Phoenix Helix: Autoimmune Resilience

Ten years ago in 2014, I recorded the very first episode of this podcast. Today is the last episode. In this final conversation, I celebrate the past 10 years and share what's coming next.

Transcribed - Published: 12 January 2024

If you’re a regular listener of my podcast, you know that I start every year with a Healing Stories episode. It features back-to-back interviews with autoimmune warriors just like you! I ask them to share their journey from rock bottom to reclaiming a vital life. In this episode, we talk about Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, narcolepsy, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, and also autoimmunity in general. Everyone’s story is unique, but we also have so much in common. Whatever your diagnosis, I hope these stories resonate and inspire.

Transcribed - Published: 5 January 2024

Our imagination is powerful, because our brain responds to imaginary experiences very similarly to real-life experiences. If we're spinning worst case scenarios in our mind, that triggers a very real stress response in our body. Positive visualizations do the opposite. Not only do they interrupt the stress response, but research shows they can help reduce anxiety, improve performance, increase mobility, and manage pain. In this 8 minute episode, I share a simple technique for using positive visualization to soothe autoimmune symptoms.

Transcribed - Published: 22 December 2023

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes - for good reason! The topic is Resilience, that ability to bounce back from life’s hardships. With autoimmune disease, we get lots of practice. Sometimes we feel strong and capable of overcoming suffering. Other times we feel beaten down and frightened by our body’s unpredictability. The good news is that resilience isn't something you either have or you don’t. Resilience is a trait we can nurture. My guest is Dr. Cynthia Li, a functional medicine physician who has autoimmune disease herself. The intensity of her own health challenges ended up being a masterclass in resilience, and also changed the way she practiced medicine.

Transcribed - Published: 8 December 2023

Many of us love to help others and also love to please others, which can make it hard to say no. The trouble is that there are limited hours in the day, and we can't do everything. When we have autoimmune disease, learning to set limits is essential to our health. Sometimes we forget that when we say yes to everyone else, we're saying no to ourselves. Eventually, our body might say no for us in the form of an autoimmune flare. None of us wants that. In today's mindset minisode, I'm going to share some beginner tips for saying no. I'll also share a technique that can help you identify your priorities so that you say yes to what matters most, and say no to the things that keep you from those priorities.

Transcribed - Published: 24 November 2023

The connection between gut health and autoimmune disease is very strong. 70% of our immune system lives in our gut. If we have inflammation in our digestive system, that’s going to cause inflammation in our immune system. This connection also goes both ways. If there’s inflammation and autoimmune activity in your body, that impacts digestion as well. Today, we’re going to troubleshoot some of the most common digestive issues, with the goal of supporting our health bodywide. My guest is Dr. Sruti Lam-Fletcher, a naturopath who specializes in digestive health. She’s also an autoimmune warrior herself so understands today’s topic both personally and professionally.

Transcribed - Published: 10 November 2023

The onset of autoimmune disease is a before and after moment for many of us. We feel like a completely different person, not just in our bodies but in our lives. Jobs and interests that were big parts of our identity might no longer be available to us. The roles we play in our families may change. It can feel like we've lost who we used to be and we don't recognize ourselves anymore. In this 6 minute podcast, I talk about the stages of this type of identity crisis, along with a technique to help you through it.

Transcribed - Published: 27 October 2023

This is a very special episode featuring two of my colleagues and friends: Dr. Terry Wahls & Dr. Sarah Ballantyne! I’ve known these wonderful women for over a decade now. They’re both powerful leaders in the autoimmune community. They are also autoimmune warriors themselves. Today, we’re doing an Autoimmune Q&A: I’ll be asking us all a series of questions about our personal experiences with autoimmune disease, and our best tips for all of you!

Transcribed - Published: 13 October 2023

With autoimmune disease, we sometimes strive to live "perfectly" as a way to improve our health. What if this is backfiring? In this 7 minute podcast, I share the science behind the health consequences of perfectionism and teach a technique to start shifting to healthy striving instead.

