Living Well with Multiple Sclerosis

Overcoming MS
  • 4.4 (45)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast from the Overcoming MS charity. In each episode, your host Geoff Allix explores a different aspect of the Overcoming MS Program in greater depth by talking with experts and people with MS about health lifestyle changes. New episodes are published on Wednesdays and feature interviews with scientists, neurologists, fitness specialists, diet experts, stress reduction professionals. The podcast also features inspirational, real-life stories from people with multiple sclerosis following the Overcoming MS program, about the challenges and victories of managing symptoms through lifestyle modification.

  1. 4H AGO

    Finding Work-Life balance with MS with Heather Carrasco | S8E7

    How do you build a sustainable career with multiple sclerosis? In this episode of Living Well with MS, Heather Carrasco shares how her diagnosis reshaped her relationship with work, rest and self-advocacy. Diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS in 2023 – though her symptoms likely began years earlier – Heather reflects on navigating the US healthcare system, learning to manage fatigue at work, and deciding whether to disclose her diagnosis professionally. She also shares how discovering the Overcoming MS Program and finding community helped her move beyond denial and make sustainable lifestyle changes. This episode will resonate with anyone adjusting to life after an MS diagnosis, managing invisible symptoms like fatigue, or trying to create a healthier balance between career and wellbeing. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Heather’s bio. 02:12 Early symptoms, delayed diagnosis and navigating healthcare in the US 06:18 Explaining MS to others – invisible symptoms and describing fatigue 08:28 Discovering Overcoming MS and deciding to attend a retreat 09:51 The Overcoming MS retreat experience and finding community 12:02 Work–life balance, rest and putting yourself first 15:13 Diet, sustainable change and mindset shifts 16:28 Mental health, therapy and mindfulness 17:57 Support systems, disclosure at work and psychological safety 21:59 Advice for the newly diagnosed Register your interest in an Overcoming MS retreat New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub Visit the Overcoming MS website

    25 min

  2. MAR 4

    Bonus from the archives: A Guide to the Fasting Mimicking Diet | S8 Bonus

    We are pleased to welcome Dr Valter Longo to this episode of Living Well with MS. Dr Longo is the scientist behind the Fasting Mimicking Diet. He is a bio-gerontologist and cell biologist serves as a professor at the USC Davis School of Gerontology and as the director of the USC Longevity Institute. He is the creator of the fasting-mimicking diet, a program that claims to mimic the effects of periodic fasting. To read Dr Longo’s full bio, click here.  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. 02:08 Today’s rising fascination with fasting diets  03:50 Main differences between the fasting-mimicking diet and other fasting diets  05:03 Diving into blue zones, where a higher percentage of the population lives to 100  06:55 The correlation between the centenarians and people who are fasting   11:04 Does fast mimicking help people with MS live better and longer?  14:03 The different types of fast-mimicking diets including 5:2, 16:8 and occasional water fasting  24:54 What should we eat between fasts?  29:28 What is the ProLon diet, and for those on a budget, how can peopel get some of the benefits on their own?

    40 min

  3. FEB 25

    Parenthood and Advocacy with MS with Julie Stamm | S8E6

    What does it really mean to parent with multiple sclerosis, and how do you talk to your children about something so unpredictable? In this episode of Living Well with MS, we’re joined by Julie Stamm – MS advocate, author and mother – for an honest and uplifting conversation about raising a child while living with MS. Diagnosed in 2007, Julie turned her experience into advocacy, determined to be open with her son about her condition in ways that are truthful but age-appropriate. She shares how parenting reshaped her perspective on resilience, how listening to children can ease the guilt many parents carry, and why adapting as a family is a sign of strength, not failure. We explore storytelling as a tool for empowerment, the importance of peer support and community, and why the outlook for people newly diagnosed today is more hopeful than ever. Julie also reflects on her children’s book Some Days and her work to promote inclusion and diverse abilities through advocacy and education. This episode will resonate with anyone parenting with MS, considering starting a family, supporting a loved one with MS, or looking to turn lived experience into meaningful advocacy. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Julie’s bio. 00:00 Introduction and Julie’s diagnosis journey 01:23 Why honesty with children matters 02:26 Sharing your story and the power of lived experience 03:37 Parenting guilt, resilience and writing Some Days 04:42 How MS affects the whole family 06:40 Adjusting to change and adapting over time 08:39 Becoming an MS advocate and finding your niche 10:02 Gratitude, grief and staying hopeful 11:23 The importance of peer support and community 13:52 Research advances and hope for the future 14:58 Advice for newly diagnosed parents   Learn more at Julie’s website www.iamstamm.com Follow Julie on Instagram at @iamstamm New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub Visit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest Don’t miss out: Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here. 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 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 podcast@overcomingms.org. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

    17 min

  4. FEB 18

    Webinar Highlights - Experts Insights - Change your life for life with Laura Crowder and Hayley Baker | S8E5

    If you’ve ever felt stuck between knowing what could help you live well with MS and actually making it stick, this conversation is for you. In this episode of Living Well with MS, Overcoming MS Program Facilitator Laura Crowder explores the ‘change your life for life’ pillar, the inner work that helps make lifestyle changes feel sustainable rather than overwhelming. Laura is joined by Overcoming MS Program Facilitator Hayley Baker, who shares her personal experience of building confidence, resilience and self-compassion while following the Overcoming MS Program. Together, they reflect on why mindset matters, how hope and empowerment can support wellbeing, and what to do when life inevitably knocks you off track. This episode is a webinar highlights special – originally recorded as a live Overcoming MS webinar and now edited for the podcast to bring you the key insights, questions and takeaways in one place. Watch the full webinar on  YouTube. Keep reading for the topics, timestamps, and our guest’s bio. 00:58 Exploring the pillar: Change your life for life  04:36 Choice, autonomy and taking control after diagnosis  09:56 The role of hope in living well with MS  12:37 Awareness, acceptance and managing difficult days  16:02 The power of language in habit formation  21:13 Empowerment and making lifestyle change sustainable  22:45 Community support and shared experience  25:36 Hayley’s personal journey with MS  35:01 Advice for people new to the Program  37:50 Q&A: common challenges, motivation and self-compassion  Read the Overcoming MS books Learn more about the “Change your life, for life” pillar New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub Visit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest Don’t miss out: Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here. 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 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 podcast@overcomingms.org. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

