Podcast

Episode 47: Adrenal Fatigue: Part 2 with Christopher Kelly

Adrenal Fatigue (aka HPA Axis Dysfunction) is very common with autoimmune disease. Are you tired during the day and wired at night? Do you find it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep? Do you often get hungry between meals, and sometimes feel hungry all the time? This podcast might apply to you. Expert Christopher Kelly talks about a new test that can diagnose and treat this condition more accurately. We also talk about how the label of Adrenal Fatigue is misleading, because the adrenals themselves are rarely the problem. The root cause lies someplace else altogether. Listen in to learn more.

Episode 46: Paleo Dietitian Q&A with Amy Kubal

Amy Kubal is a well-respected voice in the paleo community. She’s a Registered and Licensed Dietitian with both Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Human Nutrition and Dietetics. In this information packed podcast, I ask her: (1) What’s the optimal macronutrient ratio? (2) Are dietary fats healthy or harmful? (3) If we don’t eat dairy, how do we get enough calcium? (4) How do we keep our blood sugar balanced? (5) If we’re having trouble reaching a healthy weight, what can we do? (6) How can we troubleshoot digestive issues? And many more!

Episode 45: Social Lives on the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol

In cultures around the world, we gather together over food: we have dinner dates, drinks with friends, favorite festivals, and big family meals at our grandparents’ house. What happens when we can’t eat that food any more? Some people make the mistake of giving up their social life altogether because they simply don’t know how to manage it. In this podcast, 3 experienced AIP-ers share their experience and advice for having a full and fun social life while still staying true to your healing diet. It can be done!

Episode 44: The Art of Stress Management with Evan Brand

Stress is intimately connected to autoimmune expression. Many of you have experienced this yourself, when a high-stress situation kicked off an autoimmune flare – or even an autoimmune diagnosis. While we can take steps to strive for a lower-stress life, the truth is that part of life is experiencing tough times. Whether it’s aging parents, troubled teens, the loss of a job, the loss of a relationship, the death of someone we love, or our own autoimmune struggles, we can’t avoid stress altogether. So, that means we need to have tools to manage that stress so that it doesn’t negatively impact our health. That’s what today’s show is all about. Evan Brand is a functional medicine practitioner and the author of the book, Stress Solutions. He’s here to teach us how to take care of ourselves through the ups and downs of living.

Episode 43: Never Too Late! Healing Diets Over Age 60

One of the tragedies of modern life is the belief that health is meant to decline as we age, and there’s nothing we can do about it. In this podcast, I have 3 guests proving otherwise. They all transitioned to a healing diet after the age of 60 and saw a dramatic improvement in their health. They hope to inspire others in their age group (or any age) to do the same!

Episode 42: Infections and Autoimmunity with Dr. Michael Ruscio

If you’ve been doing the paleo diet and lifestyle perfectly and aren’t seeing results, infections can sometimes be a roadblock to healing. In this podcast, Dr. Michael Ruscio talks about which infections are common, which are rare, and how he diagnoses and treats them in his clinical practice. We talk about SIBO, h. pylori, parasites, candida, Epstein-Barr and other intracellular infections. We also talk about overtreatment and how to differentiate a healing crisis from an allergic reaction to the treatment itself.

Episode 41: EFT with Dr. Anne Merkel

Emotional Freedom Technique, otherwise known as EFT, is a simple technique designed to release emotional blocks to healing. What does that mean? The idea is that no matter what challenges we are experiencing, including autoimmune disease, there is always an emotional component. This doesn’t mean our symptoms are “all in our head.” But it does mean that repressed emotions can increase autoimmune flares and interfere with our ability to reduce and reverse our symptoms. Autoimmune health is about so much more than just food. In this podcast, EFT expert Dr. Anne Merkel describes how it works and guides us through a sample session.

Episode 40: The Primal Connection with Mark Sisson

When I first went paleo, Mark’s Daily Apple was one of the first blogs I found. I loved how he presented detailed information in easy-to-understand small bites. I also loved his holistic approach. Yes, food matters, but it’s about so much more than just food. Three years later, it was a thrill to interview him on my podcast. In this episode, we talk about the many ways our lives have changed from the lives of our ancestors. We can’t go back in time, but we can learn from our past. Highlights of our conversation include: Why Being Selfish Is Necessary, The 10 Habits of Highly Successful Hunter Gatherers, Reconnecting With a Body That Has Autoimmune Disease, and more.

Episode 39: LDN with Dr. Thomas Cowan

Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) is a nontraditional autoimmune medication that sometimes dramatically decreases symptoms at low cost and with minimal side effects. It has been mentioned in some of the healing stories shared on this podcast, so I promised to dedicate an entire episode to learning more. Our guest, Dr. Thomas Cowan, is a medical doctor in San Francisco who uses LDN as part of his autoimmune patient treatment plan. We learn what this drug is, how it works, how to find the right dose, and how to find a doctor who prescribes it.

