Explore every episode of the podcast The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIP for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Pilot Study & Qualitative Research Out of New Zealand (Ep 104) | 09 nov. 2026 | 00:42:21 | |
Episode 104: AIP for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Pilot Study & Qualitative Research Out of New Zealand What happens when people living with rheumatoid arthritis follow the Autoimmune Protocol for eight weeks? In the first clinical pilot study investigating AIP for rheumatoid arthritis, researchers in New Zealand documented promising improvements in patient-reported disease activity, pain, fatigue, sleep, and quality of life. But what happened when the intervention ended—and were those improvements sustainable? In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott continues her medical research review series with a deep dive into two studies led by researcher Julianne Taylor and her colleagues. She examines how the original pilot study was designed, what researchers measured, and what the results tell us about using AIP alongside conventional rheumatoid arthritis treatment. Mickey also explores newly published qualitative research that followed the same participants through interviews immediately after the intervention and one year later. These findings offer a fascinating look at the challenges of following an elimination diet, the importance of support, and how participants navigated food reintroductions and developed more personalized approaches to eating. She also discusses the limitations of this early research and what future studies could tell us about the effectiveness and sustainability of AIP. In this episode, you'll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – What happens when people with rheumatoid arthritis follow AIP? 01:54 – A review of the AIP medical research series 04:16 – Why study rheumatoid arthritis? 08:10 – Understanding rheumatoid arthritis and conventional treatment 12:57 – AIP for rheumatoid arthritis: The pilot study design 17:43 – Results of the AIP rheumatoid arthritis pilot study 21:52 – The qualitative study: What was it like to follow AIP? 27:05 – One year later: Reintroductions, personalization, and sustainability 34:07 – What this research means for people with rheumatoid arthritis 38:48 – Wrap-up and closing | |||
| Environmental Toxins: What Actually Matters with Lara Adler (Ep 103) | 02 nov. 2026 | 01:01:28 | |
Episode 103: Environmental Toxins: What Actually Matters with Lara Adler Spend a few minutes online learning about environmental toxins, and it can quickly start to feel like everything around you is a problem. From drinking water and food packaging to cookware, cleaning products, and the air inside our homes, there seems to be an endless list of things we're supposed to avoid. For those of us living with autoimmune disease, this can feel especially overwhelming. We're already paying attention to nutrition, sleep, stress, movement, and medical care. Do we really need to worry about every chemical exposure, too? In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by Lara Adler, an environmental health educator and consultant who has spent more than 14 years helping health professionals understand the science of environmental chemical exposures. Together, they explore what research actually tells us about environmental toxins, why dose and timing matter, and how to prioritize meaningful exposure reduction without fear, perfectionism, or expensive wellness products. They also share practical, budget-conscious strategies for improving indoor air quality, choosing water filtration, reducing plastic exposure, and selecting safer cookware. In this episode, you'll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Environmental toxins: What actually matters? 01:52 – Introducing Lara Adler 03:35 – Environmental exposures, human health, and autoimmunity 09:15 – Understanding dose, timing, and cumulative exposure 12:26 – Why “the dose makes the poison” isn't always straightforward 18:45 – How social media oversimplifies environmental health 20:30 – Taking exposures seriously without fear 24:33 – Avoiding misleading wellness products 27:09 – Practical ways to improve indoor air quality 34:24 – Choosing the right water filtration system 42:11 – Pesticides, food packaging, and dietary exposure 48:04 – Washing and peeling produce to reduce residues 50:30 – Reducing exposure to plastics and microplastics 55:01 – Choosing safer, longer-lasting cookware 58:42 – Wrap-up and where to follow Lara Adler | |||
| My Healing Update: Autoimmunity, Perimenopause & Building Resilience (Ep 102) | 26 oct. 2026 | 00:32:10 | |
My Healing Update: Autoimmunity, Perimenopause & Building Resilience (Ep 102) What does healing look like 15 years into living with autoimmune disease? For Mickey Trescott, it looks a lot different than it did in the beginning. Instead of focusing on getting out of a health crisis, she's now thinking about maintaining stability, adapting to new challenges, and building resilience for the decades ahead. In this personal update, Mickey shares how she's doing with celiac disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and psoriatic arthritis, including why stability has been one of the most meaningful developments this year. She also discusses what she's eating after 15 years of AIP reintroductions, how her food tolerances continue to evolve, and why her approach remains focused on dietary diversity rather than restriction. Mickey also shares some bigger changes involving perimenopause, hormone therapy, and bone health. From discovering osteopenia on her first DEXA scan to making unexpected progress with longstanding tendon pain, she explains how these experiences have reshaped her movement and strength-training goals. Throughout the episode, she reflects on the value of foundational habits, appropriate medical care, and learning to enjoy a good season of health without worrying about what might come next. In this episode, you'll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – What healing looks like 15 years into autoimmune disease 03:10 – What I'm eating these days 10:43 – My autoimmune update 13:22 – Hashimoto's and thyroid treatment update 15:32 – Perimenopause, hormone therapy, and sleep 19:06 – My DEXA scan and osteopenia surprise 22:13 – Testosterone, tendon pain, and getting stronger 25:18 – Stress, resilience, and enjoying a good season 28:00 – An update on supplements 29:14 – Wrap-up and closing | |||
| Navigating Health Information Online with Dr. Guillermo Ruiz (Ep 101) | 19 oct. 2026 | 00:54:14 | |
Episode 101: Navigating Health Information Online with Dr. Guillermo Ruiz Health information has never been easier to access—and somehow, it’s never felt harder to know what to trust. Between new research, expert opinions, personal stories, social media, supplement claims, and the latest wellness trends, it can be difficult to separate what’s plausible, what’s promising, and what’s actually been demonstrated. In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by Dr. Guillermo Ruiz, a naturopathic physician who practices naturopathic endocrinology with a focus on metabolic health. His work centers on bringing an evidence-based approach to naturopathic and integrative medicine while remaining curious about emerging ideas. Together, they explore how to navigate the gray areas of health information without becoming either overly skeptical or too quick to embrace the latest trend. They discuss how to evaluate health claims, why individual context matters, the difference between anecdotes and evidence, and how to think about risk when experimenting with diets, supplements, medications, and emerging therapies. In this episode, you'll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – How do we know what health information to trust? 02:20 – Introducing Dr. Guillermo Ruiz 04:32 – Why navigating health information online is so challenging 17:56 – Evaluating health headlines, studies, and products 29:29 – How to navigate personal stories and anecdotes 34:12 – The hidden risks of supplements and herbal medicine 40:31 – Red flags in online health content 44:32 – How to approach personal experimentation with caution 50:39 – Wrap-up and where to follow Dr. Ruiz | |||
| AIP Community Q4 Update: Events, Advocacy & Research (Ep 100) | 12 oct. 2026 | 00:39:25 | |
Episode 100: AIP Community Q4 Update — Research, Advocacy & Community Autoimmune wellness doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s shaped by the research being published, the advocacy happening on behalf of patients, and the communities that help turn information into something meaningful in everyday life. In this Q4 Community Update—and the 100th episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast—Mickey Trescott catches up on some of the developments happening across the autoimmune landscape, with a focus on research, advocacy, and community. First, immunologist and AIP Certified Coach Sybil Cooper, PhD, joins Mickey to discuss a newly published qualitative study exploring the experiences of people with rheumatoid arthritis who participated in an AIP intervention. They look beyond symptom outcomes to explore what it was actually like to implement AIP, the challenges participants faced, what kinds of support helped, and what their diets looked like one year later. Next, Jaime Hartman joins Mickey to recap the Autoimmune Association’s Hope Journey Walk, where Team AIP participated in Washington, DC, Michigan, and virtually around the country. They discuss the importance of showing up as a community, raising awareness, and connecting AIP with the broader autoimmune research and advocacy landscape. Finally, Jamie-Nicole Martin, founder and CEO of the AIP BIPOC Network, shares updates on the organization’s work supporting people navigating changes to insurance, medication, and food benefits, along with community outreach, an autoimmune and menopause research project, and plans to expand access to resources in the year ahead. Together, these conversations show how research, advocacy, and community intersect—and why all three matter for people living with autoimmune disease. In this episode, you’ll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Q4 Community Update and Episode 100 01:56 – Research update with Sybil Cooper, PhD 03:00 – Understanding qualitative vs. quantitative research 05:20 – Challenges participants experienced implementing AIP 08:10 – The role of professional, household, and peer support 10:40 – What participants were eating one year later 13:15 – Reintroductions, long-term success, and lessons for the AIP community 15:50 – Jaime Hartman: Hope Journey Walk & Team AIP 17:20 – What the Hope Journey Walk was like 20:00 – Why Team AIP’s presence matters 22:40 – Community connection and the broader autoimmune movement 26:36 – Jamie-Nicole Martin: AIP BIPOC Network update 27:30 – Navigating changes to benefits and healthcare access 29:30 – Autoimmune disease and menopause research 31:00 – Community outreach and the Abilities Expo 33:00 – Connecting people with resources throughout the autoimmune journey 34:45 – What’s next for the AIP BIPOC Network 36:02 – Episode 100 reflections and wrap-up | |||
| ADHD, Women’s Health, and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Jolene Brighten (Ep 99) | 05 oct. 2026 | 00:52:52 | |
Episode 99: ADHD, Women’s Health, and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Jolene Brighten What if the brain fog, overwhelm, forgetfulness, trouble focusing, or emotional intensity you’ve been blaming on hormones or autoimmune disease has another layer to it? In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by hormone expert, nutrition scientist, and bestselling author Dr. Jolene Brighten for a conversation about ADHD through the lens of women’s hormones, brain health, and autoimmune disease. Together, they explore why ADHD can look different in women and why so many women aren’t diagnosed until later in life. They discuss how ADHD symptoms can shift throughout the menstrual cycle and become especially challenging during perimenopause, as well as the complex relationship between hormones, inflammation, the gut, and the brain. Dr. Brighten also shares her perspective on hormone replacement therapy for women with ADHD, practical ways to support the microbiome, and simple strategies for making nutrition, movement, and daily life more ADHD-friendly. In this episode, you'll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – ADHD, hormones, and autoimmune disease 01:59 – Introducing Dr. Jolene Brighten 04:10 – How ADHD presents in women 06:48 – What is going on in an ADHD brain? 11:19 – How ADHD symptoms change throughout the menstrual cycle 16:42 – How perimenopause affects ADHD 24:57 – How HRT can affect the ADHD brain 33:44 – The relationship between autoimmune disease and ADHD 37:58 – How to “microdose your microbiome” 43:12 – Food sensitivities and ADHD 45:54 – How to tackle overwhelm with ADHD 49:40 – Wrap-up and closing | |||
