AN MS diagnosis was the catalyst for Professor George Jelinek to become healthier.
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The director of the Emergency Practice Innovation Centre at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 16 years ago. He says the news changed the way he looked at his own dietary and fitness habits.
Professor Jelinek was one of several hundred people with MS and their family and friends who completed a lap of Lake Wendouree on Saturday for the annual Ballarat Overcoming MS Walk. He jogged the entire distance.
While acknowledging MS is a serious condition, Prof Jelinek said it did not necessarily mean an inevitable progression towards a wheelchair.
"I was diagnosed 16 years ago and I'm able to run around the lake," Prof Jelinek said.
"I did my first Perth City to Surf after I was diagnosed. Before I got MS I was never able to run 12 kilometres.
"Before MS I had no work-life balance. I worked extremely long hours and would then come home, have a beer and veg out on the couch. But if you have this illness you must make a commitment to look after yourself. It's diet, it's exercise, it's meditation and it's getting a bit of sun. I've turned 61 and never felt fitter and healthier. At 45 I felt like rubbish."
Prof Jelinek now has a diet without fast food, meat or dairy. He outlines it in his book Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis, and describes it as a vegan diet with seafood.
"The point is you can get better," he explained.
"Our research shows 70 per cent of the people who do this program improve. On average, if you look at those who get better and those who get worse, overall there is about a 25 per cent improvement."
Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the nervous system caused by inflammation of nerve cells. It is more common further away from the equator.
Prof Jelinek was unable to attend last year's inaugural Ballarat Overcoming MS Walk, which was organised by Elizabeth Schefferle, but said he was very keen to be involved in this year's event.
The 2015 Ballarat Overcoming MS Walk raised more than $5000 online, with thousands also raised on the day for Overcoming MS.
* To donate go to www.justgiving.com/Elizabeth-Schefferle1
