Getting stronger with EMSCULPT, the no-pain, muscle-building, fat-loss medical device*

*In collaboration with S-Thetics, Beaconsfield. My husband is super-fit, works out most days with weights and the odd run. But although I have a chronic pain condition, I've recently done far more sit-ups in half an hour than he - or anyone - could ever dream of. Twenty-thousand to be precise. While I let that sink in, I’ll admit, it wasn’t under my own steam. I've used medical technology...

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A sharper look with EndyMed's V-shaped facial treatment

The paradigm of the older 'invisible' woman has now been demolished, as business leaders, movie stars, musicians and supermodels are showing the world that vitality, relevance and beauty do not end at 40, 50 or above. We may tell ourselves that for people like Kylie (Minogue), Nicole, Sandra, Cindy, Sharon, Meryl, etc, looking good is part of their job. But whatever your lifestyle, time constraints...

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EDS Awareness: Coming to terms with chronic pain

As ever, My EDS Awareness month post sneaks in on the last day of May. It's been a big month, including a short, but amazing, trip to Barcelona to celebrate my and my husband's 50th birthdays (wtf?!). His was in April and mine is on 6th June (666... really rather fitting.) I wasn't sure how I would manage it, given the uncertainties of my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, but we had booked assistance at...

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Farewell, dear uncle, for you were the best of us.

And so farewell Uncle Ray, farewell. Though we shared no blood, I knew you every day of my life that I can remember, and then some. You grew up next door to my mum, a friend from as soon as she could boss you about, though in a nice way, I'm sure 😉. You were mad about trains, a passion that stayed with you for life. You are in my earliest memories when, as a child, I would regularly pop next...

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How we can use the power of thought to recover from the body blows of 2016

2016 may not have actually seen more celebrity deaths but the point is, it felt like it. Those who died were largely beloved figures. By New Year's Eve, I was wondering whose turn it was today, December had slapped us around so much. It's as if some malevolent force had picked off the people most likely to invoke public grief so a vast swathe of human emotional vibrations would resonate negatively...

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Building a website for your group or charity on a shoestring budget

I recently took part in a webinar aimed at helping rare disease patients who want to start a website for their patient group or small charity. Almost half of the world’s population is online, with the number of users growing daily. People are increasingly turning to the Internet to answer all of their questions – and this includes health. A 2013 study from the Pew Research Centre found that 72% of...

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Ehlers Danlos syndrome. Sometimes hard to see, always hard to live with

Son2 and I were both diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos syndrome by leading world expert in the condition, Professor Rodney Grahame. As well as being about as knowledgeable about the condition as it is possible to be, he's also kind, genial and still passionate about his field, despite being past the age at which many would be thinking of retirement. Prof. Grahame, however, is still at the top of his...

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Study indicates deconditioning doesn't cause PoTS, but has a cardiac trigger

A very small, yet enlightening medical commentary about Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) has recently popped up. PoTS is often -erroneously- put down to the result of deconditioning - i.e, not doing enough exercise. It's one of the things that people with the condition (including me) find most upsetting, the thought - sometimes spoken, more often just reflected in someone's face,...

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The Hydrafacial: an easy way to beautiful skin

When you have a chronic illness, everyday life can seem like walking head-on into a hurricane. Putting one foot in front of the other, both physically and metaphorically, can seem like you are up against an unseen but powerful opposing force that, with one unwise step, will whip you off your feet into a maelstrom with an unknown ending. It's an uncertain and exhausting existence. That's why having...

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The enigma of Ehlers Danlos syndrome and why it's vital to make the #InvisibleVisible

Ah, it's Ehlers Danlos Awareness Month again, hurrah, zebras unite and shake your stripes! Gently, though, we don't want any awareness-raising injuries. EDS is a very enigmatic condition. It's rare, yet it might not be particularly rare. It's often in the papers with one case or another, yet no one has heard of it. It's a condition that makes collagen very stretchy, so it affects pretty much all...

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Disabling effects of PoTS shown in largest ever survey and how educating health professionals can help

Postural orthostatic Tachycardia syndrome or PoTS, is a complete bastard of a condition. It doesn't kill, thankfully, but it can quite often make you feel like you have no life in you. It can be a condition on its own or a comorbidity of another condition, such as mine, Ehlers Danlos syndrome. In its extreme, life-altering state, it's pretty rare and extremely misunderstood. The charity...

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Can you help #careforLaura crowdfund fund life-saving surgery for Laura's Ehlers Danlos syndrome?

As you may know, since 2013 have been disabled by the rare disease (or rarely diagnosed disease), Ehlers Danlos syndrome. I've been at rock bottom and have, with the support of my husband, managed to drag myself to a somewhat precarious place where I can work a few hours a day. Days out or meetings are always a knock back but I build the down-time in. I've know that I'm lucky to have got to my mid-forties...

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How to rejuvenate your skin in two easy steps

You may have seen my previous post about visiting the S-Thetics medical aesthetic clinic in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire when I sampled the delights of Allergan Juvéderm fillers. If not, take a look at the video I made demystifying and informing you about the procedure, which really made a difference not only to my 48 year old face but also to my confidence. *Scroll to the end to watch the short...

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