Erin Evis - Apothecare Natural Health

15/05/2026

Today is vascular Ehlers-danlos Syndrome (vEDS) awareness day - - one of the more rare types but the most serious of all the EDS subtypes. Often the first sign someone has it is a major medical event, but awareness of the red flags, and family history, can make a difference.

Why it matters:

Over 80% of affected individuals will have had a major, life-threatening medical event by age 40.

Tissues affected include skin, blood vessels, arteries, and major organs.

Dangers include aneurysm, organ rupture, arterial dissection, and bleeds.

Uterine rupture in pregnancy is a major risk.

Early diagnosis can be key to mitigating the risks.

🚩 Red flags are personal or family history of major events such as the above; thin, translucent skin; sometimes individuals may have a thin nose and lips and large eyes; hypermobility, particularly of the small joints of the hands and feet.

14/05/2026

Taking a break from the current EDS programming to alert you all to these new results on glyphosate (Round Up) residue in Weet-Bix and similar products, courtesy of No More Glyphosate NZ. If you're a gluten-free Weet Bix fan, you should probably pay even more attention... 🧐😬

Independent testing of six Weet-Bix-style breakfast cereals found major differences in glyphosate residue levels, including one result of 3.9 mg/kg.

13/05/2026

😱 Did you know that Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome can come as part of a group of illnesses, known colloquially as the trifecta?

EDS is complex. Like, crazy complex. Which isn't unexpected really, when you consider that connective tissue is found in every organ in the body and holds it all together. So, EDS will often come with a host of 'friends'. Two of the most prevalent of those are POTS and MCAS - statistics vary, but the general trend across the literature shows that over a third of people diagnosed with hEDS also have MCAS, and over fifty percent have POTS as a comorbid (25% are unlucky enough to have both).

👉POTS: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome - a form of dysautonomia (autonomic nervous system dysfunction) where the heart rate increases dramatically on standing (30bpm within 10mins of standing, or raising to 120bpm+ within 10mins of standing), and often accompanied by symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, nausea, adrenaline surges, palpitations, GI dysfunction, and fatigue.

👉 MCAS: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome - a condition where mast cells [part of the immune system, one of the white blood cells] release abnormal numbers of chemical mediators such as histamine and tryptase, leading to intense episodes of allergy-type reactions that may include wheezing, hives, rashes, itching, flushing, nausea, diarrhoea, dizziness, swelling, fainting, tachycardia, vomiting, cramping, fatigue, headaches, migraine, and even anaphylaxis.

💥Triggers can change from day to day (so things that caused issues before can suddenly be ok, and things that used to be ok are now triggers), and can range from anything from cold or hot temperatures, to foods, environmental exposures, infections, chemicals, and anything else you could think of.

So what's the connection between the three?

Well... that's still up for debate, but there are some theories that make more sense than others.

When connective tissue that makes up a significant part of the blood vessel walls is abnormally lax, it's difficult for the body to maintain good circulation and blood pressure - especially when standing, and those overly stretchy vessels get hit by gravity and can't work effectively enough to return blood to the upper body. The heart rate increases to try and compensate, et voila... POTS.

On top of this, the nervous system is affected by weaker connective tissue too, with nerve stability affected as well as circulation. Plus, most conditions are exacerbated by stress - and it's really stressful having a body that doesn't do what it should be doing normally!

When connective tissue stretches, mast cells can degranulate, because their 'house' is effectively not strong enough to hold them in place properly (think of a trampoline with a toy stuck down on it... mat stretches, and POP, the toy dislodges).

Add to this the fact that histamine is a vasodilator, so when mast cells release histamine, you can get increased blood pooling and orthostatic intolerance, and a worsening of POTS symptoms... and low vagus nerve tone from EDS can lead to mast cell degranulation... you get a big ol' roundabout nobody wants to be stuck on. A causes B causes A...

