My Story

In 1998, it was a hot Australian summer. I was doing Officer Training in the Australian Army Reserve.

At the end of the course, I had bruises the size of dinner plates. Blood blisters striped my hips. Strangely, I felt like I was still wearing the massive army pack that clipped over my chest.

First symptoms

Over the days, the bruises changed colour and faded away. The cuts healed. But the phantom army pack stayed. It squeezed my ribs and formed a tight band above my knees.

It felt like I was wearing a corset plugged into something electrical. When I tipped my head forward, my fingertips buzzed.

A couple of years later, an episode of optic neuritis left me mostly blind for two weeks.

A textbook case of MS

Pictures of my brain were clipped to a lightbox on the wall. My brain was covered in what looked like white fingerprints. It was typical of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis, the neurologist said. “Textbook case.”

The definition of multiple sclerosis is a description of the symptoms. MS is a neurological disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the central nervous system (myelin) thinking it’s an invader.

We know genes are involved, but they don’t mean everything. We know Epstein-Barr virus is involved, and that it hides in our B-lymphocytes dormant waiting to be re-activated.

EBV is necessary to develop MS, but insufficient.

We know the environment, and our behaviour, including diet and lifestyle choices make a powerful difference to lived experience and disability progression (if any). There’s no prognosis and no set outcome. It largely depends on what we choose to do.

Years of hospital visits and worry

The first few years were fairly stable. Bad attacks happened every four years.

I went to hospital, had a steroidal infusion, got better and got on with life. Apart from my partner and family, I kept having MS secret.

But then the attacks started to accelerate. I had more and more severe. By 2013, my MS was becoming progressive.

I took a drug (Copaxone), but it didn’t work.

There have been so many random acts of disability I’ve lost count.

• Paralysis on one side of my body a few times.
• Vertigo (Like being on a yacht in rough weather for days).
• Blindness (fortunately not for too long).
• Difficulty walking (often). Loss of taste and smell (once).
• Burning sensations.
• Pins and needles (I could write a volume on that).

On my 34th birthday, I found a book: Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis by Dr George Jelinek. That book threw me a life rope.

Your diet and lifestyle choices matter

When I was first diagnosed there were only four drugs available and they weren’t very effective. They also had nasty side effects, so I chose to wait.

And wait. I waited for more than ten years and when I felt like my MS was becoming progressive, I started a drug, but it didn’t work. So I went hard with diet.

First, I cut out all dairy. I was never allergic to dairy but I saw the evidence and cut it out.

Simple food choices I never knew about made reducing inflammation easy. Instead of stoking the fire, over the years my old flareups healed. When I tipped my head forward, my fingertips no longer buzzed.

Then I started doing things I hadn’t been able to do for years. A lot of the damage healed. I felt like my MS was gone. I started running every morning, and epic hikes through the bush. I even climbed the Great Wall of China.

Take a drug, but remember no drug can do what food can

Today, I follow the same Food Medicine approach I have always used, and I take a drug without side effects as a backup. I hedge my bets.

The future is good

MS affects everyone differently. But the impact of our choices is immense. 

The future may be whatever you make it, so have some ambition.

There’s no fate. You have more power than you realise.

How do I create the best life?

MS is not just about your body. It’s your mind, body, heart, and spirit. It gives us the opportunity —even though we don’t ask for it — to create the life we want.

Let’s start the physical.

• Body: Food, exercise, sleep.
• Movement is about caring for our joints and muscles and changing our brain chemistry.
• Mindset covers mental and emotional health. What’s draining your energy? What beliefs are holding you back? What influences (including people, social media, news media) are poisoning your day? What old wounds do you need to heal? What do you really want in life?
• Nature is spirit. Nature has the power to heal and make sense of everything. It’s your gift and your calling. What gives you joy? We are here to enjoy life, not just endure it. 

Where should you start? A good place to start is with the Food Medicine for MS.

Best wishes 

XO