Episode 38: Hormones and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Justin Marchegiani

I think every woman with autoimmune disease knows how strongly our hormones can impact autoimmune symptoms. Some women flare around their periods. Some go into remission during pregnancy and then flare after delivery (or vice versa). Others find their symptoms start to increase during the hormone fluctuations of perimenopause. And others actually develop autoimmune disease after menopause. So clearly hormone balance is a topic near and dear to us all. In this podcast, I interview Dr. Justin Marchegiani, a functional medicine practitioner who specializes in hormone balance. He’ll teach us what’s at the root of hormone problems at all stages of a woman’s life, and how to correct them. For my male listeners, today’s podcast focuses mostly on women, but at the end of the podcast, Justin talks about hormone balance for men as well.

Episode 37: Meditation Healing Stories

Curious about the impact meditation can have in your life? Do you believe that you can’t meditate? Or that there’s one right way to do it? In this podcast, I interview four people with autoimmune disease, each sharing a different form of meditation and the impact it’s had on their health. At the end of the podcast, I share how meditation has worked in my own life since my rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis in 2012.

Episode 36: Histamine Intolerance with Alison Vickery

Do you have unexplained skin rashes, headaches, digestive upset, mood issues and brain fog, even though you are following the paleo autoimmune diet and lifestyle perfectly? This might be a piece in your healing puzzle. Histamine is a natural component in both our food and our bodies, but certain things can make it overproduce, causing myriad symptoms that keep our body in a hypersensitive state. In this podcast, I talk with histamine expert, Alison Vickery, on what causes histamine intolerance and what we can do about it.

Episode 35: A Simple Guide to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)

This episode of the Phoenix Helix podcast is dedicated to my book: A Simple Guide to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol. I’m joined by three of my friends with autoimmune disease who have used the AIP to manage their own health. We share our healing stories, what worked and what didn’t, and what parts of the book resonate the most with our own journeys. Chelsey has Crohn’s disease. Erin has psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and Raynaud’s disease. Tara has lupus, psoriasis and vitiligo.

Episode 34: Paleo Cooking and Baking Tips from the Masters

When you first switch to a paleo diet, you lose a lot of your standard recipes, are introduced to a bunch of new ingredients, and it’s not uncommon to feel a little lost. In this podcast, we have expert tour guides! Cookbook authors Mel Joulwan and Rachael Bryant share everything from how to cook without a meal plan to their favorite AIP sauces and spice blends. And Laura Vein, former pastry chef, teaches us the fine art of paleo AIP baking.

Episode 33: Medical Marijuana and Autoimmune Disease

Medical Marijuana is now legal in 28 states in the US, and over a million people are using it to treat a wide variety of diagnoses, including autoimmune disease. Research shows it can help regulate the immune system, reduce inflammation, relieve pain, suppress muscle spasms, reduce anxiety, treat psoriasis, aid digestion, and much more. In this podcast, we delve into the science behind this controversial herb and talk with a number of people who are using it as part of their autoimmune disease treatment.

Episode 32: Celiac Disease, Gluten Sensitivity & Leaky Gut with Dr. Alessio Fasano

This episode of the Phoenix Helix podcast interviews world-renowned expert on leaky gut and autoimmunity: Dr. Alessio Fasano. We cover a wide range of topics: (1) The difference between celiac disease and gluten sensitivity; (2) Gluten cross-contamination vs. gluten cross-reaction; (3) The connection between leaky gut and autoimmune disease; (4) The causes of leaky gut and whether or not it can be cured; (5) Leaky gut testing and medication research; (6) The role of the microbiome in autoimmune disease; (7) Probiotics vs. fermented foods; (8) and much more. It’s an information-packed hour!

Episode 31: Healthy Habits – Gretchen Rubin Book Club

Are you a Rebel? Questioner? Obliger? Or Upholder? Knowing your “Habit Personality” makes a huge difference in achieving lasting change. The stakes are high for us. We have autoimmune disease which often comes with painful and disabling symptoms. Making healthy choices regarding diet and lifestyle can make a huge difference in our quality of life. Yet even knowing this, change is hard! In her books, Better Than Before and The Four Tendencies, Gretchen Rubin writes about 4 different “habit personalities”. In this podcast, we’ll help you figure out which one your are, and share which strategies work for each personality & which don’t!

Episode 30: Healing Stories 3

If you’re a regular listener of my podcast, you know that I often start my shows with personal stories, where my guests share their health journeys from rock bottom to reclaiming a vital life. But at least once a year, I dedicate an episode to back-to-back healing stories, and I make an effort to speak to people with different autoimmune diagnoses each time. In this episode, my guests share their journeys with Scleroderma, Polymyositis, Raynaud’s, Psoriasis, Grave’s Disease, Uveitis, and Parkinson’s Disease.

Episode 29: SIBO with Dr. Melanie Keller

SIBO stands for Small Intestine Bacteria Overgrowth. Having bacteria in our bodies is a normal state of being. In fact, 90% of our body is made up of microbes. So what’s the problem with finding them in the small intestine? Well, they don’t belong there, at least not in high numbers. Whereas the large intestine is the natural home for billions of microbes, a healthy small intestine only has about 100,000. So, basically, they’ve migrated. Have you ever dealt with invasive plants in your yard? They tend to take over and cause all sorts of problems. The same thing happens in the small intestine. In this podcast, we discuss why this happens, how it relates to autoimmune disease, and the most effective tests and treatments. My guest, Dr. Melanie Keller, has battled SIBO herself and now specializes in its treatment professionally.

