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Bio:   Rachel is a highly specialized Neurological Physiotherapist with a Masters Diploma in Neurological Rehabilitation. She teaches for the Neuro Academy supporting the development of doctors and allied healthcare professionals into MS as their specialization. Rachel is also an Associate Trainer for the NHS England commissioned Bridges Self-Management Programme.     She became a Pilates instructor in 2014 and specialized in teaching the method to people living with MS in 2016. For three years, Rachel managed the Pilates Studio at an MS Centre teaching mat and large apparatus Pilates to people living with MS.    “My love of Pilates comes from the fact that I coach and empower individuals to look within, to experience movement with a sense of introspection – learning to think, feel and understand their bodies. This facilitates an understanding of what is normal, what changes, and how to accept, self-monitor and regulate the condition.”   Questions:   Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, and your experience working with people with MS? What is Pilates? Can you also touch on differences between Pilates and other Eastern practices such as Yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, etc.? Do you need special equipment to do Pilates? What are the benefits of Pilates for people with MS? What are the downsides? How can people with more progressive disability do Pilates and stay motivated? What are its benefits to them? How can you modify Pilates for all levels of ability? How do you choose the right Pilates instructor or class? Can you do it on your own? Can you share a final thought with our audience on what motivates or inspires you as a human being?   Links:   Learn more about Rachel Changer Find out about Rachel’s online Pilates classes for people with MS Learn more about the Neuro Academy Learn more about the Bridges Self-Management Programme Read this blog from OMSer Sarah Johnson about her experience with Pilates     Coming up next:   Coming up next week is the start to what we hope will be a lovely holiday season for you all! From all of us at Living Well with MS, we wish you a joyous holiday season and an auspicious kickoff to 2021. We can’t be prouder to serve our listener community, and the OMS community at large, and we look forward to returning early in 2021 with a brand new third season of Living Well with MS and our Coffee Break series. Till then, stay safe, happy and healthy!   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Welcome to our 12th installment of Living Well with MS Coffee Break, and final Coffee Break episode for 2020, where we welcome Alexandra (“Alex”) Storey as our guest!   As you may know, tomorrow (December 1st) is Giving Tuesday, and Alexandra is participating in our campaign to help raise much-needed funds for the work OMS delivers to our community, so thank you to her and our gratitude to everyone else in our community, from those who choose to donate to others engaged in the campaign itself.   We hope you’ve enjoyed and learned from these intermezzos between our regular episodes, and we look forward to bringing you an exciting new assortment of Living Well with MS full-length and Coffee Break episodes when we return with Season 3 in February 2021! And as always, your comments and suggestions are always welcome by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.   Bio:   Alex Storey lives in Essex with her husband Sam and their dog Elsa. She was diagnosed with RRMS in 2019 and has been following the OMS program since even earlier when she realized it could take a while to receive an official diagnosis. The diet element has been her favorite part of the program to adopt, and she loves how creative it has enabled her to be in the kitchen. It has also opened her eyes to how the food industry and the products we eat have changed over the last century. Alex is also a participant OMS’ 2020 Giving Tuesday campaign.   Questions:   Can you tell us a little about yourself, your family, your life, where you live and anything about yourself you’d like to share?  When were you diagnosed with MS and how long have you been following the OMS Program?  You’re quite a creative chef and active in posting on Instagram… can you share a little about your culinary pastime, what it means to you, how it’s helped, especially with MS during Covid-19? How else have you had to adapt your daily healthy habits to the new realities imposed by Covid-19?  How has following the OMS program helped you deal with the new realities of Covid-19 times? You’re also actively involved in supporting OMS in its Giving Tuesday campaign. Can you share with our listeners what Giving Tuesday is? What are the reasons you’re helping drive giving to OMS for Giving Tuesday? Do you have any other tips or tricks you can share with our audience that might help them on their own health journeys?    Links   Check out Alex’s Instagram feed View Alex’s Giving Tuesday video   Coming up on our next episode:   On the final episode of Living Well with MS for 2020, landing on your favorite podcast platform on December 16, 2020, Geoff Allix welcomes Rachel Changer, who will literally help you change your body’s flexibility and stretch your way into a healthy 2021 with a special episode on how Pilates can help all people with MS build strength and resilience. Join us again in February 2021 when we launch a brand-new season of Living Well with MS and our special Coffee Break series. Until then, happy holidays, and stay safe healthy and positive!   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Bio:   Helen was diagnosed with Primary Progressive MS in 1997 when she was 37 years old. Being ineligible for any Disease Modifying Treatment (DMT) within the UK National Health Service, she began to explore holistic approaches to managing her condition. She discovered OMS in 2008 and has followed the programme ever since.   Helen lives in Conwy, a small, medieval town in North Wales. In 2017, she took medical retirement from the University of Manchester where she was a Professor in the Department of Art History and Cultural Practice. As an Emerita Professor, Helen continues to research and teach doctoral students. She also spends time hand-weaving and learning Welsh, the language of her ancestors. Helen has never taken medication for her MS and is committed to living well through active self-care.   