Transcribed - Published: 29 September 2023

My goal with the Phoenix Helix Podcast is to help people with autoimmune disease thrive. Today’s episode is dedicated to our transgender listeners and the healthcare practitioners who serve them. We’ll be talking about the medical complexities that might arise from the intersection of gender-affirming treatment and autoimmune treatment. We’ll discuss the challenges transgender patients face when seeking medical help and not knowing if you will face medical discrimination. We’ll share tips for creating safe spaces within healthcare practices. We’re also going to talk about the stress-autoimmune connection and the special challenges facing transgender people, with advice for self-care and self-advocacy. I’m honored to have a panel of guests with me today. Mitch Hankins is a transgender man living with autoimmune disease and will be sharing his experience and advice with us. Dr. Aly Cohen is an integrative rheumatologist who will be sharing the medical perspective. And Dr. Shainna Ali is a mental health counselor, educator, and advocate. She’ll be sharing the psychological perspective.

Transcribed - Published: 15 September 2023

If you're feeling sad, insecure, or anxious today, kindness is a powerful mood boost and stress reliever. In this 6 minute episode, I share some inspiration for including kindness in your day today. It's a way to give a gift to yourself and someone else at the same time!

Transcribed - Published: 1 September 2023

I believe in being an empowered patient, and that means understanding the care we receive. Sometimes tests are ordered and interpreted by our doctors, but it feels like a foreign language that we don’t speak. Today's podcast is part of my testing series. Prior episodes have covered thyroid tests, rheumatology tests, GI tests, and more. Today, we're doing a deep dive into MRI’s and neurological antibodies. My guest is Dr. Ken Sharlin, an integrative neurologist who believes in a holistic approach to patient care. He is a licensed MD who is board certified in neurology. He’s also certified in functional medicine.

Transcribed - Published: 18 August 2023

When our mind convinces us something is impossible before we've even tried, that's a self-limiting belief. It's common for autoimmune disease to trigger them. Googling your diagnosis can lead to scary visions of the future. Symptoms can dramatically change our lives, taking away activities we used to love. With the flare-based, unpredictable nature of autoimmunity, life becomes more uncertain. The brain feels safer with certainty, so when it's possible you might fail, your brain may convince you not to try. The problem is that this keeps your life smaller than it needs to be, not only cutting you off from failure but also success. We don’t need perfect health to live a fuller life. We can expand our skills, activities, accomplishments, and relationships, and we can start with small steps. We may not be able to do everything, but we can do some things. The key to overcoming self-limiting beliefs is to focus on progress and possibilities, not perfection. Life isn’t an all-or-nothing game. In today's mindset minisode, I share a simple technique from my book, Healing Mindset, to identify the beliefs that are holding you back, and take the first steps to overcoming them.

Transcribed - Published: 4 August 2023

Ayurvedic Medicine is an ancient medical tradition with roots in India, which contains wisdom that still applies to our health in modern day. Today, we’re going to learn how it may help people with autoimmune disease. My guest is Dr. Akil Palanisamy. Ayurveda changed his life both personally and professionally. As a young man he developed a mystery illness that modern medicine couldn't solve. His fatigue was so intense, he couldn't sit up in a chair and had to drop out of medical school. It was Ayurvedic medicine that put him on the path to healing. Now, he is a Harvard-trained physician who practices integrative medicine, blending conventional medical expertise with the holistic approaches of functional medicine and Ayurveda. His latest book is called, The TIGER Protocol: An Integrative, 5-Step Program to Treat and Heal Your Autoimmunity.

Transcribed - Published: 21 July 2023

One of the fastest ways to tap the relaxation response is to tune into our senses. It immerses us in the present moment, offering a break from our worries, and gives us the space to simply be. It's available to us anywhere, anytime, and it only takes a minute. You can do it for longer, but even a brief pause is beneficial. In this 9 minute episode, I share some of my favorite ways to tune into the senses.

Transcribed - Published: 7 July 2023

We are more than our genes! Epigenetics is a field of science that studies what influences our genetic expression. These are the things that turn our genes on and off. Our body is dynamic and it’s changing all the time in response to our environment and daily choices. Epinutrients are the nutritional compounds that alter genetic expression in a positive direction. My guest, Dr. Kara Fitzgerald, is a naturopathic doctor and clinical researcher, whose research focuses on the epigenetics of diet and lifestyle. Her book, Younger You, is a deep dive into the science of Epinutrients.

