Episode 428: The Effects of Smoking, Consuming Alcohol, and Consuming Caffeine on Your MS with Dr. Barbara Giesser
Release Date: 11/10/2025
Episode 451: Meet the 2026 Winner of the John Dystel Prize for MS Research with Dr. Ludwig Kappos
RealTalk MS
The annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology is underway in Chicago this week, and one of the highlights is the presentation of the John Dystel Prize for Research in Multiple Sclerosis, awarded jointly by the National MS Society and the American Academy of Neurology. This year's winner of the Dystel Prize is Dr. Ludwig Kappos, a physician-scientist at the University Hospital Basel in Basel, Switzerland, and the director of the Research Center for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel. Dr. Kappos has played a major role in how clinical trials in MS are...
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Episode 450: Exercise is Medicine for People with MS with Dr. Robert Motl
RealTalk MS
An exercise program can be hard to start and even more difficult to stick with. But the evidence-based benefits speak for themselves. For people living with MS, it can mean improving quality of life without having to rely on a pill, injection, or infusion. And exercise is 100% affordable! Dr. Robert Motl, the Director of the Exercise Neuroscience Research Laboratory at the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago, joins me to discuss how exercise can improve MS-related brain fog, reduce fatigue, and perhaps even support myelin repair. We'll also share the...
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Episode 449: Putting People Affected by MS at the Center of MS Research with Sara Loud, Stephanie Buxhoeveden, and Hollie Schmidt
RealTalk MS
When you join the iConquer MS community, you’re no longer just a patient; you become a research partner. Not just a data point in someone's study. You become the person to suggest the study, to help define the study, and to participate in sharing the outcome of the study. In this week's episode, I talk with the iConquer MS leadership team about what it means to be part of this people-powered research revolution and how iConquer MS keeps people affected by MS at the center of MS research. The National Institutes of Health has just published a Strategic Plan for Disability Health...
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Episode 448: At the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference with David, Cliff, and Michelle
RealTalk MS
Last week, about 170 MS activists from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C. to participate in the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference. It's hard to come away from this event and not feel outraged by the stories that are shared, but also inspired by the resilience and bravery of the MS Activists who are willing to share some of the worst moments in their MS journey to make sure that our elected representatives in the House and Senate understand why the legislation we ask them to support is so vitally important. I met so many truly amazing MS activists at...
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Episode 447: Walking with Many Sisters Toward a Cure with Brigitte Delaney
RealTalk MS
In 1988, there were just 42 Walk MS events, raising approximately $4 million. In 2025, there were 170 events across the country that raised over $30 million. As the largest private funder of MS research in the world, the National MS Society relies on funds raised at events like Walk MS to continue supporting the work that brings us closer to cures. This week, Brigitte Delaney, an amazing fundraiser and captain of the Many Sisters Walk MS team, shares her story, talks about the origin of the Many Sisters team, and offers her recipe for successful fundraising. We're also sharing...
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Episode 446: MS Advocacy and the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference with Steffany Stern
RealTalk MS
175 MS activists are heading to Washington, D.C. next week for the National MS Society’s Public Policy Conference. Their mission: to bring the concerns of the MS community directly to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. When it comes to the legislative support for healthcare and medical research, it's no secret that these are unusual times. Joining me to brief us on the National MS Society's ongoing advocacy efforts and give us a sneak peek at the specific legislative issues we'll be taking to Capitol Hill is the National MS Society's Vice President of Advocacy, Steffany Stern. We'll...
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Episode 445: It's MS Awareness Week with Kristine Werner Ozug and Kim, Kim, and Kim
RealTalk MS
It’s MS Awareness Week, and this year we’re diving into a theme that hits home for millions: Unseen MS. Multiple sclerosis is a master of disguise; it can be entirely invisible to the naked eye while remaining profoundly life-altering for the person living it. In this episode, we’re exploring the spectrum of the MS experience through two distinct, yet deeply connected stories. First, you'll hear from RealTalk MS team member Kristine Werner Ozug. Kristine shares what it’s like to navigate a world that doesn’t always see her struggle, and how her "mostly invisible"...