| Food Sensitivity Testing: What Tests Can and Can't Tell You (Ep 098) | 28 sept. 2026 | 00:33:22 | |
Episode 98: Food Sensitivity Testing: What Tests Can and Can’t Tell You Food sensitivity tests promise something incredibly appealing: send in a sample, receive a personalized list of reactive foods, and skip the uncertainty of elimination and reintroduction. But can these tests actually tell you which foods are causing your symptoms? In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott takes a closer look at the science behind commercial food sensitivity testing, including IgG panels, MRT, ALCAT, and other commonly marketed approaches. She explains the important difference between a test being able to measure something in the body and that measurement actually being clinically useful. Mickey also explores what it means for a diagnostic test to be properly validated, why major allergy organizations recommend against IgG food sensitivity testing, and why feeling better after following test results doesn’t necessarily prove that the test accurately identified your problem foods. Finally, she shares fascinating emerging research into food reactions that conventional testing may not yet capture—and explains why systematic elimination and reintroduction remain the most useful tools for building a personalized diet. In this episode, you'll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Can food sensitivity tests really identify problem foods? 02:59 – IgG food sensitivity testing 07:16 – MRT, ALCAT, and other food sensitivity tests 12:31 – What does it mean for a test to be validated? 16:22 – But what if the test worked for me? 19:28 – Why elimination and reintroduction remain the gold standard 23:10 – Emerging research into food reactions we can’t yet test for 26:52 – Reframing food sensitivity testing 31:33 – Wrap-up and closing | |||
| Integrative Rheumatology: Bridging Medicine, Nutrition & Lifestyle with Dr. Micah Yu (Ep 97) | 21 sept. 2026 | 00:32:03 | |
Episode 97: Integrative Rheumatology: Bridging Medicine, Nutrition & Lifestyle with Dr. Micah Yu For many people living with autoimmune disease, seeing a rheumatologist can bring up a lot of uncertainty—especially if you want to incorporate nutrition and lifestyle alongside conventional medical care. In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by Dr. Micah Yu, a quadruple board-certified physician specializing in rheumatology, internal medicine, integrative medicine, and functional medicine. Dr. Yu also lives with autoimmune arthritis himself, giving him a unique perspective as both physician and patient. Together, they explore what integrative rheumatology actually looks like, why conventional medicine and lifestyle don't have to be an either/or choice, and how patients can build a healthcare team that supports the full picture of autoimmune health. They also discuss how to prepare for a rheumatology appointment, when medications may be necessary, and how nutrition and lifestyle can work alongside medical treatment. In this episode, you'll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Why rheumatology and lifestyle medicine don't have to be either/or 02:15 – Introducing Dr. Micah Yu 03:41 – Dr. Yu's personal journey with autoimmune arthritis 07:40 – Rheumatology 101: What does a rheumatologist do? 10:15 – Common misconceptions about rheumatology 16:15 – What integrative and functional rheumatology looks like 19:40 – How to get the most out of a rheumatology appointment 22:02 – Combining medication with diet and lifestyle 25:27 – Hope for people living with autoimmune disease 27:34 – Dr. Yu's advice for building a healthcare team 28:22 – Wrap-up and where to follow Dr. Yu | |||
| Understanding Food Reactions: Why Foods Affect People Differently (Ep 096) | 14 sept. 2026 | 00:42:42 | |
Episode 96: Understanding Food Reactions: Why Foods Affect People Differently One of the central goals of the Autoimmune Protocol is figuring out which foods work for you and which ones don’t. But when a symptom appears after eating a food, what actually counts as a food reaction—and does every reaction mean the same thing? In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott explores the science of food reactions and why they can look so different from person to person. She breaks down the major categories of reactions, including food allergies, celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity, digestive intolerances, and reactions to specific compounds in foods. Mickey also explains why a reaction and its underlying mechanism aren’t necessarily the same thing, and why that distinction matters when personalizing your diet. She explores how dose, timing, preparation, digestive function, and other factors can influence food tolerance, plus why a reproducible reaction can still provide useful information even when science can’t yet explain exactly why it happens. In this episode, you'll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Understanding what constitutes a food reaction 03:24 – What can a food reaction actually look like? 07:29 – Food allergy: When the immune system reacts to food 15:22 – Gluten reactions: Celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity 21:54 – Food intolerances: When digestion and absorption are the problem 27:35 – Reactions to compounds in food: When it isn’t the food itself 35:37 – Why food reactions can be so hard to figure out 40:06 – Bringing it back to AIP: Finding the foods that work for you 42:06 – Wrap-up and closing | |||
| Understanding Perimenopause: A Beginner's Guide with Dr. Mariza Snyder (Ep 95) | 07 sept. 2026 | 00:50:59 | |
Episode 95: Understanding Perimenopause: A Beginner’s Guide with Dr. Mariza Snyder Perimenopause can feel especially confusing when you’re already living with autoimmune disease. Changes in sleep, mood, energy, inflammation, cognition, and even how your body responds to familiar strategies can leave you wondering: Is this an autoimmune flare, perimenopause, or both? In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by functional medicine practitioner, bestselling author, and women’s hormone health expert Dr. Mariza Snyder for a Perimenopause 101 conversation designed to help women understand what’s actually happening during this transition. Together, they explore when perimenopause can begin, the surprising symptoms that often appear before cycle changes, and why fluctuating estrogen and progesterone may be especially disruptive for women managing autoimmune disease. They also discuss the foundational role of nutrition, sleep, strength training, metabolic health, and stress resilience, plus where hormone replacement therapy may fit into a personalized approach. In this episode, you'll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Why perimenopause can be confusing with autoimmune disease 03:16 – Introducing Dr. Mariza Snyder 04:28 – Perimenopause 101: What are we dealing with? 10:28 – Common and surprising symptoms of perimenopause 17:14 – The perimenopause-autoimmune connection 23:22 – Why old strategies can stop working in perimenopause 28:27 – A foundational approach to perimenopause 35:28 – Knowing when to dig deeper and advocate for care 40:57 – Hormone replacement therapy in perimenopause 46:09 – Hope for autoimmune women navigating perimenopause | |||
| Food Nomad: Navigating the Emotional Journey of Autoimmune Disease with Imei Hsu (Ep 94) | 24 août 2026 | 00:51:44 | |
Episode 94: Food Nomad — Navigating the Emotional Journey of Autoimmune Disease with Imei Hsu For many people, changing the way they eat because of autoimmune disease can feel like losing more than food. It can affect family traditions, cultural connection, travel, restaurants, and the simple feeling of belonging around a shared table. In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by Bernice Imei Hsu, registered nurse, licensed mental health counselor, National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and AIP Certified Coach, to explore the emotional and cultural journey of living with dietary restrictions. Five years after writing her Autoimmune Wellness article, "Bringing Culture Back to the Kitchen," Imei reflects on what she has learned about healing, reintroductions, adapting traditional foods, and becoming what she calls a "Food Nomad." Together, Mickey and Imei discuss why healing isn't simply about getting foods back. It's also about finding new ways to reconnect with culture, relationships, travel, and joy. In this episode, you'll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Food, identity, belonging, and autoimmune disease 02:34 – Introducing Bernice Imei Hsu 03:39 – What it means to be a "Food Nomad" 06:17 – Revisiting "Bringing Culture Back to the Kitchen" 13:21 – The long game of healing and food reintroductions 18:19 – Gluten-free sourdough baking experiments 25:58 – Bringing culture back into the kitchen 31:48 – Food, belonging, and navigating relationships 37:55 – Giving yourself permission to adapt tradition 42:09 – Becoming the "keeper of the food flame" 46:12 – Encouragement for anyone grieving foods or traditions 48:24 – Wrap-up and where to follow Imei | |||
| Beyond the Studies: Results from the New Autoimmune Protocol Community (Ep 093) | 10 août 2026 | 00:43:15 | |
Episode 93: Beyond the Studies — Results from the New Autoimmune Protocol Community What happens when people put the Autoimmune Protocol into practice—not in a clinical trial, but in real life? To celebrate the launch of The New Autoimmune Protocol, hundreds of readers joined a guided online community where they worked through the new Transition Phase, completed 30 days of either Core or Modified AIP, tracked their symptoms, and supported one another along the way. In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott shares the results from this unique community experience. While this wasn't a formal research study, the symptom improvements closely mirrored many of the findings from published AIP research—and the participant stories reveal the power of preparation, accountability, and community support. Together, these survey results offer a real-world look at what implementing AIP can look like, what people struggled with, what surprised them, and why healing is often about much more than food alone. In this episode, you'll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Introduction and overview of the community experience 02:39 – Why Mickey created The New Autoimmune Protocol community 06:38 – Who joined the community? 09:45 – The new Transition Phase in action 14:33 – What happened after 30 days? 17:16 – Overall autoimmune symptom improvements 19:12 – Energy and sleep results 20:03 – Digestive health improvements 21:53 – Joint pain and inflammation 22:42 – Brain fog, skin, and other symptom changes 23:59 – Three standout participant stories 28:58 – Comparing community results to published research 32:06 – Mickey's biggest takeaways 36:26 – An invitation to join the ongoing community 40:11 – Wrap-up and closing | |||
| Fiber, Gut Health & the Microbiome with Farzanah Nasser (Ep 092) | 27 juil. 2026 | 00:44:00 | |
Episode 92: Fiber, Gut Health & the Microbiome with Farzanah Nasser Fiber is having a moment—but for people with autoimmune disease, digestive symptoms, or a history of restrictive diets, it can also feel confusing. In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by UK-based naturopathic nutritionist, certified functional medicine practitioner, and author Farzanah Nasser to explore why fiber is one of the most overlooked nutrients in modern nutrition—and why it's so important for gut, immune, and overall health. Together, they discuss how fiber nourishes the gut microbiome, supports immune function, and helps produce beneficial anti-inflammatory compounds. They also dive into why increasing fiber sometimes causes digestive discomfort, how to introduce it gradually, and practical strategies for reaching the recommended 30 grams per day—even for those with sensitive digestion or autoimmune disease. In this episode, you'll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Why fiber matters for autoimmune health 01:30 – Introducing Farzanah Nasser 03:28 – Why fiber deserves a rebrand 04:48 – What fiber is and why we need more of it 07:11 – How fiber feeds the gut microbiome 08:32 – Fiber, inflammation, and immune function 10:51 – Why fiber sometimes causes digestive symptoms 17:01 – Preparing beans for better digestion 19:28 – Fiber for IBS, IBD, SIBO, and sensitive digestion 23:16 – Optimizing digestion before increasing fiber 25:38 – Favorite high-fiber AIP foods 30:39 – What 30 grams of fiber looks like in real life 37:04 – Favorite recipes from The Everyday High-Fiber Plan 40:48 – Wrap-up and closing | |||