Transcribed - Published: 23 June 2023

We spend a lot of time on social media without necessarily noticing how it's impacting our mental, emotional, and physical health. Social media has both benefits and potential risks. Many people with autoimmune disease find like-minded souls on social media who may understand their experience better than nearby family and friends. However, social media is also linked to increases in anxiety, depression, eating disorders, loneliness, insomnia, brain fog, and more. So, what do we do? In this short podcast, learn a simple technique that allows you to see how social media is impacting you, and curate your experience accordingly.

Transcribed - Published: 9 June 2023

When it comes to chronic illness, Western Medicine can be very helpful, but it’s rarely enough on its own to restore a high quality of life. People with autoimmune disease do a lot of self-care, and we also seek help from other branches of medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine is an ancient medical tradition that is still helping people today. Acupuncture is its most famous component, but TCM is a holistic approach to health that goes beyond the needles. Today, we’re going to learn how Traditional Chinese Medicine may help people with autoimmune disease. My guest is Dr. Tanya Lee. She is a naturopathic doctor who specializes in helping people with chronic illness, and TCM is one of her medical specialties.

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2023

Our brains have a negativity bias - paying more attention to what's wrong than what's right. It's not uncommon to have a silent soundtrack in the back of our minds, playing our worries and grievances on repeat. This is especially true when we have a chronic illness. Learning to recognize and question negative thoughts is a powerful skill to have. In today's mindset minisode, I teach how to overcome negative thoughts during autoimmune flares, and replace them with helpful thoughts instead.

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2023

Sound Healing is a therapy that uses sound and vibration to balance the mind, body, and spirit. I know that might sound woo-woo to some listeners, but as long as there have been people, music has been used for both expression and healing. There’s also some modern scientific research into its benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, reduced pain, improved mood, and an overall sense of wellbeing. I personally fell in love with sound therapy after developing rheumatoid arthritis. The first time I received a 1:1 sound healing session was transformational. I don’t think I’ve ever felt a relaxation so deep, or my body so perfectly balanced. So, today, we’re doing a deep dive into sound healing, including different types, different instruments, and we’ll be demonstrating some sounds for you as well. It’s going to be a fun episode! My guests are two autoimmune warriors who are also sound healing practitioners: Jo-Anne Suriel and Jennifer Roseman.

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2023

Can we befriend a body in pain? With autoimmune disease, we've been told that our body is attacking us which sets up war imagery in our minds. Yet our bodies are our home. So, when we get furious with our bodies, and hate our bodies, all of the furious energy gets directed toward ourselves. It's understandable to feel this way when we are suffering, but there's a parallel here that's interesting to consider. We want our body to stop attacking itself. Are we willing to do the same, mentally and emotionally? In today's mindset minisode, I share a simple but powerful technique that can be a first step to befriending your body.

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2023

Spring is a visually beautiful season. The earth comes alive, the trees start to bud, and flowers pop up everywhere. After a hard winter, that can be lovely to see. But it’s hard to enjoy if that same season brings sneezes, runny nose, watery eyes, and other uncomfortable symptoms. And while this episode is airing in the Spring, seasonal allergies can happen anytime of year. What makes someone prone to seasonal allergies? Is autoimmune disease a risk factor? How can we build a resilient immune system that’s less susceptible to allergies? And what are some tips if we’re suffering right now? We’ll be answering these questions and more in today’s episode. My guest is Dr. Heather Zwickey, an integrative immunologist and microbiologist. She loves teaching about the intersection between nutrition, immunology, the gut microbiome, and the gut-brain-immune axis.

Transcribed - Published: 31 March 2023

Emotions are part of the human experience, and when life is hard, challenging emotions often arise alongside - feelings like grief, anger, anxiety, resentment, guilt, and shame. They're not fun to feel, and sometimes they can be overwhelming. Many of us try to ignore or run away from these emotions, but research shows that suppressed emotions don't go away. They get stronger. They can also come out sideways in the form of physical symptoms, addictive behaviors, or lashing out at others. If we want to live a healthy life with autoimmune disease, we need to find a way to feel all of our emotions, including the challenging ones. In this 10 minute podcast, I share a technique designed to do just that. It can take you from overwhelm to calm in just a few minutes.

