The Autoimmune Wellness Podcast

Episode 94: Food Nomad — Navigating the Emotional Journey of Autoimmune Disease with Imei Hsu
For many people, changing the way they eat because of autoimmune disease can feel like losing more than food. It can affect family traditions, cultural connection, travel, restaurants, and the simple feeling of belonging around a shared table.
In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by Bernice Imei Hsu, registered nurse, licensed mental health counselor, National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and AIP Certified Coach, to explore the emotional and cultural journey of living with dietary restrictions.
Five years after writing her Autoimmune Wellness article, "Bringing Culture Back to the Kitchen," Imei reflects on what she has learned about healing, reintroductions, adapting traditional foods, and becoming what she calls a "Food Nomad." Together, Mickey and Imei discuss why healing isn't simply about getting foods back. It's also about finding new ways to reconnect with culture, relationships, travel, and joy.
In this episode, you'll learn:
What Imei means by becoming a "Food Nomad"
Why dietary restrictions can affect identity, culture, and belonging
Why adapting cultural recipes can take years of experimentation
How reintroducing foods like soy helped Imei reconnect with family traditions
What Imei learned from experimenting with gluten-free sourdough and other foods
Why healing and food tolerance can continue evolving long after the elimination phase
Ways to navigate family gatherings when you can't eat traditional foods
How to give yourself permission to adapt traditions instead of perfectly recreating them
What it means to become the "keeper of the food flame"
Why grief around food and cultural traditions is a normal part of the autoimmune journey
How to hold onto hope when you're still early in elimination or reintroductions

Resources:
Bringing Culture Back to the Kitchen – Imei's original 2021 article on Autoimmune Wellness
Imei Hsu on Instagram: @everydaywithimei

Episode Timeline:
00:00 – Food, identity, belonging, and autoimmune disease
02:34 – Introducing Bernice Imei Hsu
03:39 – What it means to be a "Food Nomad"
06:17 – Revisiting "Bringing Culture Back to the Kitchen"
13:21 – The long game of healing and food reintroductions
18:19 – Gluten-free sourdough baking experiments
25:58 – Bringing culture back into the kitchen
31:48 – Food, belonging, and navigating relationships
37:55 – Giving yourself permission to adapt tradition
42:09 – Becoming the "keeper of the food flame"
46:12 – Encouragement for anyone grieving foods or traditions
48:24 – Wrap-up and where to follow Imei

Episode 93: Beyond the Studies — Results from the New Autoimmune Protocol Community
What happens when people put the Autoimmune Protocol into practice—not in a clinical trial, but in real life?
To celebrate the launch of The New Autoimmune Protocol, hundreds of readers joined a guided online community where they worked through the new Transition Phase, completed 30 days of either Core or Modified AIP, tracked their symptoms, and supported one another along the way.
In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott shares the results from this unique community experience. While this wasn't a formal research study, the symptom improvements closely mirrored many of the findings from published AIP research—and the participant stories reveal the power of preparation, accountability, and community support.
Together, these survey results offer a real-world look at what implementing AIP can look like, what people struggled with, what surprised them, and why healing is often about much more than food alone.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why Mickey created a guided community alongside The New Autoimmune Protocol
What surprised her most about who joined the program
Why the new Transition Phase helped participants feel more prepared for elimination
How overall autoimmune symptom severity changed after 30 days
Which symptoms improved the most, including digestion, energy, sleep, pain, and brain fog
Three standout participant stories that illustrate the range of real-world experiences
How these community results compare with published AIP research
Why symptom tracking is one of the most valuable tools during AIP
The importance of community support when implementing dietary change
How to join the ongoing Autoimmune Protocol community

Resources:
The New Autoimmune Protocol – Mickey Trescott's updated guide featuring the Transition Phase, Core and Modified AIP, and personalized reintroductions
The Autoimmune Protocol Community
Episode 59: The First Published AIP Study in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Episode 61: AIP and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis Research
Episode 63: AIP IBD Gene Expression Study
Episode 65: New Hashimoto's Research from Poland
Episode 89: The First AIP Pilot Trial in Rheumatoid Arthritis with Julianne Taylor

Episode Timeline:
00:00 – Introduction and overview of the community experience
02:39 – Why Mickey created The New Autoimmune Protocol community
06:38 – Who joined the community?
09:45 – The new Transition Phase in action
14:33 – What happened after 30 days?
17:16 – Overall autoimmune symptom improvements
19:12 – Energy and sleep results
20:03 – Digestive health improvements
21:53 – Joint pain and inflammation
22:42 – Brain fog, skin, and other symptom changes
23:59 – Three standout participant stories
28:58 – Comparing community results to published research
32:06 – Mickey's biggest takeaways
36:26 – An invitation to join the ongoing community
40:11 – Wrap-up and closing

Episode 92: Fiber, Gut Health & the Microbiome with Farzanah Nasser
Fiber is having a moment—but for people with autoimmune disease, digestive symptoms, or a history of restrictive diets, it can also feel confusing.
In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by UK-based naturopathic nutritionist, certified functional medicine practitioner, and author Farzanah Nasser to explore why fiber is one of the most overlooked nutrients in modern nutrition—and why it's so important for gut, immune, and overall health.
Together, they discuss how fiber nourishes the gut microbiome, supports immune function, and helps produce beneficial anti-inflammatory compounds. They also dive into why increasing fiber sometimes causes digestive discomfort, how to introduce it gradually, and practical strategies for reaching the recommended 30 grams per day—even for those with sensitive digestion or autoimmune disease.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why 96% of people aren't getting enough fiber
How fiber feeds the gut microbiome and supports immune function
The difference between probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics
Why short-chain fatty acids are so important for gut and immune health
Why increasing fiber too quickly can cause bloating and digestive symptoms
Practical strategies for gradually increasing fiber intake
Tips for improving bean tolerance through preparation methods
How to approach fiber if you have IBS, IBD, SIBO, or sensitive digestion
Why mindful eating and proper digestion matter when increasing fiber
Favorite high-fiber foods for the Autoimmune Protocol and Modified AIP
What 30 grams of fiber actually looks like in a day
Simple ways to build more fiber into everyday meals