| Understanding Hair Loss and Autoimmune Disease with VJ Hamilton (Ep 091) | 13 juil. 2026 | 00:51:17 | |
Episode 91: Understanding Hair Loss and Autoimmune Disease with VJ Hamilton Hair loss is one of the most common symptoms people experience with autoimmune disease—but it's also one of the most misunderstood. While many people assume it's simply part of having an autoimmune condition, hair loss can actually have many different causes, from immune dysfunction and nutrient deficiencies to hormone changes, chronic stress, and scalp inflammation. In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by registered nutritionist, AIP Certified Coach, and founder of the Autoimmunity Nutrition Clinic, VJ Hamilton, to explore the many factors that influence hair health in people with autoimmune disease. VJ brings both professional expertise and personal experience, having lived with alopecia areata, psoriasis, and post-viral chronic fatigue syndrome herself. Together, they discuss the different types of hair loss commonly seen in autoimmune patients, how to distinguish between them, and why identifying the underlying cause is essential for supporting healthy regrowth. They also explore nutrient deficiencies, gut health, hormones, stress, topical therapies, and why patience is such an important part of the healing process. In this episode, you'll learn:
Resources: VJ Hamilton
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Why hair loss is so common in autoimmune disease 01:52 – Introducing VJ Hamilton 03:13 – VJ's journey with alopecia, psoriasis, and chronic fatigue 06:40 – Different types of hair loss in autoimmune disease 13:30 – Nutrient deficiencies and hair health 23:46 – Common root causes and what to investigate first 27:26 – Why stress-related hair shedding is delayed 30:34 – Helpful supplements (and common misconceptions) 35:15 – Topical treatments and scalp care 41:23 – Setting realistic expectations for hair regrowth 47:14 – Wrap-up and where to learn more | |||
| Gut Healing on AIP: What’s Really Happening | Deep Dive (Ep 090) | 29 juin 2026 | 00:34:29 | |
Episode 90: Gut Healing on AIP — What’s Really Happening | Deep Dive When most people start the Autoimmune Protocol, they naturally focus on the food: what to remove, what to eat instead, and how to navigate all of the planning that comes with a major dietary change. But one of the most important things happening during AIP is often something you can’t actually see—changes happening inside the gut itself. Because AIP isn’t just designed to remove potential food triggers. It’s also designed to support systems commonly affected in autoimmune disease, including the gut lining, the microbiome, nutrient status, and immune regulation. And those changes don’t always happen quickly or in a straight line. For many people, healing happens gradually over time. Digestion may become more stable. Energy may improve. Foods that caused symptoms early on may become tolerable much later in the process. In this episode of the AIP Deep Dive series, Mickey explains what’s actually happening in the gut during AIP and why healing often continues long after the elimination phase ends. She explores intestinal permeability, the microbiome, nutrient density, lifestyle factors, and why healing is often more about rebuilding resilience than achieving perfection. In this episode, you’ll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Introduction and Mickey’s personal gut healing story 04:35 – Why the gut matters in autoimmune disease 09:10 – Intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”) explained 14:10 – How the microbiome shifts during AIP 17:55 – Why nutrient density supports repair 21:30 – The role of lifestyle, stress, and sleep 25:31 – Why healing isn’t linear 31:22 – Wrap-up and key takeaways | |||
| The Future of Autoimmune Research with Victoria Shanmugam, Director of the Office of Autoimmune Disease Research (Ep 089) | 15 juin 2026 | 00:33:23 | |
Episode 89: The Future of Autoimmune Research with Victoria Shanmugam, Director of the Office of Autoimmune Disease Research Autoimmune disease affects an estimated 50 million Americans, yet for decades these conditions have often received less attention, coordination, and funding than other major chronic diseases. That landscape is beginning to change. In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by Dr. Victoria Shanmugam, rheumatologist, physician-scientist, and Director of the Office of Autoimmune Disease Research (OADR) at the National Institutes of Health. Created by Congress in 2023, the OADR was established to coordinate autoimmune disease research across the NIH and help accelerate progress in understanding, treating, preventing, and ultimately curing autoimmune diseases. Together, Mickey and Dr. Shanmugam discuss why the office was created, how autoimmune research is evolving, and the most promising areas of innovation currently underway. They explore everything from environmental triggers and large-scale data platforms to early disease detection, CAR-T therapies, and the future of personalized autoimmune medicine. This conversation offers a hopeful and practical look at where autoimmune research is headed—and what that progress could mean for patients over the next decade. In this episode, you'll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Why autoimmune research is entering a new era 01:41 – Introducing Dr. Victoria Shanmugam 03:29 – What is the Office of Autoimmune Disease Research? 04:58 – Why autoimmune diseases have historically been under-researched 07:19 – Goals of the OADR and coordination across NIH 09:54 – Studying more than 140 autoimmune diseases together 12:00 – The NOURISH challenge and nutrition research initiatives 14:07 – Promising areas of autoimmune disease research 16:09 – Environmental exposures and the EXACT Plan Network 17:28 – Autoimmune Centers of Excellence and cross-disease collaboration 18:34 – New clinical trials and prevention-focused research 20:02 – Early detection and preclinical autoimmune disease 21:18 – Data platforms and large-scale collaboration efforts 25:18 – How patients should think about research progress 26:32 – What the next 5–10 years may bring 28:49 – How patients can stay informed and engaged 30:16 – Why patient voices matter in research 31:00 – Wrap-up and closing reflections | |||
| The First AIP Pilot Trial in Rheumatoid Arthritis with Julianne Taylor (Ep 088) | 01 juin 2026 | 00:56:35 | |
Episode 88: The First AIP Pilot Trial in Rheumatoid Arthritis with Julianne Taylor Can dietary change meaningfully improve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms? A recently published pilot study investigating the Autoimmune Protocol diet in adults with rheumatoid arthritis found improvements in patient-reported disease activity, pain, fatigue, sleep, and quality of life measures—with several participants reaching remission-level scores by the end of the intervention. In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by registered nutritionist, AIP Certified Coach, and PhD candidate Julianne Taylor to discuss the first clinical trial investigating the Autoimmune Protocol in rheumatoid arthritis. Julianne shares her personal journey into autoimmune nutrition research, explains how the study was designed, and walks through the results of the pilot trial—including improvements in fatigue, sleep, pain, and disease activity. Together, they also explore the nuances and limitations of dietary research, discuss why individual responses vary, and dive into Julianne’s broader scoping review of elimination and reintroduction diets in rheumatoid arthritis spanning decades of research. In this episode, you’ll learn:
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Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the first AIP rheumatoid arthritis pilot study 01:56 – Introducing Julianne Taylor 03:54 – Julianne’s personal health journey and early paleo research 11:34 – What a pilot feasibility study is 13:05 – The questionnaires used in the AIP RA pilot trial 17:07 – The AIP intervention and elimination phase 19:32 – Results of the rheumatoid arthritis pilot study 24:56 – Discussing adverse effects and individual variability 30:57 – Diet quality versus food eliminations 33:54 – Reviewing decades of elimination diet research in RA 38:48 – Common trigger foods identified in the literature 42:31 – Nightshades and rheumatoid arthritis 44:31 – Upcoming AIP and RA research 51:20 – What Julianne hopes clinicians and patients take away from the research 53:23 – Where to follow Julianne’s work online | |||
| Celebrating NAIP Launch Week & Creating Through Chronic Illness with Alaina Moore of Tennis (Ep 087) | 25 mai 2026 | 00:52:42 | |
Episode 87: Celebrating NAIP Launch Week & Creating Through Chronic Illness with Alaina Moore of Tennis What does it take to keep creating when your body is struggling? How do you continue making meaningful work while navigating uncertainty, limitations, and chronic illness in real time? In this special episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott celebrates the launch of The New Autoimmune Protocol with a deeply personal conversation featuring her longtime friend Alaina Moore—vocalist and songwriter of the indie band Tennis. Instead of interviewing a guest, Mickey takes the guest seat herself as Alaina turns the tables to explore the creative process behind the new book, the realities of creating while chronically ill, and the surprising overlap between art, music, food, and healing. Together, they discuss what it means to pursue creative work while managing chronic illness, how illness can shape identity and perspective, and why adapting to changing capacity is often part of the process. Alaina also shares her experience navigating dysphonia while recording and touring, while Mickey reflects on photographing The New Autoimmune Protocol during a severe autoimmune eye flare. This conversation is honest, funny, emotional, and deeply relatable for anyone who has tried to keep showing up for meaningful work while living in a body that doesn’t always cooperate. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: Alaina Moore & Tennis
Mickey Trescott Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Introduction and NAIP launch week reflections 01:31 – Introducing Alaina Moore of Tennis 04:37 – Artists, chronic illness, and creative resilience 07:08 – Mickey’s writing and recipe development process 13:31 – Alaina’s songwriting process and creative structure 18:11 – Music, taste, and sensory imagination 25:07 – How Mickey perfects recipes 30:17 – Why Mickey shares her work publicly 32:56 – Creative breakthroughs and photographing the new book 39:02 – Alaina’s experience with dysphonia and vocal rehabilitation 44:11 – Accepting chronic illness and redefining healing 51:14 – Wrap-up and closing reflections | |||
| What Joy Can Survive: Chronic Illness and Healing with K.J. Ramsey (Ep 086) | 18 mai 2026 | 00:55:28 | |
Episode 86: What Joy Can Survive? Chronic Illness and Healing with K.J. Ramsey What if healing isn’t about getting rid of pain—but about learning how to remain fully alive within it? In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by K.J. Ramsey, trauma-informed therapist, author, and chronic illness advocate. Her new memoir, The Place Between Our Pains, explores life with chronic illness, medical trauma, and the complicated relationship many of us have with our bodies when healing doesn’t look the way we expected. Together, Mickey and K.J. explore what it means to live well even when symptoms persist. They discuss medical gaslighting, identity shifts, self-trust, redefining healing, and why joy and grief often coexist in the chronic illness experience. K.J. also shares how journaling and creative practices helped her process pain, reconnect with herself, and remain present through years of illness and uncertainty. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: K.J. Ramsey
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Introduction and trigger warning 01:04 – Introducing K.J. Ramsey and The Place Between Our Pains 04:33 – Identity and illness in early adulthood 09:20 – Medical gaslighting and self-trust 16:01 – Dissociation, embodiment, and learning to listen to the body 24:14 – Redefining healing and living fully with pain 32:19 – How illness changes us 40:15 – Journaling, creativity, and processing pain 52:08 – Wrap-up and closing reflections | |||
| Developing Your Personal Health Vision with Jaime Hartman (Ep 085) | 11 mai 2026 | 00:30:42 | |
