Phoenix Helix: Autoimmune Resilience

Phoenix Helix Writes a Novel!

28 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Two years after retiring from Phoenix Helix, I return to celebrate my novel's publication!

The Final Episode of the Phoenix Helix Podcast

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ten years ago in 2014, I recorded the very first episode of this podcast. Today is the last episode. In this final conversation, I celebrate the past ...

Episode 230: Healing Stories 11

05 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a regular listener of my podcast, you know that I start every year with a Healing Stories episode. It features back-to-back interviews wit...

Mindset Minisode – Positive Visualization

22 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our imagination is powerful, because our brain responds to imaginary experiences very similarly to real-life experiences. If we're spinning worst case...

Episode 229: Best Of – Resilience with Dr. Cynthia Li

08 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes - for good reason! The topic is Resilience, that ability to bounce back from life’s hardships. With...

Mindset Minisode – Learning To Say No

24 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us love to help others and also love to please others, which can make it hard to say no. The trouble is that there are limited hours in the da...

Episode 228: Digestion Troubleshooting with Dr. Sruti Lam-Fletcher

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The connection between gut health and autoimmune disease is very strong. 70% of our immune system lives in our gut. If we have inflammation in our dig...

Mindset Minisode – Identity & Autoimmune Disease

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The onset of autoimmune disease is a before and after moment for many of us. We feel like a completely different person, not just in our bodies but in...

Episode 227: Autoimmune Q&A with Terry, Sarah, and Eileen

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is a very special episode featuring two of my colleagues and friends: Dr. Terry Wahls & Dr. Sarah Ballantyne! I’ve known these wonderful women ...

Mindset Minisode – Being Perfectly Imperfect

29 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With autoimmune disease, we sometimes strive to live "perfectly" as a way to improve our health. What if this is backfiring? In this 7 minute podcast,...

Episode 226: Transgender Autoimmune Health

15 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

My goal with the Phoenix Helix Podcast is to help people with autoimmune disease thrive. Today’s episode is dedicated to our transgender listeners a...

Mindset Minisode – Kindness

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you're feeling sad, insecure, or anxious today, kindness is a powerful mood boost and stress reliever. In this 6 minute episode, I share some inspi...

Episode 225: Neurology Tests with Dr. Ken Sharlin

18 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I believe in being an empowered patient, and that means understanding the care we receive. Sometimes tests are ordered and interpreted by our doctors,...

Mindset Minisode – Self-Limiting Beliefs

04 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When our mind convinces us something is impossible before we've even tried, that's a self-limiting belief. It's common for autoimmune disease to trigg...

Episode 224: Ayurvedic Medicine & Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Akil Palanisamy

21 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ayurvedic Medicine is an ancient medical tradition with roots in India, which contains wisdom that still applies to our health in modern day. Today, w...

Mindset Minisode – 5 Senses Exercise

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One of the fastest ways to tap the relaxation response is to tune into our senses. It immerses us in the present moment, offering a break from our wor...

Episode 223: Epinutrients with Dr. Kara Fitzgerald

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We are more than our genes! Epigenetics is a field of science that studies what influences our genetic expression. These are the things that turn our ...

Mindset Minisode – Social Media Noting

09 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We spend a lot of time on social media without necessarily noticing how it's impacting our mental, emotional, and physical health. Social media has bo...

Episode 222: Traditional Chinese Medicine & Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Tanya Lee

26 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to chronic illness, Western Medicine can be very helpful, but it’s rarely enough on its own to restore a high quality of life. People ...

Mindset Minisode – Don’t Believe Everything You Think

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our brains have a negativity bias - paying more attention to what's wrong than what's right. It's not uncommon to have a silent soundtrack in the back...

Episode 221: Sound Healing & Autoimmune Disease

28 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sound Healing is a therapy that uses sound and vibration to balance the mind, body, and spirit. I know that might sound woo-woo to some listeners, but...

Mindset Minisode – Write a Letter to Your Body

14 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Can we befriend a body in pain? With autoimmune disease, we've been told that our body is attacking us which sets up war imagery in our minds. Yet our...