Questions:   Can you please tell us a bit about yourself, where you’re from, what you do, family, etc. Let’s understand a little bit about your MS journey – when were you diagnosed and how did you initially handle it? When did you discover OMS and why did you decide to follow the program? You’re a member of the OMS community with PPMS – can you shed some light on what PPMS is and what life is like with that specific type of MS? How does the OMS program fit into the realities of someone with PPMS? What are the biggest obstacles to someone with PPMS adopting the program? How do you personally suggest dealing with these obstacles? In your own experience with both PPMS and OMS, how do you measure progress? If you could articulate one specific outcome that five ago, looking forward, you can say you really wanted to achieve and which you’ve now really nailed through adopting OMS, what would that be and why? As someone with PPMS, what can you share with others that have PPMS that motivates or inspires you?   Links:   Follow Helen on Instagram Learn more about Feldenkrais in the UK and globally   Coming up next:   On our final Coffee Break installment for 2020, travel to the UK to meet Alexandra Storey and hear how she’s helping do her part to ensure OMS has a successful outing on Giving Tuesday, all on Living Well with MS Coffee Break #12, which premieres on Monday, November 30, just one day before Giving Tuesday. And to our friends and community members in North America, Happy Thanksgiving!   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Welcome to our 11th installment of Living Well with MS Coffee Break, where we welcome fellow podcast host and producer Bron Webster as our guest!   As you now know, we decided to do something a little different in expanding the range of content we produce here at Living Well with MS. To honor the community that forms the beating heart of Overcoming MS, this special series called Coffee Break features short interviews with members of the OMS community talking about their personal journeys adopting and staying on the OMS 7 Step Recovery Program, the challenges they encountered and how they overcame them, and their tips and tricks for sticking to the path that leads to better health. We hope you enjoy and learn from these intermezzos between our regular episodes, and as always, your comments and suggestions are always welcome by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.   Bio:   Bron Webster is many things – blogger, podcast creator/host, entrepreneur – but above all, she is committed. Bron is an expert in MS patient advocacy who works with a leading university in the UK and their neurology medical students, so she's used to representing the MS community with a ‘no agenda’ approach. Bron was diagnosed with MS in 1996 and is still mobile (though much slower these days). She also has 3 members of her family living with MS (1 blood-relative and 2 in-law relatives). She also had a brush with cancer (salivary gland, very rare) in 2014, so it’s fair for her to say this: “I’m a survivor!” Bron is the creator, host and producer of a new podcast about MS, The MS Show.   Questions:   Can you tell us a little about yourself and your personal experience with MS? You’ve recently launched a new MS podcast called The MS Show. Tell us a bit about that and your motivation for becoming a podcaster? How did your personal experience with MS inform the work you do on the podcast and in the broader MS community? What other projects or ventures are you involved in that have some impact on people with MS? If there is one lesson your experience with MS has taught you that you’d like to impart to others, what would that be? Finally, what advice would you give to people with MS on how to cope with some of the new realities in this post-Covid world?   Links:   Bron’s podcast, The MS Show Bron’s website, Multiple Success Bron’s Facebook group   Coming up on our next episode:   On our second-to-last full-length episode of Living Well with MS, launching in just 10 days on November 11, 2020, Geoff Allix is proud to welcome Helen Rees Leahy, a former university professor from North Wales, who discusses her journey with PPMS and how it intertwines with the OMS approach. Join us for this fascinating, first-person exploration of what it’s like to have a rarer form of MS and still tap into the benefits of the OMS program.   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Bio:   Erika started her career in the music industry at the tender age of 16, working for a PR company who represented The Rolling Stones, U2, Prince, The Spice Girls and many more. One of her earliest highlights was when Cher sent her flowers by Cher to thank her for finding her favorite brand of mineral water when she ran out of it in the middle of the night!   She fell into the world of radio by complete accident in the mid-90s, co-hosting a show on London's Heart 106.2, a job she performed happily for 14 years. Since then, she has presented national breakfast shows, broadcast from the top of Sydney Harbor Bridge during the 2000 Olympics opening ceremony and can now be heard on the airwaves of BBC Radio Kent.   Erika was diagnosed with MS in 2008 and is now happy to put a spotlight on the trials and tribulations her condition bring, with a trademark sense of humor her listeners will be very familiar with!   Discussion Topics:   Erika’s life and MS journey How an MS diagnosis affects someone in a public-facing role How the public impression of MS is changing How Erika has adapted her lifestyle tothe OMS program How OMS is a healthy lifestyle for all How COVID-19 has affected Erika’s healthy habits   Links:   Erika's Twitter Feed   Coming up next:   Coming up next on Living Well with MS Coffee Break #11, premiering Monday, November 2, travel to the UK to meet Bron Webster, creator, producer and host of the new podcast, The MS Show.   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Happy 10th anniversary and welcome to our tenth installment of Living Well with MS Coffee Break, where we welcome Roy Bartlett as our guest! As you now know, we decided to do something a little different in expanding the range of content we produce here at Living Well with MS. To honor the community that forms the beating heart of Overcoming MS, this special series called Coffee Break features short interviews with members of the OMS community talking about their personal journeys adopting and staying on the OMS 7 Step Recovery Program, the challenges they encountered and how they overcame them, and their tips and tricks for sticking to the path that leads to better health. We hope you enjoy and learn from these intermezzos between our regular episodes, and as always, your comments and suggestions are always welcome by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.   Bio:   Although diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1988, Roy doesn’t let anything much slow him down.  He is no stranger to working in charitable organizations and was the founding president of the Eastern Bay of Plenty Asthma Society at the beginning of the 1980s.  From 1986 to the end of 2004 he worked for four different charities, including Alzheimer’s Auckland (1989-99).  Professor Sir Richard Faull, Director of the Centre for Brain Research and Patron of Alzheimer’s Auckland, describes Roy as “significantly changing the landscape of caring for people with dementia during the 1990s”.  