RealTalk MS15 Sep 2025

Episode 420: A DIY Kit for Improving Your MS Journey with Julie Polisena

Disease-modifying therapies are the cornerstone of MS treatment, but they're not the only piece of the puzzle. Beyond prescription medications, self-care that includes making healthy lifestyle choices can significantly improve your quality of life with MS.

Julie Polisena knows this firsthand. Julie lives with MS, and in a recent blog post, she shared a comprehensive list of the lifestyle changes that have improved her quality of life with MS. Julie joins us today to discuss some of the most impactful changes you can make to start your own journey toward better health and wellness.

We're also diving into the science behind some of the most talked-about diets for MS. We're breaking down the research on the Mediterranean diet, the Keto diet, the Wahls Diet, the Swank Diet, a gluten-free diet, and intermittent fasting, giving you an overview of the studies that have measured their impact on MS.

We're discussing the latest developments in the ongoing scrutiny of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). There's significant pending legal action and a congressional investigation targeting PBMs, the powerful and secretive middlemen in the prescription drug supply chain. And we'll tell you how they've profited at the expense of millions of people with chronic illnesses, including people living with MS.

We'll tell you about a clinical trial that's testing an injectable formulation of Briumvi.

You'll hear about a promising new strategy for myelin repair.

And we'll remind you about a warning from the FDA and Health Canada about glatiramer acetate (Copaxone).

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: A DIY approach to improving your MS journey :22

A roundup of studies that focused on popular diets for people with MS 1:53

Congress and the FTC have pharmacy benefit managers in their sites 7:32

TG Therapeutics is testing an injectable form of Briumvi 9:32

A research team has developed a novel remyelination strategy 11:03

A warning about glatiramer acetate has been issued 14:08

Julie Polisena discusses lifestyle changes that can make a difference in your quality of life 16:58

Share this episode 33:24

Next week's episode 33:43

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LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey
https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS

READ: Small Changes, Big Impact: Managing My MS Through Lifestyle Changes
https://mscanada.ca/find-support/blog/small-changes-big-impact-managing-my-ms-through-lifestyle-change

STUDY: The Role of Nutrition and Physical Activity in Modulating Disease Progression and Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis
https://mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/16/2713

STUDY: Transient Gene Melting Governs the Timing of Oligodendrocyte Maturation
https://sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S009286742500861X

REVIEW: Copaxone, Glatopa (Glatiramer Acetate) FDA Drug Safety Communication
https://www.fda.gov/safety/medical-product-safety-information/copaxone-glatopa-glatiramer-acetate-drug-safety-communication-fda-adds-boxed-warning-about-rare

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group
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RealTalk MS Episode 420
Guest: Julie Polisena

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