Episode 220: Seasonal Allergies and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Heather Zwickey

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Spring is a visually beautiful season. The earth comes alive, the trees start to bud, and flowers pop up everywhere. After a hard winter, that can be ...

Mindset Minisode – RAIN Technique

17 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emotions are part of the human experience, and when life is hard, challenging emotions often arise alongside - feelings like grief, anger, anxiety, re...

Episode 219: Food Sensitivities and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Alison Danby

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Food sensitivities are a common and frustrating side effect of autoimmune disease. What's happening in our immune systems when our body reacts negativ...

Mindset Minisode – Guided Meditation

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With autoimmune disease, we often have a complex relationship with our bodies. When we hear that our immune system is attacking us, it can feel like a...

Episode 218: Anti-Inflammatory Foods with VJ Hamilton

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to autoimmune disease, inflammation plays a big role. The higher our inflammation, the higher our symptoms and disease activity. Doctors...

Mindset Minisode – Gratitude Practice

20 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Something new is coming to the Phoenix Helix Podcast. Mindset Minisodes! The long-form interviews you know and love will continue every 4 weeks. In be...

Episode 217: Healing Stories 10

06 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a regular listener of my podcast, you know that I start every year with a Healing Stories episode. It features back-to-back interviews wit...

Episode 216: Best Of – Exercise Intolerance with Andrea Wool

23 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes - for good reason! Why does exercise feel so different after an autoimmune diagnosis? Activities that...

Episode 215: Best Of – The Gut Microbiome with Dr. Lucy Mailing

09 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes - for good reason! There’s a community of 38 trillion microorganisms living in and on our bodies, a...

Episode 214: Emotional Eating & Autoimmune Disease with Tomesha Campbell

25 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Life with chronic illness can inspire strong emotions that trigger emotional eating. If the foods chosen are inflammatory, autoimmune flares may follo...

Episode 213: Holiday Boundaries & Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Ellen Vora

11 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We tend to notice boundaries most when they’re getting crossed – by other people, or by ourselves. We also notice when we struggle to set them at ...

Episode 212: Morning & Bedtime Routines with Dr. Sybil Cooper

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Morning and bedtime routines are a wonderful way to bookend your day, starting and ending it with some joy and self-care. They can also make a big dif...

Episode 211: Indigenous Medicine and Autoimmune Health with Dr. Nicole Redvers

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The modern scientific approach to medicine focuses on disease rather than wellness, it focuses on parts of the body instead of the whole, and tends to...

Episode 210: Colonoscopies and Endoscopies with Dr. Marvin Singh

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you have an autoimmune disease that attacks the GI tract, these procedures are important for diagnosis and monitoring your health. They’re also u...

Episode 209: Preventing Autoimmune Flares

16 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With autoimmune disease, flares are part of the experience, and we cannot prevent every single one. However, that doesn't mean we're powerless. Discov...

Episode 208: Nutrient Deficiencies & Healing Diets with Dr. Sarah Ballantyne

02 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When we develop autoimmune disease, our body becomes more sensitive and that often includes food sensitivity. Many of us turn to healing diets in an e...

Episode 207: Cultivating Joy with Shauna Ahern

19 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You may know Shauna Ahern as The Gluten-Free Girl, author of the award-winning food blog and cookbook series. Now, her career has gone in a different ...

Episode 206: Listener Q&A

05 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I listen to a lot of podcasts myself and some of my favorite episodes are Listener Q&A's. It allows a lot of topics to be covered in a short period of...

Episode 205: Magnesium and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Guillermo Ruiz

22 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Food is the foundation of autoimmune health, but there are a few nutrients that are difficult to get through food, and magnesium is one of those. For ...

Episode 204: Navigating the News with Sharon McMahon

08 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you ask people with autoimmune disease to name their biggest flare triggers, stress often tops the list. And if you ask people to name their top so...

Episode 203: Kids in the Kitchen with Ginny Mahar

24 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you see the power of food as medicine for yourself, it’s natural to want your children to benefit as well. It doesn't mean they need to eat jus...

Episode 202: Self-Love Workbook with Dr. Shainna Ali

10 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you have autoimmune disease, it's common to feel disconnected from your body and even betrayed by your body. Yet we live in our bodies, so this c...

