54: Cold Weather & Autoimmune Disease

Does cold weather really make autoimmune disease worse? In this episode, Jaime and Marie-Noelle start with their own experiences of the colder months, then walk through what the research shows. They share practical strategies for the season, from staying active and vitamin D to indoor humidity, paraffin wax baths for stiff hands, Raynaud's tips, and staying well during cold and flu season, flagging how strong the evidence is for each. They also share what's new at Urban AIP this fall, take on the question of whether to start AIP now or wait until after the holidays, and close with a little homework. In This Episode (00:04) Welcome and episode preview, with a note for Southern Hemisphere listeners and a pointer to Episode 20 on hot weather (02:22) Jaime and Marie-Noelle share their own experiences with the cold, including Raynaud's, Hashimoto's, and why damp cold feels different from dry cold (06:55) What the hosts notice in their clients and in Urban AIP's seasonal ordering patterns (08:48) What the research says: cold on its own is a weaker trigger than seasonality (09:50) Joint pain and rheumatoid arthritis: the "Cloudy with a Chance of Pain" study (10:37) Multiple sclerosis and lupus: mixed seasonal patterns (11:10) Inflammatory bowel disease and thyroid: a weak seasonal signal and a seasonal shift in TSH (11:41) Raynaud's: the most direct cold connection (12:16) Vitamin D, winter infections, and why tracking your own symptoms beats assuming (13:10) How the tips are sorted by strength of evidence (13:58) Staying active in the cold: why movement matters and how much to aim for (14:52) Practical strategies: warming up, layering, hydrating, moving indoors, and pacing (17:05) Yoga and tai chi: what the research does and doesn't show (17:56) Exercising with Raynaud's: warming up, pre-warming gloves, and rewarming slowly (18:29) A pointer to Episode 51 on movement, then vitamin D: what a large trial did and didn't show, and a pointer to Episode 39 on nature and sunlight (20:14) Indoor humidity: what experts suggest, and why humidifiers need regular cleaning (20:53) Paraffin wax baths for stiff hands: the research, who should avoid them, and why to ask an occupational or hand therapist first (22:48) Raynaud's, stress, and why new symptoms deserve a conversation with a doctor (23:17) Staying well in cold and flu season: everyday habits and what to discuss with your doctor (25:21) What's new at Urban AIP this fall (28:08) The research on whole, nutrient-dense foods (28:42) Start AIP now or wait until after the holidays? (31:22) Ready Set AIP (31:52) Homework: track your own seasonal patterns, and closing thoughts Resources Mentioned Episode 20: Hot Weather & Autoimmune Disease Episode 31: Having Happy & Healthy Holidays with Autoimmune Disease Episode 39: The Healing Power of Nature: Nervous System, Sunlight & Immune Regulation Episode 51: Movement Is Medicine - Training Smart with Autoimmune Disease featuring Lana Buettner Urban AIP (Use discount code PODCAST, plus during October get birthday month discounts on new meals released each Friday) Ready Set AIP (Use discount code PODCAST) Research Referenced Seasonality and autoimmune diseases review Cloudy with a Chance of Pain MS seasonal relapses, Saudi cohort Winter lupus flares and vitamin D IBD weather and seasons meta-analysis Seasonal TSH study, JCEM 2013 Raynaud phenomenon, MedlinePlus Treating Raynaud phenomenon: Beyond staying warm Physical activity and RA review Arthritis Foundation, 10 tips for cold weather exercise Tips for reducing cold-weather arthritis pain, rheumatologist commentary Activity pacing trial in multiple sclerosis Tai chi for rheumatoid arthritis, Cochrane review 2019 Tai chi for treating rheumatoid arthritis, Cochrane review 2004 Tai chi and yoga in RA and spondyloarthropathies, narrative review Raynaud's and sport, Scleroderma and Raynaud's UK VITAL trial, BMJ Indoor humidity and respiratory health Cochrane review, thermotherapy for RA Heated mittens trial in hand osteoarthritis Reducing risk of infection in people with rheumatoid arthritis, HSS Lower your infection risk, Arthritis Foundation Know when to go to the emergency room, Arthritis Foundation Protect yourself during cold and flu season, Lupus Foundation of America Mediterranean diet trial in RA Ultra-processed food and lupus Ultra-processed food and RA Scripps IBD pilot registry entry Hashimoto's AIP pilot study AIP diet research summary, Examine