In 2002 Roy and his wife Julie co-founded the award-winning charity StarJam, whose mission was to be the leading and most innovative catalyst for facilitating a positive societal change in attitude toward people with disabilities.  Together they set about creating national and international performance and limelight opportunities for young people with disabilities. StarJam continues today to help provide disabled children with a chance to build their confidence, develop their character, discover new friendships and enjoy the thrill of new hope and purpose, the benefits of which are also felt by their family, friends and the wider community.  Currently, Roy is an Ambassador for the Auckland OMS Circle.  He is also a foundation trustee of the The Sources of Unconditional Love Charitable Trust (SOUL), founded by his wife Julie in 2015.  SOUL’s mission is to replace prejudice and discrimination with unconditional love and respect.  Its position is an exclusively positive one aiming to empower teenage girls and young women to be free from the effects of prejudice and to inspire those who discriminate to instead choose unconditional love and respect.   Questions:   Can you tell us a little about yourself, your family, your life, where you live and anything about yourself you’d like to share.  When were you diagnosed with MS and how long have you been following the Overcoming MS 7 Step Recovery Program?  What is your favorite thing about the program, namely what do you feel has made the biggest positive impact?  What was your greatest challenge in adopting the OMS program, and how did you overcome it?  I know you’re quite active in the OMS community, and the ambassador of the Auckland Circle in New Zealand. Can you tell us how being a part of the community has informed your journey? How have you had to adapt your daily healthy habits to the new realities imposed by COVID-19?  Do you have any other tips or tricks you can share with our audience that might help them on their journeys?    Coming up on our next episode:   On the next full-length episode of Living Well with MS, launching in just one week on October 21, 2020, Geoff Allix welcomes Erika North, a veteran voice on UK radio and current a presenter for BBC Radio Kent, to discuss her personal OMS journey. Please have a listen to hear Erika’s unique and mellifluous perspective!   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Bio:   Jack McNulty has been involved in food and cooking most of his life. He’s walked many paths during his culinary journey, including transforming himself from an interested amateur ‘foodie’ to a professional chef with classical training. Throughout his life and career, he’s explored different food cultures, grown his own vegetables and fruit and ate a lot of meat and fish along the way. He’s been a vegetarian, carnivore, omnivore and fish-eating vegan before landing on his current lifestyle as a vegan.   Jack has worked for some talented and knowledgeable chefs in high-end restaurants in Switzerland, Italy and France. He’s operated his own catering business and cooking school, while finding enough time to write about cooking. Jack is currently operating his own subscription-based website providing instruction and recipes supporting a vegan life.   Jack has followed the OMS lifestyle since 2009. He has actively worked on providing recipes and information to the OMS website and was the contributing editor to the OMS cookbook.   Questions:   Are all oils bad, or are there some beneficial and healthy ones? Is it OK to heat oils when cooking? What happens to oils when they are heated? Does it change their properties for the worst? Do all oils have a similar heat point where their properties change? Is it true that you should never bake higher than 180°C (350°F) if you are using oil? There are many recipes that call for fried veggies, such as onions. How do you substitute this with a healthier alternative? Why can’t I cook with flaxseed oil? If I cook Mediterranean food without olive oil it doesn’t taste the same. Is there anything I can do? Olive oil doesn’t have the right flavor for all recipes. Are there other oils that I can use, such as rapeseed oil or hemp oil, to capture that flavor? What can I use instead of butter for baking?   Links:   You can discover more about Jack or do some impressive window-shopping on his website. The recipes require a subscription, but the rest of the content is free! Here’s a free travel guide listing OMS-friendly places to eat worldwide. A great place to window shop for inspiration and work up an appetite is Jack’s Instagram Follow Jack on Facebook.   Coming up next:   Coming up next, we pop down to the Southern Hemisphere to land in Auckland, New Zealand and meet Roy Bartlett, an OMS Ambassador with a life-changing story. Hear his story on Living Well with MS Coffee Break #10, which premieres on Monday, October 12.   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Welcome to our ninth installment of Living Well with MS Coffee Break, where we welcome Rowan Baker as our guest! As you now know, we decided to do something a little different in expanding the range of content we produce here at Living Well with MS. To honor the community that forms the beating heart of Overcoming MS, this special series called Coffee Break features short interviews with members of the OMS community talking about their personal journeys adopting and staying on the OMS 7 Step Recovery Program, the challenges they encountered and how they overcame them, and their tips and tricks for sticking to the path that leads to better health. We hope you enjoy and learn from these intermezzos between our regular episodes, and as always, your comments and suggestions are always welcome by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.   Bio:   Rowan is a UK-based nurse who has been following the OMS Recovery Program for nearly two years. She enjoys yoga and running, crafting and cooking up OMS feasts. She’s currently training towards a half marathon, on the back of a long-distance walk for an MS charity last year. She has written a number of blogs for OMS and her cooking inspiration can be found on Instagram.   Questions:   Can you tell us a little about yourself, your family, your life, where you live and anything about yourself you’d like to share? When were you diagnosed with MS and how long have you been following the Overcoming MS 7 Step Recovery Program?  What is your favorite thing about the program, namely what do you feel has made the biggest positive impact?  What was your greatest challenge in adopting the OMS program, and how did you overcome it?  