There's also emerging research showing some significant immune involvement in EDS, which is also obviously a key part of MCAS (being an immune disorder), and some shared genetic links as well.

Basically... there are lots of theories as to the 'why', many of which hold credence, and my suspicion is that it's probably a case of multiple things happening all at the same time, in this very complex web of a condition where everything is interconnected and nothing is as expected.

What is certain, however, is that these conditions are comorbid far more than could be explained away as mere coincidence, that there is absolutely a relationship at play here (even if we don't fully understand what it is yet), and that the likelihood of POTS and MCAS needs to be taken into account when considering anyone with EDS/HSD.

12/05/2026

I was planning another more informative EDS post tonight, but it's the first of this year's EDS ECHO Nutrition programme, run by the Ehlers-Danlos Society - another upskill that will hopefully mean I can bring more handy little clinical gems back to work to help support you all better. Great to see so many other kiwis on here!

So instead, while I'm off doing some learning, I leave all my fellow 'zebras' with a question:

What does EDS mean to you? What's your most ridiculous 'war story'? What do you wish other people knew about EDS?

10/05/2026

To all the amazing Mums of the world... mothers, mothers-in-law, grandmothers, and mothers-at-heart. Whatever kind of mother you are, I hope you've had a lovely day.

09/05/2026

In my last post, I mentioned 13 different subtypes of Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes, and how they can present differently from one another, though there are usually some commonalities. Let's go through them - because it's awareness month, after all.

07/05/2026

🦓May is Ehlers-Danlos Awareness Month, which is a big deal, because EDS is something that, while supposedly rare, is actually really common - but it's just also commonly missed, misdiagnosed, brushed off, ignored, or put down to anxiety (have you tried doing yoga?).

It's something that affects a fair few people who come to my clinic, and having lived with it myself for my whole life I can attest to how annoying it is to have connective tissue that doesn't want to connect properly. 🧐

So what is it? Awareness starts with understanding, obviously, so here's the low-down:

💪Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is a group of 13 different subtypes of connective tissue disorder, each unique in its presentation, all affecting the 'glue' that holds the body together. Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) is the most common by far, the rest being very rare. hEDS is also the only one that we can't currently do genetic testing for.

The subtypes are all different in their presentation, and no two people will be affected in the same way, so remember that when you know one person with EDS, you know... one person. Everyone's experience is different, and each of the subtypes - particularly the rare ones - are unique, so whilst they often get lumped in with the more common hEDS, it's important we understand that they are not the same thing and each has its own unique needs.

There is also Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD), which is where a person has hypermobile joints, but not the syndromic, systemic aspects that lead to the diagnosis of EDS... essentially, they can do the 'cool party tricks' but it's considered benign, as they thankfully escape the wider health problems that are associated with EDS.

So... when the glue ain't gluin', we see a range of different issues, many of which can seem unrelated - which means the average time to diagnosis of hEDS, for example, is over 22 years. Let that one sink in for a moment. 🥲Most people will experience gaslighting, medical trauma, disbelief, dismissal, and be told they're anxious or depressed, during that time.

Presentation varies from subtype to subtype, but there are some commonalities that can often pop up (not everyone will tick every box):

👉 Unstable joints, which can present as frequent dislocations and subluxations, injuries, joints that 'pop' and move and hyperextend, and generally don't work normally. If you had a 'party trick' as a kid, or are 'double jointed', pay attention here! Poor spacial awareness can go in here too.
👉 For many, particularly those with the classical and classical-like subtypes (but it does occur in others, including hEDS), abnormally stretchy skin, which can scar abnormally as well.
👉Pain, which is very often chronic
👉Fatigue
👉Gut dysfunction, including slow motility, "IBS", permeability issues, constipation, reflux, hernia
👉Headaches, migraines, and headaches referred from the neck (on that note, necks are often unstable, ie CCI)
👉Nerve pain and nerve issues
👉Dysautonomia, eg autonomic dysfunction... POTS, difficulty regulating temperature, tachycardia, Raynaud's, light headedness, anxiety, dizziness, etc
👉Easy bruising, and slow wound healing
👉Dental problems (teeth have collagen!)
👉 Soft, 'doughy' skin
👉 Stretchmarks without significant weight gain
👉 MCAS
👉 Neurodiverse conditions eg ADHD, ASD, etc
👉 Not responding normally to local anaesthesia

There can also be vascular issues in some types, such as varicose veins, venous insufficiency, cardiac problems, blood vessel fragility, arterial dissection, aneurysm, and organ rupture.