Transcribed - Published: 17 March 2023

Food sensitivities are a common and frustrating side effect of autoimmune disease. What's happening in our immune systems when our body reacts negatively to a food? Do food sensitivity tests work? Can food sensitivities be healed? These are the questions we'll be answering today. My guest is Dr. Alison Danby, a naturopath and functional medicine practitioner who specializes in helping people with autoimmune disease. She’s also an autoimmune warrior herself.

Transcribed - Published: 3 March 2023

With autoimmune disease, we often have a complex relationship with our bodies. When we hear that our immune system is attacking us, it can feel like a war within. It’s common to feel angry with our bodies and disassociate from our bodies, and yet our bodies are our home. We cannot leave them behind. So, today I’m sharing a special body scan meditation, led by me! It’s designed to help us reconnect with our bodies in a gentle and loving way. This is one my favorite forms of meditation and is incredibly soothing to me on a daily basis, but especially during an autoimmune flare.

Transcribed - Published: 17 February 2023

When it comes to autoimmune disease, inflammation plays a big role. The higher our inflammation, the higher our symptoms and disease activity. Doctors know this, which is why bloodwork for autoimmune patients usually includes inflammation markers. When it comes to self-care and living well with autoimmune disease, learning how to reduce our inflammation naturally can be very helpful, and our food choices are a big part of that. Which foods have the greatest anti-inflammatory properties? That’s the focus of our discussion today. My guest is VJ Hamilton. She’s a nutritionist who has also studied immunology, and she has autoimmune disease herself. Her specialty is helping people with autoimmune disease thrive.

Transcribed - Published: 3 February 2023

Something new is coming to the Phoenix Helix Podcast. Mindset Minisodes! The long-form interviews you know and love will continue every 4 weeks. In between, I'll be sharing practical techniques from my book, Healing Mindset - A Guide to the Mind-Body Connection for People With Autoimmune Disease. Today, we're starting with gratitude. I know that's an emotion that's hard to feel when we're suffering, yet it's on our toughest days that we need gratitude the most. It can shine a light into our darkness like a lifeline. In this episode, I teach a simple technique with powerful results.

Transcribed - Published: 20 January 2023

If you’re a regular listener of my podcast, you know that I start every year with a Healing Stories episode. It features back-to-back interviews with autoimmune warriors just like you! I ask them to share their journey from rock bottom to reclaiming a vital life. In this episode, we talk about Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Hidradenitis Suppurativa, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Susac Syndrome. and also autoimmunity in general. Everyone’s story is unique, but we also have so much in common. Whatever your diagnosis, I hope these stories resonate and inspire.

Transcribed - Published: 6 January 2023

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes - for good reason! Why does exercise feel so different after an autoimmune diagnosis? Activities that our bodies loved in the past can now cause an autoimmune flare. Yet, not moving at all isn't healthy either. So, what do we do? In this podcast, we get professional insight into this topic. My guest, Andrea Wool, is a fellow autoimmune warrior, certified personal trainer, and founder of Autoimmune Strong - a fitness website designed specifically for people with autoimmune disease. She’ll be sharing her personal story, as well as scientific insight into the unique challenges and benefits of exercise for people with autoimmune disease.

Transcribed - Published: 23 December 2022

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes - for good reason! There’s a community of 38 trillion microorganisms living in and on our bodies, and most of them reside in our gut. That's very close to the number of cells in the human body. By this definition, we are only 50% human. This is why gut health has such a huge impact on human health, and research in this area is exploding. What does the science say about the intersection between the gut microbiome and autoimmune health? Where can we apply that knowledge in our own lives? And what are some common myths and misconceptions that new research is starting to dispel? My guest is Dr. Lucy Mailing, a microbiome researcher and scholar of integrative gut health.

Transcribed - Published: 9 December 2022

Life with chronic illness can inspire strong emotions that trigger emotional eating. If the foods chosen are inflammatory, autoimmune flares may follow, turning short-term comfort into longer-lasting pain. This often leads to feelings of shame, guilt, and self-judgment, which can drive more emotional eating, creating a vicious cycle. If you find yourself caught in this pattern, you aren’t alone. Today’s podcast is designed to help. My guest is Tomesha Campbell. She is a fellow autoimmune warrior, as well as an AIP certified coach who specializes in Intuitive Eating. She'll be sharing her personal experience and professional advice.

