Tell Us About… The Overcoming MS Recovery Programme

As regular readers will know, I follow the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis (OMS) programme to try and keep myself as healthy as I can be with my Secondary Progressive MS.  I have been following it for approximately 4 1/2 years and can honestly say that I feel that my MS would be much worse if I hadn’t started looking after my body in the way that OMS recommends.  I feel emotionally fit and able to cope with my illness and I am confident that the positive changes I have made with my lifestyle wouldn’t have happened had I not been diagnosed with MS.

Following on from my previous post a couple of months ago, Tell Us About… Mindfulness, I have been so lucky to have a friend of mine, Rachael, agree to answer some questions about the OMS programme.  I first ‘met’ Rachael on the OMS website, on one of the forums where we praised Pinterest as a place to find OMS-friendly recipes!

Rachael describes herself as a ‘Mum, psychologist, health researcher and MS survivor’….. and I can’t think of anyone better to extol the virtues of OMS!!  If you have recently been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, or even of you are a long-term MSer, I would highly recommend that you read on to find out all about the OMS programme, what it entails and the massive, life-changing benefits that Rachael has gained.

Can you tell us about your MS diagnosis – when you were diagnosed and what symptoms you were experiencing?

I was diagnosed in 2012 following years of niggly symptoms that seemed to go away before they became too worrying. But in 2012 this climaxed with a big relapse in which I experienced a complete loss of sensation all down my right side. This led to ‘drop foot’ (limping), slurred speech and crushing fatigue. It was absolutely terrifying. As a doctor of clinical psychology I did my research, and had pretty much self-diagnosed during the wait for the MRI and then, the wait for a lumbar puncture.

When did you first hear about the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis Recovery Programme?

During the diagnosis process. So by the time they confirmed it was MS officially I had already started to make many of the changes the programme suggests. I started speaking to a few people on the OMS forum and it was such a great source of support, very positive and full of hope. During and after diagnosis it can be very isolating and overwhelming; you are just left to cope with this life-changing diagnosis on your own and offered little hope that this is going to be anything other than a ‘degenerative condition’. To be honest, at that stage a lot of other resources I came across were just so depressing and, in my view, didn’t provide any direction about what I could do to take control, or optimize my health. Some people I spoke with dismissed the benefits of living an optimal health lifestyle, which just made no sense to me at all.

What made you choose OMS over other lifestyle approaches?

It was the evidence. As a doctor, I’m used to wading through research and so it was very important to me that what I was doing was based on good evidence and data. The programme is very clear about the reasons for all the steps in the programme, and it is well linked to Professor Swank’s early work on low saturated fat diet and MS (which I also read). I loved that OMS was very accessible (free books are available on diagnosis now) and that the information and the science was presented in a clear and understandable way. Overall, I began to see that this wasn’t a ‘new’ idea; OMS was simply pulling together all the evidence that was out there into an accessible format for people with MS, and providing a supportive network. Over the 6 years I have followed OMS that evidence has just got stronger and stronger, and I have now met so many people who have overcome their symptoms and who are really well.

It also really appealed to me that OMS wasn’t ‘against’ anything. The programme actively encourages people to do whatever it takes to overcome MS. So if medication is what is needed, and you feel it’s the option for you then go for it. OMS can sit alongside that, no problem.

Can you give us a run-down about the key principles of the OMS programme?

Effectively it’s following a plant-based diet, rich in omega 3 (either through fish or flaxseed oil), regular exercise, vitamin D3 supplementation and regular practice of mindfulness or meditation. One of the key aspects for me was the opportunity to educate myself and take control of my own health, rather than being passive and waiting for doctor’s appointments or treatment breakthroughs.

There’s a great summary video here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn6X2D0_VAE . There’s a lot of evidence and information about the diet and lifestyle changes available online and in the books but in essence, these are the important aspects.

Have you found it easy to stick to? Is there anything that you would like to do better?

Overall yes. I’m still going after 6 years so it can’t be so bad! Sometimes it can require a bit more effort or planning, but most people I have spoken to find that once the changes have been made and you start to feel the benefits, you don’t look back. After reading the Swank research and seeing the difference it made in terms of disability (for example, the number of years from diagnosis to using a walking aid/wheelchair) I was convinced all the effort was going to be worth it. If you have your partner and family on board it really does make the biggest difference.

I guess the key is it isn’t a fad ‘diet’, it’s a change of lifestyle. A change of pace. A reprioritisation of your health and happiness. Now, 6 years on it’s a way of life for me and there’s no way I would go back! I am healthier than I have ever been.

