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.

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast that helps you make informed choices to support your health and wellbeing. In this episode, we’re joined by Becca Mullin, a neuro physiotherapist and Pilates instructor specialising in post-partum clients with neurological conditions. Becca’s work is driven by a crucial gap she noticed while working in a busy London hospital—pregnant women with neurological conditions often lacked guidance on balancing their symptoms with the physical changes of pregnancy. Since then, Becca has dedicated her career to helping people with MS and other neurological conditions stay active—especially during pregnancy. Tune in now to learn how you can stay active and navigate pregnancy with confidence!

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

01:36 Becca’s introduction

02:57 The difference between a regular and neuro physiotherapist

05:13 Pregnancy support for people with neurological conditions

08:08 The benefits of staying active during pregnancy

12:05 Key recommendations for pregnant people with MS

16:17 Barriers to activity and how to overcome them

21:01 Introducing NeuroNatal Pilates for people with neurological conditions

24:20 What is Pilates and how it can help with MS symptoms

28:12 Becca’s top tips for pregnancy with MS

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:

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. 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

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 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 

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.  

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.