Living Well with Multiple Sclerosis

What role can diet play in autoimmune health, and what does the science say about plant-based eating and multiple sclerosis?

In this episode of Living Well with MS, we speak with Dr Elizabeth George, a board-certified family physician and co-founder of the Healthy Eating Adventure programme. With more than 40 years of experience in preventive care, she shares why she began exploring the impact of diet on chronic disease and autoimmune conditions.

The conversation explores the growing research linking whole-food plant-based diets, inflammation and the gut microbiome. Dr George explains how fibre-rich plant foods support beneficial gut bacteria, which produce compounds that help maintain gut health and influence immune function.

We also discuss practical ways people can start eating more plant-based foods, the importance of community support when making lifestyle changes, and how to have constructive conversations about diet with healthcare professionals.

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

02:38 – Why a family physician turned to plant-based medicine
05:22 – The community experiment that launched a 28-day plant-based programme
09:53 – Can plant-based diets influence autoimmune conditions like MS?
11:42 – Gut microbiome, fibre and the link to inflammation
14:26 – Why most doctors receive little nutrition education in training
16:08 – Real patient stories of lifestyle change and chronic disease improvement
18:37 – Simple ways to start eating more whole plant foods
20:45 – How community groups help people sustain lasting lifestyle changes
24:38 – Talking to your doctor about diet and lifestyle choices
27:48 – Making plant-based cooking easy, enjoyable and family-friendly

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What role can diet play in supporting brain health and living well with multiple sclerosis?

In this episode of Living Well with MS, we explore the evidence behind the Overcoming MS diet recommendations and how small, consistent changes to the way we eat can support long-term health. Overcoming MS Program Facilitator and nutritionist Karen Lee explains the research linking diet quality with MS outcomes and introduces the principles behind the Overcoming MS dietary approach.

Karen is joined by fellow Program Facilitator and health coach Ingrid Adelsberger, who shares her personal experience of following the program for over a decade. Ingrid reflects on the practical realities of adapting to a new way of eating, from navigating label reading and meal planning to finding family-friendly recipes that make the diet sustainable.

Together, they explore why the Mediterranean-style dietary pattern underpins the Overcoming MS diet, how reducing saturated fat may support brain health, and why consistency matters more than perfection when making lifestyle changes.

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

00:00 Introduction to the Overcoming MS diet
01:34 Overview of the Overcoming MS Program and lifestyle pillars
05:35 Why diet matters in MS and the research behind diet and multiple sclerosis
16:02 What a brain-healthy Mediterranean-style diet looks like
23:54 Ingrid’s journey and creating the Overcoming MS cookbook
31:58 Q&A: common questions about the Overcoming MS diet
33:27 Whole grains, gluten and choosing healthier options
35:27 Managing weight and getting enough calories on a plant-based diet
37:30 Flaxseed oil, omega-3s and possible alternatives
39:29 Supporting bone health and osteoporosis with diet and lifestyle
42:45 Diet research in primary progressive MS
44:12 Processed vs ultra-processed foods

Check out the Overcoming MS cookbook

Discover hundreds of Overcoming MS friendly recipes

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

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Don’t miss out:

Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here.

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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 [email protected].

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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

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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?

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:

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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 [email protected].

If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.