Episode 28: History of the AIP with Robb Wolf

Did you know that Robb Wolf has ulcerative colitis, and that his mother and mother-in-law both had rheumatoid arthritis? There’s a reason he’s so passionate about educating people about the AIP. Many of us have had our lives transformed through the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol (Robb and myself included). While it’s not yet a mainstream healthcare approach, it’s gaining momentum and visibility worldwide. At the same time, we’ve forgotten a lot of the pioneers who did the research we’re using in our own health journeys today. I invited Robb onto this podcast to help us remember them. This is one of my favorite interviews. Robb says the same.

Episode 27: Hashimoto’s with Andrea Nakayama

This episode of the Phoenix Helix podcast delves into all things Hashimoto’s with functional nutritionist and educator, Andrea Nakayama. What tests are included in a complete thyroid panel? How do you find a good doctor? How do you manage ever-changing symptoms in a way that feels empowering, rather than disheartening? Even if you don’t have thyroid issues, this show is worth a listen. A surprising number of symptoms can have undiagnosed thyroid issues at their root.

Episode 26: Beyond Food – Healing Lifestyle

This podcast episode delves into healing lifestyle choices. We talk a lot about diet in this community, but healing is about much more than food. Sarah Ballantyne, author of The Paleo Approach and leader of the AIP movement says this: “Let me be clear: Dietary changes aren’t effective in isolation. If you don’t address lifestyle factors as well, it won’t matter how ideal your food choices are.” So, I interviewed four people about one lifestyle change that has made a big difference in their autoimmune healing journey. Sarah is one of them. If you haven’t started addressing your lifestyle choices yet, I offer you this podcast as inspiration to start today.

Episode 25: Paleo AIP Travel

When we’re on a healing diet, our kitchens become our safe places. It’s where we prepare delicious food that helps our body heal, with no worry of cross-contamination or hidden ingredients that can cause an autoimmune flare. However, we don’t want to feel trapped at home. Many of us have loved ones spread across the globe, and there are also so many beautiful places to visit. How can we travel with confidence, and stay healthy at the same time? In this podcast episode, two of my globe-trotting AIP friends share advice for plane travel, road trips, international adventures, camping, business trips, Disneyworld and more.

Episode 24: The Mind-Body Connection with Donna Jackson Nakazawa

This episode of the Phoenix Helix podcast is one of the most popular of all time. Can our minds help heal (or harm) our bodies? What used to be considered “new age thinking” is now being proven through the science of psychoneuroimmunology. My guest is an award-winning science journalist who also has autoimmune disease. She conducted a year-long self-experiment into mind-body practices and their effects on her own autoimmune symptoms. She also researched the effect childhood trauma has on our developing brain and immune systems, which can set us up for autoimmune disease later in life. Thankfully, there are ways to reverse this process, and she shares those tips, too.

Episode 23: When Your Child Has Autoimmune Disease

This episode of the Phoenix Helix podcast addresses a difficult topic: When your child has autoimmune disease. We all know that it’s a terrifying moment to receive an autoimmune diagnosis yourself. To receive one for your child is simply overwhelming. It’s natural to feel helpless and unsure of what to do. We want to protect our children and usher them into a beautiful life. How do we do this in the middle of chronic illness? I invited 4 parents onto the show today, who have walked this path already. They share their experience and their advice for new parents facing this situation. Ciarra’s daughter has Hashimoto’s. Allan and Barbara’s daughter has Crohn’s. And Denise’s daughter has Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and Uveitis.

Episode 22: Transitioning Your Family to Paleo

You’re much more likely to be successful on a healing diet if you aren’t constantly surrounded by foods you shouldn’t eat. That said, it’s not always easy to get families on board. In this podcast, we have a panel of guests sharing their experiences and advice for transitioning spouses, young children, teenagers, and even picky eaters to a paleo-style diet.

Episode 21: Autoimmune Q&A with Dr. Datis Kharrazian

This episode of the Phoenix Helix podcast interviews one of the major functional medicine leaders in the field of autoimmune disease: Dr. Datis Kharrazian. He’s a clinician, researcher, professor, and author of two bestselling books: “Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms?” and “Why Isn’t My Brain Working?” Today, we cover a wide range of topics: (1) The 3 Stages of Autoimmunity, (2) The Role of Blood Sugar in Autoimmune Disease, (3) The Power of Stress and Our Emotional Demons, (4) How to Support our Regulatory Immune Cells and Suppress our Inflammatory Ones, (5) The Connection Between Leaky Gut and a Leaky Blood-Brain Barrier, (6) Harnessing the Power of the Vagus Nerve, (7) Chemical Intolerance and the Dangers of Chelation, (8) How to Heal Food Sensitivities, and (9) His Top Recommended Tests and Supplements. It’s an information-packed interview!