Living Well with Multiple Sclerosis

In this episode of Living Well with MS -- where we explore topics relating to living a full and healthy life with multiple sclerosis -- we are pleased to welcome Dr Neil Stanley as our guest! Neil is an independent sleep researcher who speaks with Overcoming MS facilitator Zillah Smart about getting a good night’s sleep with MS.

 Watch this episode on YouTube. Keep reading for the topics, timestamps, and our guest’s bio.

03:07 Phases of Sleep

10:47 Changes in Sleep Quality as We Age

15:05 MS Induced Sleep Issues Including Insomnia and Restless Legs

23:23 Talking to Your Physician About Sleep Issues

26:53 Ideal Sleep Environment

31:09 Napping’s Effect on Nighttime Sleep

33:43 Shift Work and Sleep Quality

35:30 Strategies If You Wake in the Night

37:39 When to Treat Sleep Apnea

39:49 Morning Routines for a Good Night’s Sleep

40:49 Timing Exercise for Best Sleep Quality

41:55 Antidepressants and Sleep Quality

43:42 What Melatonin Can (and Can’t) Do

44:47 The Best Sleep Position

46:47 Can You Catch Up on Sleep?

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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 -- where we explore topics relating to living a full and healthy life with multiple sclerosis -- we are pleased to welcome Jack McNulty as our guest! Jack is a professional chef and longtime follower of the Overcoming MS diet recommendations.

Watch this episode on YouTube. Keep reading for the topics, timestamps, and our guest’s bio.

1:10 Jack’s relationship with cooking and food

3:11 Comfort food and the Overcoming MS diet

5:18 Converting a childhood recipe to whole-food plant-based

8:30 Meat and dairy substitutions

11:49 Egg substitutions

16:06 Dissecting a recipe for recreations

19:17 Recreating Overcoming MS-friendly fondue

22:52 Recreating Moroccan burek

25:50 Keeping track of your recipe attempts

30:00 What to do if you’re missing cheese or butter

If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please 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.

In this episode of Living Well with MS -- where we explore topics relating to living a full and healthy life with multiple sclerosis -- we are pleased to welcome Vickie Hadge as our guest! Vickie is an Overcoming MS facilitator who has lived with MS for 20 years. She talks with podcast producer Gina Beach about MS symptom management for physical and cognitive symptoms.  

Watch this episode on YouTube. Keep reading for the topics, timestamps, and our guest’s bio.

02:04 Introduction to MS and why we get symptoms

05:59 Fatigue Management

15:25 Mobility and Balance

19:01 Sensory Symptoms

21:33 Vision Changes

23:23 Bladder and Bowel Symptoms

25:45 Cognitive Issues

27:13 Mood and Emotional Wellbeing

30:35 Q&A

If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please 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.

In this episode of Living Well with MS -- where we explore topics relating to living a full and healthy life with multiple sclerosis -- we are pleased to welcome Jose Segurado as our guest! Jose is an integrative health and life coach and who lives with MS and follows the Overcoming MS program.

Watch this episode on YouTube. Keep reading for the topics, timestamps, and our guest’s bio.

02:44 The Turning Point: From Diagnosis to Action

05:04 Finding Hope and Information

07:33 Overcoming MS: A Framework for Change

10:07 The Importance of Diet and Lifestyle Changes

12:10 Listening to Yourself: The Key to True Health

14:35 Building a Sustainable Lifestyle

16:10 Understanding Multiple Sclerosis

16:51 Understanding Stress and Emotional Well-being

19:52 The Gut-Brain Connection

22:17 Taking Responsibility for Your Well-being

24:54 Redefining Identity and Purpose

If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please 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.

Mari L. McCarthy is an award-winning and international bestselling author whose books Journaling Power: How to Create the Happy, Healthy Life You Want to Live and Heal Yourself with Journaling Power have introduced people around the world to the power journaling has to help heal the body. After losing feeling and function in the right side of her body in 1998, Mari was diagnosed with MS. Undaunted, she took up a daily journaling practice which over time helped improve her MS symptoms to the extent that she is now an accomplished recording artist with three full-length albums. Mari’s website, CreateWriteNow.com, is the platform she runs to share her methods, expertise and passion for journaling.

Originally broadcast in 2020, this episode has been edited to remove out-of-date content and reuploaded in 2026 to ensure it remains relevant and useful.

In this episode of Living Well with MS -- where we explore topics relating to living a full and healthy life with multiple sclerosis -- we are pleased to welcome Brett Drummond and Karen Campbell. Brett is from MSTranslate and hosts the European Committee for Treatment and Research In Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) patient day and podcast. Karen is a nurse and MS researcher who lives with MS and attended the conference this year.