Episode 85: Developing Your Personal Health Vision with Jaime Hartman When starting the Autoimmune Protocol, it’s easy to focus on the details—what to eat, what to remove, and how to do everything “right.” But there’s a deeper question that often gets overlooked: what are you actually working toward? In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by Jaime Hartman, National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, educator, and co-teacher of the AIP Certified Coach Program, to explore the concept of a personal health vision. This conversation introduces a foundational mindset shift—moving beyond short-term goals and into a clear, personalized vision of what health means to you. Jaime explains how this approach helps guide decisions, build resilience, and create a more sustainable path through AIP and beyond. Together, they explore how defining your vision can help you stay grounded, communicate your needs, and navigate the complexities of chronic illness with more clarity and purpose. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: Jaime Hartman
AIP Certified Coach Program & Practitioner Directory: https://aipcertified.com Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Why AIP needs a bigger “why” beyond food rules 01:57 – Introducing Jaime Hartman 03:10 – What a personal health vision is (vs. goals) 05:57 – Medical, holistic, and wellness models of health 09:45 – Why vision matters in autoimmune healing 12:09 – How to use your health vision in real life 17:11 – Journaling prompts to define your vision 22:59 – How to begin if you feel discouraged 25:00 – Final reflections and encouragement | |||
| Troubleshooting AIP: How to Identify What’s Going Wrong | Deep Dive (Ep 084) | 04 mai 2026 | 00:31:49 | |
Episode 84: Troubleshooting AIP — How to Identify What’s Going Wrong | Deep Dive When you start the Autoimmune Protocol, it’s easy to expect a fairly straightforward path: remove certain foods, focus on nutrient density, support your lifestyle—and over time, feel better. And for some people, that’s exactly what happens. But for many others, the process feels more complicated. You might feel worse when you begin, struggle to stay consistent, stop seeing progress after a few months, or feel confused during reintroductions. If you’ve ever wondered, What am I doing wrong? or Why isn’t this working for me?—you’re not alone. In this episode of the AIP Deep Dive series, Mickey introduces troubleshooting as a normal and essential part of the process. Rather than seeing obstacles as failure, this episode reframes them as useful feedback—and gives you a clear way to identify what might be getting in the way and how to move forward. Mickey explains when it actually makes sense to troubleshoot (and when it doesn’t), outlines the three main layers where issues tend to arise, and walks through how to make thoughtful adjustments without creating more confusion. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources:
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Why AIP doesn’t always go as expected 03:05 – What troubleshooting actually means 06:32 – When to troubleshoot—and when not to 09:51 – The three layers of troubleshooting 10:15 – Implementation challenges 11:58 – Physiological adjustments 13:41 – Underlying medical factors 14:57 – Troubleshooting across AIP phases 15:07 – Transition phase challenges 18:59 – Elimination phase troubleshooting 22:41 – Reintroduction phase challenges 25:19 – The mindset of troubleshooting 27:41 – Key takeaways and closing | |||
| The Menopause Gut with Cynthia Thurlow, NP (Ep 083) | 27 avr. 2026 | 00:55:28 | |
Episode 83: The Menopause Gut — A Gut-Centered Approach to Perimenopause with Cynthia Thurlow, NP What if the return of symptoms in midlife isn’t a setback—but a signal? What if shifting hormones during perimenopause and menopause are actively reshaping your gut, your immune system, and your resilience? In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, I’m joined by Cynthia Thurlow, nurse practitioner, bestselling author, and expert in perimenopause and metabolic health. Her new book, The Menopause Gut, explores how hormonal changes in midlife impact the microbiome, immune regulation, and inflammation—and what women can do to adapt. This conversation is especially relevant for the autoimmune community. Many women experience stable symptoms for years, only to find new flares, food sensitivities, sleep disruption, or anxiety emerging in their 40s. We explore why this happens, how estrogen and progesterone shifts influence gut and immune function, and how to support your body through this transition with clarity and intention. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: Cynthia Thurlow, NP
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Why midlife symptoms aren’t a failure of your protocol 02:25 – Introducing Cynthia Thurlow 04:20 – What perimenopause and menopause actually are 13:02 – How the microbiome changes in midlife 17:01 – Microbiome diversity and immune tolerance 22:47 – Estrogen, histamine, and new food sensitivities 30:57 – Bone density, inflammation, and gut health 37:37 – Practical strategies for gut and immune support 44:57 – Hormone replacement therapy and autoimmunity 50:31 – Wrap-up and closing | |||
| Kitchen Confidence: The Lazy Person’s AIP Meal Template | Small Bite (Ep 082) | 23 avr. 2026 | 00:17:54 | |
Kitchen Confidence: The Lazy Person’s AIP Meal Template (Small Bite) | Episode 82 If you’ve ever felt like AIP requires too much thinking in the kitchen, you’re not wrong. Between figuring out what to cook, how to combine ingredients, and whether you have what you need, relying on recipes for every meal can quickly become overwhelming. But AIP doesn’t have to feel that complicated. In this Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott introduces a simpler approach: flexible meal templates that take the guesswork out of cooking. Instead of starting from scratch every time, these templates give you a repeatable structure you can use with whatever ingredients you have on hand—making meals easier, faster, and more sustainable. You’ll hear about:
You don’t need more recipes to succeed on AIP—you need a system that works on your busiest days. ResourcesEpisode Timeline 00:00 – Why AIP can feel like too much thinking 01:09 – Template 1: Protein + vegetables + fat 04:41 – Template 2: Skillet meal 08:16 – Template 3: Soup or stew 11:40 – Template 4: The big salad 14:00 – Recap & next steps | |||
| AIP Community Q2 Update: Events, Advocacy & Research (Ep 081) | 20 avr. 2026 | 00:34:30 | |
Episode 81: AIP Community Update — Events, Advocacy & Research Living with autoimmune disease is deeply personal—but the systems that shape diagnosis, treatment options, and long-term outcomes extend far beyond the individual. Research advancements, policy decisions, and community-led initiatives all play a role in what care looks like today—and what becomes possible in the future. In this second Quarterly Community Update episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott zooms out to explore what’s currently unfolding across the autoimmune landscape. These quarterly conversations are designed to keep you informed and grounded—without overwhelm—so you can better understand the bigger picture while navigating your own healing journey. This episode focuses on three key areas shaping autoimmune care in real time: research, advocacy, and community education. Mickey is joined by three returning contributors who bring both professional expertise and lived experience to these important conversations. First, Sybil Cooper, PhD, immunologist and AIP Certified Coach, breaks down emerging research on CAR-T therapy—an innovative and highly targeted treatment approach that may transform how autoimmune disease is treated in the future. Next, Jamie-Nicole Martin, chronic illness advocate and founder of the AIP BIPOC Network, shares insights from recent advocacy efforts in Washington, DC, along with updates on community-driven initiatives like the ROCK Summit and ROCK the Block, which aim to improve awareness, access, and equity in autoimmune care. Finally, Jaime Hartman, National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, AIP Summit organizer, and co-teacher of the AIP Certified Coach Program, discusses trends within the AIP community, including how coaching support is evolving and how more practitioners worldwide are integrating AIP into their work. Together, these conversations highlight how innovation in research, progress in advocacy, and growth in community education are all interconnected—and why they matter for anyone living with autoimmune disease. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources:
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Quarterly Community Update series 01:10 – Meet the recurring contributors 02:31 – Research update with Sybil Cooper, PhD 03:07 – What is CAR-T therapy? 07:08 – Future implications of CAR-T for autoimmune disease 10:33 – Advocacy update with Jamie-Nicole Martin 11:25 – Autoimmune Association fly-in and policy efforts 16:25 – ROCK Summit & ROCK the Block recap 20:07 – Upcoming initiatives from AIP BIPOC Network 21:49 – Community trends with Jaime Hartman 22:47 – How AIP Certified Coaches support clients 25:59 – Trends in the current AIP coaching community 28:50 – How to find the right AIP Certified Coach 32:02 – Closing reflections and wrap-up | |||
| Flare to Flow: Emmitt Henderson III on Lupus, Identity, and Advocacy (Ep 080) | 16 avr. 2026 | 00:16:01 | |
Episode 80: From Flare to Flow — Emmitt Henderson III on Lupus, Identity, and Advocacy Healing stories are often told once there’s a clear path—but autoimmune life is often lived in uncertainty, advocacy, and difficult decisions. In this episode, Mickey talks with Emmitt Henderson III, lupus patient and founder of Male Lupus Warriors, about navigating life with a complex and often misunderstood condition. Emmitt shares his decades-long journey to diagnosis, his experience living with lupus as a man, and what it’s like to face stage four kidney failure while continuing to advocate for others. This conversation offers perspective for anyone navigating uncertainty, advocating for themselves in the medical system, or learning how to keep showing up—even when the path forward isn’t clear. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources:
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to Flare to Flow and living in uncertainty 01:15 – Meet Emmitt Henderson III 02:12 – Emmitt’s lupus diagnosis journey 05:08 – Navigating kidney failure and transplant uncertainty 06:29 – Advocacy and representation in autoimmune disease 08:11 – Understanding kidney donation and donor exchange 10:06 – Message for those struggling right now 11:12 – Male Lupus Warriors and community support 12:44 – Wrap-up and closing | |||
| Ask Mickey Anything: Your Biggest AIP Questions, Answered (Ep 079) | 13 avr. 2026 | 00:54:16 | |
Episode 79: Ask Mickey Anything — Your Biggest AIP Questions, Answered If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “doing AIP right,” you’re not alone. From navigating the early days of elimination to troubleshooting plateaus, managing low energy, and figuring out how to make this work in real life—there are so many questions that come up along the way. In this special Q&A episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey answers listener-submitted questions from across the community, covering both the practical and emotional sides of the Autoimmune Protocol. She walks through common challenges like symptom flare-ups in the first few weeks, what to do if you’re not seeing results, how to handle reintroductions without fear, and how to make AIP sustainable long term. She also dives into bigger-picture topics like personalization, research, and the future of autoimmune care. This episode is a reminder that AIP isn’t about perfection—it’s about learning, adapting, and finding what works for your body over time. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources:
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Q&A episode 01:22 – Is it normal for symptoms to worsen early on AIP? 05:02 – Two months on AIP with no improvement 11:04 – Real-life barriers: energy, cooking, and access 17:36 – Supplements and AIP compatibility 22:43 – Fear of reintroductions 27:43 – Reintroduction strategy and failed attempts 32:53 – Getting back to AIP after life changes 38:17 – Personalization vs protocol structure 41:33 – Common trigger foods and medication expectations 46:20 – Troubleshooting setbacks and research advocacy 51:21 – Wrap-up and closing | |||
| Kitchen Confidence: 5 AIP Flavor Boosters That Make Everything Taste Better | Small Bite (Ep 078) | 09 avr. 2026 | 00:17:54 | |
Kitchen Confidence: 5 AIP Flavor Boosters That Make Everything Taste Better (Small Bite) | Episode 78 If you’ve ever started AIP and thought your meals taste a little flat or repetitive, you’re not alone. One of the biggest challenges—especially early on—is learning how to create satisfying, flavorful meals with a more limited ingredient list. And when food isn’t enjoyable, it becomes much harder to stay consistent. In this Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott breaks down five simple, practical ways to build flavor in your AIP kitchen—without complicated recipes or extra effort. These foundational techniques can be layered into meals you’re already making, helping your food feel more balanced, interesting, and deeply satisfying. You’ll hear about:
Flavorful cooking on AIP doesn’t require more effort—it just requires the right building blocks. Resources
Episode Timeline 00:00 – Why AIP meals can feel repetitive 01:54 – Flavor Booster #1: Acid 04:18 – Flavor Booster #2: Fresh herbs 07:36 – Flavor Booster #3: Fermented foods & brine 10:30 – Flavor Booster #4: Aromatics 12:39 – Flavor Booster #5: Umami 14:15 – Recap & practical next steps | |||
| How to Build a Nutrient-Dense Plate | Deep Dive (Ep 077) | 06 avr. 2026 | 00:35:19 | |
Episode 77: How to Build a Nutrient-Dense Plate | Deep Dive If you’ve spent any time learning about the Autoimmune Protocol, you’ve probably heard the phrase nutrient density come up again and again. But knowing that nutrient density matters—and actually putting it into practice—are two very different things. Because when you’re in your kitchen, planning meals or staring into your fridge, the real question isn’t what is nutrient density? It’s: What does a nutrient-dense plate actually look like? In this episode of the AIP Deep Dive series, Mickey breaks down how to build meals that consistently support healing, energy, and long-term health—without overcomplicating the process. She walks through both the science and the practical application, helping you move from theory into everyday implementation. Mickey explores how macronutrients and micronutrients work together, highlights the most nutrient-dense food categories, and shares her own simple framework for planning meals that are nourishing, varied, and sustainable. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources:
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Why nutrient density matters in practice 02:17 – Macronutrients overview: protein, carbs, fat 03:02 – Protein: needs, function, and why it anchors your plate 05:55 – Carbohydrates: energy, thyroid, and common misconceptions 07:48 – Fat: hormone support, absorption, and satiety 09:23 – Micronutrients: where healing really happens 11:20 – Phytonutrients and eating the rainbow 13:05 – Fiber and microbiome support 15:08 – Microbiome-supporting foods overview 15:36 – Fermented foods and microbial diversity 17:37 – Omega-3 seafood and inflammation balance 19:43 – Organ meats and nutrient density myths 22:00 – Bone broth and traditional foods 24:30 – How to apply this in real life 25:09 – Step 1: Start with protein 26:02 – Step 2: Plan vegetables and fruits 26:48 – Step 3: Add fermented foods 27:43 – Step 4: High-polyphenol smoothies 28:56 – Step 5: Simple meal templates 30:49 – Optional nutrient boosters 31:18 – Key takeaways and sustainability focus | |||
| AIP in Real Life: Eating Differently Without Making it a Big Deal (Ep 076) | 02 avr. 2026 | 00:21:21 | |
Episode 76: AIP in Real Life — Eating Differently Without Making It a Big Deal Eating differently can feel like a much bigger deal than it actually is. Not because of the food itself—but because of the social dynamics around it. Dinner parties. Work lunches. Family holidays. First dates. Travel. The subtle pressure to explain. The awkwardness of declining. The internal negotiation about how much to share and how much to keep private. In Episode 76 of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott begins a new Small Bite series called AIP in Real Life—conversations about what it actually looks like to live this way long-term. Not just the food lists or the science, but the social navigation, mindset shifts, and emotional maturity that develop over time. Drawing on 15 years of personal experience living with AIP, Mickey shares practical strategies for eating differently without turning every gathering into a conversation about your health. This episode is about learning how to communicate clearly, hold boundaries calmly, and participate fully—without overexplaining, apologizing, or making your food choices the headline of the room. AIP in Real Life_ Eating Differ… In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources Episode Timeline 00:00 – Why eating differently feels bigger than it is 02:34 – Why this feels so hard (belonging & communication) 04:01 – Decide before you arrive 08:57 – Keep explanations short 11:04 – Gratitude is not the same as apology 12:36 – Participation over perfection 15:25 – Accept that not everyone will understand 17:19 – Identity shifts & long-term integration 18:57 – Wrap-up & book mention | |||
| Life After AIP: Building Your Long-Term Maintenance Plan | Deep Dive (Ep 075) | 30 mars 2026 | 00:29:13 | |
Episode 75: Life After AIP — Building Your Long-Term Maintenance Plan | Deep Dive What does life actually look like after you complete the Autoimmune Protocol? Once you’ve moved through Transition, Elimination, and Reintroduction, it’s natural to ask: Now what? Are you supposed to eat this way forever? What happens if your health shifts? And how do you apply what you’ve learned to real-life situations like stress, travel, celebrations, or aging? In this Deep Dive episode, Mickey explains what it really means to “finish” AIP and how to build a long-term maintenance plan that is flexible, sustainable, and personalized. Rather than viewing AIP as something you complete and leave behind, this episode reframes it as a framework you carry forward—one that helps you move up and down the spectrum of structure and flexibility as your health evolves. Mickey shares how to think about post-AIP eating, what a return to AIP can look like during a flare, how to use AIP principles beyond food, and why combining medical care with dietary strategy is essential for long-term autoimmune management. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: Referenced Episodes:
AIP Foundation Series – Free 5-day email course with printable food lists, meal plans, reintroduction charts, and beginner tools. The New Autoimmune Protocol (Book) – The updated, flexible, and realistic guide to implementing AIP in real life. Episode Timeline:00:00 – What does life after AIP look like? 03:18 – What does it mean to “finish” AIP? 06:58 – A post-AIP dietary philosophy (personalized eating) 10:33 – What a return to AIP can look like 13:11 – Batten down the hatches vs. unfurl the sails 17:41 – Using AIP principles beyond food 20:11 – Combining medical care with AIP (both-and approach) 22:36 – Building a sustainable long-term life 24:23 – Life after AIP, 15 years in 26:18 – Wrap-up & encouragement | |||
| Beyond the Recipe: Magic Chili with Marie-Noelle of Urban AIP | Small Bite (Ep 074) | 26 mars 2026 | 00:19:58 | |
Episode 74: Beyond the Recipe — Magic Chili with Marie-Noelle of Urban AIP (Small Bite) If you’ve ever thought starting AIP meant saying goodbye to your favorite comfort foods forever, this episode is for you. In this Beyond the Recipe Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott continues the mini-series exploring how AIP recipes actually work in real life—not just on paper. These conversations go deeper than ingredients and instructions to unpack why certain recipes succeed, how to adapt them, and what makes them sustainable long-term. Mickey is joined by Marie-Noelle Marquis, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, AIP Certified Coach, and founder of Urban AIP, to talk through one of the most surprising comfort food wins in the AIP world: Magic Chili. This isn’t just a tomato-free chili. It’s a deeply savory, rich, red, nightshade-free meal that delivers comfort without beans, paprika, chili powder, or tomatoes—and somehow no one misses them. Together, they explore how this recipe works from both a home kitchen perspective and at production scale through Urban AIP’s therapeutic meal delivery service, and why this chili has become a customer favorite. This episode is about abundance over restriction: how to recreate nostalgic flavors, build depth without nightshades, and turn a single recipe into a flexible template for real-life healing. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: Magic Chili Recipe – Full recipe from The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen Cookbook by Mickey Trescott Urban AIP Meal Delivery by Marie-Noelle Marquis Episode Timeline:00:00 – Rethinking chili without tomatoes, beans, or nightshades 01:19 – Introducing Marie-Noelle Marquis of Urban AIP 02:13 – Why Magic Chili belongs on the Urban AIP menu 05:02 – The beet base and building depth without tomatoes 07:36 – Scaling from home kitchen to commercial production 10:51 – Protein swaps and recipe versatility 11:49 – Urban AIP’s therapeutic meal delivery approach 17:42 – Final reflections on abundance and creativity in AIP cooking | |||
| What I’d Do Differently if Starting AIP Today (Ep 073) | 23 mars 2026 | 00:27:48 | |
Episode 73: What I’d Do Differently If Starting AIP Today If Mickey were starting the Autoimmune Protocol today—not in 2011 during the middle of a health crisis, but now with more than a decade of lived experience, research, and clinical insight—there are several things she would approach differently. Not because AIP doesn’t work, and not because she regrets the path she took. In fact, AIP was the turning point that helped her regain her health after being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and celiac disease. But over the years, her understanding of healing has evolved. The science around AIP has matured, the community has grown, and the tools available to people starting today are far more structured and supportive than they were in the early days. In this reflective episode, Mickey shares the biggest shifts she would make if she were beginning AIP today—from how she would track symptoms and approach nutrient density to how she would think about fatigue, identity, community, and the long timeline of healing. Rather than focusing only on food elimination, this episode reframes AIP as a broader process of rebuilding health—one that includes nourishment, medical partnership, emotional adaptation, and long-term sustainability. Mickey also shares how these lessons informed her upcoming book, The New Autoimmune Protocol, and explains the new community experience she’s launching to guide people through the transition phase before beginning elimination together as a group. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: Episode 52: How to Track Symptoms on AIP Episode 56: Mickey’s Healing Update The New Autoimmune Protocol (Book) – A modern guide to implementing AIP today, including transition strategies, personalization, and sustainable long-term healing. Available for pre-order wherever books are sold. Pre-Order Community – When you pre-order the book and submit your receipt at theautoimmuneprotocol.com/preorder, you’ll gain access to a private community, exclusive recipes, live Q&A sessions, and a guided Transition Phase in May leading up to a coordinated AIP start on June 1. Episode Timeline:00:00 – Why Mickey would approach AIP differently today 01:08 – Introduction and context for this reflection 03:22 – Why journaling from day one matters 06:16 – Nutrient repletion before restriction 08:31 – Advocating medically and personalizing care sooner 10:36 – Grieving the identity shift of chronic illness 12:41 – Respecting fatigue instead of pushing through 14:05 – Why AIP shouldn’t become your identity 16:06 – The importance of finding community support 18:11 – Measuring progress in months and years 20:07 – The bigger mindset shift around long-term healing 22:00 – The New Autoimmune Protocol pre-order community announcement 24:59 – Closing reflections and invitation to join the community | |||
| Mind-Body Minute: Meditation with Michele Spring (Ep 72) | 19 mars 2026 | 00:17:34 | |
Episode 73: Mind-Body Minute — Beginner Meditation with Michele Spring Meditation is one of those practices that almost everyone recommends—especially in the autoimmune world. We know nervous system regulation matters. We know stress impacts inflammation. We know slowing down is important. And yet, actually sitting down to meditate can feel surprisingly difficult. Instead of calm, you might feel restless. Instead of clarity, your thoughts get louder. Instead of relaxation, your body feels uncomfortable. For many women living with autoimmune disease, this makes perfect sense. When your nervous system has been on high alert for a long time—monitoring symptoms, managing flares, juggling responsibilities—stillness can feel unfamiliar, even unsafe. In this Mind-Body Minute, Mickey is joined by AIP Certified Coach, Qigong and yoga teacher Michele Spring to talk about why meditation feels hard, what’s actually happening in the nervous system when we try to slow down, and how to begin in a way that feels supportive instead of frustrating. This conversation reframes meditation as a practice of building safety and awareness—rather than clearing your mind or doing it “perfectly.” In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