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Episode 444: Treating MS with a GLP-1 with Dr. Ellen Mowry
RealTalk MS
You know them by their trade names such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. This class of medications is known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. And while they are best known for managing diabetes and promoting weight loss, researchers are finding that these drugs are also effective in a broad range of other health conditions. So, what about MS? My guest this week is Dr. Ellen Mowry, the principal investigator of a clinical trial to determine whether a GLP-1 drug can reduce brain inflammation and provide neuroprotection in people living with progressive MS. We're sharing details...
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Episode 443: The 2026 ACTRIMS Forum (Part 3) with Dr. Helen Tremlett, Dr. Ilana Katz Sand, and Kathy Smith
RealTalk MS
Welcome back to the third and final part of our coverage of the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum. This week's episode bridges the gap between groundbreaking clinical research and the nuanced reality of living with MS every day. First, we'll dive into the "before" and "after" of a diagnosis, starting with Dr. Helen Tremlett’s insights into the MS prodrome—those subtle, early signs that appear years before typical MS symptoms. We'll also talk with Dr. Tremlett about how other health conditions can predict long-term outcomes in sometimes surprising ways. Dr. Ilana Katz Sand shares her latest...
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Episode 442: The 2026 ACTRIMS Forum (Part 2) with Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, Dr. Daniel Ontaneda, and Kristine Werner Ozug
RealTalk MS
Welcome back to Part Two of our coverage of the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum. This week, we shift our focus to emerging therapies and clinical insights that are re-shaping the future of MS care. From the latest information on stem cell transplantation to evolving treatment strategies to the labels used to describe MS, we’re breaking down the complex science into the conversations that matter most to the MS community. Joining me to discuss one of the most significant presentations from the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum is Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, who opened the event with the Kenneth P. Johnson Memorial...
info_outlineAs researchers continue to learn about MS, it becomes clear that you can change the trajectory of your MS journey and improve your quality of life by making smart lifestyle choices. Quitting smoking and watching your alcohol and caffeine consumption are smart choices for everyone, and they can pay especially big dividends if you're living with MS.
This week, Dr. Barbara Giesser discusses how smoking, consuming alcohol, and consuming caffeine can impact your MS.
We're also sharing the details about the Black MS Experience Summit taking place on November 12th, and the Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit taking place on November 19th.
We'll tell you about a study that revealed what may be a novel way of stimulating remyelination.
You'll meet Dr. Arman Eshaghi and hear about how artificial intelligence may impact your future MRI exam.
We'll share study results that show that carbohydrate consumption may increase the risk of an individual developing MS.
And we'll tell you about a study that looked at the connection between starting a disease-modifying therapy early and quality of life related to cognitive function and fatigue.
We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!
This Week: What you need to know about how smoking, consuming alcohol, and consuming caffeine impact your MS :22
The Black MS Experience Summit is TOMORROW! 1:32
The National MS Society is hosting the Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit on Nov 19th 2:33
Study results indicate the path to myelin repair may require subtraction, not addition 3:04
Dr. Arman Eshaghi discusses how AI may change how MRI scans are interpreted 5:12
Study results show a connection between carbohydrate intake and MS risk 15:10
Study results show how starting a DMT early impacts quality of life related to cognitive function and fatigue among people with MS 17:55
Dr. Barbara Giesser discusses how smoking, consuming alcohol, and consuming caffeine impact people living with MS 21:38
Share this episode 31:07
Next week's episode 31:27
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PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Online Survey
https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS
SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist
https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy
WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube
https://realtalkms.com/ectrims2025
STUDY: Gt2fi-Encoded Transcription Factor Tfii-i Regulates Myelin Via Sox10 and Mbp Regulatory Elements
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63500-4
STUDY: Association Between Dietary Carbohydrate Intake and Multiple Sclerosis Risk: A Large-Scale Cohort Study
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1654538/full
STUDY: Self-Reported Quality of Life Related to Cognitive Function and Fatigue in Adults with Multiple Sclerosis
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211034825005516
REGISTER: The Black MS Experience Summit
https://nationalmssociety.org/resources/get-support/education-programs-and-library/black-ms-experience
REGISTER: The Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit
https://nationalmssociety.org/resources/get-support/education-programs-and-library/hispanic-latinx-ms-experience
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RealTalk MS Episode 428
Guests: Dr. Arman Eshaghi, Dr. Barbara Giesser