Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. In this episode, we welcome back health coach and Overcoming MS facilitator Laura Crowder with other familiar faces. Joining Laura, Overcoming MS Handbook co-editor Professor Michelle O’Donoghue, Circle Ambassador Vickie Hadge, and community member Ann Halstead discuss their personal journeys with Overcoming MS. Together, they explore the challenges, triumphs, and transformative power of lifestyle changes in living a full and healthy life with MS.

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

01:05 Laura Crowder’s MS journey

05:15 Professor Michelle O’Donoghue’s Overcoming MS journey

17:52 Vickie Hadge’s Overcoming MS journey

23:15 Ann Halstead’s Overcoming MS journey

28:22 The science supporting a plant-based diet for other diseases

30:32 Tips on not making two separate meals

33:00 Challenges introducing Overcoming MS to the family

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In this "Bonus: From the archive" episode of the Living Well with MS podcast we are pleased to welcome Dr Jonathan White as our guest! He is a practicing medical doctor in Coleraine, on the North Coast of Northern Ireland, who also works with Overcoming MS as a medical consultant and event facilitator. In this episode, we dig into some of the research that supports and helps advance the Overcoming MS Program. 

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

Topics and Timestamps:  

01:35 Dr. White’s Diagnosis 

06:30 The science that supports Overcoming MS 

11:03 Pros and cons of following the Overcoming MS Program 

12:33 History of the research behind Overcoming MS 

20:40 Changes between the first and second editions of Professor Jelinek’s book 

28:47 Possible future changes to the Overcoming MS Program 

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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.  

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

In this episode, we welcome Charlie Peel, Healthcare Partnerships Lead at Overcoming MS. With nearly two decades of experience in neurology, Charlie brings a wealth of knowledge and insight in the field of holistic MS management.

Charlie joins CEO Alex Holden to explore the latest research on how lifestyle choices—like maintaining optimal vitamin D levels and fostering social connections—can positively impact life with MS.

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

01:47 Meet Charlie and her unique journey that led her to Overcoming MS

05:19 Charlie shares her impactful role as Healthcare Partnerships Lead at Overcoming MS

10:52 A personal mission - why Charlie wanted to work for Overcoming MS

15:11 Dive into Charlie’s research paper on the life-changing outcomes of Overcoming MS retreats and Pathways courses

21:13 Explore the latest research in holistic management of MS

24:23 Discover the newest findings on high-dose vitamin D for MS

28:10 Autophagy’s role in remyelination

33:05 What the MS community can learn from research into other brain conditions

36:42 The power of connection - research on social connections, community and mental health

40:42 Charlie offers practical advice for anyone new to the Overcoming MS Program.

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

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.

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today we are pleased to welcome community member George Mckinty as our guest! George is a bodybuilder from Wales who follows the Overcoming MS Program. He speaks with Geoff about adopting the Overcoming MS lifestyle, the unique aspects of being a man diagnosed with MS and exercise tips if you live with daily MS symptoms.

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

01:15 George’s MS diagnosis and how he discovered Overcoming MS

04:00 Optic neuritis

05:20 Family history and genetic predisposition to MS

05:56 Adopting the Overcoming MS Program

08:27 Being a man diagnosed with MS

10:33 Accepting the diagnosis

12:02 Symptom management

13:34 Working out with MS symptoms

16:40 The 300 Challenge to support the Overcoming MS Charity

19:10 Positive outcomes from being diagnosed with MS

23:16 Tips for those just starting to adopt lifestyle changes

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 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.

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, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today we’re talking to Denise Iordache, a Cognitive Behavioral Hypnotherapist, who specialises in sleep and stress reduction. Because addressing sleep disturbances is important for overall health and managing MS symptoms, Denise and Geoff discuss ways to fall asleep, stay asleep and quickly fall back to sleep should you wake up in the night.

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

01:05 Denise’s career and expertise

02:57 The mechanics of sleep and why it’s important

06:13 How much sleep do we really need?

10:00 The circadian rhythm, light exposure and the internal body clock

15:02 Sleep hygiene and the optimal bedroom setup

18:00 How to set up a bedtime routine

20:55 How to prevent waking in the night and how to fall back asleep if you do

25:15 Mindfulness and sleep

29:30 Keeping a sleep journal

32:26 Assign worry time during the day

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 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.

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, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today we’re sharing highlights from our webinar with Sam Josephs, a registered Nutritional Therapist and Overcoming MS facilitator. Sam’s husband was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2002 which has shaped the direction of Sam’s career and gives her the compassion and unique hands-on knowledge to support so many others with the condition. Sam gave us a brilliant breakdown of the diet pillar of the Overcoming MS Program and some great meal and snack ideas.

This past webinar was recorded as part of our Refresh with OMS webinar series. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways.

01:26 Find out about Sam’s background and qualifications

02:40 What is the Overcoming MS Program?

03:59 Diving into the Overcoming MS diet pillar

09:59 How can you feed your microbiome for optimal health?