Transcribed - Published: 25 November 2022

We tend to notice boundaries most when they’re getting crossed – by other people, or by ourselves. We also notice when we struggle to set them at all. Today, we’re focusing on the holiday season. If you have autoimmune disease, there’s a powerful intersection between your ability to set boundaries and your ability to protect your health. So, we are here to help! In this podcast, we share tips for setting healthy boundaries around food, time, energy, and money. My guest is Dr. Ellen Vora. She is a psychiatrist who takes a functional medicine approach to mental health. I love the way she educates around boundaries, which is why I asked her to be my guest today. She is also the author of the book, Anatomy of Anxiety.

Transcribed - Published: 11 November 2022

Morning and bedtime routines are a wonderful way to bookend your day, starting and ending it with some joy and self-care. They can also make a big difference in the quality of your sleep. So in today's podcast, we do a deep dive into the science of circadian rhythms and learn how to create morning and bedtime routines that support autoimmune health. My guest is Dr. Sybil Cooper. She is both an autoimmune warrior and an immunologist. She has a deep understanding of the immune system both personally and professionally. She’s also a health and nutrition coach who helps people create new habits to thrive.

Transcribed - Published: 28 October 2022

The modern scientific approach to medicine focuses on disease rather than wellness, it focuses on parts of the body instead of the whole, and tends to look at the patient separate from their life and the world in which they live. Traditional Indigenous medicine approaches health very differently, and that’s true for Indigenous traditions worldwide. They tend to embrace a holistic perspective, knowing that we are more than the sum of our parts, and that health is impacted by so much more than physiology. That said, modern medicine still has much to offer, but so does Indigenous medicine. Today, we’re going to focus on some of the Indigenous wisdom that might be missing from your own healthcare. My guest is Dr. Nicole Redvers, a naturopathic doctor, author, and Indigenous health scholar. She is a member of the Deninu K’ue First Nation and has traveled the globe, studying and working with Indigenous communities around the world.

Transcribed - Published: 14 October 2022

If you have an autoimmune disease that attacks the GI tract, these procedures are important for diagnosis and monitoring your health. They’re also used as screening tools for certain types of cancer and have become an important part of medical care. One of the goals of this podcast is to empower us as patients, helping us better understand the medical care we receive. In this episode, we discuss what these procedures are, how to prepare ourselves mentally and physically beforehand, and how best to recover afterward. My guest today is Dr. Marvin Singh. He’s an MD who is board certified in internal medicine, gastroenterology, and integrative medicine. In addition to performing conventional medical procedures like the ones we’ll be discussing today, he’s also a strong believer in the power of diet and lifestyle to optimize health.

Transcribed - Published: 30 September 2022

With autoimmune disease, flares are part of the experience, and we cannot prevent every single one. However, that doesn't mean we're powerless. Discovering our own flare triggers is a powerful piece of self-knowledge. It can help minimize how often we flare and how severe those flares are. That’s the focus of our discussion today. I’ve invited two other autoimmune warriors to join me. We’ll be sharing our personal flare triggers and how we manage them to live our healthiest lives.

Transcribed - Published: 16 September 2022

When we develop autoimmune disease, our body becomes more sensitive and that often includes food sensitivity. Many of us turn to healing diets in an effort to eliminate inflammatory foods and embrace the foods that support healing instead. One risk, however, is paying too much attention to the foods we remove and not enough to the foods we add. Another risk is sticking to a dietary template without personalizing it for our body’s unique needs. There are lots of healing diets out there. We often talk about the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol and Wahls Protocol on this podcast. But other diets you may be familiar with include the Specific Carbohydrate Diet or GAPS Diet, the Low-FODMAP diet, a vegetarian or vegan diet, a ketogenic diet, or a carnivore diet. Today, we discuss which nutrient deficiencies are most common on which healing diets, and how we can make sure we’re getting the nutrition we need. My guest is Dr. Sarah Ballantyne. She's a best-selling author, speaker, educator, and former research scientist, fascinated with the healing power of food.