Resources:
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Why meditation feels so hard 01:26 – Meet Michele Spring 02:34 – Nervous system dysregulation and stillness 06:27 – What meditation really is (and common misconceptions) 10:13 – How to get started if meditation hasn’t stuck 11:57 – Structuring a sustainable practice 13:34 – Free guided meditation invitation 14:39 – Where to connect with Michele | |||
| The Root Cause of IBS with Izabella Wentz, PharmD (Ep 071) | 16 mars 2026 | 00:43:47 | |
Episode 71: The Root Cause of IBS — Interview with Izabella Wentz, PharmD What if IBS isn’t a true diagnosis—but a placeholder? What if bloating, cramping, urgency, constipation, diarrhea, and food reactions aren’t signs that your body is “too sensitive,” but clues that something specific and treatable is being missed? In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Izabella Wentz, integrative pharmacist, bestselling author, and longtime leader in the root-cause approach to chronic illness. Many of you know her work in the Hashimoto’s community—but her newest book turns that same investigative lens toward digestive health. Izabella’s latest book, Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, challenges the idea that IBS is a final answer. Instead, she reframes it as the beginning of a deeper investigation—one that considers bacterial overgrowth, enzyme deficiencies, nutrient depletion, intestinal permeability, medication side effects, food intolerances, thyroid dysfunction, and more. This conversation is especially relevant for the autoimmune community. Many people who go on to develop autoimmune disease report years—sometimes even a decade—of digestive symptoms before receiving a diagnosis. We explore why that overlap exists, what IBS may be masking, and how improving gut health may shift the trajectory of long-term immune health. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: Izabella Wentz, PharmD
Book: Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Episode Timeline:00:00 – Is IBS a diagnosis—or a placeholder? 01:34 – Introducing Izabella Wentz 03:38 – Why IBS is often a label, not a root cause 11:07 – When IBS is actually something else 14:01 – Food reactions: IBS vs autoimmune sensitivities 18:35 – Why IBS and autoimmunity overlap 20:10 – IBS vs IBD: knowing the difference 23:09 – Nutrient deficiencies and digestive dysfunction 28:40 – Fiber, fermented foods & polyphenols 32:56 – Medications that contribute to IBS 35:08 – Gut health foundations for everyone 38:12 – Wrap-up and closing | |||
| Practitioner Perspectives: Autoimmune Flares & Gut Issues with Mariu Cabral | Small Bite (Ep 070) | 12 mars 2026 | 00:20:09 | |
Practitioner Perspectives: Autoimmune Flares & Gut Issues with Mariu Cabral (Small Bite) | Episode 70 When you’re navigating autoimmune disease and IBS at the same time, it can feel confusing fast. You clean up your diet. You follow AIP carefully. And yet you’re still bloated, constipated, dealing with urgency, or wondering whether what you’re experiencing is an autoimmune flare, a gut flare, or something else entirely. In this Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and AIP Certified Coach Mariu Cabral for a grounded conversation about what’s actually happening in real-life practice with clients who have both autoimmune disease and gut issues. This is the first in a Practitioner Perspectives series focused on IBS — highlighting what’s showing up right now in the autoimmune community, what’s working, and where nuance matters most. Together, they explore how autoimmune flares and gut flares often overlap, why mealtime habits can be just as important as food choices, and how to navigate AIP when common “healthy” foods don’t feel good in your body. You’ll hear about:
This episode is a reminder that struggling with digestion on AIP doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means your body needs personalization, not perfection. ResourcesMariu Cabral Website: https://mariucabral.com Follow Mariu on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariucabral Follow Mariu on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariucabral.ntp Mariu Cabral on Substack: https://mariucabral.substack.com/ Episode Timeline00:00 – When autoimmune and gut symptoms collide 01:22 – Introducing Mariu Cabral 02:22 – What’s showing up in practice right now 04:18 – Why mealtime stress triggers gut flares 05:49 – IBS vs. autoimmune trigger foods 07:51 – Why fibrous vegetables can be tricky on AIP 09:43 – Cooking methods and digestibility 10:22 – Why AIP can ultimately support digestion 12:32 – Two simple digestion habits that change everything 14:26 – When Modified AIP may help 15:02 – Honoring cultural foods during healing 17:01 – Final reflections and where to connect | |||
| How to Choose: Core vs. Modified AIP Elimination Phase | Deep Dive (Ep 069) | 09 mars 2026 | 00:28:58 | |
Episode 69: Core vs. Modified AIP Elimination Phase — How to Choose | Deep Dive If you’re learning about the Autoimmune Protocol for the first time—or revisiting it after trying it years ago—one question almost always comes up during the Elimination Phase: Should I start with Core AIP or Modified AIP? It sounds like a simple choice, but for many people it feels loaded. Some wonder which version will “work better.” Others worry about sustainability, cost, cultural fit, or whether they can realistically maintain the structure long enough to see results. In this episode of the AIP Deep Dive series, Mickey breaks down the key differences between Core and Modified AIP, explains why both versions exist, and walks you through how to decide which one is the best fit for you right now. Rather than framing the choice as a matter of willpower or commitment, this episode reframes it as a question of context, sustainability, and nutrient density. Mickey also discusses who each version tends to work best for, what the research currently says (and doesn’t say), how Modified AIP evolved from real-world use, and how to transition between versions if needed. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: Referenced Episodes:
AIP Foundation Series – Free 5-day email course with printable food lists for both Core and Modified AIP, reintroduction charts, meal plans, and beginner tools. The New Autoimmune Protocol (Book) – The first AIP resource built to reflect the updated Modified AIP framework while prioritizing nutrient density and therapeutic principles. Available for pre-order wherever books are sold. Episode Timeline:00:00 – Core vs. Modified: why this question matters 02:16 – Elimination Phase overview at a glance 03:21 – What is removed on Core AIP 04:07 – What’s included on Modified AIP 05:09 – Timeline reminder & Foundation Series reference 06:21 – Why Modified AIP was created 08:30 – Who Core AIP tends to work best for 10:36 – Why Modified AIP is recommended for most people 11:38 – Accessibility & affordability considerations 12:27 – Modified AIP for vegetarians, active individuals & weight restoration 14:28 – The research reality: what we know and what’s next 16:22 – The biggest tradeoff: nutrient density 18:39 – What happens to existing Core AIP resources 20:47 – A note on known sensitivities 21:54 – Cultural relevance and making AIP your own 23:40 – Transitioning from Modified to Core 25:33 – Closing recap & book pre-order | |||
| Beyond the Recipe: Cilantro Coconut Chicken and Rice with Mary | Small Bite (Ep 068) | 05 mars 2026 | 00:17:19 | |
Episode 68: Beyond the Recipe — Creamy Cilantro Chicken and Rice with Mary (Small Bite) If you’ve ever looked at a nourishing AIP-friendly recipe and thought, this sounds great, but I don’t have the energy for multiple pans and a sink full of dishes, this episode is for you. In this Kitchen Confidence Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott continues the Beyond the Recipe mini-series—conversations that go beyond instructions to explore why certain recipes work so well in real life, especially on low-energy days, and how they help reduce friction around feeding yourself well. Mickey is joined by her longtime friend Mary to talk through a comforting, one-pot favorite: Creamy Cilantro Chicken and Rice. Adapted from a New York Times Cooking recipe and reworked for Modified AIP, this Dutch oven meal is designed to be both deeply nourishing and genuinely doable. Together, they unpack why one-pot meals matter so much for people managing autoimmune disease, how rice fits into Modified AIP, and why simplicity often makes the biggest difference in consistency. This episode is about more than a recipe—it’s about lowering the barrier to eating well, building confidence in the kitchen, and choosing methods that support real life, not perfection. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources:
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Why low-energy cooking matters more than knowing what to eat 01:13 – Introducing the Beyond the Recipe series and today’s dish 01:58 – Guest introduction: Mary and a long-standing Hashimoto’s friendship 02:44 – Visual walkthrough of Creamy Cilantro Chicken and Rice 03:38 – Why this recipe works in real life 05:10 – The role of rice in Modified AIP and satisfaction 06:52 – Dutch oven cooking: stovetop to oven confidence 08:45 – Cast iron brands, sizes, and accessibility 09:57 – Safety tips when cooking with Dutch ovens 11:20 – Cleaning as you go and reducing kitchen overwhelm 13:12 – Leftovers, reheating, and multi-meal planning 13:56 – Final takeaways on simplicity, confidence, and sustainability | |||
| Starting an Autoimmune-Friendly Movement Routine: Interview with Beth Connor, PT (Ep 067) | 02 mars 2026 | 00:34:49 | |
Episode 67: Starting an Autoimmune-Friendly Movement Routine — Interview with Beth Connor, PT Movement can feel complicated when you’re living with autoimmune disease—especially if your body no longer tolerates exercise the way it once did. Questions like how much is enough, what’s too much, and how to start safely can leave many people stuck between doing nothing and overdoing it. In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, I’m joined by Beth Trimark-Connor, a licensed physical therapist, certified personal trainer, and lifelong athlete who specializes in helping people rebuild strength safely after illness, injury, and major life transitions. Beth holds a degree in human physiology from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. She has completed extensive additional training in strength and conditioning, endurance coaching, nutrition, and evidence-based menopause coaching. Her work bridges the gap between rehabilitation and real-life strength, with a special focus on people navigating autoimmune disease, menopause, injury recovery, and fluctuating capacity. Beth also brings lived experience to her work, managing her own celiac disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. That perspective deeply informs her compassionate, practical approach to movement—one rooted in safety, realism, and long-term sustainability rather than pushing through symptoms. In our conversation, we focus on how to start a movement routine from scratch in a way that feels supportive and adaptable to real life. Instead of prescribing workouts, Beth shares a framework for reconnecting with movement through curiosity, capacity awareness, and gradual habit-building. Download the worksheets mentioned in this episode! In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources:
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Why movement feels hard with autoimmune disease 01:43 – Introducing Beth Trimark-Connor 05:50 – Step 1: Start with your “why” 09:54 – Step 2: Assess real-life capacity and constraints 12:27 – Step 3: Start smaller than you think 19:25 – Building a daily check-in routine 20:48 – Tracking data without judgment 26:30 – Pre-solving problems so life doesn’t derail you 30:55 – Recap, key takeaways, and next steps | |||
| Kitchen Confidence: Your AIP Kitchen Starter Kit | Small Bite (Ep 066) | 26 févr. 2026 | 00:26:41 | |
Kitchen Confidence: Your AIP Kitchen Starter Kit (Small Bite) | Episode 66 If you’re starting AIP — or refining your approach — it’s easy to assume you need to buy new ingredients, new tools, or completely overhaul your kitchen before you begin. But sustainable success on AIP doesn’t start with buying more. It starts with clarity. In this Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott walks you through how to set up your kitchen in a way that supports you through Transition, Elimination, Reintroduction, and long-term maintenance. From clearing out visual clutter to stocking foundational pantry items and choosing tools that truly matter, this episode focuses on building an environment that reduces friction, protects your energy, and makes cooking feel more manageable. You’ll hear about:
Kitchen confidence isn’t about culinary skill — it’s about preparation. Resources
Episode Timeline 00:00 – Why kitchen setup impacts AIP success 02:28 – Clear before you add 05:49 – Removing “not-right-now” foods 07:51 – Boxing up “maybe later” foods 09:43 – Building a simplified AIP pantry 11:13 – Cooking fats (non-negotiable) 12:32 – Acids and umami flavor builders 13:18 – Shelf-stable proteins that save the day 14:11 – Spices and simple flavor foundations 15:02 – What you don’t need to prioritize 16:43 – Essential kitchen tools 19:27 – Helpful (but optional) upgrades 21:06 – Setting up your space for success 23:28 – AIP Kitchen Tour inspiration 24:10 – Recap & wrap-up | |||
| AIP for Hashimoto’s: The Polish Study on Nutrient-Density, Symptoms & Thyroid Health (Ep 065) | 23 févr. 2026 | 00:36:50 | |
Episode 65: AIP for Hashimoto’s – The Polish Study on Nutrient Density, Symptoms & Thyroid Health What happens when researchers outside the AIP community independently decide to study the Autoimmune Protocol in an academic setting? In this episode, Mickey breaks down a 2023 research trial from Poland that evaluated AIP for people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis who were euthyroid on paper—but still highly symptomatic. As part of the AIP Medical Research Review Series, this episode explores the second published clinical study on AIP for Hashimoto’s. The Polish research team examined not only symptoms and thyroid labs, but also nutrient intake, body composition, and thyroid ultrasound findings—adding new layers of insight beyond earlier research. This episode walks through how the study was designed, what changed after 12 weeks on AIP, and how the results compare to the Abbott pilot trial. The findings offer compelling evidence that nutrient density, inflammation reduction, and symptom improvement can occur even when thyroid labs remain within normal ranges. In this episode, you’ll learn:
References Abbott, R. D., Sadowski, A., & Alt, A. G. (2019). Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet as Part of a Multidisciplinary, Supported Lifestyle Intervention for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Cureus, 11(4), e4556. Krysiak, R., Kowalcze, K., Okopień, B., & Gdula-Dymek, A. (2023). Effects of an Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Diet on Changes in Thyroid Parameters in Hashimoto’s Disease. Nutrients, 15(9), 2101. Resources:
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Introduction & why this Polish study matters 02:16 – Study overview and research goals 03:54 – Hashimoto’s refresher: euthyroid but symptomatic 05:05 – Key questions the researchers wanted to answer 06:23 – Participant profile and exclusion criteria 07:23 – AIP intervention design and duration 10:15 – Clinical measures and nutritional analysis 13:11 – Nutrient density results 15:54 – Thyroid hormones, antibodies & ultrasound findings 18:15 – Body weight and body composition changes 20:11 – Symptom improvement results 22:13 – Nutrient–thyroid marker relationships 23:23 – Interpreting hormone and antibody shifts 25:53 – Comparing results to the Abbott study 29:54 – Practical takeaways for listeners 33:06 – Recap, resources & wrap-up | |||
| From Flare to Flow: Lynn Rester on Staying Grounded While Healing Takes Time (Ep 064) | 19 févr. 2026 | 00:13:56 | |
Episode 64: From Flare to Flow — Lynn on Staying Grounded While Healing Takes Time Healing stories are often told after everything makes sense—but autoimmune life is usually lived in the middle of uncertainty. In this episode, Mickey talks with AIP Certified Coach Lynn Rester about navigating an active flare while balancing work, health, and daily life. Lynn shares what it’s been like to move through recurring infections, deep fatigue, and disrupted sleep—and how she’s staying grounded while healing unfolds in real time. This conversation offers reassurance for anyone who’s doing the work but still waiting for things to shift. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources:
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Introducing real-time healing conversations 01:20 – Meet Lynn Rester 01:57 – Balance, fatigue, and recurring infections 03:20 – When healing doesn’t happen quickly 05:54 – Staying mentally grounded during a flare 07:25 – Lifestyle shifts supporting this season 09:15 – Advice for feeling stuck in the middle 10:17 – Reflections and takeaways 11:03 – Share your Flare to Flow story 11:29 – Where to connect with Lynn | |||
| AIP for IBD: The Gene Expression Study & Patient Experience Survey (Ep 063) | 16 févr. 2026 | 00:32:48 | |
Episode 63: AIP for IBD — The Gene Expression Study & Patient Experience Survey What happens inside the body when someone follows the Autoimmune Protocol—and how does AIP actually feel to people using it in real life? In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott reviews two important follow-up studies from the Scripps research team, led by Dr. Gauree Konijeti, that expand our understanding of AIP for inflammatory bowel disease beyond symptom improvement alone. The first study examined gene expression changes in intestinal tissue after an AIP intervention in ulcerative colitis. The second explored real-world patient experiences using AIP for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis through a large survey. Together, these studies shed light on both the biological shifts and the lived experience of AIP for IBD. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: Scripps RNA Gene Expression Study (2019): An Integrative Clinical Pilot Study to Evaluate RNA Expression Changes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Following the Autoimmune Protocol Diet AIP IBD Patient Experience Survey (2021): Experience Using the Autoimmune Protocol Diet in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Patient Survey AIP Foundation Series – Free 5-day email course with printable guides, meal plans, and beginner resources. The New Autoimmune Protocol (Book) – Updated research, Core and Modified AIP guidance, and step-by-step meal plans (available for pre-order). Episode Timeline:00:00 – Introduction: looking beyond symptoms 02:23 – Overview of the RNA and patient experience studies 03:42 – RNA substudy participant profile 06:51 – The AIP intervention used in the RNA analysis 07:41 – Clinical outcomes observed in the RNA subgroup 10:32 – How RNA gene expression was analyzed 13:07 – Results: gene expression and immune pathways 16:47 – Introducing the IBD patient experience survey 20:21 – Survey results: symptom changes and medication use 24:00 – Survey results: food reintroductions 28:08 – Recap: what these studies add to AIP research | |||
| Meal Plan Makeover: Improving Energy and Satisfaction | Small Bite (Ep 062) | 12 févr. 2026 | 00:19:45 | |
Episode 62: Meal Plan Makeover — Improving Energy and Satisfaction (Small Bite) Many people start the Autoimmune Protocol with a clear understanding of the rules—what foods to include, what to avoid, and which phase they’re in. But knowing the rules and feeling well on AIP are not always the same thing. In this Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott introduces a new practical series called Meal Plan Makeover, where she walks through real-life AIP meal plans to explore what’s working, what might be getting in the way, and how small, strategic changes can dramatically improve energy, satisfaction, and sustainability. Using a real (anonymized) three-day diet journal from a former client living with Hashimoto’s and rheumatoid arthritis, Mickey demonstrates how AIP can sometimes be applied too minimally—leading to under-eating, low energy, constant hunger, and meals that look “right” on paper but don’t feel supportive in the body. This episode is not about perfection or criticism. It’s about learning how to apply AIP more strategically by focusing on protein balance, nutrient density, carbohydrates, flavor, and realistic capacity—so the protocol actually supports healing instead of creating new challenges. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: AIP Foundation Series – Free 5-day email course with printable food lists, meal plans, and beginner guides. The New Autoimmune Protocol (Book) – Updated research, practical tools, and meal plans for Core and Modified AIP (available for pre-order). Episode Timeline:00:00 – Introduction: why AIP implementation matters 02:18 – Introducing the Meal Plan Makeover series 04:10 – Debbie’s background and context 05:36 – Reviewing the three-day meal plan 06:43 – Where strategy (not effort) is missing 07:04 – Smoothies: strengths and protein gaps 08:31 – A protein-forward breakfast that works 09:10 – Why snacks need balance 09:55 – The missing piece: starchy vegetables 11:12 – Bringing in more seafood 11:54 – Flavor matters: sauces and satisfaction 12:55 – Protein variety and fullness 13:21 – Calories, weight loss, and Elimination 14:59 – The big-picture meal plan takeaway 15:43 – Simple experiments to try this week 16:57 – Submitting your own meal plan & wrap-up | |||
| AIP For Hashimoto’s: The Pioneering Abbott Pilot Study & Case Reports (Ep 061) | 09 févr. 2026 | 00:35:46 | |
Episode 61: AIP for Hashimoto’s — The Pioneering Abbott Pilot Study & Case Reports Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common autoimmune disease in the world—and yet many people continue to struggle with fatigue, brain fog, pain, and mood symptoms even when their thyroid labs look “normal.” In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott continues the AIP Medical Research Review series with a deep dive into the very first clinical study ever conducted on the Autoimmune Protocol for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This community-supported pilot study, led by Dr. Rob Abbott and published in 2019, examined whether a structured AIP diet and lifestyle intervention could improve quality of life, inflammation, and symptom burden in adults with Hashimoto’s who were already medically stable. Mickey walks through the full story behind the study—from the chance meeting that sparked the research, to the grassroots crowdfunding effort that made it possible. She breaks down the study design, participant profile, intervention structure, clinical measures, and results, including detailed case reports that offer rare insight into individual experiences. This episode highlights a critical and often overlooked reality in Hashimoto’s care: meaningful improvements in how people feel and function can occur even when thyroid hormones and antibodies remain largely unchanged. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: Abbott Pilot Study (2019): Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet as a Part of a Multidisciplinary Supported Lifestyle Intervention for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis AIP Foundation Series – Free 5-day email course with printable food lists, meal plans, and beginner guides. AIP Certified Coach Program & Practitioner Directory – Advanced training for practitioners and a worldwide directory to find AIP-trained support. Pre-Order The New Autoimmune Protocol – Mickey's forthcoming complete guide to the updated Autoimmune Protocol, including both Core and Modified AIP. Episode Timeline:00:00 – The meeting that sparked the Hashimoto’s study 02:51 – Overview of the Abbott AIP Hashimoto’s study 04:01 – Understanding Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and standard treatment 06:27 – Why study AIP for Hashimoto’s 08:37 – Study participant profile 10:09 – The AIP study intervention 13:17 – Clinical measures and assessments 16:20 – Results: quality of life improvements 18:02 – Results: inflammation (hs-CRP) 19:03 – Results: thyroid hormones and antibodies 21:09 – Results: thyroid medication use 22:36 – Adherence and safety 23:29 – Case reports and individual outcomes 26:02 – Why this study still matters 28:25 – Practical takeaways for listeners 32:16 – Recap, resources, and what’s coming next | |||
| Beyond the Recipe: Veggie-Packed Meatloaf Muffins with Ginny Mahar | Small Bite (Ep 060) | 05 févr. 2026 | 00:23:30 | |
