Multiple sclerosis (MS) organisations around the world play a vital role in providing evidence-based, practical, and accessible information to help people with MS make informed decisions about their health.
For people living with MS, treating symptoms and staying healthy is a priority. Exercise, a balanced diet, mental health care, limiting alcohol, avoiding smoking, and maintaining healthy sleep habits can all contribute to a better quality of life.
Each person’s MS journey is unique, and the wellness practices that work best will vary. This is why the MS International Federation (MSIF), and its members create diverse resources — so everyone can find trusted, relevant information that meets their needs. Read on to hear how MS organisations are providing evidence-based information to support people with MS to make healthy decisions and manage their MS.
MS Australia launches Living Well with MS — a wellness guide for people with MS
For World MS Day 2025, MS Australia launched Living Well with MS — a practical, evidence-based guide to help people with MS make infor
med lifestyle choices.
Research by MS Australia found that while 96% of people with MS in Australia want to make lifestyle changes, many struggle to access reliable, MS-specific information. This new guide addresses that gap, offering trustworthy, accessible advice across 11 modifiable lifestyle areas, including diet, vitamin D, physical activity, stress management, sleep, and more.
Developed in collaboration with neurologists, MS nurses, allied health professionals, researchers, and MS Australia’s Lived Experience Expert Panel, the guide blends medical expertise with lived experience insights to ensure both relevance and practicality. Its flexible format allows readers to explore the full guide or focus on the sections most relevant to them.
By combining robust evidence with personal perspectives, Living Well with MS empowers people to take an active role in their well-being. You can read more about the launch and download the guide here.
Wellness practices and complementary therapies: A comprehensive guide
Many people with MS wish to explore approaches that complement their disease-modifying therapies (DMTs).
Wellness practices and some complementary therapies may help people feel more in control of their MS, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. However, many complementary therapies have limited evidence to support them, particularly in relation to MS. Whilst some may provide relief for some MS symptoms, others may be ineffective or even harmful. It’s important that people with MS are equipped with the best scientific information to help support their decision-making.
With numerous approaches claiming to have beneficial effects on MS symptoms, it can be difficult to navigate the available information. MSIF’s Wellness practices and complementary therapies guide aims to provide some clarity by detailing wellness practices that support overall health and examining the potential benefits and risks of commonly considered complementary therapies.
Information in this resource was adapted from our members in Germany, DMSG. It has been updated and is based on scientific research as of December 2024 and presents the existing evidence — or lack thereof — on a range of wellness practices and complementary therapies.
Thanks to the translation efforts of MS organisations around the world, this booklet can be downloaded in English, Spanish, Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese and Dutch from the MS Resource Hub here.
The MS Resource Hub: Wellness resources from around the world
The MS Resource Hub is a platform on MSIF’s website that is home to over 400 clear, trustworthy and free MS information resources. You can find information across 16 broad MS-related topics and in more than 30 languages, from MSIF and our members. This tool is useful to anyone with an interest in MS, including MS organisations, healthcare professionals, and people affected by MS.
MS organisations worldwide have created an array of materials on healthy living and wellness. Many are available in multiple languages and cover a wide range of topics, including:
Mindfulness & meditation
- Esclerosis Múltiple Argentina: MS: Yoga and Meditation (English, Russian, Hebrew)
- MS Society of India: Benefits of meditation animation (English)
- Polskie Towarzystwo Stwardnienia Rozsianego: Mindfulness (Polish, English)
Exercise & physical activity
- Esclerosis Múltiple Espana: EMforma platform – information on healthy living, exercise, physiotherapy, and more (Spanish)
- MS Canada: Wellness break: Stretching and strengthening (English)
- Japan MS Society: The Stretch – Yoga for all (Japanese)
- Polskie Towarzystwo Stwardnienia Rozsianego: MS Tai Chi series (Polish)
- Greek MS Society: How to exercise safely with MS (Greek)
Nutrition & healthy eating
- Israel MS Society: Nutrition booklet – What are we eating today? (Arabic, Hebrew, Russian)
- Österreichische Multiple Sklerose Gesellschaft: Healthy Nutrition in MS (German)
- National MS Society USA: Vitamins, minerals and herbs (English)
About MSIF
MSIF is the global movement of MS organisations, by and for people affected by MS. We network, learn from each other, mobilise and enable global collaborations, to achieve the vital goals that can only be reached by coming together as a movement. We, the Federation, are made up of national MS organisations (including their staff, volunteers, and MS communities), the MSIF staff, board, and committees. The Federation has 47 member organisations in 45 countries, with links to many others around the world. As a movement, we bring the world together with urgency to improve the quality of life and well-being of everybody affected by MS and to end MS forever.
Blog courtesy of MS International Federation (MSIF), a Patient Community Day Supporting Partner.