Watch this episode on YouTube. Keep reading for the topics, timestamps, and our guest’s bio.

00:00 Introduction to ECTRIMS 2025 and Speakers

02:02 Overview of ECTRIMS Conference Highlights

02:41 Brett's Insights on MS Research

09:07 Emerging Treatments and Therapies for MS

15:10 The Role of Viruses in MS

18:28 Lifestyle Modifications and Rehabilitation in MS

20:03 Biomarkers and Their Importance in MS

24:24 Engaging the MS Community in Research

28:24 Karen's Perspective as a Patient and Researcher

33:55 Q&A Session: Addressing Community Questions

If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please 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.

In this episode of Living Well with MS -- where we explore topics relating to living a full and healthy life with multiple sclerosis -- we are pleased to welcome Véronique Gauthier-Simmons as our guest!

Véronique is a yoga and breathwork teacher who lives with MS and the author of Taming the Walrus: Inner Intelligence, Yoga, and the Science of Healthy Ageing.

Watch this episode on YouTube. Keep reading for the topics, timestamps, and our guest’s bio.

02:05 Journey with MS: Reluctance, Learning, and Transformation

05:25 The Unexpected Love for Yoga

07:16 Taming the Walrus: Insights from the Book

15:25 The Importance of Interoception

19:55 Movement for Healthy Aging: Strength, Stretching, and Speed

26:08 Breathwork: A Tool for Wellbeing

32:09 The Necessity of Deep Rest

34:42 Longevity: Quality of Life Over Quantity

37:38 Healing: Wholeness and Inner Alignment

39:54 Final Thoughts for Those Recently Diagnosed with MS

If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please 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.

In this episode of Living Well with MS -- where we explore topics relating to living a full and healthy life with multiple sclerosis -- we are pleased to welcome Healther O’Neil and Lyndsey Housden as our guests! Heather and Lyndsey live with MS and are program facilitators for the Overcoming MS charity.

Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Dr Brayer’s bio.

00:55 Understanding MS and Its Impact on Physical Activity

06:18 Physical Activity's Impact on Brain Health

08:36 Exercise as a Disease Modifying Intervention

15:36 Benefits of Regular Physical Activity

18:29 Practical Guidelines for Exercise

24:57 Tailoring Exercise for MS: Personalization is Key

25:50 Balance Training: Tools and Techniques

32:22 Assistive Devices for Exercise: What Works?

34:42 Increasing Heart Rate with Limited Mobility

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.

In this episode of Living Well with MS -- where we explore topics relating to living a full and healthy life with multiple sclerosis -- we are pleased to welcome Zillah Smart as our guest! Zillah is a nutritional therapist and trainee facilitator for Overcoming MS who lives with MS and follows the program.

Watch this episode on YouTube. Keep reading for the topics, timestamps, and our guest’s bio.

00:58 Introduction to Zilla Smart and Her Journey

04:04 Zilla's Diagnosis and Initial Reactions

08:30 Discovering Lifestyle Changes and Overcoming MS

13:43 Implementing Lifestyle Changes: Diet, Stress, and Exercise

17:16 Balancing Family Life with Overcoming MS

21:12 Encouraging Healthy Choices in Children

26:03 Adapting Lifestyle Changes Through Life Stages

30:07 The Importance of Sleep for MS Management

38:18 Final Tips for Sustainable Lifestyle Changes

If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please 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 the Living Well with MS podcast, where we are joined by Rachel Changer. Rachel is a Pilates instructor and neurological physiotherapist with a master’s diploma in neurological rehabilitation. 

Originally broadcast in 2020, this episode has been edited to remove out-of-date content and reuploaded in 2026 to ensure it remains relevant and useful.

01:05 Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, and your experience working with people with MS? 

03:03 What is Pilates? And what are the differences between Pilates and other practices? 

08:49 What are the benefits of Pilates for people with MS? 

13:11 What are the downsides? 

14:17 How do you choose the right Pilates instructor or class? Can you do it on your own? 

17:17 How can you modify Pilates for all levels of ability? 

20:23 Does Pilates work as an online activity? Can you do it without much equipment? 

29:35 Do you have any other thoughts to encourage or inspire people for their fitness and exercise regime for people with MS? 

32:04 When following an exercise regime, when do you think that you should also check in with a medical provider, if you've got any symptoms that might be exercise related? 

34:32 Can you share a final thought with our audience on what motivates or inspires you as a human being?