Living Well with Multiple Sclerosis

This episode of Living Well with MS was recorded at Living Well Live, Overcoming MS’s one-day event held at the University of Warwick in November 2025, with people joining both in person and online. Host Geoff Allix shares conversations with community members, speakers and guests from across the MS sector, exploring what’s new in MS lifestyle research and the practical tools people are using to live well with MS.

You’ll hear about the evolving evidence behind the Overcoming MS Program, why personalised approaches matter (including vitamin D), and the role of community connection in building confidence after diagnosis. Together, these conversations capture what makes Overcoming MS so powerful: the combination of evidence-based guidance and genuine community support. You’ll also hear how donations help fund trusted information, courses and spaces where people with MS – and those around them – can feel informed, connected and empowered.

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

00:00 Geoff Allix introduces the event and Overcoming MS

03:07 Linda Bloom & Alex Holden on the origins of Overcoming MS, community and purpose

11:21 Dr Jonathan White on MS research, treatment and the role of lifestyle medicine

12:44 Lina Nielsen on elite sport, MS and training at Olympic level

14:51 Lina Nielsen on exercise, mindfulness and neuroplasticity

17:00 Tessa Miles on resilience, preparation and the power of community

22:09 Dr Rachel Hunter on the nervous system, stress and self-management

24:12 Dr Rachel Hunter on how MS self-management has evolved

28:19 Community member Maureen Haith on her top takeaways from the day

33:25 Miriam Jordan Keane on how Overcoming MS is evolving

37:56 Neil Stanley on sleep, MS and practical tips for better rest

43:22 Rabiah Coon on laughter, mental health and coping with MS

49:19 Amy Thompson from MS Together on supporting young adults living with MS

50:54 Holistic MS care – combining medication, lifestyle and community

55:13 Advice for newly diagnosed people with MS – reassurance and practical guidance

57:48 Dominic Shadbolt,The MS Guide, on AI, innovation and the future of MS care

59:43 Eleanor Bate, Shift.MS, on peer-led community support and connection

01:06:31 Sarah-Jane Elliot, MS-UK on accessing support, resources and online activities

 

Learn more about MS

Learn more about MS-UK

Learn more about MS Together

Learn more about the MS Guide

New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page

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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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.

In this episode of Living Well with MS, Alex Holden (Chief Executive of Overcoming MS) is joined by Rachel Johnson, Overcoming MS’s Information and Research Manager, and Dr Jonathan White, the charity’s Medical Advisor and Program Facilitator. Together they explore what the latest evidence says about lifestyle and self-management in MS – and why it’s an increasingly exciting time for MS research and treatment. They also share what Overcoming MS is working on in 2026, including improved evaluation of our programmes, new symptom-focused resources, and progress towards achieving the PIF TICK quality mark for trusted health information. 

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

01:56 Meet Rachel Johnson: background in psychology, research methods and why she joined Overcoming MS 

04:04 Jonny’s role and why sharing research clearly (and credibly) matters 

05:33 Rachel’s priorities: improving information quality and evaluating impact 

07:16 Supporting healthcare professionals to signpost trusted lifestyle resources 

09:06 What’s coming up in 2026: evaluation findings, information strategy and symptom-based resources 

11:05 Jonny’s 2026 highlights: Pathways, retreats and the BSLM lifestyle medicine module 

14:24 How the Overcoming MS programme aligns with the latest lifestyle research 

16:57 Making the programme practical: diet quality, Mediterranean-style eating and “big picture” habits 

18:54 Talking to your MS team about lifestyle: confidence, language, and keeping your agenda clear 

23:05 Why robust evaluation matters: pre-post surveys, validated measures and long-term follow-up 

27:31 Getting involved in research: MS Register, university studies and opportunities shared via the Hub 

31:41 What is PIF TICK and why it matters for trustworthy MS lifestyle information 

36:04 What’s exciting in MS research right now: treatments, progressive MS, and novel therapies 

40:13 Why credibility and clear communication are key to shifting the “no evidence” narrative 

More info and links:

Listen to the Talking with Skeptics webinar with Jonny and Yasmin Neves  

Tell your health team about Overcoming MS resources for healthcare professionals 

Sign up for the next free Pathway to Overcoming MS course  

Join the MS Register in the UK 

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 [email protected].

