resources & thought-provoking ideas for flexible folk

~~~~~ My first blog post about finding an acupuncturist was in 2019, so it’s been a while. Besides, the original essay (linked here below) was for normies and I think we can all agree that there needs to be a version of this essay for people with complex conditions. Whether it’s EDS, MCAS, POTS,…

***** Have you ever tried tai chi or qigong? So many of us get asked if we’ve tried yoga (to the point where some of us want to scream when we hear that word) but it seems to me that Chinese practices are not as common as they could be in the chronic illness community.…

Do you have lumps and bumps or symmetrical pockets of fat on your legs? What about your arms, hips, abdomen, or buttocks? If so, you might have lipedema, a chronic condition that has no cure and that can, instead, progress and even lead to lymphedema, a similar (but not the same) disorder. Though there…

Have you ever wondered about cosmetic acupuncture? Common questions from anyone, whether a normie or a zebra, relate to things like whether or not it’s safe and if it’s worth the investment. We all want to know about that before we plunk down our payment for services rendered. But being a member of the…

Men and their experiences living with hypermobile Ehlers Danlos syndrome is a whole topic…one that doesn’t get nearly enough attention in my opinion. When you look online for info about guys and hEDS, for instance, there just isn’t a lot of useful material. Nobody is denying that guys can have EDS, but the disorder is…

Have you ever thought about the difference between mindful eating and intuitive eating? They are not the same thing, but both can be helpful approaches to nutrition when a person lives with EDS, MCAS, and/or POTS. Especially when a person is limited in what they can eat, an intentional view can soften the hard edges…

I seriously almost titled this essay “girding your loins for the holidays when you have MCAS.” It kind of does feel like being thrown onto an obstacle course where you have to battle your way from point one (early November) to the finish line (the first week of January), doesn’t it?

Tattoos for people with EDS is a whole topic. Yes, it is. I discovered this when I set out to write a blog post for the community. I had intended to write one single essay that shared useful information for folks with hEDS, MCAS, and/or POTS. But I know what I already know as a…

Are you thinking about getting a tattoo? One question that routinely pops up in online groups and on places like Reddit are questions about ink and EDS. Is it a realistic option, will the skin heal decently, are they safe for zebras? People want to know and the questions are certainly valid. As a practitioner…

Note: The companion piece for this essay is “Tattoos When You Have hEDS, MCAS, &/or POTS? (It’s Complicated)“ and in it, I address the topic of tattoos and complex illness from the client’s perspective. If you are starting with this essay, you probably are a tattoo artist. There is a lot of useful information for you…