I know you’re quite active in the OMS community, and a frequent blogger. Can you tell us how being a part of the community has informed your journey? You also work for the NHS. Can you share a perspective on how that interconnects with your MS and experiences with OMS? How have you had to adapt your daily healthy habits to the new realities imposed by COVID-19?  Do you have any other tips or tricks you can share with our audience that might help them on their journeys?    Links:   Check out Rowan’s blogs on the OMS website Rowan’s Instagram feed   If you post something concerning OMS and COVID-19, especially if it’s a bit of good news during this rough patch, don’t forget to use the hashtag #positivelyOMS.   Coming up on our next episode:   On the next full-length episode of Living Well with MS, launching September 30, 2020, Geoff Allix is joined by OMS culinary favorite Jack McNulty to demystify the questions of oils – separating fact from fiction – in this important conversation for anyone confused about the benefits and drawbacks of which oils to use in your OMS-friendly kitchen.   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Bio:   Trevor Wicken is the founder of The MS Gym, the largest and most comprehensive platform for movement and mindset training for those living with MS and other neurological conditions. Since its inception, it has transformed the lives of thousands of people throughout the world. To read more about The MS Gym and Trevor’s story, please click here.   Questions:   What is The MS Gym? Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, where you’re from, and the journey that brought you to launching The MS Gym? How is your fitness philosophy particularly tailored to people with MS? What’s so important about exercise for people with MS and other neurological conditions? How is your approach different from the type of support a person with MS might get from a PT or personal trainer? What are the biggest obstacles to getting people – with or without MS – to adopt a regular exercise regimen? How do you personally suggest overcoming these obstacles? For the people you serve under The MS Gym umbrella, how do you measure their success or progress? If you could articulate one specific outcome that five years from now, looking back, you can say you really nailed in your work through The MS Gym, what would that be and why? In trying to better understand the person behind The MS Gym, what motivates or inspires you as a human being?   Links:   The MS Gym MS Gym Free Exercise Guides MS Gym Link Tree About Trevor Wicken   Coming up next:   Coming up next, we land back in the UK and meet Rowan Baker, a Registered Nurse who also frequently blogs for OMS about her journey. Hear her story on Living Well with MS Coffee Break #9, which launches on Monday, September 21.   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.  

Welcome to Living Well with MS Coffee Break #8, where we turn the tables and welcome Geoff Allix as our guest!   As you now know, we decided to do something a little different in expanding the range of content we produce here at Living Well with MS. To honor the community that forms the beating heart of Overcoming MS, this special series called Coffee Break features short interviews with members of the OMS community talking about their personal journeys adopting and staying on the OMS 7 Step Recovery Program, the challenges they encountered and how they overcame them, and their tips and tricks for sticking to the path that leads to better health. We hope you enjoy and learn from these intermezzos between our regular episodes, and as always, your comments and suggestions are always welcome by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.   Bio:   To read Geoff’s bio, please click here.   Questions:   Can you tell us a little about yourself, your family, your life, where you live and anything about yourself you’d like to share? When were you diagnosed with MS and how long have you been following the Overcoming MS 7 Step Recovery Program?  What is your favorite thing about the program, namely what do you feel has made the biggest positive impact?  What was your greatest challenge in adopting the OMS program, and how did you overcome it?  What’s it like to be the host of Living Well with MS and engage with so many diverse members of the OMS and broader MS communities? Apart from hosting Living Well with MS, I know you’re quite active in the OMS community in your role as Ambassador for the OMS Circle in North Devon. Can you tell us about how that experience has informed your journey? How have you had to adapt your daily healthy habits to the new realities imposed by COVID-19?  Do you have any closing thoughts to encourage and inspire our audience?   Links:   Geoff Allix's Twitter Feed Living Well with MS OMS Circles   If you post something concerning OMS and COVID-19, especially if it’s a bit of good news during this rough patch, don’t forget to use the hashtag #positivelyOMS.   Coming up next:   On the next full-length episode of Living Well with MS, launching September 9, 2020, Geoff Allix welcomes Trevor Wicken, founder of The MS Gym, to the podcast. If you’d like to get to know how to juice up your exercise routine straight from a master like Trevor, please tune in!   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Bio:   Grazina Berry joined Overcoming MS in July 2020 as CEO. She has had an extensive career, as a senior and board executive, in the public and not-for-profit sectors.      She was previously CEO of The Aplastic Anaemia Trust (dedicated to research and support for those living with rare bone marrow failures) and held leadership roles at the Richmond Fellowship, a mental health and substance use services provider in the UK.     Grazina is passionate, driven and committed to making a positive difference to the lives of all communities and helping OMS achieve its goal to reach everyone diagnosed with MS around the world. She is looking forward to leading OMS, through organizational strategy, using data and digital technology and crucially via close collaboration with people who live with MS, their support networks, the medical community and experts in the MS field. A powerful motivating force behind Grazina’s drive to raise the profile of our charity is a close family member who lives with MS. Grazina lives in Cambridgeshire, in England, and speaks Lithuanian, English, German and Russian.   