Bio:   Vickie serves as the Ambassador of the OMS Circle in Connecticut. She was officially diagnosed with MS in 2017 but had her first discernible symptoms in 2006. She lives well with her MS by following the OMS program and encourages others to do the same through her OMS Circle.   Vickie has been running her own Virtual Assistant company since 2003 and enjoys working with her global clients. She is active in her community, serving on the board of an education foundation and volunteering at her church on several committees. She recently completed a whole food plant-based certificate from eCornell and enjoys cooking new and delicious plant-based delicacies for her family and friends.    You can see more of Vickie on YouTube, where she shares her thoughts on living well with chronic illness.   Questions:   Welcome back to our podcast, Vickie, and thanks for joining us again. You were a guest on our second season discussing OMS Circles and community-building, which was great, but now we’d like to get to know you a bit better, as you’re a vital part of our growing global OMS community. Can you please tell our audience a bit about yourself and your MS journey? When did you discover OMS, and what was it like in the early days trying to follow the OMS program? You’re currently serving as the ambassador of the OMS Circle in Connecticut. How is that going and how has having that community helped during the pandemic? On another note, as of recently you’re also doing some work for the charity, tapping into your expertise running a virtual assistant business. Can you share a little about that? What was it like crossing over from being a member of the community to actually working with the charity? Outside of work, what are your passions and hobbies? I actually learned you have quite an interesting one concerning cameras and mushrooms. Do tell! You’re also a passionate plant-based foodie, and just completed a special certification in that I believe. What can you impart to our listeners about any personal discoveries you’ve made delving into that rich culinary space? Finally, and a bit of a tradition here on Coffee Break, are there any tips or pieces of advice from your own experience that you can share with those newer to the OMS program to help them on their journeys? Thanks so much for joining us on this episode of Living Well with MS Coffee Break, Vickie. I hope you have a wonderful 2022!       Vickie’s Advice to New OMSers (in her own words):   Remember, change takes time, and it can be subtle! Since starting my journey with OMS over four years ago, I am still noticing small improvements, one of them being better balance.  Change can be difficult at the beginning, but your body and your habits will adjust. Keep trying to make progress with implementing the program and soon it will become part of your daily routine without thinking about it. Sleep and stress reduction are two keys to living well with our MS. Don't forget, the OMS program is much more than a diet.   Some Tidbits About Vickie (in her own words):   Although many think I have restricted my diet, I have discovered since committing to being whole food plant-based that my diet has diversified considerably. With over 20,000 types of edible plants out there, I have a more diverse diet now than I ever did. Since the pandemic hit, I discovered a love for walking in the woods and started a hobby of photographing wild mushrooms. When I am not working or volunteering you can usually find me in the garden, cooking, or hanging out with husband, children, and grandchildren.   Links:   Vickie’s YouTube Channel Learn more about OMS Circles   Coming up next:   On the next episode of Living Well with MS, premiering on February 9, we are honored to welcome back Professor George Jelinek, the founder of Overcoming MS, and Associate Professor Sandra Neate, the head of the Neuroepidemiology Unit (NEU) at the University of Melbourne. They’ll be discussing the release of the brand-new