Food is Medicine: What I Eat In A DayI’ve now followed an integrative lifestyle approach to manage my AS for several years. Nutrition, movement, exercise, stress management, mindset, mindfulness and connection (with myself, nature, others) are all essential...reactions1comment
How to Organize Your Medical RecordsOne 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...reactions1comment
Becoming My Own Healthcare AdvocateOne of my earliest memories is of the doctor's visits my mother used to attend with my grandmother. I remember my mother taking notes and asking the doctors many questions...reactions2comments
The Sleepless Nights ContinueThe sleepless nights have been going on now for a couple weeks again. They just keep getting harder and harder to get through. The sleepless nights have been not only...reactions15comments
Applying for Disability BenefitsI've had axial spondyloarthritis and fibromyalgia for about four years now. Well, that's when I was diagnosed. In truth, I've probably had it for closer to a decade. I first...reactions1comment
What You Don’t See: Living With an Invisible IllnessLiving with an invisible illness has taught me a couple of things: (1) people make assumptions about my condition based on what their eyes see; and (2) that I need...reactions9comments
Walking Along With Ankylosing SpondylitisDo you worry a lot? Are you distracted often by ankylosing spondylitis (AS)? Are you caught up in medical issues and miss other, more essential things? Well, I do. I...reactions1comment
I Am Giving Acupuncture a Shot for My Chronic Pain and FatigueI recall meeting people with chronic pain telling me that they benefited from acupuncture treatment. I am naturally curious and always keen to try something new, particularly if it can...reactions4comments
My First Time Attending an AS Support GroupThis 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...reactions1comment
Finding Balance in Pushing Yourself and Resting with WorkOver the last 6 months, I have been diligent in getting myself back into a consistent work schedule. I work from home, so it can be a challenge to stick...reactions2comments
I’ve Been Doing BetterI realized I haven’t written an article in months. There are multiple reasons for that. I haven’t really had any new ideas for writing, nor have I felt motivated to...reactions1comment
Flares Still Happen, and I Accept Them as MessengersI have now been living with AS for the past 11 years. At the beginning, flares came very frequently, and in an intense way. It felt like anything could trigger...reactions4comments
How I Manage Wildfire Season With "Pre-Existing Health Conditions"It is the worst wildfire season in history. That’s the rhetoric I keep hearing from the media. In all fairness, it may be so on a national or continental scale...reactions1comment
The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Specialty PharmaciesFor the last 6 months, I’ve been navigating the special pharmacy world extensively. For a variety of reasons, my health insurance benefits changed 3 times in that span of time...reactions1comment
Sleepless Nights Continue ContinuouslySleepless nights are something I been writing a lot about. It's part of the biggest struggle I've been having. I know I am not alone on this one. As going...reactions3comments
The Four Minute Mile: Setting AxSpa GoalsThe four minute mile--many people know how the story goes. No one was able to run a sub 4-minute mile and it was deemed impossible, until one day somebody named...reactions2comments
3 Ways Ankylosing Spondylitis Has My Life MUCH BetterWhen we think about our lives with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), it can sometimes feel like we're battling eternity. An eternity of chronic pain, stiffness, fatigue, all of the comorbidities, doctors...reactions5comments
6 Arthritis Self-Care TouchstonesMany years ago people tested the authenticity and purity of silver and gold by dragging samples over special stones. The resulting color of the touchstone’s mark verified the metal’s content...reactions1comment
Navigating Autoimmune Healing Without Succumbing to Dietary FadsIn today's society, the prevalence of autoimmune conditions, such as ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), is rising. These conditions, affecting millions worldwide, require careful management to alleviate symptoms...reactions2comments
Health Anxiety and My Axial SpondyloarthritisOver the past few months, I have struggled to cope with my health anxiety. On some days it's just as prevalent as my chronic pain conditions. When I was younger...reactions1comment
