“Whenever there's a lot of interest and dollars put into fibromyalgia research, patients only stand to benefit.” - Dr. Ginevra Liptan

During the pandemic, a potentially game-changing research article showed us that the immune system is involved in creating fibromyalgia pain. The results of this study were remarkable and began to address one of the most common questions about fibromyalgia - whether it is an autoimmune condition. It’s a huge question and an important one for us to keep asking because, at the end of the day, we need more research.

For this episode, Tami interviews Dr. Ginevra Liptan, fibromyalgia specialist and author of The Fibro Manual and The Fibro Food Formula. Tami and Dr. Ginevra discuss the game-changing mouse antibody study that showed the involvement of the immune system in fibromyalgia pain and the potential autoimmune component, how the study could potentially change the treatment approach for fibromyalgia, why Dr. Ginevra is hopeful for significant progress within a decade, fibromyalgia as an orphan disease that no speciality wants to claim, the relationship between antibodies and fibromyalgia symptoms, Dr. Ginevra’s hypothesis on how and why central sensitization is triggered in fibromyalgia, the complexity of the immune system and the challenges in understanding it, the misconception that inflammation is not involved in fibromyalgia, potential benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for fibromyalgia and other conditions, the upcoming Stanza app which uses behavioral therapy techniques to calm the fight or flight response, Tonix pharmaceuticals' phase three trial for a new fibromyalgia medication, exploring the possibility of transmitting fibromyalgia symptoms through blood donation, the search for effective fibromyalgia treatments, how to navigate the overwhelming and confusing nature new fibromyalgia research, the role of intuition and personal research in choosing treatment, recognizing that there is no magic bullet solution, why we advocate for combining different approaches for better results, and more.

Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on Facebook or Instagram.

Need a good book to read? Download Tami's books for free.

Ready to take back control of your life and health? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®.

When we have an interest or a passion, but we're not pursuing it, we don't feel good.

Creativity is a vital part of wellness; for many people, it helps them manage their illness and feel better. No matter how you’re feeling, it’s important to know that staying creative and vibrant is possible.

Today, Tami welcomes Wellness Coach Jenni Grover to talk about how you can do more crafting, making, and creating. Jenni has a passion for making sure that people get to keep being themselves and expressing themselves through their creativity while also taking good care of their bodies.

In this conversation, Tami and Jenni discuss why Jenni created her ChronicBabe project, her passion for helping people feel better despite chronic illness, why she made the shift to being a wellness coach, the connection between physical and mental health and creativity, what it has been like for Jenni to adapt her life to support her love for writing without sacrificing her health, why we need to let ourselves evolve to meet our current circumstances, embracing a growth mindset, the vast difference it makes when we surround ourselves with supportive individuals from friends and family to a coach, how to getting started with accessible crafts, getting out of the comparison trap, pacing strategies and making sure you’re honoring them, tips for staying creative on low-energy days, how timers help with preventing burnout and maintaining productivity, balancing urgency and context, being intentional about taking breaks and enlisting the help of others, the empowering feeling of making conscious choices, two pacing tools Jenni loves, practical ways to get back to making things again, taking care of your brain which is your most important tool, finding balance in self-care, finding beauty in everyday life and how it can inspire creativity, what it’s like to work with Jenni as a wellness coach, and more.

Even if you're not a crafter or a maker, Tami and Jenni’s conversation can apply to any project and fibro life in general.

Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on Facebook or Instagram.

Need a good book to read? Download Tami's books for free.

Ready to take back control of your life and health? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®.

A certified Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® is not a doctor. We can’t prescribe or diagnose, but we can help fill the gap in fibro knowledge for you and your doctors. IFC graduates have received hundreds of hours of fibromyalgia-specific training. We can teach you and your providers more about fibromyalgia and help you advocate for yourself and get better results.

Today, as we continue the seventh installment of our Stories of Hope and Healing, Tami interviews two more graduates of our Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® training program. After going through both our Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® and Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® training programs over the last two years, Penny and Ann are nearly symptom-free.

In this episode, you’ll hear about their journeys and how they got where they are today. They are sharing Penny’s two-year journey to becoming almost symptom-free, the huge difference it made to work with the right providers, her experience going through early menopause as a result of a hysterectomy, how she finally got to the root causes of her pain, recognizing that each person’s fibro treatment recipe is unique, why becoming a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® has been so rewarding for Penny, the challenges of navigating medical systems, the positive ripples of working on our fibromyalgia, the massive changes in Ann’s personal life since starting the Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® program, why she feels like she’s finally come full circle, the changes which have made the most significant positive impact on Ann’s fibromyalgia, how helping other people as a fibromyalgia coach has been helpful for Ann on her fibro journey, some of her favourite things to recommend to her clients, Ann’s message for anyone struggling with fibromyalgia, how a fibromyalgia coach can help you on your journey, what it looks like to work with a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, and more.

Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on Facebook or Instagram.

Need a good book to read? Download Tami's books for free.

Ready to take back control of your life and health? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®.