Lupus in Community

More Than What You Can See: Lupus, Stroke, and the Need to Be Believed

Description

Lupus can look quiet. Someone can be showing up, smiling, getting through the day, with a history behind it that no one sees. This week, Dr. Fatimah Ali talks with Harmonie about the gap between how lupus looks and what it has risked.

Harmonie lives with lupus at a low disease activity level and with a disability from a stroke. She shares what life looked like before her diagnosis at 34, what happened when lupus cerebritis affected her central nervous system, and what changed afterward: her career, her marriage, and how strangers read her. She also talks about finding Stroke Buddies, a support group for stroke survivors, and what she wishes people understood without having to ask.

This episode is part of our October theme, Invisible Does Not Equal Mild. Read the companion essay and join the conversation on Substack: https://substack.com/@lupusincommunity

Learn more about Stroke Buddies: https://www.strokebuddies.org/

Content note: this episode includes discussion of stroke, pregnancy loss, and divorce.

This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult your healthcare team before making changes to your treatment, lifestyle, or self-care routine.

Diagnosed and Overwhelmed: LaShawnda's Story

Months of fatigue, joint pain, and hair loss, and no answers. LaShawnda, a mother of four and a dental assistant, had always been the one who never got sick, so when her body changed, she knew something was wrong.

In this episode, Fatimah talks with LaShawnda about what it takes to be heard when doctors can't find the cause. She shares how she researched her own symptoms, brought her findings to her care team, and kept pushing until she got a diagnosis. She talks about the mix of relief and "why now?" that came with it, and what it's like to take medication every day when you never had to before.

If you're in the stretch before a diagnosis, or just after one, this conversation is for you.

You can find LaShawnda Bowman on Instagram and Facebook as LaShawnda Bowman.

In this special livestream replay, Fatimah Ali of Lupus in Community joins bone health educator Candy Price to discuss building strong bones while living with lupus and other chronic illnesses. They explore prednisone and bone-loss risk, vitamin D and sun safety, fatigue and rest, plus accessible strength, balance, and fall-prevention strategies.

transcript_2026-08-31T19_17_36.961Z.txt

For educational only; not individualized medical advice.

In this special livestream replay, Fatimah Ali of Lupus in Community joins bone health educator Candy Price to discuss building strong bones while living with lupus and other chronic illnesses. They explore prednisone and bone-loss risk, vitamin D and sun safety, fatigue and rest, plus accessible strength, balance, and fall-prevention strategies.[ppl-ai-file-upload.s3.amazonaws]

Educational only; not individualized medical advice.

Episode description

What happens to identity and self-confidence when illness changes the body?

In this episode, Fatimah Ali is joined by Dr. Harriette Richard—psychologist, researcher, and three-time breast cancer survivor—for an honest conversation about illness, body changes, grief, visibility, and rebuilding a sense of self.

Although their health journeys are different, Fatimah and Harriette share a familiar experience: learning how to navigate life when symptoms, scars, fatigue, mobility changes, treatment, or recovery affect how you see yourself—and how you believe others see you.

Together, they explore:

• The grief of the “old you”
• Living with visible and invisible illness
• Self-confidence after scars, body changes, and altered ability
• Isolation, uncertainty, and feeling disconnected from former roles
• Faith, grounding, and emotional resilience
• Creativity and self-expression during recovery
• Post-traumatic growth without minimizing pain
• Hope and purpose while living with lupus, cancer survivorship, or chronic illness

This episode is for anyone living with lupus, breast cancer, autoimmune disease, chronic illness, disability, or a health condition that has changed their relationship with their body and identity.

Illness may change the body, but it does not erase your worth, voice, purpose, or capacity to become.

Living Well, Not Perfectly with Autoimmune and Chronic Illness | Featuring Simla Somturk

What does it really mean to live well when your body doesn’t always cooperate?

In this episode of the Lupus in Community Podcast, Dr. Fatimah Ali speaks with holistic nutrition and health coach Simla Somturk about redefining wellness while living with autoimmune disease and chronic illness.

Together, they explore why wellness is not a fixed destination, but an evolving relationship with your body. They share personal experiences with lupus, autoimmune conditions, chronic fatigue, food sensitivities, and recovery, along with practical ways to support healing without chasing perfection.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

• Why “living well” looks different in every season of chronic illness
• How to recognize progress beyond symptom-free days
• The role of nutrition, elimination diets, and bio-individuality
• The difference between nourishing your body and pursuing food perfection
• Orthorexia and the pressure to “do everything right”
• Managing stress, protecting sleep, and building sustainable habits
• Why comparison can undermine healing—and how listening to your body can restore confidence

Whether you’re living with lupus, another autoimmune disease, or supporting someone who is, this episode offers encouragement grounded in lived experience and science. Healing is rarely linear, but meaningful wellness is still possible.

Guest: Simla Somturk, Holistic Health & Nutrition Coach

Subscribe to Lupus in Community for more conversations that connect research, lived experience, and practical strategies for living well with chronic illness.

After a month of redefining strength — through adaptation, boundaries, rhythm, and nourishment — we close June with a conversation about what fills the space when you finally stop overgiving. Fatimah Ali is joined by Samantha Gregory, Self-Care Alchemist, for an honest conversation about breaking up with burnout, the connection between stress and autoimmune disease, and what it means to choose yourself — not someday, but now. This episode is for every woman who has been extracted from for too long and is ready to come home to herself.

Find Lupus In Community on Substack, Instagram and YouTube & Samantha at Self Care Oasis on Substack and @MsSamanthaGregory on TikTok.

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Adaptation You Can Eat | Wellness Wednesday

Cabbage doesn't transform in the light where everyone watches. It adapts sealed, dark, cut off from oxygen — and emerges as something living and nourishing.

Fatimah Ali sits down with chef and self-taught fermenter Clare Heal (@sauerpuss, In Good Taste) to make sauerkraut from scratch and unpack what fermentation teaches us about adapting through chronic illness. Clare breaks down the science of wild fermentation, gut health basics for the lupus community, and a global tour of fermented staples — from sauerkraut and kimchi to West African dadawa and nono.

Part of June's Redefining Strength arc: adaptation as a skill we learn, not a weakness we endure.

Clare Heal — claireheal.substack.com | @sauerpuss

Lupus in Community™ — Substack, YouTube, Instagram

Join Fatimah Ali, PhD and Sara Neufeld for a compassionate Chair Yoga Live focused on gentle movement, nervous system support, and honoring your body's needs. Created with the chronic illness community in mind, this conversation reminds us that wellness isn't about perfection—it's about presence. Come exactly as you are.

In today’s guided workshop, we explore how chronic illness and stress can hijack our nervous system, keeping us in a constant state of fight or flight.

With simple movements and breathwork, we can activate our parasympathetic system, promoting relaxation and healing.

Remember, it’s about connecting the body and mind—your wellness journey starts with small, mindful practices.

Disclaimer: This episode is for education and information only not medical advise. It does not replace your medical advise so talk to your clinician before starting any new movement or exercise.