Episode 60: Beyond the Recipe — Veggie-Packed Meatloaf Muffins with Ginny Mahar (Small Bite) If you’ve ever stood in your kitchen thinking, I know what I should eat, but I just don’t know what to make, this episode is for you. In this Kitchen Confidence Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott kicks off a new mini-series called Behind the Recipe—conversations that go beyond instructions to explore why certain recipes work so well for healing, how to adapt them, and what they teach us about cooking in a sustainable, real-life way. Mickey is joined by Ginny Mahar, creator of Hypothyroid Chef and author of the newly released Thyroid30 Cookbook, to talk through one of those quietly powerful, repeat-worthy recipes: Veggie-Packed Meatloaf Muffins. Together, they discuss what makes this recipe so supportive for people navigating autoimmune and thyroid conditions—from batch cooking and freezing to substitutions, flavor boosters, and family-friendly design. This episode is less about perfection and more about practicality: how to build meals that are nourishing, flexible, and realistic on both good days and hard ones. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: Veggie-Packed Meatloaf Muffins Recipe – Full recipe from the Thyroid30 Cookbook The Thyroid30 Cookbook by Ginny Mahar Episode Timeline:00:00 – Why some recipes truly stick 01:18 – Introducing the Behind the Recipe mini-series 01:18 – Guest introduction: Ginny Mahar, Hypothyroid Chef 03:31 – Why this meatloaf muffin recipe works so well 04:04 – Visual description & real-life use 04:52 – Ingredients, binders, and flavor strategy 07:04 – Portioning, batch cooking, and meal pairing 09:05 – Freezing, storage, and reheating tips 10:57 – Substitutions and variations 15:14 – Serving ideas, sauces, and flavor upgrades 17:06 – Veggie-forward cooking and accessibility 19:28 – The Thyroid30 Cookbook overview 21:21 – Wrap-up and where to find the recipe | |||
| AIP for IBD: The Groundbreaking Scripps Pilot & Quality of Life Studies (Ep 059) | 02 févr. 2026 | 00:34:43 | |
Episode 59: AIP for IBD — The Groundbreaking Scripps Pilot & Quality of Life Studies For years, people living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis have asked whether diet can meaningfully impact inflammatory bowel disease. Until recently, there was very little clinical research to help answer that question. In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott kicks off a new AIP Medical Research Review series by walking through the very first clinical studies ever conducted on the Autoimmune Protocol. These groundbreaking studies—led by gastroenterologist Dr. Gauree Konijeti and her team at Scripps—examined the effects of AIP in adults with longstanding, active inflammatory bowel disease. This episode reviews two landmark papers: the 2017 Scripps pilot study on AIP for IBD and the 2019 follow-up study examining patient-reported quality of life. Mickey explains how the studies were designed, who participated, what the AIP intervention looked like in a clinical setting, and what the results actually showed—both in symptoms and in day-to-day functioning. Along the way, this episode clarifies why these studies still matter nearly a decade later, how they helped shape today’s Core and Modified AIP approaches, and what they reveal about the role of diet and lifestyle in autoimmune care. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: Scripps Pilot Study (2017): Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Scripps Quality of Life Study (2019): An Autoimmune Protocol Diet Improves Patient-Reported Quality of Life in Inflammatory Bowel Disease AIP Foundation Series – Free 5-day email course with printable guides and beginner resources AIP Certified Coach Program & Practitioner Directory – Professional training and global support directory Episode Timeline:00:00 – The patient story that sparked AIP research 02:35 – Overview of the IBD and quality of life studies 03:46 – Understanding IBD and standard treatments 05:10 – Why study AIP for inflammatory bowel disease 06:13 – Study participant profile 08:19 – The AIP study intervention 11:41 – Clinical endpoints and biomarkers 13:58 – Results: clinical outcomes 17:19 – Medication changes during the study 19:05 – Safety considerations 20:54 – Quality of life study results 23:53 – Why these studies still matter 27:15 – Practical takeaways for listeners 31:03 – Recap and wrap-up | |||
| Kitchen Confidence: A Three-Meal Safety Net | Small Bite (Ep 058) | 29 janv. 2026 | 00:19:48 | |
Episode 58: Kitchen Confidence — The AIP 3-Meal Safety Net (Small Bite) When most people struggle with AIP, it’s not because they don’t care or don’t know what to eat. It’s because their food plan only works on “good” days—when energy is high, stress is low, and life is predictable. In this Kitchen Confidence Small Bite episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey introduces a simple, flexible framework designed for real life: the AIP 3-Meal Safety Net. This approach helps you stay nourished through fluctuating energy, stress, flares, and changing capacity—across every phase of AIP. Rather than focusing on recipes, perfection, or willpower, this episode reframes kitchen confidence as having reliable options that work on your worst days, not just your best ones. Mickey explains how planning for different capacity levels reduces decision fatigue, lowers stress, and makes consistency possible over time. This episode breaks meals into three practical categories—low capacity, medium capacity, and higher or supported capacity—and offers concrete examples of what each looks like in real life. The goal is not cooking more, but building a system that supports you when cooking feels hard. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources: The New Autoimmune Protocol (Book) – Updated research, practical tools, recipes, and real-life strategies for sustainable AIP (available for pre-order). AIP Certified Coach Program & Practitioner Directory – Professional training and a worldwide directory to find AIP-trained support. Episode Timeline:00:00 – Kitchen confidence & building AIP for real life 02:17 – Why AIP plans fail on “bad” days 04:51 – Introducing the AIP 3-Meal Safety Net 05:42 – Type 1 meals: low-capacity, no-cook options 09:03 – Type 2 meals: medium capacity, light cooking 12:17 – Type 3 meals: higher or supported capacity 16:08 – Recap: building a flexible, sustainable system 17:20 – Book announcement & closing reflections | |||
| AIP Community Q1 Update: Events, Advocacy & Research (Ep 057) | 26 janv. 2026 | 00:37:35 | |
Episode 57: AIP Community Update — Events, Advocacy & Research Living with autoimmune disease is deeply personal—but the forces that shape diagnosis, care, and long-term outcomes extend far beyond any one individual. Research priorities, advocacy efforts, and community education all influence who gets seen, supported, and served within the autoimmune landscape. In this first Quarterly Community Update episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott steps back to look at what’s happening across the broader autoimmune community right now. These quarterly episodes are designed to help listeners stay informed and oriented—without overwhelm, fear, or chasing headlines. This episode introduces a new recurring structure focused on three areas that directly shape autoimmune care: advocacy, research, and community education. Mickey is joined by three regular contributors who bring both professional expertise and lived experience to these conversations. First, Jamie-Nicole Martin, chronic illness advocate and founder of the AIP BIPOC Network, joins Mickey to discuss autoimmune awareness, systems-level advocacy, and community-based initiatives designed to improve equity, access, and representation in autoimmune care. Next, Sybil Cooper, PhD, immunologist and AIP Certified Coach, breaks down recent research shaping the autoimmune landscape, including a major Mayo Clinic study on autoimmune disease prevalence and the significance of the 2025 Nobel Prize recognition of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Finally, Jaime Hartman, National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, host of the AIP Summit, and co-teacher of the AIP Certified Coach Program, shares updates from across the AIP community, including emerging education trends, Summit highlights, and professional training opportunities. Together, these conversations highlight why systemic change matters, what the latest science is actually telling us, and how community-centered education continues to evolve to support people living with autoimmune disease. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources:
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Quarterly Community Update series 01:21 – Overview of advocacy, research, and community education 02:29 – Autoimmune awareness & advocacy with Jamie-Nicole Martin 04:41 – ROCK Summit & ROCK Community Expo 06:32 – AIP BIPOC Roundtables and global community support 08:45 – How to support advocacy work 11:15 – Research update with Sybil Cooper, PhD 15:48 – Most common autoimmune conditions and diagnostic patterns 17:45 – Sex differences and multiple autoimmune diagnoses 20:20 – Nobel Prize recognition of regulatory T cells (Tregs) 23:32 – AIP community updates with Jaime Hartman 24:31 – AIP Summit recap and emerging trends 26:35 – Lifestyle, hormones, and life-stage support in AIP 31:23 – AIP Certified Coach Program overview 35:13 – Wrap-up and closing reflections | |||
| Healing Isn’t Linear: A Personal Update and Big News (Ep 056) | 22 janv. 2026 | 00:50:22 | |
Episode 56: Healing Isn’t Linear: A Personal Update and Big News Healing with autoimmune disease is rarely a straight line. Even after long periods of stability, new symptoms, diagnoses, or life transitions can ask us to slow down, reassess, and adapt. In this deeply personal episode, Mickey shares an honest update on her health after more than a decade of relative stability—including a new autoimmune diagnosis she never expected. This episode reflects on what it looks like to live well with autoimmune disease through different seasons of life. Mickey walks through how her health has evolved over the past year, what she’s learned about stress, hormones, and perimenopause, and how she’s adapting her wellness routine now—not from a place of perfection, but from lived experience. In the second half of the episode, Mickey shares a long-held announcement: the official reveal of her new book, The New Autoimmune Protocol. She explains why she felt called to write it now, how AIP has evolved over the years, and what makes this resource different from anything she’s created before. This episode is for anyone navigating change in their health, feeling blindsided after years of doing “everything right,” or wondering what sustainable healing really looks like over the long term. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources:
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Why healing isn’t linear & what this episode covers 02:28 – Mickey’s original autoimmune story and early AIP journey 08:38 – Building strength, stability, and resilience over time 10:53 – A reminder that ongoing support still matters 13:06 – A year of integration, reflection, and new ideas 15:53 – Book production, overexertion, and the first uveitis flare 20:50 – A second flare and the search for answers 24:13 – A new diagnosis and reframing the past 27:05 – Stress, hormones, perimenopause, and autoimmune disease 32:17 – Mickey’s current wellness routine 32:45 – How she eats now 36:32 – Medications and supplements 37:34 – Movement, strength training, and recovery 39:43 – A foundational approach to long-term health 42:09 – Introducing The New Autoimmune Protocol 46:15 – Live cover reveal event & giveaways 47:14 – Closing reflections and gratitude | |||
| Nutrient Density & Lifestyle Changes: Essential to All Phases of AIP | Deep Dive (Ep 055) | 19 janv. 2026 | 00:30:30 | |
Episode 55: Nutrient Density & Lifestyle Changes – Essential to All Phases of AIP When most people think about the Autoimmune Protocol, they focus on food elimination—but lasting healing requires much more than dietary change alone. In this episode, Mickey explains the two essential pillars that support every phase of AIP: nutrient density and lifestyle practices. As part of the AIP Deep Dive series, this episode expands beyond the three formal phases of the Autoimmune Protocol to explore how deeply nourishing foods and supportive daily habits work together to promote repair, resilience, and long-term healing. Mickey breaks down what nutrient density really means, why deficiencies are common in autoimmune disease, and how strategic food choices help regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation. This episode also explores the four lifestyle foundations that influence autoimmune health just as powerfully as food—sleep, stress management, movement, and connection—and how to apply them consistently in every phase of AIP without striving for perfection. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Resources:
Episode Timeline: 00:00 – Nutrient density & lifestyle as pillars of AIP 02:25 – What nutrient density actually means 05:07 – Nutrient-dense foods to include in all phases of AIP 08:29 – Practical ways to use nutrient-dense foods 12:48 – Lifestyle foundations that support healing 13:20 – Sleep and immune regulation 15:57 – Stress management and nervous system balance 18:50 – Movement and autoimmune recovery 22:39 – Connection and community support 25:09 – Integrating food and lifestyle changes 27:35 – Wrap-up & AIP Foundation Series | |||