Tag Archives: Live Yes! Podcast

workplace ergonomics

Creating a Joint-Friendly Workspace

By Rebecca Gillett, MS OTR/L – Live Yes! With Arthritis Podcast Co-Host

As things begin to open back up and some of us return to the office for work, you may need to re-evaluate your workspace. Listen to the latest episode of the Live Yes! With Arthritis podcast to learn strategies to keep your joints healthy at work.

Happy Summer! It feels good to kick off the summer — knowing that maybe we can enjoy some of the things we missed pre-pandemic for those who are now fully vaccinated and feel ready to do so. I know it might still be uncertain or uncomfortable for some of us to just go back to the way things were before our anxieties reached an all-time high about being high-risk for COVID-19. So, the last thing anyone wants to think about is going back to the office! Wait, WHAT!? I can’t work from home anymore? Or maybe the rules have changed, and work will remain remote or offer flexibility with where you put in your work hours. Continue reading Creating a Joint-Friendly Workspace

Medical Cannabis & Arthritis

Is it right for you? Where do you start?

By Rebecca Gillett, MS OTR/L, Live Yes! With Arthritis co-host and arthritis patient

Finding treatments to help alleviate the chronic pain of arthritis can be challenging, at best. It can be overwhelming to find treatments and medications to alleviate pain that don’t cause other issues. When you have lived with chronic pain for years, you know there is not a one-size-fits-all fix for the various aches and pains you experience.

So perhaps you have considered turning to medical cannabis products containing CBD (cannabidiol) and/or THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical that produces a “high”) to treat your arthritis symptoms. If you decide to go down that path, you will arrive at a buffet of products and treatments, depending on your state’s laws, that can be beyond confusing. Where and how do you start? What’s the best type of product to use for your particular needs?

Full disclosure: I’ve never inhaled, so I’m not an authority on the matter. I do live in Colorado, so products are readily available and seem to be showing up everywhere I go. Over the past few years, I have tried CBD products in various forms to help alleviate neck and back pain, some with minimal amounts of THC and others only CBD. I’ve also tried CBD edibles in hopes of it helping with sleep. My personal experience has been that some topical CBD products have helped with reducing my joint pain, but minimally. Edibles did not agree with my digestive system, so not for me.

All of this, of course, after discussions with my rheumatologist. We talked about whether using CBD would be a good idea as a bridge between my infusion treatments or to address sleep issues. I am fortunate to have an amazing rheumatologist who is all about shared decision-making and open communication. The fact that I can have a conversation with her about alternative treatments is important, and I know not all patients have this experience with their doctors. You are the expert of your own body, so finding a doctor who is willing to listen to your thoughts and concerns is so important.

On this episode of the Live Yes! With Arthritis Podcast, “Medical Cannabis & Arthritis,” Kevin Boehnke, PhD, University of Michigan School of Medicine, again joins my co-host Julie and me to talk about medical cannabis – also known as medical marijuana – and why the science community has shifted from this nomenclature. He will discuss research on the use of medical cannabis for arthritis and provide some guiding principles for you if you’re considering trying it for your arthritis symptoms. Tune in today.

Be sure to check out the Arthritis Foundation’s CBD Guidance for Adults With Arthritis for information, and use this as a starting point for a conversation with your doctor.

 

 

Mind Over Stress: Finding the Right Balance

By Rebecca Gillett, MS OTR/L, Live Yes! With Arthritis Co-host and arthritis patient

Stress. Just the word itself can invoke the feeling. If you live with arthritis, you know there is a spectrum of stress-inducing triggers that might propel you into a flare of varying intensity. I am not just talking about the mental stress of living with a chronic disease, which is a huge factor, but also the physical stress you put your body through from the moment you slowly make your way out of bed. Everything we do, think and feel can take on a toll on our physical and emotional well-being, which then can affect our arthritis pain. Continue reading Mind Over Stress: Finding the Right Balance

Fight or Flight? TeleMental Health to the Rescue!

By: Julie Eller, Live Yes! With Arthritis Podcast Co-Host 

If you are anything like me, these past few months have put you into a prolonged state of “fight or flight” — where your body and your mind are responding to the world and trying to determine if it is best to stay put and fend off the evils of the moment or flee to safety.   Continue reading Fight or Flight? TeleMental Health to the Rescue!

Arthritis Myths? Busted – On the Latest Episode of Live Yes! With Arthritis

By: Julie Eller, Podcast Host

On the latest episode of the Live Yes! With Arthritis Podcast, we debunk some of the most common medical misconceptions about arthritis with Andrew Laster, MD. Listen today.

In the age of information, people are inundated with the “new” and “trendy” and it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. This is true when it comes to diet and self-care trends, it’s true when it comes to the news we consume, and it’s especially true when we learn new health information. As we face all the information out there, people who live with chronic illnesses like arthritis must be vigilant in separating fact from fiction not only for themselves but for those around them. I find myself smiling at the number of times I’ve taught someone, “Yes, kids really do get arthritis too!”

Continue reading Arthritis Myths? Busted – On the Latest Episode of Live Yes! With Arthritis

Managing Mental Health & Emotional Wellness: “We Must Go Through Them”

By Courtney Kellerman Wells, PhD, MSW, MPH, LGSW; social work educator and researcher, Arthritis Foundation patient advocate and volunteer

My story of how the Arthritis Foundation has helped me live my yes! is featured on the latest episode of the Live Yes! With Arthritis podcast. I was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis when I was 18 months old. Continue reading Managing Mental Health & Emotional Wellness: “We Must Go Through Them”

Live Yes! With Arthritis Podcast: Episode 4 – You Want Me to Exercise?

You should exercise. Sound familiar? I know. I hear you loud and clear. You woke up this morning in pain. Trying to muster enough energy to even get out of bed felt impossible. And getting ready for your day felt like you just ran a 5K. I get it. I have arthritis, too, and I know what you’re thinking. “Wait, didn’t I just wake up? I should have more energy than this! What did I do in my sleep to feel this exhausted? Oh, that’s right. I didn’t sleep well. My ‘pain-somnia’ kept me from getting any good sleep. So now you’re telling me to go exercise? Ugh. That’s supposed to help my arthritis pain?”The short answer: YES! The truth is, an ever-growing body of research shows exercise is one of the best ways to treat our arthritis. But for those of us living with it 24/7, it can be one of the last things we want or even feel able to do. Been there, done that, going through it all over again. As a patient, I know how hard it is to get moving when I have pain. As an occupational therapist, I know how hard it is to get someone motivated to get moving, and I understand how staying physically active can make a huge difference to our health.

Continue reading Live Yes! With Arthritis Podcast: Episode 4 – You Want Me to Exercise?