Arthritis Life

In January 2000, Krista was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis; a debilitating autoimmune disease affecting her joints, tissues, skin and organs.  Having experienced chronic pain, disability, stress, depression, isolation and hopelessness for years, she relates deeply to the fear and impact to all facets of life when health is deteriorated. In 2015, Krista began addressing root cause drivers of h...

Speaker bios: Corinne McLees is passionate about helping individuals maximize the function of their upper extremities, as she believes the hands are imperative to doing the things we love most. She graduated from VCU's Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2016 and immediately began working in VCU Heath's hand therapy clinic. Corinne and her OT husband launched My Virtual OT - a 100% virtua...

In this episode, Paulina shares her personal journey of how she discovered the benefits of yoga after her rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis. She explains how it can help people manage stress and feel a better sense of peace about themselves and their lives.  Paulina also busts some of the top myths about yoga in this episode. Paulina Burzynska has been a 𝑅ℎ𝑒𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑖𝑑 𝐴𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑊𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑟 since the age of...

Cheryl explains how rheumatoid arthritis affects more than just joints - it affects people’s whole bodies, and whole lives! She also explores how she learned to tolerate gray areas rather than seeking black and white answers, and how mindfulness and acceptance helped her with the mental side of life with chronic illness. This episode also includes a discussion about medical gaslighting, and how Ch...

This episode includes a deep dive into: Why Dr. Cadet chose to specialize in Rheumatology What unique issues rheumatology patiences of color face Why racial representation is important for healthcare providers Dr. Cadet’s advice for rheumatology patients for how to get the most out of appointments and build a trusting relationship with your provider Speaker bios: Dr. Magdalena “Maggie” Cadet is a...

Cristina Montoya, Registered Dietitian and Kia Peters, Nutrition Student weave together their lived experience as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and nutrition experts in this episode, alongside Jenifer Tharani, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who specializes in anti-inflammatory eating. This episode covers: What’s the difference between a “nutritionist” and a “Registered Dietitian” and why...

Dr. Sakshi Tickoo (she/her/hers) is a Mumbai-based Occupational Therapist, Personal Counselor and Student Mentor specializing in the fields of Sexuality; Mental Health - Wellness and Rehabilitation. She has served a diverse group of people through home healthcare, telehealth, and school-based settings. She is also the founder and owner of Sex, Love, And OT and The OT Shop. Sex, Love, and OT is an...

Navigating intimate relationships while managing a chronic illness can be tricky - how and when do you disclose your disability?  How do you experiment with sexual positions without “ruining the mood?” Is it possible to communicate with your partner in a way that’s respectful and empowering? In this episode, five panelists share their best advice for *all* aspects of romantic and intimate relation...

Randi and Cheryl dive deep into Randi’s diagnosis journey, her career as a track and field athlete at the University of Alabama, her best advice for newly diagnosed patients, her tips for exercise with RA, and even some dating and relationship advice.  Randi was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 16 after 6 years of trying to find an answer. Randi says: “My journey with RA has not a...

Effie shares many anecdotes and nuggets of wisdom about how she’s learned to advocate for herself over fifteen years of living with rheumatoid arthritis. She also shares examples of finding a good fit with a provider, and how to get involved in legislative advocacy on a national scale. Effie Koliopoulos is a freelance writer and rheumatoid arthritis patient advocate. She created her blog Rising Ab...

Kristen delves deep into the science behind behavior analysis and shares how she has used data to help her track her symptoms such as brain fog and fatigue. She also shares how mindfulness and acceptance based therapies can help people living with chronic illnesses achieve a better quality of life. Kristen also helps other chronic illness warriors apply the principles of behavior analysis to their...

Vanessa Cameron and Cheryl Crow delve deep into Vanessa's rheumatoid arthritis journey, which includes significant work she's done on examining the mind-body connection and finding balance in her life through daily mindfulness, EFT and other practices. Cameron discovered her passion for hacking her mind and body amid a debilitating bout with Rheumatoid Arthritis. After learning about the emerging...

Cheryl & Bronnie are both occupational therapists who live with chronically painful conditions. In this episode, Bronnie shares her unique perspective on how one pursue a full life *despite* pain, rather than seeking solely to eliminate pain. This episode is a must listen for both patients and practitioners. Medical disclaimer:  All content found on Arthritis Life public channels was created for g...

This episode including tips for to cope with the initial diagnosis, how to best educate yourself about your condition, ways to utilize social support without getting overwhelmed,  how to best collaborate with your provider and make treatment decisions, and finally how to take care of your mind and manage stress.  Episode breakdown: 1:10 - Episode Introduction 2:08 - Analogy for those newly diagnos...

Episode at a Glance: The following is a breakdown of the main topics we discussed - scroll to the end to see hyperlinks for resources mentioned in this episode! As a reminder: this episode was originally recorded in 2019. 01:35 - Claire diagnosis journey for rheumatoid arthritis: difficulty being believed by providers through her official diagnosis and her journey towards accepting it 10:30 Claire...

Episode at a Glance Cheryl (rheumatoid arthritis patient and occupational therapist) and rheumatologist Dr. Percy Balderia discuss: 1:00-2:00: -  What is Rheumatology? 2:00 -  Why did Dr. Balderia choose to become a Rheumatologist? 04:50- Day in the life of a Rheumatologist 06:45 - How to build a good relationship with your provider & prepare for appointments 11:16- What should patients know about...

Episode at a Glance She and Cheryl discuss their best advice for newly diagnosed patients, explore how fatigue can be more debilitating than pain, highlight the importance of mental health treatment for chronic conditions, and dig into the impact of rheumatoid disease on everyday life.  Sarah's experience designing her own custom wedding day splint (due to not wanting to wear the typical ugly spli...

This episode is brought to you by Rheum to THRIVE, an online course and support program Cheryl created to help people with rheumatic disease go from overwhelmed, confused and alone to confident, supported and connected. See all the details and join the program or waitlist now!  Learn more at:  Cheryl's full diagnosis story video (20 minutes) Arthritis Life Podcast, Practical Tips & Support - Chery...