Diagnosed with optic neuritis in 1994 and multiple sclerosis confirmed in 2002, Kelly Jubenvill has spent more than 30 years managing her health without medication. Guided by a science-based lifestyle focused on nutrition, exercise, and optimism, she’s learned to adapt through every stage of life from motherhood to post-menopause. In this episode of The Hope & Health Podcast, Mathew Embry talks with Kelly about discipline, mindset, and how choosing consistency over fear can help anyone create lasting wellness.
Mathew: Let’s go back to the beginning: 30 years ago?
Kelly: Yes, maybe 31 actually if I think about it. 1994. I was 24, finishing my degree, starting a job, newly married, and training for a triathlon. I was cycling to work every day, running 10K after work, and planning to add swimming again. Big plans. Then I started getting a really strong pain behind one of my eyes.
Mathew: So that was 1994, and you were diagnosed in 1995—one year before me. You were an athlete, training hard, and suddenly this neurological symptom appeared.
Kelly: Yes. I thought it was a sinus infection, and so did my GP. It was a sharp pain behind my left eye, and I wasn’t prone to headaches, so it was strange. Ironically, it felt better when I exercised, so I kept training. But then I lost central vision in that eye.
Mathew: That must have been alarming.
Kelly: It was, but my GP recognized it as a big clue and sent me for tests for optic neuritis.
Mathew: Did that mean anything to you at the time?
Kelly: Not at all. I trusted my GP. I also had tingling in my feet, but I didn’t connect the dots.
Mathew: For many people, diagnosis can take a long time. What was that like for you?
Kelly: My GP—who’s still my GP today—diagnosed optic neuritis and explained that over 90% of the time, it’s linked with multiple sclerosis. He gave me the choice to pursue a formal diagnosis, but also warned me that having that diagnosis could impact things like insurance.
Mathew: So you chose not to get the diagnosis at that point?
Kelly: Correct. I wanted to protect my future. But I did go to the library—remember, no Google then—to find information.
Mathew: So you went searching for positive stories?
Kelly: Exactly. I looked for hope. I’d grown up knowing someone with MS, and I wanted a different outcome. I wanted to stay active and manage my health instead of just managing a disease.
Mathew: Back in 1994, some MS drugs were just starting to appear. What did your research lead you to?
Kelly: I found positive memoirs, and then I discovered the Swank Diet. It was based on research from the 1940s that linked low saturated fat with better long-term outcomes for MS patients. So I decided to follow it. I changed my diet overnight.
Mathew: For those unfamiliar, the Swank Diet keeps saturated fat very low—no red meat for the first year, no alcohol, and generally healthy eating.
Kelly: Exactly. It was really just clean eating. And the research showed that those who followed it stayed much more stable over 15–20 years.
Mathew: What did that mean day to day?
Kelly: I added more fish, avoided additives, and focused on whole foods. I later learned that I’m lactose intolerant and have celiac markers, so I was already dealing with gut issues that could have made me more susceptible to MS.
Mathew: Did you notice changes after starting the diet?
Kelly: Yes. My optic neuritis resolved, the tingling went away, and I didn’t experience fatigue. I felt healthy.
Mathew: What was your approach to exercise after diagnosis?
Kelly: I learned to think of it as medicine. At first, I limited intensity, but I found I could bring exercise back into my life safely. Whether it was walking the dogs, running, or swimming, I treated it as my prescription—one healthy action a day.
Mathew: So food, exercise, sleep, meditation—all medicine.
Kelly: Exactly.
Mathew: Did your doctor support this approach?
Kelly: Completely. He was open-minded, encouraged vitamin D supplementation, and supported everything I was doing. I know not everyone has that experience, so I consider myself lucky.
Mathew: Thirty years later, you’re still healthy. You’ve had the same doctor all along.
Kelly: I’ve been fortunate. I also made a choice not to define myself by MS. I didn’t wake up every day thinking, “I have MS.” I reframed it as “many strengths.”
Mathew: I love that.
Kelly: It changed everything.
Mathew: You were 24 then. Did you think MS would hold you back from having a family?
Kelly: I worried about it, but I went on to have children—twins first, then another baby a year later.
Mathew: Wow. Did you eventually get a confirmed diagnosis?
Kelly: Yes. When I stopped working full-time to focus on family, I chose to get an MRI and confirm it officially.
Mathew: How did your diet evolve over time?
Kelly: I fine-tuned it—removed dairy because of intolerance, then gluten because of celiac. Our family diet became naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, low-fat, and low-processed.
Mathew: And vitamin D?
Kelly: Yes, that’s been part of my regimen from early on.
Mathew: You’ve lived this way for decades. How hard was it to maintain your lifestyle?
Kelly: It’s a commitment. It means making choices and sacrifices, but it’s worth it. You don’t have to be perfect, but you stay focused because the reward is time—time with family, travel, being active.
Mathew: For people diagnosed in their 20s or 30s with young kids, that’s inspiring.
Kelly: It was challenging with little ones. I had cravings during pregnancy, especially for dairy, but I tried to stay disciplined. I was lucky—my twins were full term and healthy. After they were born, I had to learn to accept help from family and friends, which was hard for me.
Mathew: When my kids were young, it was tough to fit in exercise. How did you manage?
Kelly: I made my kids part of it. I’d feed the twins, then head to the pool. I’d use baby joggers, backpacks, even rollerblades. I integrated exercise into our life.
Mathew: Same here—I’d run during soccer practice or change in the car just to squeeze it in.
Kelly: Exactly. I did the same.
Mathew: How did you talk to your kids about why you eat and live this way?
Kelly: Honestly, I don’t remember a specific conversation. Because I was symptom-free, MS wasn’t visible to them or others. It was just how we lived—healthy food, active lifestyle, lots of gratitude.
Mathew: Kelly, your story is powerful. Thirty years of thriving, staying active, and building a full life while managing MS naturally.
Kelly: Thank you. I hope my story shows that there’s always hope and that with commitment, support, and healthy choices, you can live fully and well.