Questions:   Can you tell our audience and the OMS community a bit about yourself personally so we can get to know the person behind the new chief executive of the OMS charity? You’ve held senior leadership roles at other charities, most recently as CEO of the Aplastic Anaemia Trust. What attracted you to OMS? What’s your personal philosophy on the place a charity like OMS should have in the communities it serves? What do you think OMS offers to people with MS? What do you see as the most crucial influencing factors in continuing the important work the charity does but also charting a new direction for the future? What opportunities would you like to embrace and explore in your early tenure at OMS? What are some of the challenges of running a global charity and how do you personally handle them? If you were to look ahead, where would you like to see OMS in a few years’ time? Is there a massive difference in running a charity that’s in the MS space versus some of the varying focal areas of your earlier work? What are you most excited about in your new role as OMS’ CEO? And finally, on a totally different note, can you share something from your life that happened to you that left you thinking, “oh wow, we live in an amazing world”?   Links:   About Grazina Berry About The Aplastic Anaemia Trust  About Overcoming MS   Coming up next:   Coming up next, join Geoff Allix as he interviews fellow podcaster Bron Webster, producer and host of The MS Show, on Living Well with MS Coffee Break #8, which launches on Monday, August 31.   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Welcome to Living Well with MS Coffee Break #7, where we welcome Trishna Bharadia as our guest!   As you now know, we decided to do something a little different in expanding the range of content we produce here at Living Well with MS. To honor the community that forms the beating heart of Overcoming MS, this special series called Coffee Break features short interviews with members of the OMS community talking about their personal journeys adopting and staying on the OMS 7 Step Recovery Program, the challenges they encountered and how they overcame them, and their tips and tricks for sticking to the path that leads to better health. We hope you enjoy and learn from these intermezzos between our regular episodes, and as always, your comments and suggestions are always welcome by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.   Bio:   Trishna Bharadia is multi-award-winning patient advocate and a well-known face in the MS world. Diagnosed at the age of 28 in 2008, she has since worked hard to ensure that the voices of people with MS are heard throughout the healthcare journey. She is an Ambassador/Patron for several local, national and international charities. In 2015 she was chosen as one of six people out of over 11,000 nominations to take part in a special four-part series of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC1. "The People's Strictly for Comic Relief" broadcast Trishna's MS story to millions of people in the UK and beyond, highlighting many of the hidden symptoms of the condition. She has won multiple awards for her work, including being recognized by the UK Prime Minister's Office with a Points of Light Award in 2018. In her spare time, she loves keeping active and regularly attends inclusive dance and Zumba classes.   Questions:   Can you tell us a little about yourself and your personal experience with MS? Tell us about your work as a health advocate and patient engagement consultant. What do these entail? How did your personal backstory influence your career trajectory? There is a diversity angle in your work; do you feel there is an inclusivity gap in available health services for people with MS? As an expert on the MS patient experience, what do you feel are the key issues to focus in order to broaden the sense of MS community and support? Finally, on a lighter note, you were featured on the BBC’s “Strictly Come Dancing”. For the benefit of our global audience, can you tell us a bit about that show and your experience on it. As someone with MS, did appearing on “Strictly Come Dancing” represent some sort of milestone?   Links:   LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube   If you post something concerning OMS and COVID-19, especially if it’s a bit of good news during this rough patch, don’t forget to use the hashtag #positivelyOMS.   Coming up next:   On the next full-length episode of Living Well with MS, launching August 19, 2020, Geoff Allix welcomes Grazina Berry, new Chief Executive Officer of the Overcoming MS charity, to the podcast. If you’d like to get to new Grazina and her vision for OMS, this is an episode not to be missed!   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Living Well with MS is proud to welcome back Dr. Brandon Beaber to the guest seat. Dr. Beaber will offer a neurologist’s point of view on the OMS program, and how to achieve better health through lifestyle intervention approaches.   Questions:   What’s your specific clinical philosophy as a neurologist for treating patients with MS? From your perspective as a neurologist, how important is lifestyle modification in managing your MS? Can you walk us through your thoughts on the main pillars of the OMS approach? Diet? Exercise? Stress reduction? Vitamin D / Omega 3? Medication? Is there anything critical you think the OMS program leaves out? Are there any downside risks to following a diet and lifestyle modification program like OMS? The MS research space is evolving rapidly. What, in your opinion, are the most promising areas on the horizon that we should be monitoring most closely?   Bio:   Dr. Brandon Beaber is a board-certified neurologist with a subspecialty in multiple sclerosis and other immunological diseases of the nervous system. He is a partner in the Southern California Permanente Medical Group and practices in Downey, California (South Los Angeles). He has several publications on MS epidemiology and has participated in clinical trials for MS therapeutics. You can follow him on Twitter where he regularly posts about MS news and research.   Links:   Resilience in the Face of Multiple Sclerosis (Dr. Beaber’s book) Dr. Brandon Beaber Medical Profile Dr. Beaber’s YouTube Review of Prof. Jelinek’s Book, Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis   Coming up next:   Coming up next, we are pleased to welcome MS advocate and patient engagement consultant Trishna Bharadia on Living Well with MS Coffee Break #7, which launches on Monday, August 10. (Fun fact: Trishna has appeared on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing!)   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Welcome to our sixth installment of Living Well with MS Coffee Break, where we welcome Johanna Lahr as our guest! As you now know, we decided to do something a little different in expanding the range of content we produce here at Living Well with MS. To honor the community that forms the beating heart of Overcoming MS, this special series called Coffee Break features short interviews with members of the OMS community talking about their personal journeys adopting and staying on the OMS 7 Step Recovery Program, the challenges they encountered and how they overcame them, and their tips and tricks for sticking to the path that leads to better health. We hope you enjoy and learn from these intermezzos between our regular episodes, and as always, your comments and suggestions are always welcome by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.   