Resources:
Website: https://farzanahnutrition.com
Instagram: @farzanahnasser_nutrition
Book: The Everyday High-Fiber Plan

Episode Timeline:
00:00 – Why fiber matters for autoimmune health
01:30 – Introducing Farzanah Nasser
03:28 – Why fiber deserves a rebrand
04:48 – What fiber is and why we need more of it
07:11 – How fiber feeds the gut microbiome
08:32 – Fiber, inflammation, and immune function
10:51 – Why fiber sometimes causes digestive symptoms
17:01 – Preparing beans for better digestion
19:28 – Fiber for IBS, IBD, SIBO, and sensitive digestion
23:16 – Optimizing digestion before increasing fiber
25:38 – Favorite high-fiber AIP foods
30:39 – What 30 grams of fiber looks like in real life
37:04 – Favorite recipes from The Everyday High-Fiber Plan
40:48 – Wrap-up and closing

Episode 91: Understanding Hair Loss and Autoimmune Disease with VJ Hamilton
Hair loss is one of the most common symptoms people experience with autoimmune disease—but it's also one of the most misunderstood. While many people assume it's simply part of having an autoimmune condition, hair loss can actually have many different causes, from immune dysfunction and nutrient deficiencies to hormone changes, chronic stress, and scalp inflammation.
In this episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott is joined by registered nutritionist, AIP Certified Coach, and founder of the Autoimmunity Nutrition Clinic, VJ Hamilton, to explore the many factors that influence hair health in people with autoimmune disease. VJ brings both professional expertise and personal experience, having lived with alopecia areata, psoriasis, and post-viral chronic fatigue syndrome herself.
Together, they discuss the different types of hair loss commonly seen in autoimmune patients, how to distinguish between them, and why identifying the underlying cause is essential for supporting healthy regrowth. They also explore nutrient deficiencies, gut health, hormones, stress, topical therapies, and why patience is such an important part of the healing process.
In this episode, you'll learn:
The different types of hair loss associated with autoimmune disease
How alopecia areata differs from stress-, hormone-, and nutrient-related hair loss
Why iron deficiency and low ferritin are common contributors to hair shedding
The role of protein, B vitamins, zinc, selenium, vitamin D, and omega-3s in healthy hair growth
How gut health and nutrient absorption influence hair health
Why stress-related hair shedding often occurs months after a stressful event
The importance of investigating the root cause rather than treating hair loss as a diagnosis
Which supplements may be helpful—and which are often overhyped
Topical strategies that may support scalp and follicle health
Why hair is often one of the last tissues to recover during healing
How to set realistic expectations for hair regrowth while addressing underlying health concerns

Resources:
VJ Hamilton
Website: https://autoimmunenutritionclinic.com
Instagram: @theautoimmunitynutritionist
Podcast: The Autoimmune Reset

Episode Timeline:
00:00 – Why hair loss is so common in autoimmune disease
01:52 – Introducing VJ Hamilton
03:13 – VJ's journey with alopecia, psoriasis, and chronic fatigue
06:40 – Different types of hair loss in autoimmune disease
13:30 – Nutrient deficiencies and hair health
23:46 – Common root causes and what to investigate first
27:26 – Why stress-related hair shedding is delayed
30:34 – Helpful supplements (and common misconceptions)
35:15 – Topical treatments and scalp care
41:23 – Setting realistic expectations for hair regrowth
47:14 – Wrap-up and where to learn more

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 itself.
Because AIP isn’t just designed to remove potential food triggers. It’s also designed to support systems commonly affected in autoimmune disease, including the gut lining, the microbiome, nutrient status, and immune regulation.
And those changes don’t always happen quickly or in a straight line.
For many people, healing happens gradually over time. Digestion may become more stable. Energy may improve. Foods that caused symptoms early on may become tolerable much later in the process.
In this episode of the AIP Deep Dive series, Mickey explains what’s actually happening in the gut during AIP and why healing often continues long after the elimination phase ends.
She explores intestinal permeability, the microbiome, nutrient density, lifestyle factors, and why healing is often more about rebuilding resilience than achieving perfection.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why the gut plays such an important role in autoimmune disease
What intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”) actually means
How stress, sleep, and lifestyle affect gut healing
What changes may happen in the microbiome during AIP
Why nutrient density is essential for repair and immune regulation
How reintroductions provide information about healing capacity
Why healing and food tolerance can evolve over time
How to approach setbacks and reactions with more patience and clarity

Resources:
The New Autoimmune Protocol (Book) – A practical guide to implementing AIP with a focus on preparation, sustainability, and personalization
The Nutrient Dense Kitchen – A cookbook and resource focused on nutrient density for healing
AIP Foundation Series – Free 5-day email course with food lists, meal plans, and beginner tools
Episode 51: The AIP in 2026

Episode Timeline:
00:00 – Introduction and Mickey’s personal gut healing story
04:35 – Why the gut matters in autoimmune disease
09:10 – Intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”) explained
14:10 – How the microbiome shifts during AIP
17:55 – Why nutrient density supports repair
21:30 – The role of lifestyle, stress, and sleep
25:31 – Why healing isn’t linear
31:22 – Wrap-up and key takeaways