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

In this episode of Living Well with MS, we’re joined by Juliet Delattre, a language teacher and digital nomad from the Netherlands who was diagnosed with MS in 2019. 

 Juliet shares the shock of being diagnosed after relatively mild symptoms, and what it was like searching for answers, navigating uncertainty, and deciding who to tell. We also talk about the role of lifestyle alongside medical care, how Juliet experimented with different approaches over time, and why she ultimately chose to follow the Overcoming MS Program. 

 Juliet speaks honestly about stress, study, travel and bereavement – and offers a compassionate reminder that there’s no single “perfect” way to live well with MS, only the approach that’s sustainable for you. 

 Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the topics and timestamps.

Topics and timestamps
00:00 Juliette's diagnosis and initial shock 

03:33 The emotional impact of MS 

05:58 The decision to share: who to tell and why 

08:30 Choosing a path: medication and lifestyle changes 

11:09 Life after diagnosis: changes and adaptations 

13:38 Travelling with MS 

16:50 Trying different diets and why evidence mattered 

19:17 Stress support: drawing, meditation, retreats and finding what’s sustainable 

22:41 Studying with MS: a flare-up, disability support and difficult systems 

24:24 Discovering Overcoming MS and choosing a path that “clicked” 

26:50 Family support: making diet changes feel achievable 

29:12 Exercise, confidence and changing mindset 

32:05 Bereavement, stress and finding ways to cope 

35:36 Embracing creativity and possibilities 

More info and links

Learn more about Joe Dispenza’s work on placebo and healing 

Read Juliet’s blog on her drawings of her sensations in her body 

Learn more about Vipassana meditation retreats 

Read about the benefits of therapeutic journaling in time of stress 

Try one of Juliet’s favorite 30-minute meditations 

Read about hypnotherapy for 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 [email protected].

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

In this episode of Living Well with MS, we’re sharing highlights from our Ask Aaron webinar – 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.

Our guest is the dynamic and much-loved Dr Aaron Boster, a board-certified neurologist specialising in multiple sclerosis.

Dr Boster answers a wide range of thoughtful, practical questions from the OvercomingMS community. From medications and MRI contrast scans to foot drop, vision changes, supplements and the latest research developments, he brings clarity, warmth and energy to every topic.

If you’ve ever wished you could sit down with a neurologist who truly understands MS, this episode is for you.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Topics and timestamps
05:08 Exciting developments in MS research

10:54 Subcutaneous injections of Ocrevus

14:27 Remyelination drug trials

22:02 Addressing fatigue in MS patients

30:14 Managing fatigue: strategies and treatments

31:04 Navigating disease-modifying therapies

31:04 Supporting loved ones with MS

35:09 Understanding MRI and gadolinium contrast

38:21 B-Cell depletion therapies and MS progression

40:42 Exploring functional mushrooms and supplements

44:35 The importance of vitamins and nutrition

52:15 Understanding neurofilament light chain

58:28 Foot drop solutions

59:29 Finding the right doctor

01:00:29 Hope for the future of MS

More info and links

Listen to other episodes featuring Dr Boster

Check out Dr Boster’s popular YouTube channel covering all aspects of 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 [email protected].

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

The holidays will soon be upon us, and we all know food is a big part of the fun. This time of year presents the temptation of delicious meals whose ingredients don’t always fit the dietary guidelines Overcoming MS recommends.  

On this episode of the Living Well with MS podcast we are pleased to welcome Ashley Madden, a full-time food lover and health enthusiast. She’s also a pharmacist, plant-based chef, certified holistic nutrition consultant and food photographer.

Topics and timestamps
02:03 About Ashley and her passion for cooking 

03:26 How long have you been following Overcoming MS?  

05:20 Has it been challenging to switch to the Overcoming MS diet?  

09:14 Best tips for making the transition to the Overcoming MS diet easier 

11:53 Tips for making Overcoming MS-friendly holiday meals for large groups and smaller more intimate gatherings? 

21:28 Special tips or meal ideas for holidays 

31:37 Making Overcoming MS-friendly puddings and desserts 

35:14 Top cooking advice when following an Overcoming MS compliant diet 

More info and links:

Read Ashley Madden’s food blog 

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 [email protected].

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