Moving is stressful for anyone but when you live with rheumatoid arthritis or another inflammatory illness, it can feel like carrying your whole life uphill with sand in your joints. In this episode, Amy and Janessa share the tips, tricks, and mindset shifts they just picked up when moving homes themselves.

From pacing your packing and managing pain, to creating a calm, accessible new space that truly supports healing - they talk honestly about what they learned the hard way, what they wish they’d known sooner, and how to rely on friends and family when the inevitable flare hits.

Whether you’re planning a move or just trying to navigate big life changes with a sensitive body, this one’s full of practical insight, gentle humour, and real-life encouragement.

In this eye opening episode, we pull back the curtain on the darker side of social media beyond the filters, trends, and endless scrolling. We explore how platforms are designed to keep us hooked by tapping into our brain’s dopamine system, why echo chambers are shaping the way we think, and how the constant comparison culture contributes to disordered eating and body image struggles.

But the impact isn’t only mental our physical health is taking a hit too. From “tech neck” to poor posture, we’ll discuss how hours of scrolling are affecting our bodies without us even realizing it.

This week, we’re reflecting on the things we wouldn’t buy again - the products, gadgets, and little indulgences that promised more than they delivered. It’s not about guilt or being perfect with money; it’s about learning what actually adds value to our lives and what just takes up space.

From impulse buys to overhyped trends, we’re sharing our honest experiences, a few laughs, and what we’re (still) learning about mindful spending along the way.

In this episode, Amy and Janessa explore the complex world of weed as a potential tool for managing chronic health conditions. We discuss how cannabis can be used medicinally -covering its benefits for pain and inflammation - while also shining a light on the important watch outs that shouldn’t be overlooked. Whether you’re curious or cautious, this episode hopefully offers a balanced look at both its promise and its pitfalls.

Also Amy is very sorry about her audio quality - she is trying to get it right in the new house... Next episode should hopefully be better!

We’re back, Wounded Healers family! After a little podcast break, we’re catching you up on all the metaphorical roses and thorns in our lives. This episode is full of heartfelt updates, we share the beautiful moments that have been blooming for us, as well as some of the harder ones we’ve been moving through.

With care, we briefly touch on the loss of a loved one to suicide and the loss of a pregnancy due to a missed miscarriage. We know these topics can be sensitive, so please take care while listening if you need to.

We are so grateful to be back behind the mic and reconnecting with this incredible community. Grab a cup of tea, settle in, and let’s catch up.

In this episode, Amy shares the latest advancements and medical interventions on the horizon for people living with Rheumatoid Arthritis. While managing RA can often feel like an uphill battle, there is hope on the horizon. Tune in to hear encouraging insights, emerging treatments, and what these developments could mean for the future of RA care.

Guided Meditation for Chronic Pain:

https://youtu.be/Fdr-jK4XrrM?si=bfvpb6EAXh-FFMx-

In this episode we talk about the promising autoimmune treatments that are in development. 

Sources mentioned: 

T-Cell Vaccine Studies

DEN‑181 Phase I Trial in Humans

Peptide–MHC Complex Vaccine in Animal Models

Preclinical Peptide-Based Vaccine Studies

Local Anti‑Inflammatory Gene Delivery

Immune tolerance induction with multiepitope peptide

RNAi & Epigenetic Gene Silencing

RNA interference-based gene therapy for successful treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Probiotics: Strains That Show Promise

Rheumatoid arthritis and the intestinal microbiome: probiotics as a potential therapy

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT)

A single case report described a patient with refractory RA who experienced symptomatic improvement after FMT

Pre-clinical Mouse Study on FMT

Precision Medicine and Biomarker Testing

Companion Diagnostics Study

Stay informed about PrismRA or comparable predictive tests

You can search for trials involving new medications, immune therapies, diet studies, and more:

• Search for “Rheumatoid Arthritis” + your country
• Filter by “recruiting” if you’re interested in taking part
• Includes info on the treatment, who qualifies, and how to apply

Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis comes with more questions then answers—and sometimes, it’s hard to know where to even start. In this episode, we explore how ChatGPT can be a powerful tool for asking the tough, nuanced questions about RA that we may not always feel comfortable bringing to the doctor or our loved ones.

But we don’t stop there. We also dive into one of the most emotionally complex parts of living with a chronic condition: explaining it to others. Whether it’s your boss, your child, your partner, or a skeptical friend, communicating what RA really feels like—without overwhelming or under explaining—can be a challenge.

Tune in as we test out how ChatGPT can help us frame these conversations, offer supportive language, and build bridges of understanding with those around us.

Resources: 

United States Arthritis Foundation: https://www.arthritis.org/

United Kingdom Versus Arthritis: https://versusarthritis.org/

Amy asks Janessa the tough questions! Do you believe in the devil? Do you believe in hell? How do you feel about the gays? Do you now believe that sex belongs only in marriage? How are you reconciling science like the Big Bang and what it says in the bible?

Resources:

Wesley Huff

Biblically Heard:

Oxford Academic

The Bible Project

C.S Lewis' book Mere Christianity

In this episode part ( 1 of 2), Janessa shares her deeply personal and evolving journey with faith-a path marked by struggle, questioning, and ultimately transformation. What began as a battle with God has become an unexpected awakening, shifting her perspective from self-focused to compassion for others.

Quote:

"Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary use words."-St. Francis of Assisi

Biblical story mentioned:

 Genesis 32:22-32