jenna farmer

If there’s one thing that many of us with chronic conditions strive for it’s to feel visible and heard. There are plenty of barriers around this: whether it’s trying to communicate the nature of a disability that is invisible or helping others understand what it’s like to be in our shoes. Either way, one instrumental tool in getting our message across is social media. Yet this week, as Endometriosis Awareness Month comes to a close, many took to the internet to share that their posts about the c

From glossier hair to shedding weight and boosting your energy, we’re often told that supplements could be the key to our health goals. But which ones are worth taking, and which ones offer false promises? Jenna Farmer helps separate fact from fiction when it comes to all things vitamins With so many vitamin supplements on the market, it can be tough to figure out which ones might actually be worth investigating. While a healthy balanced diet can actually go a long way to meeting your nutrition

If you have coeliac disease (where your immune system attacks itself when you eat gluten) or follow a gluten-free diet, your shopping choices are more limited and supermarkets running out of staples such as gluten-free bread, pasta, snacks, can be a real worry. At least one in every 100 people in the UK have coeliac disease while many more suffer from food intolerance to gluten or wheat. Those who do will know that going gluten-free goes beyond bread, gluten can be found in all sorts of foods-

I may have taken my marriage vows nine years ago but today the line ‘for richer, for poorer’ has never felt quite so apt. From our first date, my husband had worked steadily for the same national company (even managing 20 hours per week when we were at University, whilst I clocked up a mere four) yet my career was much more erratic. He’d seen me switch careers to retrain as a teacher just as we signed our mortgage papers and then quit a job without one to go to when planning our wedding. Our mar

Growing up, I was never sure if I wanted children. Whilst I wasn’t adamant a child-free life was for me, the concepts of motherhood around me felt alien. I felt as if I wasn’t programmed correctly: my heart didn’t melt when someone bought a new baby into the office; I loved my job and couldn’t see a future when everything stopped to have a family. But by the time I reached my 30s, I had changed my mind... Don’t worry, I am definitely not saying all women become broody if they just wait long e

There’s no denying that the flexibility of freelancing is appealing for women embarking on motherhood. Being self-employed allows you to schedule meetings around childcare, slash nursery costs and feel more in control when you first turn your ‘out of office’ back on. However, handling the tricky maternity leave period when self-employed can feel like a minefield. How much time should you take? Is financial assistance available? And how can you best manage the transition whilst still having a bus

With tree-lined avenues, historic architecture and a quaint collection of shops and restaurants, Shanghai’s Former French Concession is the ideal place for a moment of calm. For the better part of a century this area fell under French jurisdiction, resulting in a number of European touches. This influence is still very much evident: handsome villas perch along the promenade, while high-society ladies sip tea in the shade of linen-white gazebos. The charming scenery and slower pace make it an ide

Life with a chronic illness: Managing university, the workplace and beyond Jenna Farmer is a freelance journalist and blogger who specialises in writing about self-employed life and living with Crohn’s Disease. You can find her on Twitter or follow her blogs online. She runs The Bloglancer, a blog about freelance life and A Balanced Belly which is all about life with IBD. Navigating university and seeking employment are already daunting tasks for most of us. Yet throw life with a chronic illne

If diarrhoea and bloating seem like a daily occurrence to you, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s estimated that as many as two in 10 people in the UK suffer with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Many of those find that carefully monitoring their diet can play a big role in managing their symptoms. You’ve probably heard of the most common triggers – fatty foods, dairy and wheat – but did you know that garlic could actually be triggering your IBS? Despite its proposed health benefits, garlic can act

You might have seen recent reports on how the number of public loos in the UK is declining drastically. In fact, a recent mapping released by BBC showed that in 37 areas, major councils do not have any public toilets. In places like Isle of Wight and North Aryshire, the number of public toilets being maintained has been cut by as much as 92% and 80% respectively. Most media headlines reported this with indifference. I even watched a BBC presenter laugh her way through a segment on the topic.