Bio:   My name is Johanna Lahr, I live in Berlin, I am married, and I have a daughter. I work as a Senior Product Data Manager in a company in the medical field. I have been living with MS since 2008, with MS being one in a long string of autoimmune diseases. I have been following the OMS program for about 9 years. Today, I look back and even though my journey was very bumpy and at times seemed to be hopeless, I am grateful for the hope the OMS program has given me. It gave me not only the strength and confidence to believe that things could get better even though nobody around me believed it, but more importantly, the OMS program has given me all the tools I need to succeed, not just with MS but with all the other autoimmune conditions I’m contending.   I am actively engaged in several support initiatives. For almost 7 years, I’ve been involved with Overcoming MS Lifestyle Support, a Facebook group dedicated to supporting people with MS following the OMS program. In 2018, I created the first OMS Circle in my city and at work, together with another colleague, I created an employee-driven initiative that strives to build an inclusive workplace and enable access and career opportunities for people with disabilities. These groups not only became a way for me to help others, they have given me the opportunity to meet the most amazing and inspiring people I know.    Questions:   Can you tell us a little about yourself, your family, your life, where you live and anything about yourself you’d like to share? When were you diagnosed with MS and how long have you been following the Overcoming MS 7 Step Recovery Program?  What is your favorite thing about the program, namely what do you feel has made the biggest positive impact?  What was your greatest challenge in adopting the OMS program, and how did you overcome it?  I know you’re quite active in the OMS community, such as your role as Ambassador for the OMS Circle in Berlin. Can you tell us about how that experience has informed your journey? You also run a dynamic support community on Facebook which has over 4,000 members. Can you tell us a little more about that, and the impact you feel this group has had in helping people with MS in Germany? How have you had to adapt your daily healthy habits to the new realities imposed by COVID-19?  Do you have any other tips or tricks you can share with our audience that might help them on their journeys?   Links:   Overcoming MS Lifestyle Support   If you post something concerning OMS and COVID-19, especially if it’s a bit of good news during this rough patch, don’t forget to use the hashtag #positivelyOMS.   Coming up on our next episode:   On the next full-length episode of Living Well with MS, launching August 5, 2020, Geoff Allix welcomes back to the podcast guest seat neurologist Dr. Brandon Beaber to get his medical point of view on the benefits of the OMS Recovery Program. If you’d like to understand the medical science behind OMS, this is an episode not to be missed!   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Bio:   Alison teaches Instinctive Meditation, which is natural, healing and life-affirming. Alison is a meditation coach, wellbeing mentor, meditation teacher-trainer writer and teacher in self-care, meditation and wellness.  Originally from Great Britain, she now lives in Brisbane, Australia with her husband and daughter. Her work is dedicated to teaching practices for greater self-connection, self-worth and thriving, including yoga, meditation and personal coaching.  She runs sessions, workshops and retreats in Australia and overseas and in schools and workplaces. Her guided meditations on Soundcloud and Insight Timer have been listened to over a quarter of a million times. She has trained intensively with Lorin Roche PhD – an author, meditation expert and the leading developer of instinctive meditation in the West – and has a 200 Hour Yoga Alliance certification with Pranava Meditation Teacher-Training. Largely due to her own healing journey with MS, she is passionate about teaching the power of cherishing our individuality and intuition, sharing practices to connection to our innate states of freedom, healing, creativity, spontaneity and joy.   Questions:   Tell us about yourself and your experience having MS and following the OMS program. What is your relationship to meditation? What’s Innate Being? How has your experience with meditation had an impact on your quality of life with MS? What are the main obstacles you find people face in getting into a regular meditation practice? Why are so many people “intimidated” by meditation? Tell us about your top hacks for getting into the meditation groove and making it a healthy habit: Making it personal Finding your natural spontaneous meditation moments Creating a sanctuary for the self Letting your body have the experience Giving your busy mind permission to drift and dream Taking your time Alison conducts a mini guided meditation (5m) Any final words of wisdom or thoughts on embracing a meditation practice?   Links:   Check out Alison’s website, Innate Being Check out Alison’s Facebook page Check out Alison’s Instagram The View from Here: Life Lessons After 24 Years With MS   Coming up next:   Coming up next, travel to Berlin to join OMSer Johanna Lahr to hear her story on Living Well with MS Coffee Break #6, which launches on Monday, July 20.   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Welcome to our fifth installment of Living Well with MS Coffee Break, where straight from Cornwall (UK) we welcome Sean Kressinger as our guest! As you now know, we decided to do something a little different in expanding the range of content we produce here at Living Well with MS. To honor the community that forms the beating heart of Overcoming MS, this special series called Coffee Break features short interviews with members of the OMS community talking about their personal journeys adopting and staying on the OMS 7 Step Recovery Program, the challenges they encountered and how they overcame them, and their tips and tricks for sticking to the path that leads to better health. We hope you enjoy and learn from these intermezzos between our regular episodes, and as always, your comments and suggestions are always welcome by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.   Bio:   I’m Sean Kressinger and I live in Cornwall, England. I was diagnosed with RRMS 5 years ago though I may well have had it for 25 years. It’s rather prolific in my family, with an aunt, sister and many cousins having it, so the diagnosis wasn’t a complete shock.   