The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast

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...

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 P...

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...

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 Ne...

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 lif...

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, Na...

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...

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 practi...

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 B...

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 sec...

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 co...

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...

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...

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...

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 t...

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 situat...

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 pa...

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...

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 r...

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...

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,...

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 wi...

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...

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 episo...

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, Mick...