Transcribed - Published: 2 September 2022

You may know Shauna Ahern as The Gluten-Free Girl, author of the award-winning food blog and cookbook series. Now, her career has gone in a different direction. After experiencing a medical crisis brought on by stress, she started looking at her life through a joy lens, removing stressors and adding more pleasure and peace. Now, it’s her mission to help others do the same. The truth is, it's often easier to find joy when life is going well, but what if you’re in the middle of an autoimmune flare? What if you’re struggling with depression or anxiety? What if you're in the middle of a life crisis? Is joy something we can cultivate even during our most difficult times? And what are the benefits if we learn how? These are the questions we'll be exploring in our conversation today.

Transcribed - Published: 19 August 2022

I listen to a lot of podcasts myself and some of my favorite episodes are Listener Q&A's. It allows a lot of topics to be covered in a short period of time, and everyone learns something new. I asked you to send in your questions, and you delivered! Here are some we'll be answering in today's episode: How do you react to people who don’t believe your autoimmune disease is real? What is a good way to explain why I cannot have “cheat” days to someone who tries to pressure me into eating things I shouldn’t? What foods have you successfully reintroduced? Have you ever befriended a listener and ended up enjoying a long-term friendship? Why can some people seem to put their autoimmune disease into remission, and others who have diet and lifestyle "dialed in" still need immunotherapy? What has been the most powerful growth and learning for you through doing this podcast? With my friend Joanna's help, I answer these questions and more in today's podcast!

Transcribed - Published: 5 August 2022

Food is the foundation of autoimmune health, but there are a few nutrients that are difficult to get through food, and magnesium is one of those. For that reason, it’s a supplement many doctors recommend, and many autoimmune warriors swear by. So, I'm dedicating today's podcast to magnesium. Why is it so essential? What roles does it play in our body? And how might magnesium (or magnesium deficiency) impact autoimmune health? My guest today is Dr. Guillermo Ruiz, a naturopathic doctor, researcher, and autoimmune expert.

Transcribed - Published: 22 July 2022

If you ask people with autoimmune disease to name their biggest flare triggers, stress often tops the list. And if you ask people to name their top sources of stress, many are overwhelmed by the news. Today’s podcast is a life skill building episode – one that’s very important for emotional and physical health. How do we consume the news in a way that keeps us accurately informed without becoming overwhelmed? How do we discern fake news from real news? And how do we break through feelings of powerlessness to see where we can make a difference in the world? My guest is Sharon McMahon, an expert who shares non-partisan information about news and democracy. She’s a voice of reason in unreasonable times, and I’m grateful to have her on the podcast today.

Transcribed - Published: 8 July 2022

When you see the power of food as medicine for yourself, it’s natural to want your children to benefit as well. It doesn't mean they need to eat just like you, but fostering a love of real food is an understandable goal. However, children often go through picky eating phases and have a deep love for packaged foods, fast food, and as many sweets as you’re willing to provide. One way to get kids interested in healthier eating is to welcome them into the kitchen, teach them how to cook, and allow them to select recipes to try. So, today we’re sharing tips for all ages: babies, toddlers, grade school, and teens. My guest is Ginny Mahar, a fellow parent and autoimmune warrior who is also a professional chef and cooking instructor.

Transcribed - Published: 24 June 2022

When you have autoimmune disease, it's common to feel disconnected from your body and even betrayed by your body. Yet we live in our bodies, so this creates a complicated relationship with ourselves. Instead of self-love, we might end up feeling self-hate. How can we change that? How does self-love, or the lack of self-love, impact our wellbeing, both mentally and physically? My guest today is Dr. Shainna Ali, a mental health counselor, educator, and advocate. She is also the author of the Self-Love Workbook series. They are practical guides with concrete action steps. They go beyond a misty view of self-love and teach skills we can apply in our daily lives.

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2022

If you get referred to a rheumatologist and they suspect autoimmune disease, there's a list of tests they run as part of the diagnosis process. If you're diagnosed with autoimmune disease, there are specific tests that help monitor disease activity and also your response to treatments. What are these tests, and what does each one measure? How important are they in the diagnosis and monitoring process? These are the questions we'll be answering today. I believe in being an empowered patient, and part of that is clearly understanding the medical care we receive. My guest is Dr. Anna Lafian, an integrative rheumatologist who believes in a holistic approach to patient care.