08:43 The importance of fibre

10:54 What is a wholefood?

12:23 Cooking techniques compatible with the Overcoming MS Program

14:38 Easy and healthy snack ideas

16:34 Batch cooking Overcoming MS friendly meals

19:06 The immune benefits of drinking tea

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 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.

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, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing.  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 fermented foods.

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

01:35 What is fermentation and how does it fit with the Overcoming MS diet?

04:17 What do you need to begin fermenting at home?

08:07 Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

11:33 Dairy-free yogurt and kefir

18:07 Making kombucha

20:33 Homemade sourdough bread from a starter

28:23 Pickling vegetables

33:28 Koji, a cultured mold to make miso and soy sauce

37:45 Making apple cider vinegar

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

• Try Jack’s recipes for fermented foods here:

• Facebook

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.

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, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today we’re thrilled to welcome back Dr Aaron Boster as our guest! Dr Boster is a board-certified Neurologist specialising in Multiple Sclerosis. He is a frequent guest on Living Well with MS and in this episode he’s here to talk about Medication, one of the pillars of the Overcoming MS Program. Specifically, Aaron goes into detail on a wide range of disease modifying therapies (DMTs) for MS, as well as discussing when people should start taking DMT’s, and what they should consider before they do so. There’s lots of useful information in this episode about many different DMT options – we hope you find it useful in making the right decisions for you. Let us know what you think!

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

01:21 What are the medication choices for people with MS and how have they improved?

02:39  When should I start a DMT?

04:30  What should I consider when choosing a drug?

07:08  Alemtuzumab (Lemtrada)

11:14  Cladribine (Mavenclad)

15:05  Fingolimod (Gilenya)

17:13  Mitoxantrone (Novantrone)

18:39  Natalizumab (Tysabri)

21:42  Ofatumumab (Kesimpta)

25:01  Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus)

28:58  Ozanimod (Zeposia)

30:35  Rituximab (Rituxan, MabThera, and Truxima)

32:34  Siponimod (Mayzent)

34:59  Avonex/ Betaferon/ Refib/ Extavia

37:49  Glatiramer Acetate (Copaxone)

40:07  Dimethyl Fumarate (Tecfidera)

42:38  Diroximel Fumarate (Vumerity)

43:46  Plegridy

44:45  Ponesimod (ponvory)

45:41  Teriflunomide (Aubagio)

50:14  Low-dose Naltrexone

52:07  BTK inhibitors

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• Dr Boster was on six previous Living Well with MS episodes:

• S1E11: Making the Right Medication Choices

• Facebook

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.

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, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today we’re sharing the highlights from our webinar with the incredible Dr Phil Startin! Phil is an Overcoming MS facilitator who lives with progressive MS. He’s an expert in meditation and mindfulness and teaches Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction courses for people with MS. Phil gave us some brilliant information and really useful tips on how to meditate – it’s a fascinating listen whether you are a regular meditator or are just getting started with your practice. Let us know what you think!

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

01:22 Phil’s background in meditation and mindfulness

03:33 The fight or flight response

04:49 How stress dysregulates our immune system

08:47 Meditation is clinically proven to help people cope with stress

10:41 Mini meditations to try throughout the day

13:49 Guided meditation

20:06 A definition of mindfulness

23:50 The benefits of awareness, including increased resilience

28:02 Mental health tips for your daily routine

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

• Phil Startin has been on two other Living Well with MS episodes:

• S5E19 Webinar highlights: Progressive MS with Phil Startin and Helen Rees Leahy

• S5E13 Meditation tips with Professor Craig Hassed

• Facebook

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.

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, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today we’re thrilled to welcome Yvette Sargood as our guest! Yvette is an Overcoming MS facilitator and a meditation teacher who lives with MS and follows the Overcoming MS program. In this fascinating episode, Yvette talks to Geoff about meditation and mindfulness, as well as her personal journey with the MS Program, including disclosing her diagnosis to her employer and how she overcame her chocolate cravings! There’s lots of useful information and tips in this episode (including a discussion on chocolate replacements!) We hope you enjoy it – let us know what you think!

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

01:18 Yvette’s MS and Overcoming MS journey

07:05 The progress made on DMTs and discrimination since the 1990s

09:01 The benefits to starting the Overcoming MS program even long after diagnosis

11:26 The decision to start a disease modifying therapy

14:59 Her difficulties in adopting the Overcoming MS program

16:27 Overcoming her chocolate cravings and chocolate replacements

18:51 Maintaining a healthy weight on the Overcoming MS program

20:23 The benefits of following the Overcoming MS program

22:54 Disclosing a multiple sclerosis diagnosis to your employer

26:01 Becoming an Overcoming MS facilitator

27:46 What is mindfulness and why is it important for people with MS?

32:53 Misconceptions about meditation and stress reduction

35:42 Tips for people new to the Overcoming MS program

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

• Download the Headspace app for meditation

• Facebook

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.

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.