I spent the early part of my career as an RSPCA Inspector (animal welfare) in Lincolnshire and Derbyshire, which was enjoyable at times but highly stressful. This is when my first symptoms appeared but were largely ignored. For relaxation I started to paint portraits and do carpentry projects which eventually gave me a reason to leave my stressful job behind and move to Cornwall. I became self-employed, as a gardener at first, painting portraits whenever possible and eventually re-training as a carpenter specializing in furniture. I’m still a carpenter, working around 2/3 full time, though the ability to paint seems to have vanished!   I jumped at the OMS program as soon as I read about it. It seemed logical, evidence-based, extremely well-researched and wasn’t trying to sell me anything! I was already a vegetarian on the whole, so the dietary aspect wasn’t going to be a huge leap, plus I knew I needed to exercise more, and I had an interest in mindfulness/meditation although I hadn’t tried it. It all made sense to me and it was a huge relief that I could help myself with the condition rather than rely purely on the drugs offered.   At the time, OMS was looking for local Ambassadors to form regional Circles and I applied without hesitation. I became the OMS Ambassador for Cornwall and recently the other ambassadors and circle members of Devon and Cornwall joined forces to alleviate any isolation issues amid the Covid-19 lockdown. For me, the OMS Recovery Program is for life now. I’ve been on it long enough to feel the benefits and I’ll continue to promote it whenever I can.   Questions:   Can you tell us a little about yourself, your family, your life, where you live and anything about yourself you’d like to share? When were you diagnosed with MS and how long have you been following the Overcoming MS 7 Step Recovery Program? What is your favorite thing about the program, namely what do you feel has made the biggest positive impact? What was your greatest challenge in adopting the OMS program, and how did you overcome it? Can you tell us a bit about the video “Fighting Multiple Sclerosis” that your daughter Holly made? How have you had to adapt your daily healthy habits to the new realities imposed by COVID-19? Do you have any other tips or tricks you can share with our audience that might help them on their journeys?   Links:   Fighting Multiple Sclerosis video   If you post something concerning OMS and COVID-19, especially if it’s a bit of good news during this rough patch, don’t forget to use the hashtag #positivelyOMS.   Coming up on our next episode:   On the next full-length episode of Living Well with MS, launching July 8, 2020, Geoff Allix digs into the Top Hacks for Getting into a Meditation Habit with meditation coach and wellbeing mentor Alison Potts. And keep an eye out for Coffee Break #6 with Johanna Lahr, coming to you straight from Berlin, Germany on July 20, 2020.   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Bio:   Vickie serves as an OMS Ambassador in Connecticut. She was officially diagnosed with MS in 2017 but had her first discernible symptoms in 2011. She lives well with her MS by following the OMS program and encourages others to do the same through her OMS Circle.   Vickie has been running her own Virtual Assistant company since 2003 and enjoys working with her global clients. She is active in her community, serving on the board of an education foundation and volunteering at her church on several committees, as well as cooking for and hosting her family and friends. She is deeply committed to helping others: her family, community, clients and her OMS Circle members.   You can see more of Vickie on her YouTube channel, where she shares her thoughts on living well with chronic illness.   Questions:   Please tell our audience a bit about yourself and your MS journey. When did you discover OMS, and what was it like in the early days trying to follow the recovery program? How important a role did your local “community” play, such as your family and close friends, in helping you adopt the OMS recovery program and make progress on your MS journey in general? What were some of the challenges that having a strong support community helped you overcome? What is an OMS Circle and when did you become an OMS Circle Ambassador? Can you tell us a bit about your process in deciding to undertake this community-building role? Can you tell us a little about the OMS Circle you represent? How would you describe the role of an OMS Circle, and specifically your OMS Circle in Connecticut, in helping people new to OMS successfully adapt to the realities of diet and lifestyle changes? How can a sense of community play an important role for people, like yourself, who have lots of experience following the OMS recovery program? Do they need this as much as the newbies might? Are there any anecdotes you can relay that convey the impact you feel you’re making in your corner of the OMS community?   Links:   Vickie’s YouTube Channel Learn more about OMS Circles   Coming up next:   Coming up next, treat yourself to some insight from fellow OMSer Sean Kressinger on Living Well with MS Coffee Break #5, which launches on Monday, June 29, beaming to you straight from the UK.   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Welcome to our fourth installment of Living Well with MS Coffee Break, where we welcome Natalie Cooper as our guest! As you now know, we decided to do something a little different in expanding the range of content we produce here at Living Well with MS. To honor the community that forms the beating heart of Overcoming MS, this special series called Coffee Break features short interviews with members of the OMS community talking about their personal journeys adopting and staying on the OMS 7 Step Recovery Program, the challenges they encountered and how they overcame them, and their tips and tricks for sticking to the path that leads to better health. We hope you enjoy and learn from these intermezzos between our regular episodes, and as always, your comments and suggestions are always welcome by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.   Bio:   Natalie currently lives in Los Gallardos, Spain with her parents, which at 41 is a little embarrassing (by her own admission).  If the world had not been locked down, she would be enjoying the scenery somewhere else in Spain or Portugal or one of the Balearic Islands, in her campervan with her dog.     A few months before her diagnosis, Natalie had decided to sell her house and move to Spain and work online selling travel holidays. A few months after that she woke up one morning with blurred vision and was eventually diagnosed with MS. She was told by many to wait and start medication, so she put everything on hold and did so. That was a really depressing time for her, with everything seeming to go wrong, all her plans cancelled. How could she travel if she needed medications, blood tests, etc., so it seemed like it would never happen.  Then she came across the OMS book and started the program, and after a few months, she was feeling really good and much more positive. So, she stopped her Copaxone treatment and put her travel plans back on track.     