Living With MS Episodes

I've always believed that the holiday season is an ideal time for reflection. For looking back and looking ahead. And in that spirit, today we're re-visiting two of the most important conversations that we've had this year on RealTalk MS. When you consider the nearly one million people living with MS in the United States, you might conclude that MS doesn't discriminate – it impacts people of all ages, sexual orientations, and ethnic backgrounds. However, when you drill down a bit further and l...

The 2021 holiday season is underway, and the availability of the COVID-19 vaccines means that this year, many of us are getting caught up in cooking, eating, drinking, shopping, and connecting face-to-face with family and friends. For some of us, it also means having that important but sometimes-awkward conversation about vaccine status. For too many people, 'tis the season....to feel stressed. Stress can feel overwhelming and make everyday life challenging for anyone, but it can be especially ...

If you're living with MS, you know by now that quitting smoking, getting exercise, and making smart food choices have all been shown to improve your physical health and your quality of life. There's one more tool that, when necessary, can be a game-changer. Joining me to talk about how assistive technology can help people living with MS maintain their independence and improve their quality of life are assistive technology experts Alex Burnham and Bill Binko. We'll also share one more reason wh...

Tamara Kaye Sellman is a poet, short story writer, journalist, and essayist. So, when she was diagnosed with MS in 2013, Tamara did what she does best -- she began writing about it. That writing turned into Intention Tremor, a book of poetry and prose written over the five years following Tamara's diagnosis. In this special episode, we'll talk with Tamara about how she chose to artistically interpret being diagnosed with MS. We'll discuss why she's quite literally invested in MS research. And T...

Eating well is an important part of a wellness plan. At first glance, making healthy food choices seems simple. But with so much conflicting information and opinion masquerading as fact on websites and in social media, what do you believe and where do you begin? Joining me to separate fact from fiction and share smart strategies that will get you started on solid nutritional footing is my guest, Mona Bostick. Mona is a registered dietician-nutritionist and a multiple sclerosis certified special...

Research shows that more than 50% of the people living with MS will experience another chronic health condition in their lifetime. These additional health conditions, known as comorbidities, have been shown to negatively affect disability progression and health-related quality of life. In other words, living with comorbidities makes living with MS more challenging than it has to be. Joining me to talk about living with MS while managing and even avoiding comorbidities is Dr. Alissa Willis, Chai...

Getting a good night's sleep is often easier said than done. About half of the people living with MS experience sleep disorders. Dr. Abbey Hughes is joining me to talk about how sleep and lack of sleep affects MS, and she'll share some specific strategies that you can use to better manage sleep difficulties and get the rest that your mind and body require. We're also sharing a very encouraging update on ATA 188, Atara Biotherapeutics experimental stem cell therapy. Investigator Dr. Anthony Tra...

This special episode of RealTalk MS is sponsored by EMD Serono and MS in the 21st Century. It's often said that MS doesn't just affect individuals, it affects families. And in this special episode of RealTalk MS, we're talking about family involvement in MS care with Dr. Alice Laroni and Trishna Bharadia. Dr. Laroni is a neurologist with over 18 years of experience providing clinical care to MS patients and more than 13 years of experience in neuroimmunological research. Dr. Laroni is also an ...

Early in your MS journey, it's not uncommon to experience minor walking and gait issues. And people living with advanced MS often face more serious mobility challenges. The good news is that rehabilitation can help people on either end of the "mobility spectrum" improve. But different mobility challenges require different approaches to rehabilitation. Joining me to talk about mobility rehabilitation for people who are more recently diagnosed with MS as well as rehabilitation for people living w...

Having a job matters. Most obviously, employment provides the economic resources that people need to more easily manage every other aspect of their lives. Perhaps less obviously, we tend to define ourselves through our work. And without work, we not only face potential economic hardship, we sometimes lose that inner sense of purpose or identity...of understanding who we are. The majority of people living with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 45. And these are the years when you're of...