regain clarity and balance.

31:47 Melanie shares her top tips for shifting out of “fight or flight” mode and finding calm.

33:59 Bill explains the power of deep breathing and how it can support both mind and body.

Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis?  Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips.

Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS 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 [email protected]

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.

This is a "Bonus: From the archive" episode of the Living Well with MS podcast.

In this episode of the Living Well with MS podcast we are pleased to welcome Andy McKenna, who has been living with MS without the use of MS medication since 2007. He is the driving force behind ‘Stoked on MS’ and through this, hopes to shine a light of hope on the reality of leading a healthy, productive and active existence by adopting the Overcoming MS way of life. 

Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways.    

Topics and Timestamps  

01:39 About Andy McKenna 

03:32 Andy’s journey to becoming an avid mountain biker 

05:31 How MS changed Andy's relationship with cycling 

11:38 What limitations has your MS introduced to your active lifestyle, and how have you dealt with or overcome them? 

20:00 What is Stoked on MS?  

22:14 Discovering Overcoming MS and experience with a lifestyle approach to MS management 

33:38 A piece of wisdom or inspiration to impart to someone newly diagnosed with MS 

35:07 Professor Jelinek’s Overcoming MS book 

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:    

  Follow us on social media:

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 [email protected].

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.