    Jennifer Franchak, functional nutritionist and AIP Certified Coach, returns to the podcast for her first interview appearance after featuring her presentation back in episode 38. This time, Jennifer and Jaime talk about a problem more and more women with autoimmune disease are running into: having access to more health information than ever before, and still not feeling any clearer about what actually matters for their own body. Jennifer shares what she sees in her practice with women who have already tried nearly everything, why gathering more information isn't the same as gaining clarity, and how her new workshop, the Flare-Up Freedom Blueprint, helps women connect the pieces of their own autoimmune puzzle. In This Episode 02:03 – Revisiting episode 38's 5R framework (remove, replace, reinoculate, repair, rebalance) and how it shows up behind the scenes in Jennifer's client work today 05:14 – Why reframing flares as information instead of betrayal shifts clients from fear to curiosity 08:05 – The double-edged sword of having more health information than ever, and why it doesn't always translate to clarity 10:20 – What Jennifer has learned from women who have already tried "all of the things" and are still stuck 13:48 – For coaches and practitioners: the difference between gathering information and gathering clarity, and teaching clients to spot their own patterns 17:07 – Inside the Flare-Up Freedom Blueprint: what the live 90-minute workshop covers and why Jennifer built it as an interactive experience instead of a self-paced course 20:03 – What an already AIP-savvy listener might still be missing 22:11 – Workshop logistics: live October 14th, registration closes October 11th, recording included if you can't attend live 23:58 – Jennifer's one takeaway for anyone feeling flare-related information overload: stop and observe before you react 25:54 – Where to find Jennifer and her resources About Jennifer Jennifer Franchak is a functional nutritionist and AIP Certified Coach who helps women with autoimmune disease move from unpredictable flare-ups to a clearer understanding of their own patterns. Through her private program, Autoimmune Harmony, and her new live workshop, the Flare-Up Freedom Blueprint, she guides clients through a personalized framework for identifying what's actually driving their symptoms rather than following a generic protocol. See Jennifer's profile on the AIP Certified Coach directory Resources Mentioned Episode 38: Decoding Gut-Driven Autoimmune Flares  Flare-Up Freedom Blueprint workshop (live October 14th, registration closes October 11th)  Jennifer's website: jenniferfranchak.com Jennifer's YouTube channel   

Laurane Chemenda returns to walk listeners through her reintroduction journey, now five years in and still evolving. She talks candidly about what has made the process take as long as it has, the moment a reintroduction attempt sent her a clear signal, how she distinguishes psychological hesitation from genuine physiological caution, and what she'd tell someone who feels discouraged that their own reintroduction isn't following a tidy timeline. The conversation closes with a look at Bien-être Auto-immune, the French-language AIP platform and community Laurane founded. In This Episode (01:30) Laurane's update since Episode 19: expecting her third child, and an expanding focus on the French AIP community (03:25) What her reintroduction process has actually looked like over five years: starting strict and methodical, then loosening into a more intuitive approach (09:17) The reintroduction moment that became a wake-up call, and what it did and did not affect (12:47) Life circumstances that slowed the process, including two pregnancies and postpartum caution, and how she distinguishes a true reaction from psychological hesitation after years of reintroducing (15:17) Her experience with gluten specifically, including genetic marker testing and stool testing results, and why she has chosen not to pursue reintroducing it (21:25) What she wishes she'd known at the start about rigidity versus flexibility in the reintroduction process, and her perspective on Modified AIP and how she uses it with clients today (24:41) Reassurance for listeners who feel anxious that their own reintroduction is taking longer than expected (25:54) Her signature coaching advice: the importance of community and support throughout the AIP journey (26:46) An introduction to Bien-être Auto-immune, her French-language platform, community, and coach training program About Laurane Chemenda Laurane Chemenda is an AIP Certified Coach (see her profile on the AIP Certified Coach Directory). She healed from ankylosing spondylitis using a combination of functional medicine and the autoimmune protocol, and now works with clients navigating autoimmune conditions. She is the founder of Bien-être Auto-immune, the first French-language platform dedicated to a functional, AIP-based approach to autoimmune health. Resources Mentioned Episode 19: Laurane's AIP Summit presentation and healing story  Bien-être Auto-immune website  Bien-être Auto-immune on Instagram    The AIP Summit Podcast is a Gutsy By Nature production. Content presented is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

