For decades, naturopathic doctors and practitioners of holistic and alternative medicine have claimed that bacteria and fungus are to blame for our nation’s epidemic of autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. Candida and small bowel bacterial overgrowth have especially garnered attention in the natural medicine communities. However, in recent years, traditional western medicine and esteemed medical doctors and scientists … Continue reading »
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Chronic Pain and Sleep – The Vicious Cycle – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
Sleep problems are common in people with arthritis and chronic pain. Additionally, people with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune forms of arthritis and rheumatic diseases may need more sleep than the average adult. Some RA patients need as much as 10 hours of sleep per night, whereas a “healthy” adult typically needs 7-8 hours … Continue reading »
Kids, Teens, and Young Adults Get Arthritis, Too! Celebrate JA Awareness in July – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
Kids and young adults get arthritis, too. And July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month. According to the Arthritis Foundation, JA refers to any form of arthritis or arthritis-related condition that develops in children or teenagers who are less than 18 years of age. Approximately 294,000 children under the age of 18 are affected by pediatric … Continue reading »
Spanish Speakers – Check out ReumatoIDEAS from the Arthritis Foundation, Mid Atlantic Region – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
Hola, buenos amigos! If you speak Spanish and have arthritis or know someone who does, ReumatoIDEAS is for you! Some of your favorite “Wellness with a Side of Life, Please” blog posts are translated into Spanish and shared on this new blog, so that we can reach even more readers who live with arthritis or … Continue reading »
Arthritis at the Beach – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
No one wants to take arthritis with them to the beach, but for those of us living with various forms of arthritis and rheumatic conditions, we really don’t have a choice! But, we do have a choice to not let arthritis ruin our sunny disposition, and, there are steps that we can take to make … Continue reading »
Arthritis Action: The ABCs & 123s of Arthritis – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
May is Arthritis Awareness Month – also known as Arthritis Action Month! Hopefully, you’ve been doing your part to spread awareness all month long. As a reminder, here are the ABCs & 123s of Arthritis, to show how you can take action now against arthritis during the month of May….and always! May 1: ADVOCATE! Let your elected … Continue reading »
The Importance of Range-of-Motion Exercises for Arthritis – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
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 »
Hair We Go! Tips for Hair Care with Arthritis, Rheumatic Illness or Chronic Pain – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
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 »
Self-Defense with Arthritis or Disability – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
Everyone is vulnerable to unexpected attacks or assault. Random acts of violence are committed all the time in our world, unfortunately, and so are home invasions and physical altercations. If we’re lucky, we’ll avoid these kinds of situations. However, it helps to be prepared in case of emergency. Are you a woman? Are you … Continue reading »
Arthritis: Yet Another Reason to Quit Smoking – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
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 »