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2022

When we think of skin, we usually think of the outside of the body, but our skin reflects what's happening inside our body as well. It's rare for problems to be isolated to the skin alone. Anyone with a skin-related autoimmune disease knows this. But it's also true for any skin problem, including acne, rashes, eczema, rosacea, and others. They're all signals from the skin that something is unbalanced within the body. We've talked about the importance of gut health many times on this podcast. It won't surprise you to know that it has a major impact on skin health as well. We're doing a deep dive into the gut-skin connection today. My guest is Dr. Shayna Peter, a holistic dermatologist who uses a root cause approach to heal skin from the inside out. She is a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, specializing in dermatology and functional medicine.

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2022

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes - for good reason! While not everyone has a sweet tooth, a lot of us do, and it's often hard to break the sugar habit. Why is that so true? It turns out there are a lot of forces driving those cravings: emotional, psychological, and even biological. It's no wonder they're not easy to resist. In today's episode, we dive into the details. My guest is holistic psychologist Dr. Vickie Bhatia. We discuss everything from the gut microbiome and brain chemistry, to the emotions surrounding food, to the psychology of habit change. Most importantly, we share practical tips for making empowered food choices, and breaking the sugar craving cycle.

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2022

Today we have a very special episode. I’m celebrating the publication of my new book: Healing Mindset. It’s a guide to the mind-body connection for people with autoimmune disease. The mind-body connection isn’t just an idea. There’s an entire field of science called psychoneuroimmunology that studies this connection. How we feel in our body affects how we feel in our minds, and our thoughts and feelings impact our physical health. Today, we’ll be talking about specific mind-body techniques, science-based benefits, and how to harness this connection for autoimmune health. My partner for this episode is Donna Jackson Nakazawa. Many of you know her as one of my most popular podcast guests. She’s an award-winning science journalist, author of 7 books, a fellow autoimmune warrior, and an expert on the mind-body connection. Today, we’re trading places. She will be the host and I will be the guest!

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2022

Autoimmune disease brings a lot of changes to our lives, and as we all know, it doesn't just impact us alone. It also impacts those we love – friends, family, and children. Today, I've invited three parents with autoimmune disease onto the podcast to talk about their experiences. What has been the most challenging part? How have they adapted as parents? How do they talk to their children about their health? And how have their children grown in response? This is a deeply personal conversation, and I'm so grateful to the guests for sharing. I hope it resonates with every parent listening, and helps you know you're not alone.

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2022

This podcast is all about autoimmune empowerment! Making choices in our daily lives that minimize symptoms and maximize our joy in living. That said, it's not always easy. Sometimes the habits are hard to start and hard to keep. Other times, you're doing everything right but not seeing the results you hoped to achieve. So, today, we're doing a troubleshooting episode with an expert guest and one of my favorite people: Dr. Terry Wahls. She is a functional medicine physician, a clinical researcher, a professor of medicine, and a fellow autoimmune warrior. In this episode, she shares her best advice for thriving with autoimmune disease and troubleshooting the obstacles we encounter along the way. We talk about motivation, family dynamics, digestion, supplements, physical therapy, personalized diets, and more!

Transcribed - Published: 18 March 2022

When we think of pollution, the first images that come to mind are things like smokestacks, oil spills, smog, and greenhouse gases. But you may not realize that your home can contain pollution as well – in your water supply, in the air you breathe, and in the products you purchase. More than 80,000 new chemicals have been released into the world since the industrial revolution 150 years ago, and most of them within the past 50 years. These chemicals have never been fully tested for their effects on our bodies or the environment. And a lot of them are inside our homes. On top of that, people with autoimmune disease are often more sensitive to chemicals, and toxins can be an autoimmune trigger. I don't say this to scare anyone. This podcast is about empowerment. So, today we're going to share tips for reducing the toxins in our homes. Every step we take is a positive one. My guest is Dr. Aly Cohen, an integrative rheumatologist and an expert on non-toxic living.

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2022