Learning to heal was an important part of my MS journey

Natasha Quariab relaxes in her garden in Amman, Jordan, in 2023. (Photos courtesy of Natasha Quariab)

Day 29 of 31

This is Natasha Quariab’s story:

I woke up and tried to move my right leg. Nothing. My heart pounded. This couldn’t be happening. Not here, alone in a snowy Swiss village.

The previous day, I had walked to the village square, feeling my leg grow heavier with each step. I convinced myself it was exhaustion, but now, lying in bed, I knew better. My leg was completely paralyzed.

This wasn’t the first time. In 2017, while at a retreat in Alaçati, Turkey, the same thing happened. Still, I traveled to Konya, Turkey, and then Paris, relying on friends and a wheelchair. That time, a doctor started me on cortisone, and within four weeks, I could walk again. But here in Switzerland, cortisone wasn’t an option. I’d planned this trip, and I wasn’t about to let multiple sclerosis (MS) take it away from me.

Quariab teaches healing at Mindvalley University in the Netherlands in 2022.

I was diagnosed with MS in 2002. Over the years, it has affected my balance, eyesight, and sensation. Some days were easier than others, but flare-ups always reminded me that MS was unpredictable. I had to learn how to adapt, but more importantly, I had to learn how to heal.

This time, I had no backup plan. I had to trust everything I’d learned. I started with food. I researched nerve-repairing nutrients and cut anything from my diet that could cause inflammation. My Airbnb host took me shopping, and I held onto the cart as I slowly filled it with greens, berries, and everything I knew would support my body.

Hypnosis was next. I called a friend who is a therapist. She recorded a custom hypnosis track, and I listened to it every day. I also turned to meditation and signed up for Joe Dispenza’s program, where I visualized myself walking, standing on stage, and inspiring others with my story.

Natasha Quariab leads a workshop in Tallinn, Estonia, to inspire people to work with their bodies, in 2024.

At night, dragging my leg up the stairs was exhausting, but I told myself that soon, I would move freely again.

The first sign of progress came less than a week later, when my big toe moved. It was a small improvement, but it was proof that my body was responding. Slowly, I regained movement.

First, I used a shopping cart for support as I walked through the supermarket. Then I took a short walk to the train station. Little by little, I managed short walks around St. Gallen. Finally, in Zurich, I walked more than 11,000 steps, resting often but feeling stronger every day. By the time I flew home, I was walking almost normally again.

That experience changed everything. No one should have to live with disease, feeling powerless over their own body.

Today, I work as a transformational hypnotherapist, speaker, and self-healing coach, guiding people to overcome their biggest health and life challenges. I teach them how to activate their body’s innate healing abilities using hypnosis, subconscious reprogramming, nutrition, and belief work, just as I did.

In recognition of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month in March, the MS Community Spotlight campaign features a series of stories highlighting the real-life experiences of people affected by MS, written in their own words. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and Pinterest for more stories like this, using the hashtag #MSSpotlight, or read the full series.