Welcome to the Phoenix Helix podcast dedicated to maximizing autoimmune health through the

paleo-autoimmune protocol and functional medicine. While there is no cure for autoimmune disease,

the choices we make every day can have a powerful impact on how we feel. I'm Eileen Laird, your host from

PhoenixHelix.com, and I reduced my rheumatoid arthritis pain by 95%,

which took me from a life of excruciating pain and disability back to a full and beautiful life.

A short disclaimer, I'm neither a doctor nor a nutritionist, and the opinions expressed here are personal.

Always consult with your health care team before making

medical decisions. Now let's get on to the show. Welcome to Episode 188. Our topic today is overcoming food fear. A common symptom of autoimmune

disease is increased food sensitivity. And when you first experience the connection between the food

you eat and how you feel, that can be an empowering moment.

But when certain foods cause you to flare, that can also inspire a fear of food, it's a natural reaction.

I think most people listening to this podcast have experienced this.

And some of you might be struggling with this right now. Food fear isn't just

knowledge about how food impacts our body. The fear itself can cause autoimmune flares and also

increase food sensitivity. So this can become a vicious cycle. Suddenly all food feels dangerous and we can

end up over-restricting our diets, which harms our health long-term.

So it is possible to overcome food fear and replace it with a deep knowledge about our bodies and enjoy eating again.

That's the conversation we'll be having today.

My guests are Nidica Chopra and Alison Maris. Nidica lives with psoriasis

and psoriotic arthritis. She's a chronic illness advocate and the founder of the Chronicon

community. Allison lives with Hashimoto's and PCOS. She's a nutritional therapy practitioner

who shares recipes and insights through her

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