MSBites
Living with MS is challenging enough without turning mealtime into an overwhelming obstacle course of dos and don'ts. Am I right?
Here's the thing: we live in a challenging information environment where people with MS have become a marketing demographic. The wellness industry exists to sell us products, services, and diets promising to heal, beat, or reverse this complex disease we live with. To put it bluntly, we all have targets on our backs.
I'm Mona - a registered dietitian, MS Certified Specialist, and someone who's been living with MS since 2008. I get it. I know what it feels like when that diagnosis blows up your life, when MS shows up uninvited to disrupt plans big and small, and when every day feels like a different new normal.
I created MSBites because the loudest voices discussing nutrition and MS often promote "alternative approaches," while the conventional nutrition perspective has been notably absent from the conversation. Until now.
On MSBites, I bring context, clarity, and compassionate skepticism to help you distinguish reliable information from wellness woo. We'll explore the science of nutrition and MS, bust myths, answer your questions, and share practical tips to help you eat well - without fear that you're doing it "wrong."
My mission? Unbiased, engaging conversations about nutrition and MS that help you make informed decisions, free from fear, confusion, or overwhelm.
Let's take the overwhelm out of eating with MS. One bite at a time.
MSBites
Reclaiming Holiday Food Joy with MS: From Grief to Gratitude
Forget diet rules and wellness culture — this holiday episode is for anyone navigating the season with MS. We’re diving into what it really takes to show up at the holiday table: the energy math, the grief of changing traditions, and the radical permission and flexibility to choose joy over restriction. From managing food choices during flares to dealing with unsolicited health advice at dinner, this is your no-shame, all-heart guide to reclaiming the holidays on your terms.
✨ Featuring stories, strategies, and a fierce takedown of diet culture — with room for Aunt Martha’s stuffing and your store-bought pie.
Read more about the MS tax here.
00:00 Introduction: Energy Management and Chronic Illness
01:08 Welcome to the MS Bites Podcast
01:44 Navigating Holiday Challenges with MS
04:05 The Reality of Diet Culture and MS
05:43 Choosing Joy Over Restriction
13:32 Adapting Holiday Traditions
20:02 Managing Family Conversations
23:34 Permission to Celebrate Differently
26:13 Gratitude and Small Victories
29:04 Conclusion: Embracing the Holidays with MS
Click here to ask me a question or suggest a topic for a future episode!
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