How to Love Your Body While Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis

<p>Stefanie was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis after the birth of her first child. In this episode, she shares how her weight gain and difficulty performing daily tasks led to a negative body image. </p><p>Cheryl and Stefanie discuss ways to overcome ableism and shame, and gain a sense of body positivity or at least a “body neutral” stance. They also discuss the importance of self compassion and challenging societal norms. </p><p>For full episode details including a transcript, <a href="https://arthritis.theenthusiasticlife.com/2022/07/13/how-to-love-your-body-while-living-with-rheumatoid-arthritis-with-stefanie-remson/" target="_blank">go to the show page</a>. </p><h2>Episode at a glance:</h2><ul><li><strong>Overview:</strong> how does chronic illness affect body image?</li><li><strong>Stefanie’s personal journey:</strong> postpartum diagnosis of RA, coping with weight gain and difficulty performing basic daily activities</li><li><strong>What is “normal?”</strong> Stefanie and Cheryl discuss how it’s hard to know what’s normal or expected as a first time parent, especially when you receive an autoimmune diagnosis</li><li><strong>Overcoming ableism and shame</strong>: how Stefanie and Cheryl have learned to grow in confidence and embrace their perfectly imperfect bodies</li><li><strong>It’s ok to feel “body neutral:”</strong> sometimes being neutral is a middle ground step between body shame and body confidence</li><li><strong>Self-Compassion:</strong> Cheryl shares why self compassion is so critical for people with chronic illness</li><li>Stefanie’s best advice for newly diagnosed people who might be struggling with body image</li></ul><h2>Medical disclaimer:</h2><p>All content found on <a href="https://arthritis.theenthusiasticlife.com/">Arthritis Life</a> public channels was created for generalized informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.</p><h2>Episode Sponsors</h2><p><a href="https://arthritis.theenthusiasticlif