Phoenix Helix: Autoimmune Resilience

Latest Episodes:

Episode 185: Eye Health and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Rani Banik Oct 15, 2021

Show notes

I have two friends who were diagnosed with autoimmune disease through a referral from their ophthalmologist. Their first symptoms appeared in their eyes. Across diagnoses, this is common. Eye pain, dryness, swelling, inflammation, vision loss, and double vision - almost every autoimmune diagnosis can include eye symptoms. This is why an ophthalmologist is an important person to have on our healthcare team. Today, we're lucky enough to have an integrative ophthalmologist on the podcast. Dr. Rani Banik is a board-certified neuro-ophthalmologist with over 20 years of medical experience as a clinician, educator, and researcher. She also has specialized training in functional medicine and treats her patients from a holistic perspective.

Episode 184: Anti-Inflammatory Supplements with Dr. Amy Nett Oct 01, 2021

Show notes

Inflammation is a root cause for most chronic disease and it’s a major player in autoimmune disease. That’s why most doctors track inflammation on blood tests, because it often corresponds to autoimmune activity. Many patients find anti-inflammatory supplements helpful. Which ones have the most science behind them? How do they each work in our bodies to reduce inflammation? And how can you tell if one might be helpful for you? These are the questions we’ll be answering today, and we’re focusing on three popular supplements: fish oil, curcumin, and quercetin. My guest is Dr. Amy Nett. She’s a medical doctor whose specialty is functional and integrative medicine, and many of her patients have autoimmune disease.

Episode 183: Detoxifying Foods with Andrea Nakayama Sep 17, 2021

Show notes

Our bodies naturally have the ability to detoxify and do it every single day. However, problems can develop, and that's not uncommon with autoimmune disease. The answer isn't an aggressive "cleanse" where we try to force our bodies to do a year's worth of detox in 30 days. Instead, we need to support our bodies year-round. There are foods that support our detox pathways, and foods that can interfere with them. That's what today's podcast is all about. My guest is Andrea Nakayama, a world-renowned functional nutritionist and educator, whose mission is to change the way we do healthcare by empowering patients to reclaim ownership over their own health.

Episode 182: Big Decisions – Big Results Sep 03, 2021

Show notes

When it comes to a healing lifestyle, our daily choices matter. Small steps and habits add up over time, and many of my podcasts teach those skills. Today, we're going in a different direction. There are times when the big picture is overwhelming everything else. It might be a toxic job, a toxic relationship, or a toxic home. Change is rarely easy, even in difficult situations. Sometimes you need to wait for the right time and opportunity. Sometimes it's a matter of courage. Other times it's a matter of resources. Usually, it's a combination of these things. Today, I'm sharing three inspiring stories of people who made big changes for their health. Lucia moved to a new country. Stephanie left a toxic job. And Irene left an abusive relationship.

Episode 181: Overcoming Bias with Anu Gupta Aug 20, 2021

Show notes

One thing I love about the autoimmune community in general and the Phoenix Helix community specifically is that we care deeply about each other. We lift each other up, with the goal of living our healthiest and happiest lives. Health involves both self-care and community care, and today's podcast is a blend of the two. I’ve talked about the impact of racism in two prior podcasts. Episode 153 focused on racism in healthcare. Episode 178 focused on racial trauma. In both episodes I mentioned that overcoming our own unconscious biases can be a powerful first step in helping overcome racism within our society. There is much beyond our control, but this is something we can change. We're approaching this conversation with love rather than judgment. My guest is Anu Gupta. He’s developed a compassion-based, scientific approach to overcoming bias and addressing the root causes of racism and other inequalities within our culture. He is a research scientist and educator, and simply a warm, wise and wonderful person.

Episode 180: Body Image and Autoimmune Disease Aug 06, 2021

Show notes

With an autoimmune diagnosis, we are told that we have a disease for which there is no cure. It can be shocking and immediately change how we see ourselves. It's not uncommon to feel betrayed by our bodies. Symptoms can also dramatically change our abilities, impacting careers, hobbies, and roles within families. Many of us go through an identity crisis – no longer feeling like the person we were before. Then there's the impact of having a visible vs. invisible illness. Some autoimmune diseases change our physical appearance and how others interact with us. Whereas others have symptoms that are hidden, often inspiring disbelief in the pain that can't be seen. Today, four people with autoimmune disease (including myself) share our experiences with how our body image has changed since diagnosis

Episode 179: Vitamin D and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. William Mitchell Jul 23, 2021

Show notes

Vitamin D is one of the most commonly recommended supplements for people with autoimmune disease, because it's essential to immune system regulation. How do you know if you're deficient? When is sunshine the best source, and when is supplementing a better option? Can you take too much vitamin D? We'll be answering these questions and more in today's podcast. My guest is Dr. William Mitchell, a naturopathic doctor whose expertise is autoimmune disease.

Episode 178: Racial Trauma and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Letitia Browne-James Jul 09, 2021

Show notes

People with a history of trauma are more likely to develop autoimmune disease and to experience more severe symptoms as well. In today's podcast, we're focusing on racial trauma. One of the ways it's unique is that it's ongoing. It's not an event from the past that is now over. It's something experienced repeatedly in unpredictable ways. Over the past year, a number of listeners have reached out to me to share their experiences. Racial trauma isn't new, but it has been amplified during the pandemic. Our goal with this episode is to help anyone navigating the double challenge of autoimmune disease and race-based trauma. My guest is Dr. Letitia Browne-James. She's a mental health counselor and educator with expertise in trauma, multi-cultural counseling, and the intersection of mental and physical health.

Episode 177: GMOs with McKay Jenkins Jun 25, 2021

Show notes

The first genetically modified food hit the market in 1994. Now, nearly all the food included in a Standard American Diet contains GMO ingredients. The good news is that if you avoid processed foods and shop the perimeter of the store, you cut your GMO consumption dramatically. However, we can't escape it altogether. The increased herbicide use becomes part of the environment in which we live. There's cross-contamination of crops, so even farms that strive to be GMO-free often find GMO plants in their fields. And 95% of animal feed is GMO. What are the health risks associated with genetically modified foods? Is it the genetic engineering that's the problem, or the chemicals that are sprayed on them? How can we make the healthiest choices when it comes to the food we eat? My guest is McKay Jenkins, a professor and journalist who has been writing and teaching about the environment for 30 years. He's the author of the book, Food Fight: GMOs and the Future of the American Diet.

Episode 176: Navigating Uncertainty with Dr. Damon Silas Jun 11, 2021

Show notes

We all know that life is uncertain and many things are beyond our control, but that doesn't mean we like it. The flare-based nature of autoimmune disease embodies uncertainty. When will the next flare come? Can it be prevented? How can I love my body when it's so unpredictable? That's health uncertainty, but there are other types of uncertainty as well – economic, political, societal. During the pandemic, we've been faced with all of these things at once. Now, it's 2021, and there's a new type of uncertainty as we approach the world opening up again. How do we balance enjoying new freedoms while continuing to make safe decisions? How do we move forward in an uncertain world? My guest is Dr. Damon Silas, a psychologist who specializes in anxiety, grief and trauma. He'll be sharing techniques for staying grounded when the world around us shifts.

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