Facebook Live: The ADA and Applying for Disability
Did you miss it? In last week’s Facebook Live for RAHealthCentral, I talked about how the ADA can help you work longer when you have a chronic illness, and how to apply for disability. I had a bad cold. Meaning I am woman, hear me squeak!
How Meditation Can Help You Cope with Chronic Illness
To cope with chronic illness, you need a variety of tools. One of these tools is meditation. In my new article for HealthCentral, I look at how meditation can help you live better with chronic illness: “Living with chronic illness is stressful. These types of conditions are often unpredictable and require a lot of changes…
10 Characteristics of a Great Healthcare Team
There are a lot of medical professionals involved in treating a chronic illness then it’s important that they work as a team. But what does that look like? My new slideshow for HealthCentral shares 10 characteristics of a great healthcare team: ““Simple” is not a word usually associated with chronic illness, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)…
Herbal Remedies for Rheumatoid Arthritis
There are a lot of claims going around about what herbal remedies can do for rheumatoid arthritis. In my new slideshow for HealthCentral, I looked into the facts and got some wisdom from my naturopath: “Before the advent of modern medicine, people used plant-based treatments to deal with illnesses. In fact, many medications are based…
The Peaks and Valleys of Rheumatoid Arthritis
When you live with a chronic illness,difficult times are unavoidable. And it can feel as if you are walking through the valley of if not death, then certainly a very dark and dingy place. What’s it like and how do you cope? That’s the subject of my new article on HealthCentral: “Living with rheumatoid arthritis…
In Which I Appear on Facebook. Live.
The night before I dreamed that I was late to this first-ever Facebook Live event that I hosted on Friday. I’d gotten held up by the tornado, but somehow managed to get there anyway. Then the lights went out as a massive natural disaster commenced. I couldn’t find my notes, so I talked for a…
Are There Gender Differences in RA?
It is fairly well known that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects women more often than men, but are there other gender differences in the condition? My new slideshow for HealthCentral looks at differences and possible causes for this: “There are many individual differences in how people experience rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It is possible to generalize some…
Can Diet Effect Rheumatoid Arthritis?
There is a lot of talk in the RA community about using food to control symptoms. A new survey reveals how many people with rheumatoid arthritis actually respond to dietary changes: “Managing rheumatoid address (RA) includes a lot of tools, such as medication, physical therapy, pacing yourself, acupuncture, and more. Some people also use diet…
Caregiving for Aging Parents when You Have a Chronic Illness
Taking care of aging parents can be a challenge at the best of times, but even more so when you have a chronic illness. And yet, that chronic illness can uniquely qualify you to be a fantastic advocate for your mom and dad: “When you have a chronic illness, it can be enough of a…
How to Interview a Doctor & Why You Should
Have you ever interviewed a doctor before signing on as the patient? Not many people do — we just cross our fingers and hope for the best. In my new post for HealthCentral, I tell you all about how to interview a doctor and why you should: “As a person with a rheumatoid arthritis (RA),…
The Importance of Sleep with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Write what you know, right? So I wrote about how important sleep is when you have RA: “Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects all areas of your life, including the ability to participate in your family, community, and work. It also affects your appetite, moods, and the ability to get a good night’s sleep. Anxiety about life…
Exciting Ways to Advocate for Rheumatoid Arthritis
It’s Arthritis Awareness Month in the US and to celebrate, I’ve collected nine ways to advocate for RA (and yourself). My new slideshow for HealthCentral starts like this: “There are a lot of misperceptions about rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and they can make it more difficult to live with this condition. You have the power to…