International Day of the Zebra
It's international day of the zebra!
Today is the day we zebras raise awareness of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and hypermobility spectrum disorder!
I am a zebra. Why?
Drs are taught "when you hear hooves, think horses" but in reality those hooves could be zebra hooves.
EDS and HSD sufferers have multi system health issues, our bodies process collagen differently which makes our joints hypermobile. Collagen supplements don't help because it's not a deficiency it's a processing issue.
For me personally this affects my body in a multitude of ways including:
- I have hips that subluxate (partially dislocate) often
- sleep apnea
- tracheobronchomalacia
- aspiration with swallowing (dysphagia)
- vocal cord dysfunction
- gerd
- chronic migraine/scalp nerve pain
Today is a day of raising awareness. Want to learn more:
https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/
This is why my health and fitness regimen is mostly low impact activities. Walking is a favorite:
- cycling
- yoga
- walking
- low impact cardio
- strength training w/ light dumbbells/resistance bands
- aquaerobics
- golf
- kayaking
I do some very short trail runs at times too, but less than one mile seems to be the distance I manage well.