Fast forward to last year: Natalie started a 6-month hiatus from her career to hit the road in her motorhome with her dog Mylo.  She saw amazing places and met lovely people. That's when she started her Facebook page, which was a diary of her travels.  It started as something quite personal and grew into a project she began sharing with friends and the wider MS community. In July 2019, while back in the UK, she caught the travel bug again and took the leap of leaving her job of nearly 9 years to come back to Spain in December.  She didn't have any specific plans but was excited about the idea of setting up OMS-friendly holidays. Then COVID-19 arrived and the entire world shut down. But Natalie is not deterred. She will try to relaunch her vision in 2021 and strike a balance between working half the year and hitting the road with Mylo for the other half. If Natalie has learned anything on her journey, it’s to remain flexible, positive and open to all the possibilities in life.   Questions:   Can you tell us a little about yourself, your family, your life, where you live and anything about yourself you’d like to share? When were you diagnosed with MS and how long have you been following the Overcoming MS 7 Step Recovery Program? What is your favorite thing about the program, namely what do you feel has made the biggest positive impact? What was your greatest challenge in adopting the OMS program, and how did you overcome it? How have you had to adapt your daily healthy habits to the new realities imposed by COVID-19? Do you have any other tips or tricks you can share with our audience that might help them on their journeys?   Links:   Me, My Dog, a Motorhome and a Midlife Crisis   If you post something concerning OMS and COVID-19, especially if it’s a bit of good news during this rough patch, don’t forget to use the hashtag #positivelyOMS.   Coming up on our next episode:   On the next full-length episode of Living Well with MS, launching June 17, 2020, join Geoff Allix as he explores Building Community through OMS Circles with Vickie Hadge, Ambassador of the OMS Circle (aka community support group) in Connecticut. Vickie is deeply committed to helping others – her family, community, clients and her OMS Circle members – and her enthusiasm is contagious!   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Bio:   Caroline Clarke was appointed group chief executive of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust in February 2019, following her role as deputy chief executive over the past seven years.   Caroline was the trust’s chief finance officer between 2011 and 2018 and in 2012 she was made the finance director of the year by the Healthcare Financial Management Association. She was formerly director of strategy at NHS North Central London. Prior to that she was an associate partner in KPMG's health strategy team.   She has spent most of her career in NHS finance, having been director of finance at the Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and City and Hackney Primary Care Trust.   Caroline is a trustee of Overcoming MS and the 2020 President of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), the representative body for finance staff in healthcare.   Links:   About Caroline Clarke About Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust   Coming up next:   Coming up next, treat yourself to a morsel of insight from the OMS community on Living Well with MS Coffee Break #4, which launches on Monday, June 8.   On the next full-length episode of Living Well with MS, launching June 17, 2020, we have the pleasure of welcoming Vickie Hadge, who serves as Ambassador for the OMS Circle in Connecticut. Vickie will tell us all about the importance of building community and the role it plays in helping people with MS find answers, support and hope.   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.

Welcome to Living Well with MS Coffee Break #3, where we travel to the San Francisco Bay Area to welcome Sarah T as our guest!   As you now know, we decided to do something a little different in expanding the range of content we produce here at Living Well with MS. To honor the community that forms the beating heart of Overcoming MS, this special series called Coffee Break features short interviews with members of the OMS community talking about their personal journeys adopting and staying on the OMS 7 Step Recovery Program, the challenges they encountered and how they overcame them, and their tips and tricks for sticking to the path that leads to better health.   We hope you enjoy and learn from these intermezzos between our regular episodes, and as always, your comments and suggestions are always welcome by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.   Bio:   Sarah lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two young children. She has spent 15 years consulting in pharmaceutical and academic health outcomes research, and she is most recently a Director of Research at a health technology company. When she was first diagnosed with MS, she was devastated. She immediately dove into the research on MS, and Dr. Roy Swank’s findings gave her much hope. Sarah adopted the Swank diet along with starting a disease modifying medication. She discovered George Jelinek’s book and OMS in late 2012 and has appreciated its evidence-based and holistic approach to managing the disease. She is currently sheltering in place with her family, and, like many other parents across the world, she is appreciating teachers like never before.   Questions:   Can you tell us a little about yourself, your family, your life, where you live and anything about yourself you’d like to share? When were you diagnosed with MS and how long have you been following the Overcoming MS 7 Step Recovery Program? What is your favorite thing about the program, namely what do you feel has made the biggest positive impact? What was your greatest challenge in adopting the OMS program, and how did you overcome it? How have you had to adapt your daily healthy habits to the new realities imposed by COVID-19? Do you have any other tips or tricks you can share with our audience that might help them on their journeys?   Links:   OMS COVID-19 main resource page Excellent COVID-19 resource page from Dr. Gavin Giovannoni   If you post something concerning OMS and COVID-19, especially if it’s a bit of good news during this rough patch, don’t forget to use the hashtag #positivelyOMS.   Coming up on our next episode:   On the next full-length episode of Living Well with MS, launching May 27, 2020, we have the honor of welcoming Caroline Clarke, Chief Executive of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, to hear both her personal and professional insights on Overcoming MS.   Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show.