Many of these things can change over the years, and there are many stereotypes that can mean things are overlooked - for example, not everybody with EDS is 'flexible', because the muscles are working so hard to compensate for the poor connective tissue that they end up stiff and tight instead.

It's also easy to miss the fact that your body doesn't quite work normally, particularly when it runs in families, as people don't tend to sit and compare their skin elasticity or range of motion over their morning latte. And if they do, it's often with parents or siblings who may well be affected as well. If something is normal to you, you often don't know it's not actually normal.

🦓 If you're thinking "Hmm, some of this sounds quite familiar...", it may be worth having a chat with your health provider about it, or doing a bit more digging. Diagnosis can be very difficult to obtain in New Zealand, but awareness is slowly increasing.

👉I work with EDS often in clinic, as there is a lot we can do to support the bendy bodies - if you're looking for natural ways to support things, feel free to send me a message. ❤️ 🌿

Note: Photo is not my thumb. My magic trick is dislocating my fibula by rolling over in bed. 🫠

06/05/2026

This will be a fantastic webinar tonight, well worth signing up for and listening in for understanding how to read labels and what exactly is in the foods you eat...

What's behind the label? Join Alison White from the Safe Food Campaign and Sarah Reddington from for a 7.30-8.30pm Wed 6 May session on how to read labels, logos and ingredients to get the safest and healthiest food for the whole family. Facilitated by Philippa Jamieson, Organic NZ editor.
Click the link to register to join us on Wednesday May 6th for the What's Behind the Label Webinar 💚🌻
Also, check out the full list of webinars and interviews over the course of the week. https://organicnz.org.nz/organic-week/
REGISTER
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fjwS4rrhT5-mCnNcytkdig #/registration

04/05/2026

Sick of fighting the bugs and it's not even winter yet? Wondering what you can do to boost your family's health? Look no further than this handy little e-book, packed full of tips to support your family's wellbeing in the coming colder months. Available to download from my website now. And May the fourth be with you! (Sorry, couldn't help myself 🤪).

Side note that if you've purchased a copy in the past, this has been updated for 2026, so feel free to flick me a message and I'll send you a copy of the new version with bonus pages and recipes.

Worried about winter bugs, and supporting immunity and health in the winter months? Learn about how to protect your family from winter bugs with this downloadable ebook aimed at supporting your family health with nutrition, herbal medicine and more.

23/04/2026

Oops!! My phone has had one drop too many and the screen is kaput... busted... had it... gone burgers... no more... I'm left with fifteen lines of pixelated doom and a touch pad that works no more!!

If you're expecting a call from me, please be patient while I sort out an alternative (if I have your email, check your inbox); if you need to get in touch with me, please use email but note that I won't be checking in as much (because I'm often out and about and my phone is, well... as above); if you need to get in touch about an appointment in Whanganui please feel free to call Whanganui Osteopathy and they can sort you out. For Feilding and new Whanganui appointments, you can book via my website.

Apologies everyone.

In the meantime, here's a picture of some beautiful comfrey, which will fix anything broken on a human, but unfortunately, probably not a phone. 🌿

20/04/2026

How fast does time fly?! Fourteen years since I finished my first three diplomas in naturopathy, nutrition, and herbal medicine... the Bachelors was almost complete too, but due to the logistics of the course, that graduation had to wait a while longer. ;)