A Holistic Approach to Multiple Sclerosis with Alissa Frazier

A multiple sclerosis diagnosis is a devastating thing to receive. It’s a progressive chronic condition without too many solutions. Many with it assume that there’s nothing to be done beyond taking medications to manage the symptoms. Today’s guest explains how to use holistic treatments so that you’re not relying solely on medical interventions.   About Alissa Frazier Alissa is the owner of LissMS Holistic Health. She is a Nutritional Therapy Consultant, AIP Certified Coach, Certified Personal Trainer, and licensed Mental Health Counselor. She works with individuals 1-on-1 who have Multiple Sclerosis and other neurological issues. Alissa uses whole foods and an anti-inflammatory lifestyle to help individuals decrease their MS symptoms, gain energy and feel empowered to change their life. She is based near Boston, MA, and lives with her husband and three cats. Alissa loves being outdoors and can usually be found at the beach. She enjoys being active, and will often play tennis, go on hikes, or lift weights.   Improving MS Symptoms with Diet Although medication is usually the primary method for treating MS, nutrition, and diet can also go a long way. Alissa discusses how diet makes a huge impact on this disease. The right foods will help lower inflammation and improve overall health. It’s scary to have to give things up after a diagnosis. Alissa wants us to focus on what we can add instead of what we lose. With that in mind, eating more vegetables, adding healthy fats, and staying well-hydrated makes a big difference.   Stress-Management and MS Symptoms The exact causes of MS are unclear. However, stress is likely a factor. There is a link between stress and all auto-immune diseases. This seems to be particularly the case with MS. Flare-ups of symptoms and relapses are often caused or made worse by stress. We talk about rewiring your thinking to mitigate the effects of stress. There are a lot of tools that can help with this. Alissa talks about the effects of addressing trauma and stress. When done correctly, you learn to alleviate trauma and calm your nervous system. This, in turn, will reduce the symptoms of MS. There’s so much going on with MS. Trying to treat it by yourself can quickly get overwhelming. This is where coaching comes in. Working with someone knowledgeable will give you the clarity and direction to make the small changes that have big results. Have you seen a connection between diet and healing from an autoimmune disease? Tell me about it in the comments on the episode page!   Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here!   In This Episode Why Alissa focuses on helping people with MS [3:30] What multiple sclerosis is and its common symptoms [10:00] How a proper diet can alleviate MS symptoms [14:00] The link between stress and chronic disease [22:00] First steps for treating MS after taking the traditional medical route [30:00] The benefits of working with a coach [38:40]   Quotes “My success spurred me to help other people with this. I found a lot of success; I know there’s something to this.” [7:10] “I think stress is an incredible component of all auto-immune disease, but really MS as well. A lot of our flares and relapses can be set off by stress.” [22:47] “We are essentially victims of our disease. Yeah, it did happen to us. I’m not saying it doesn’t suck either…. It’s not necessarily thinking about the past, but how you move forward.” [38:13] “There’s hope. It’s not a death sentence at all….There’s so many things available to you to help manage and modulate the symptoms that you’re feeling. Even just adding a vegetable today would be helpful.” [44:35]   Review Fed and Fearless on Apple Podcasts! Send a screenshot of your review to [email protected] or send me a DM on Instagram and I’ll send you my Overcoming Undereating eBook. If you post your favorite episode in your Insta stories and tag me @LauraShoenfeldRD, I’ll also send you my 14-Day Calorie Challenge Recipe Guide!   Links Get the FREE Profit Planning Workbook Find Alissa Frazier online Follow Alissa on Instagram | Facebook Food for MS Cheat Sheet Leave a review of Fed and Fearless! Sign Up For The Free Training: The 5 Secrets of Fearlessly Healthy Women of Faith Learn more about business coaching with me Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here! Join the Fed and Fearless Society on Facebook Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative