The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast

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:
Why one-pot meals are a powerful tool for reducing decision fatigue
What makes Creamy Cilantro Chicken and Rice so supportive for Modified AIP
How rice can increase satiety and comfort without adding complexity
Why Dutch oven cooking builds confidence and flexibility in the kitchen
Tips for stovetop-to-oven meals with minimal cleanup
How to safely and confidently use cast iron and enameled Dutch ovens
Ideas for leftovers, reheating, and stretching meals across multiple days
How simple cooking methods support long-term consistency with AIP

Resources:
The Recipe: Cilantro Coconut Chicken and Rice
Lodge Enameled Cast Iron
Staub Cast Iron
Le Creuset Cast Iron
The New Autoimmune Protocol – Pre-Order

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

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:
How to begin a movement routine when exercise feels intimidating or unsafe
Why starting with your personal “why” matters more than specific exercises
How to assess real-life capacity, energy, and constraints
Why starting smaller than you think leads to better long-term outcomes
How to use perceived exertion to guide safe intensity
Why tracking data—not judgment—supports consistency
How autoimmune disease and menopause can overlap in the body
How to adapt movement on low-energy or high-stress days
Why movement should feel like a relationship, not a rulebook

Resources:
Beth Trimark-Connor, PT: Website: https://gotrainingwithbeth.com, Instagram & Facebook
Autoimmune Wellness Movement Resources: Download Beth’s movement self-assessment, tracker, and companion worksheets.

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) | 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:
Why kitchen setup directly impacts AIP sustainability
Why clearing and organizing comes before buying anything new
How to handle “not-right-now” foods during elimination
The core pantry staples that make simple meals possible
Cooking fats that are foundational for both Core and Modified AIP
Flavor builders that prevent boredom and increase adherence
Why shelf-stable proteins are essential for low-capacity days
What tools actually matter (and what you don’t need)
How to create a prep zone that reduces decision fatigue
Why maintenance and organization protect your energy

Kitchen confidence isn’t about culinary skill — it’s about preparation.
Resources
The AIP Foundation Series (Free Email Course)
The New Autoimmune Protocol – Pre-Order
AIP Kitchen Tour Series

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

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:
Why Polish researchers decided to study AIP after the Abbott trial
Who participated in the study and how the AIP intervention was structured
How nutrient density changed without calorie restriction
What happened to thyroid hormones, antibodies, and thyroid gland volume
How body weight and body fat shifted over 12 weeks
Which Hashimoto’s symptoms improved most significantly
Why symptom relief often matters more than antibody changes
What this study adds to the growing body of AIP research

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:
AIP Foundation Series – Free 5-day email course with printable food lists, beginner resources, and updates on new AIP research
The New Autoimmune Protocol (Preorder) – Mickey Trescott’s upcoming book translating the latest AIP science into a practical, modern guide

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

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:
What it’s like to navigate an autoimmune flare in real time
How recurring infections can impact autoimmune health
Why sleep and stress became Lynn’s main focus
How to stay grounded when symptoms don’t resolve quickly
Why healing often happens slowly and quietly

Resources:
Healthy Eating and Life Plans: Lynn's Website
Follow Lynn on Facebook and Instagram.
AIP Certified Coach Program & Practitioner Directory – Professional training and a worldwide directory to find AIP-trained support.

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