    1h 4m

  5. FEB 11

    Developing Tailored Mental Health support for people with MS with Eva Fragkiadaki | S8E4

    How can mental health support be better tailored to the real, lived experiences of people with MS? In this episode of Living Well with MS, we’re joined by Dr Eva Fragkiadaki, counselling psychologist and Senior Lecturer in Counselling Psychology at the University of the West of England. Her whose work focuses on developing personalised, evidence-based mental health interventions for people living with MS. Eva shares insights from her research into group-based psychological support, including her co-designed MyMS-Ally intervention. Together, we explore why traditional mental health approaches don’t always work for people with MS, the power of peer connection, and how concepts like identity, self-compassion and visibility of disability shape emotional wellbeing. This conversation will be especially valuable for anyone living with MS, supporting someone with MS, or interested in how mental health care can become more person-centred, inclusive and accessible. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways and Eva’s bio. 00:00 Introducing psychosocial interventions for MS 03:38 Researching group therapy and therapeutic change 06:07 Gender, representation and inclusion in MS research 08:19 What kinds of mental health support help in MS? 10:30 Why group interventions matter 12:47 Peer support, safety and community connection 15:10 Integrative and personalised therapy approaches 17:29 Visible and invisible disability in MS 20:15 Self-compassion and identity 22:23 Future directions for mental health care in MS   Learn more about Eva and her work Learn more about Eva’s research on mental health and MS New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub Visit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest Don’t miss out: Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here. 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 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 podcast@overcomingms.org. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

    28 min

  6. FEB 4

    Bonus from the Archives: Lifestyle Choices for MS with Dr Aaron Boster | S8 bonus

    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 the Living Well with MS podcast, and we are pleased to welcome Dr Aaron Boster, an Ohio-based board-certified clinical neuroimmunologist specializing in MS. Given we are surrounded by temptations – from that delicious pint of ice cream to the lure of sleeping in instead of hitting the gym – we are happy to tap his expertise to help us understand how lifestyle choices impact MS and our overall health.

    31 min

  7. JAN 28

    Managing Autoimmunity with a Whole-Food Plant-Based diet with Karen Lee | S8E3

    How does gut health affect MS – and what role can diet really play in supporting the immune system? In this episode of Living Well with MS, Geoff is joined by Overcoming MS Program Facilitator Karen Lee – retired intensive care nurse, nutritionist, author and recipe developer. Karen shares her MS journey and explains, in clear and accessible terms, how gut health, inflammation and diet are connected in autoimmune conditions such as MS. They explore dysbiosis and “leaky gut”, why fibre and the microbiome matter, and how whole-food plant-based eating fits within the Overcoming MS dietary recommendations. Karen also talks about her new book Healing from the Inside Out and shares practical, fatigue-friendly tips for eating more plants – without overwhelm. Watch this episode on YouTube. Keep reading for the topics, timestamps, and our guest’s bio. 00:56 Welcome and introduction to Karen 01:49 Karen’s MS journey: diagnosis, optic neuritis and early changes 04:46 From intensive care nursing to nutrition, writing and teaching 09:32 Understanding the Overcoming MS diet recommendations 10:36 Why diet matters for immune health: nutrients, fats, fibre and the microbiome 17:57 Dysbiosis explained – and how it relates to autoimmunity and MS 22:02 “Leaky gut”: what it means and why inflammation matters 23:16 Inside Karen’s new book Healing from the Inside Out 26:46 How whole plant foods support overall health 29:50 Protein and plant-based diets: common concerns addressed 31:39 Practical tips for eating more plants and increasing variety 37:58 Favourite recipes, sauces and simple ways to add flavour 39:41 Batch cooking and freezing for low-energy days 41:26 Running the Taunton Half Marathon and fundraising for Overcoming MS   Order Karen’s latest book Healing from the Inside Out: Managing Autoimmunity with a Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet Support Karen’s fundraiser for Overcoming MS Learn more about Karen’s work New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub Visit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest Don’t miss out: Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here. 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 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 podcast@overcomingms.org If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review

    44 min

  8. JAN 21

    Bonus from the archives: In Conversation with Caroline Clarke | S8 bonus

    Host Geoff Allix speaks with Caroline Clarke, Chief Executive of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and former trustee of Overcoming MS, about her MS journey, why she chose to follow the Overcoming MS Program, and the practical habits that help her manage stress while working in a high-pressure role.

    22 min
See All (223)

4.4
out of 5
45 Ratings

About

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast from the Overcoming MS charity. In each episode, your host Geoff Allix explores a different aspect of the Overcoming MS Program in greater depth by talking with experts and people with MS about health lifestyle changes. New episodes are published on Wednesdays and feature interviews with scientists, neurologists, fitness specialists, diet experts, stress reduction professionals. The podcast also features inspirational, real-life stories from people with multiple sclerosis following the Overcoming MS program, about the challenges and victories of managing symptoms through lifestyle modification.

Information

You Might Also Like