This episode features audio from Lana Buettner's presentation at the 7th Annual AIP Summit, "The Autoimmune Athlete: Empowered Movement." Lana, a board certified functional health coach and AIP Certified Coach living with ankylosing spondylitis, shares her journey from Division I college tennis to competitive padel, and breaks down how to use movement as a therapeutic tool, including during flares, without overtraining. Timestamps: 00:27 – Episode preview plus two announcements (AIP Certified Coach training enrollment, Hope Journey Walk) 05:28 – Lana's background and credentials 06:39 – Her athletic journey: tennis at University of Oregon to ankylosing spondylitis diagnosis 08:43 – Transition to competitive padel and the German national team 09:36 – Presentation roadmap 09:36 – Why movement matters for autoimmune health 12:00 – Movement as an epigenetic signal 13:16 – Defining movement vs. exercise; consistency, mindfulness, joy 15:31 – Redefining what it means to be an "athlete" 16:50 – Exercise guidelines and recommended activity types 18:55 – Three categories of training: mobility, strength, cardio 22:27 – How to move during an active flare 24:33 – Warning signs of overtraining 27:54 – Learning your personal threshold and feedback loops 28:59 – Planning a weekly training schedule 28:59 – AIP considerations for athletes: underfueling, carbs, protein, training volume, electrolytes 31:53 – Morning journal prompts to guide daily training decisions 34:40 – Recovery: sleep, rest days, active recovery 36:10 – Stress management's role in recovery 37:10 – Anti-inflammatory nutrition and hydration for recovery 38:09 – Targeted recovery practices: contrast showers, compression wear, foam rolling, supplements 39:30 – Closing message Mentioned in this episode: aipcertified.com (Coach Practitioner training enrollment) give.autoimmune.org/teamaip2026 (Hope Journey Walk) aipsummit.com (fall encore agenda) Lana Buettner's AIP Certified Coach Directory profile Episode 38: Decoding Gut Driven Flares Episode 44: The Evidence for Mindset and Health Outcomes

To celebrate a major milestone, Jaime and Marie-Noelle look back at the first 50 episodes of the AIP Summit Podcast and share eight moments that resonated with them most, from sustainability and travel to weight stigma, rare diagnoses, perfectionism, creativity, mental health, and our connection to the natural world.   In This Episode (00:05) Welcome and mission recap (01:25) Announcements: Urban AIP's Labor Day sale, the Autoimmune Association Hope Journey Walk in DC, and the next AIP Certified Coach Practitioner Training cohort (04:07) Highlight 1: Sustainability and the abundance mindset (from Episode 46) (08:49) Highlight 2: Travel mindset with Dixie Mehrens, plus new information on flying with medically necessary food (from Episode 13) (14:47) Highlight 3: Weight stigma with Dr. Angela Grace (from Episode 26) (19:47) Highlight 4: A rare diagnosis story with Crecy Ragan (from Episode 23) (24:00) Highlight 5: Letting go of perfection with Marcia Murata (from Episode 48) (26:57) Highlight 6: Creative brains and chronic illness with Andrea Rossi (from Episode 40) (33:10) Highlight 7: Mental health and autoimmune disease with Bianca Clarke (from Episode 17) (37:41) Highlight 8: The healing power of nature and awe (from Episode 39) (42:25) Closing thoughts   Announcements Urban AIP Labor Day Sale: New seasonal dishes are live, with an additional 15% off during the Labor Day sale (up to 25% off total depending on box size). Use code LABORDAY2026 at checkout. Visit UrbanAIP.com to learn more. Autoimmune Association Hope Journey Walk (DC): Urban AIP is catering breakfast before the DC walk this year. Join in person or virtually, and consider joining or donating to Team AIP. Learn more about the Hope Journey Walk. AIP Certified Coach Practitioner Training Program: Co-taught by Jaime Hartman and Mickey Trescott, the next session begins September 21st, with enrollment opening September 2nd. Open to health coaches, nutritionists, therapists, nurses, medical doctors, and anyone working with autoimmune clients. Learn more at aipcertified.com.   Featured Moments and Original Episodes If any of these moments resonate, go back and listen to the full original conversations: Episode 46 — Making the Elimination Phase Sustainable Episode 13 — Traveling and the Autoimmune Protocol, featuring a presentation from Dixie Mehrens (originally from the 2021 AIP Summit) Episode 26 — AIP & Calorie Counting, featuring a presentation from Dr. Angela Grace on weight stigma (originally from the 2022 AIP Summit) Episode 23 — Story of Healing with Hashimoto's and Alpha-Gal Syndrome, with guest Crecy Ragan Episode 48 — Stop Chasing the Perfect Diet, with guest Marcia Murata  Episode 40 — Why Creatives Get Sick and What to Do About It, with guest Andrea Rossi Episode 17 — Mental Health and Autoimmune Disease, with guest Bianca Clarke Episode 39 — The Healing Power of Nature

