Anne-Marie Raymond

Over the years I’ve visited a number of different health professionals to help me manage my axial spondyloarthritis. Some have not proven helpful for me personally (both chiropractic and osteopathic...

Changing my diet has been a game-changer for me in reducing the painful inflammatory symptoms of axial spondyloarthritis. Ten years ago I began learning as much as I could about...

Broken sleep and nighttime pain are challenging aspects of living with AS. Over time I’ve developed some strategies that help me manage when these symptoms crop up. It’s usually the...

Someone once told me to never skimp when buying the tools you’ll use the most. This has taken on a new meaning for me thanks to my axial spondyloarthritis. I’ve...

Axial spondyloarthritis impacts my life in a lot of different ways. Not all of the symptoms I experience are obvious to others. Many of them never get mentioned at my...

Like most people, the first medication I was prescribed when first diagnosed with AS was a course of anti-inflammatories. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (or NSAIDs) have been the first stage medication...

Finding a job that works for AS can be hard. I recently had a coaching client who realized the job he once loved was making life with AS worse. It...

Lil and I met at work in our early 20s. She was hilarious and outrageous and we clicked instantly. Going anywhere with her was an adventure. Something spontaneous would always...

There’s a conversation my rheumatologist and I have on replay at every appointment I attend. It starts with my doctor sharing the results of my blood tests and imaging reports...

Developing AS changed my life in in all kinds of ways. Things I had enjoyed were now off-limits. Plans I’d made were cancelled. People I had felt connected to grew...

One aspect of self-management we don’t often hear about is how to store and organize the information we receive in relation to our health. Lab tests, x-rays, prescription paperwork, referral...

This month I attended an online meet-up of my local AS support group. It was the first time I’ve ever done something like this, even though I’ve known these groups...

One of our family’s favorite pastimes has always been going away camping. I’ve missed quite a few of those trips over the years thanks to AS. It always tugs at...

As a health coach most of my time is spent working with people on making positive behavior change. Following a diagnosis like AS, a lot of people look to improve...

Some of the biggest challenges with AxSpa can present themselves in the workplace. Only a small percentage of people are financially independent, and disability support is increasingly hard to obtain...

I can remember a time when I took walking for granted. I didn’t give my legs a second thought throughout childhood, or as a young adult when I lived in...

Editor's note: Fasting should not be used by certain people, such as those who have diabetes, a history of disordered eating, or who need to take medications with food. Be...

There often seem to be two opposing camps in managing AS: adopt a healthy lifestyle or take the conventional medical approach. As a Functional Health Coach I see value in...

I don’t like looking sick. On days when I’m battling the pain or fatigue of AS it makes me feel better to try and look presentable. I’ll wear bright colours...

Part of life with ankylosing spondylitis includes scans to check for bone change and progression. My disease activity over recent years has been low so my rheumatologist is happy to...