Phoenix Helix: Autoimmune Resilience

This episode of the Phoenix Helix Podcast is all about Paleo Travel. We share advice for everything from plane travel to road trips, international adventures, camping, business trips, Disneyworld and more.

This episode of the Phoenix Helix podcast delves into the mind-body connection: How our thoughts and emotions can either increase or decrease inflammation in our bodies. My guest is Donna Jackson Nakazawa, a woman living with autoimmune disease herself, who is also an award-winning science journalist. She conducted a year-long self-experiment into the power of mindfulness techniques to reverse her own autoimmune symptoms. She wrote about her results in her book, "The Last Best Cure." We also talk about a new field of science showing the connection between childhood trauma and autoimmune disease, and how we can heal the negative impact of those experiences.

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.

This episode of the Phoenix Helix podcast teaches how to transition your family to the paleo diet and lifestyle. 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. Today, we have a panel of guests sharing their experiences and advice for transitioning spouses, young children, teenagers, and even picky eaters!

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!

This episode of the Phoenix Helix podcast looks into the pros and cons of ketogenic diets, with expert guests Dr. Terry Wahls and Dr. Paul Jaminet. Ketogenic diets are an ongoing source of debate in the paleo community. Some people say they are the cure for all ills. Others say they are dangerous and should be avoided. Today, we take a balanced look. Are all ketogenic diets alike? What does the science really say? Who can benefit most from ketosis? What are the cautions? If you do decide to try it, what's the best way to make the transition? This episode will help you decide if ketosis is right (or wrong) for you.

How does our microbiome affect our health? Is it possible that a "poop transplant" could reverse autoimmune disease? While that sounds a little crazy, if you listen to this podcast, it might start to make sense. Right now, FMTs are being used in the United States to cure life-threatening C. difficile infections, where medication has failed. Internationally, clinics are doing research into FMTs in the treatment of autoimmune disease. In this episode, I interview Glenn Taylor, director of the Taymount Clinic in the UK. He describes the science behind the transplants. Then, we hear from two patients who have received the procedure: one for C. difficile and one for multiple sclerosis.

This episode of the Phoenix Helix podcast focuses on Autoimmune Skin Conditions. While all autoimmune diseases have common factors (molecular mimicry, an overactive immune system, leaky gut, food and stress triggers, etc.), autoimmune skin conditions sometimes have additional influences. So, that's the focus of our podcast today. Whether you have psoriasis, eczema, lichen planus, hidradenitis suppurativa, rosacea, or another autoimmune or immune-stimulated condition, listen in! And even if you don't have skin issues, but are looking for some troubleshooting ideas for symptoms that aren't resolving quickly, this episode might have the answers you seek.

This episode of the Phoenix Helix podcast covers all aspects of pregnancy when you have autoimmune disease, from pre-pregnancy nutrition, to what to expect with each trimester, to answering the question of why it's so hard to stay paleo while pregnant. I have two wonderful guests joining me: Mikaela Morgan Guimaraes has Crohn's disease and is 7 months pregnant; she's sharing her personal experience. Samantha McClellan is a birth doula, educating us from the professional perspective. We'll also be talking about how hormones affect autoimmune disease expression and why some people go into remission during pregnancy, while others flare.

This episode of the Phoenix Helix podcast is about living the autoimmune paleo life when you're young and single. It's never easy to have autoimmune disease, but when you're trying to date, deal with roommates, handle flares on your own, and find a way to focus on healing while all your friends are drinking, it can be even harder. My three guests were all diagnosed with their autoimmune disease at a young age, and they chose the impressive path of healing through diet and lifestyle. Today, we'll be talking about the blessings and challenges of that choice.