Sarah Brookes joins Jaime and Marie-Noelle to unpack the idea of AIP as a spectrum rather than an all-or-nothing protocol, walk through a client's nine-month journey reversing scleroderma symptoms through diet alone, and share her own six-month reintroduction struggle and what finally helped her through it. The episode closes with Sarah's take on when AIP is not the right starting point and why nervous system regulation often needs to come first. View Sarah's profile on the AIP Certified Coach Directory  Topics covered How Sarah's approach to client care has evolved since becoming an AIP Certified Coach in 2017 Introducing AIP as a spectrum, not all-or-nothing Meet the client: multiple diagnoses, multiple medications, and a request to work entirely through diet Going all in: full elimination AIP, no restaurants, no exceptions, even on a three-week trip The results after nine months: four stone lost, medications reduced, scleroderma patches faded What this case teaches coaches about treating conditions that aren't primarily gut-driven Sarah's own reintroduction story and why it took her over six months The strategic thinking behind reintroducing individual ingredients versus whole dishes What changed: Jan's AIP retreat and the shift from scrambling to stability Is AIP right for everyone? When Sarah steers clients toward a different starting point Sarah's Thyroid Energy Essentials group program and free Thyroid Energy Blueprint masterclass Resources Mentioned: AIP Retreats in the South of France Thyroid Energy Essentials (12-week group coaching program) Free thyroid labs guide (available via email signup)

AIP Certified Coach and bioindividual nutritionist Marcia Murata Cesario joins Jaime and Marie-Noelle to explore how bioindividuality shapes AIP coaching. Marcia shares the family story that led her into AIP work, then walks through a detailed case study of a client managing rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and Sjögren's simultaneously. The conversation moves into the biochemistry behind bioindividual reactions (histamines, salicylates, oxalates) and closes with Marcia's coaching philosophy of meeting clients where they are rather than chasing a "perfect" AIP diet. In this episode Marcia's path into AIP coaching, sparked by her daughter's early diagnosis How her registered holistic nutrition training complements AIP coaching Client case study: where this client started (RA, migraines, psoriasis, chronic pain) Elimination phase: an "all at once" approach and why lifestyle changes waited Early wins: reduced bloating, then migraines resolving within three weeks Why the oldest psoriasis lesions are often the last to clear (tissue resident memory T cells, explained with a grass-trail analogy) Reintroduction process, remaining trigger foods, and the client's eventual "graduation" Defining bioindividuality: the work of Dr. Roger Williams and Julie Matthews How bioindividuality changes the pacing of reintroduction Same diagnosis, opposite reactions: a real family example Marcia's coaching philosophy: helping clients stop chasing the perfect diet Meeting clients halfway, even when they order food or hate cooking Where to find and work with Marcia   About the guest Marcia Murata Cesario is an AIP Certified Coach and bioindividual nutritionist based in Canada. Her path into AIP began after her daughter was diagnosed with psoriasis and Crohn's disease as an infant. She's listed in both the AIP Certified Coach Directory and the BioIndividual Nutrition Directory, and shares educational content on Instagram. Resource Links  Marcia's Instagram: @marciabionutrition AIP Certified Coach Directory listing 