In terms of challenges, meditation and stress management are the biggest challenge for me but can be pretty transformational for so many. I try to practice mindfulness, and yoga provides a great avenue for this. Overall, I have changed my life so much since I was diagnosed to help me live at a different pace and in a different way. Regular exercise is one of the best parts for me. Getting fit and feeling the benefits of that are great. I now run regularly as well as daily dog walks, and I enjoy yoga as often as I can (great for mind and body). Swimming and dance are things I like to fit in too if I can.

Have you noticed any changes in your MS since starting OMS?

My symptoms gradually improved and after a year to 18 months I felt pretty much back to myself. Fatigue was so much better and many of my sensory symptoms had gone.  This has continued over the last 6 years and I haven’t had any more relapses in that time. I may sometimes get niggles; like if it’s really hot,  if I get a cold or don’t get enough sleep; but I’m much better at noticing that and avoiding ‘pushing myself’ through the tiredness (which I would have done before).

Amazingly, I recently had my first MRI since 2012 and I was completely over the moon to see the neurologist’s report that there was “no evidence of disease activity”. No active lesions and no disease activity. My two scans seemed to essentially be the same. And lots of other OMS-ers are reporting the same.

Do your whole family follow OMS? Have there been any challenges?

I have two children and they largely follow the same diet as me. But they are at an age where they want to be the same as their friends so it can be tricky. I am starting to talk more and more with them about the reasons why I eat the way I eat. At home we largely eat plant-based, fish, meat substitutes and my husband has always been vegetarian so he’s more than happy! Lucky for me both my children love fish! The children do eat some meat but we try to limit this without making it the ‘forbidden fruit’ and avoiding food becoming an issue. It can be so hard to find a balance, but there is a great community of OMS-ers who all share tips and recipes which is a great resource and source of support.

The children have vitamin D supplements. Any parent reading this should definitely read the OMS information about vitamin D. We try and exercise as a family (we bought a spaniel…they need a lot of walking!) and we encourage the children to be active but also have down time reading and chilling out. As they get older they will be able to understand more and of course, nothing is perfect. I have a young family so things get hectic,; we can’t always control things. My households as unpredictable and chaotic as the next one! We just try and do the best we can based on the information we have available to us.

What would you say to MSers wondering if OMS is for them?

Absolutely 100% do it. Take a look at the website and you will see for yourself the evidence, and that there is so much you can do to protect yourself. The impact on your MS can be huge – for example, just getting your vitamin D supplementation right can reduce relapse by as much as 75%. The programme is about achieving optimal health, eating well, exercising and promoting good emotional wellbeing – that can only be a good thing and it’s certainly something I am more than happy to instil in my children. At the very least, taking some action,  some control, helps you feel empowered. There really is a lot you can do; so many people in the OMS community are, like me, halting the progression of their MS.

What is your favourite OMS-friendly meal?

There’s so many I could choose… family friendly dairy-free fish pie with smoked haddock and prawns, dahl with turmeric and brown rice, egg-white and roasted vegetable frittata, falafels in pitta with sun-dried tomatoes and hummus, smashed avocado on sourdough with flaxseed oil and chilli… There’s now an OMS cookbook that was crowd-sourced with recipes from OMS-ers from all over the world. It’s amazing!

What is your favourite OMS-friendly foodie treat?

Simple – if I have a sugar craving, a small dollop of (100% oil free) peanut butter in a medjool date. Beware, it’s addictive!

Is there anything else that you would like to mention about your experience with OMS?

Just that adopting the OMS lifestyle is the best decision I have ever made. It’s been so positive for my physical as well as my mental health. The information and evidence makes sense, and I have met some incredibly inspiring people.

In my personal opinion, anyone who wants to take control over their MS and live the best life they can with this diagnosis, needs to come aboard with an open mind and see for themselves. In my professional opinion, in a few short years serious questions will be asked about why this information has not been made more readily available to people with MS. This is why I actively try and share the information.

Where can we follow you to find out more about your OMS life?

I am on Instagram @myomslife where I try and share pictures and information about what it’s like to follow the programme. I also try and connect with people who have been diagnosed or live with MS and share information. I also have a blog www.memsandbeingmum which I started when I diagnosed in 2012. Information about the OMS programme, books and retreats can be found at www.overcomingms.org and on Instagram and Twitter @overcomingms .

Oh, and really importantly, anyone newly diagnosed with MS in the UK, Australia or New Zealand can get a FREE copy of the book (https://overcomingms.org/recovery-program/overcoming-multiple-sclerosis-book/

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Thank you so much to Rachael for sharing so much helpful information about the OMS Recovery Programme!  For further information, please do look at the OMS website on the link above and check out Rachael’s blog and Instagram for her thoughts about MS and parenting and drool over her delicious-looking meals!

‘Til next time,