I’ll admit it. I, like many of you, have, at times, grown weary of hearing, “You need to exercise. You need to eat well. You need to think positive thoughts. Sleep is important. You can’t give up,” and so on. But, I recently had a lot of health crises that led me to have a … Continue reading
Sometimes, when arthritis is flaring, it is difficult for many of us to workout the way we’d like to. However, doing simple range-of-motion exercises is crucial for joint health. These types of stretches and exercises can be as gentle or as intense as you’d like them to be, and they are very important for keeping … Continue reading
Support groups are a great way to cope with illness or disability. In today’s world, online support groups and social networks are a great way to belong to a health community where you can interact with others who “get” what you are going through. Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and even Pinterest offer patients the chance to … Continue reading
Many of us who live with chronic illness – especially rheumatic and autoimmune illnesses, or conditions that cause chronic pain – can get frustrated at our body at times for seemingly working against us. However, there are other body issues that can come along with being chronically ill. Many medications cause appearance-related side effects: skin … Continue reading
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Sjögren’s Syndrome, and other rheumatic and chronic pain conditions can cause ill effects on the hair for various reasons. Here, we’ll break down some of the “hair issues” associated with some of these conditions, and discuss hair care tips to have your locks looking their best, even with a chronic illness! Rheumatoid … Continue reading
With the Grammy awards upon us and Whitney Houston’s recent passing, it seems appropriate to discuss the physiological effects of music on our bodies. Can music positively affect our perception of pain? Sure, we all love to sing our favorite song in the shower, rock out in the car or as we work out, or … Continue reading
Everyone knows that smoking cigarettes is bad for your health — it’s pretty much common knowledge at this point. Aside from cancer, emphysema, and dangers for pregnant women (not to mention the stench! The yellow teeth!) did you know that smoking can raise your risk of rheumatoid arthritis and also can trigger autoimmunity? Over the … Continue reading
Just in time for the steadfastly approaching Valentine’s Day, a recent Arthritis Today article claimed that love maybe can conquer all….even arthritis pain! But, how true is it? According to the article, “a study of 15 people (8 women and 7 men) in the first stages of romance found that love activates the same reward … Continue reading
Ignoring arthritis is unacceptable. Right? Right! So, it’s time to let Congress know where you stand on arthritis and arthritis-related health issues. So take a stand, raise your voice, make a difference, and let the United States know that arthritis is unacceptable! The annual Advocacy Summit brings together advocates, young and old, from across the … Continue reading
January 3rd, 2012 – I have not done one of my more personal Ashley’s Health Diary posts in a while, because I realized that it was more important for me to educate about rheumatic conditions than to talk about my own story. However, I do realize that as a patient advocate, that sharing my story … Continue reading
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