In this episode, Marie-Noelle sits down with Emilie Davis, an AIP Certified Coach and gut health nutritionist based in Salt Lake City. Emilie's own path started with years of chronic illness and an eventual autoimmune diagnosis, and it's shaped a practice that puts gut health testing at the center of her work with clients. This conversation is especially useful for AIP Certified Coaches looking to deepen their functional testing knowledge, as well as anyone doing AIP on their own who feels like they've hit a wall. In this episode Emilie's health journey, from chronic Epstein-Barr through an eventual autoimmune diagnosis, and how it led her to nutrition, naturopathic medicine, and eventually AIP How gut health became the foundation of her practice and why nutrition alone often isn't enough What a gut health lens adds when someone is doing AIP faithfully and still feels stuck The GI map functional stool test explained, and how it differs from standard bloodwork at a doctor's visit What "food freedom" looks like in practice, and helping clients rebuild trust with food Emilie's signature coaching advice: elimination is a tool, not a permanent destination Reframing symptoms as information rather than failure, including a real client example involving reintroduction and medication timing Why quantity matters just as much as which foods you reintroduce About Emilie Davis Emilie holds a Master of Science in Nutrition from the National University of Natural Medicine and has been in practice for seven years as an AIP Certified Coach. Her work centers on the intersection of gut health and autoimmune disease, using comprehensive functional stool testing to guide personalized nutrition and treatment plans through her Gut Restore program. Emilie's profile on the AIP Certified Coach Directory Stay up to date on all AIP Summit and AIP Certified Coach news - Get our newsletter!  

 In this episode, AIP Certified Coaches Jaime Hartman and Marie-Noelle Marquis answer a listener question that gets at something many people feel but don't say out loud: do you really have to do AIP every single day? Can you give yourself weekends off? The short answer is yes, the elimination phase requires full adherence to work. But the more important conversation is about understanding why, and then building the conditions that actually make it possible to sustain. Key Points Covered What full adherence means during the elimination phase of both core AIP and modified AIP, and why both frameworks require the same level of commitment even though modified AIP gives you more foods to choose from Why the lifestyle branches of AIP (sleep, movement, stress management, time in nature, social connection) allow for more day-to-day flexibility than the dietary portion How the elimination phase works as a physiological reset: removing potential triggers long enough for inflammation to calm and symptoms to shift, so that the reintroduction phase can give you reliable information Why "doing AIP five or six days a week" isn't almost AIP, it's a different thing entirely, and why neutral language (full adherence, not "cheating" or "being good") matters when thinking about this How the urge to take weekends off is useful information, not a character flaw, and how to use it to identify the root cause of what's making your current approach unsustainable Common sustainability gaps and their root causes: food boredom, social pressure, feeling deprived rather than empowered, lack of planning, and unsupportive home environments Why helping clients identify their specific sustainability gap is more valuable than lecturing them on compliance, and how to use a client's desire for a "cheat day" as a coaching opportunity Practical strategies for making full adherence sustainable: batch cooking and freezer stocking, building an AIP social toolkit for navigating restaurants and gatherings, finding abundance in the protocol's yes list, setting a defined endpoint, and leaning into the AIP community for accountability How cravings can shift over time as the microbiome changes, and why a spirit of detachment (rather than "white-knuckling") can help with foods you're grieving during elimination Resources Mentioned Episode 1: The ABCs of AIP Episode 6: Answering Common Questions About AIP Episode 43: Our Conversation with Mickey Trescott Freezer Cooking for the Paleo AIP, edited by Jaime Hartman Urban AIP (AIP-compliant meal delivery) Autoimmune Wellness (Mickey Trescott's website) The New Autoimmune Protocolby Mickey Trescott AIP Certified Coach directory

From Survival Mode to Dancing in the Living Room Monica Harris is a degree-qualified naturopath in Australia with more than 20 years of clinical experience. Despite her training, she didn't see her own Hashimoto's coming. Diagnosed while pregnant and working a high-pressure corporate job, Monica found herself in what she describes as survival mode as a new mother, until AIP and the support of an AIP Certified Coach changed everything. Within three weeks of starting AIP, every symptom she was tracking improved. Two months in, her thyroid antibodies dropped from over 1,000 to 297. In this episode, Jaime sits down with Monica (recorded solo due to scheduling conflicts) to talk about: What it was like to be a healthcare professional on the patient side of a chronic illness diagnosis The day-to-day reality of "survival mode" fatigue as a new mom with undiagnosed Hashimoto's How quickly her symptoms and antibody levels shifted once she started AIP What coaching support actually looked like for her, including the moments her coach had to be direct with her How she made AIP work practically with a young child at home (without the social isolation she expected) A naturopath's view on why "your labs are normal" doesn't always mean you feel normal, including the TSH/T4/T3/reverse T3 picture Why she pursued her AIP Certified Coach credential and built a 12-week program specifically for mothers with Hashimoto's See Monica's profile in The AIP Certified Coach Directory Book a Hashimoto's Assessment Call with Monica Learn more about the AIP Summit and sign up for our newsletter to get the latest news about upcoming live events