Episode 201: Rheumatology Tests with Dr. Anna Lafian

27 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you get referred to a rheumatologist and they suspect autoimmune disease, there's a list of tests they run as part of the diagnosis process. If you...

Episode 200: The Gut-Skin Connection with Dr. Shayna Peter

13 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When we think of skin, we usually think of the outside of the body, but our skin reflects what's happening inside our body as well. It's rare for prob...

Episode 199: Best of – Overcoming Sugar Cravings with Dr. Vickie Bhatia

29 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes - for good reason! While not everyone has a sweet tooth, a lot of us do, and it's often hard to break...

Episode 198: Healing Mindset with Eileen Laird

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we have a very special episode. I’m celebrating the publication of my new book: Healing Mindset. It’s a guide to the mind-body connection fo...

Episode 197: Parenting with Chronic Illness

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Autoimmune disease brings a lot of changes to our lives, and as we all know, it doesn't just impact us alone. It also impacts those we love – friend...

Episode 196: Troubleshooting with Dr. Terry Wahls

18 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This podcast is all about autoimmune empowerment! Making choices in our daily lives that minimize symptoms and maximize our joy in living. That said, ...

Episode 195: Detoxify Your Home with Dr. Aly Cohen

04 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When we think of pollution, the first images that come to mind are things like smokestacks, oil spills, smog, and greenhouse gases. But you may not re...

Episode 194: Thyroid Tests with Dr. Datis Kharrazian

18 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Two of the most common autoimmune diagnoses are Hashimoto's Disease and Graves' disease, and they both involve the thyroid. Conventional doctors often...

Episode 193: Accessible Yoga with Jivana Heyman

04 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Before autoimmune disease, did you have a yoga practice that you loved but can no longer do? Do you struggle to find a way to adapt your practice to y...

Episode 192: Healthy Food Swaps & Nutritious Combos with Annie Rubin, RDN

21 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you're new to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, a lot of your favorite foods are suddenly off the table and you may wonder what you can eat! In today'...

Episode 191: Healing Stories 9

07 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a regular listener of my podcast, you know that I start every year with a Healing Stories episode. It features back-to-back interviews wit...

Episode 190: Best Of – Blood Sugar & Autoimmunity with Dr. Jeff Horacek

24 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes - for good reason! Autoimmune health depends on blood sugar balance. When our blood sugar gets too hi...

Episode 189: Best Of – Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics with Jeff Warren

10 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes - for good reason! If you think you can't meditate, this podcast is for you. Do you picture meditator...

Episode 188: Overcoming Food Fear

26 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When you first experience the connection between the food you eat and how you feel, that can be an empowering moment. But when certain foods cause you...

Episode 187: COVID-19 Vaccines and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Aly Cohen

12 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Aly Cohen is an integrative rheumatologist who blends both conventional and holistic approaches in her medical practice. She's been a great resour...

Episode 186: How to Ask for Help with Kalene Khan

29 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Human beings depend on each other. Sometimes we give help, and sometimes we receive it, but many of us are much more comfortable in the giving role. A...

Episode 185: Eye Health and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Rani Banik

15 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I have two friends who were diagnosed with autoimmune disease through a referral from their ophthalmologist. Their first symptoms appeared in their ey...

Episode 184: Anti-Inflammatory Supplements with Dr. Amy Nett

01 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Episode 183: Detoxifying Foods with Andrea Nakayama

17 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 d...

Episode 182: Big Decisions – Big Results

03 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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. T...

Episode 181: Overcoming Bias with Anu Gupta

20 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 li...

Episode 180: Body Image and Autoimmune Disease

06 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 ours...

Episode 179: Vitamin D and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. William Mitchell

23 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Vitamin D is one of the most commonly recommended supplements for people with autoimmune disease, because it's essential to immune system regulation. ...

Episode 178: Racial Trauma and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Letitia Browne-James

09 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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'r...

Episode 177: GMOs with McKay Jenkins

25 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The first genetically modified food hit the market in 1994. Now, nearly all the food included in a Standard American Diet contains GMO ingredients. Th...

Episode 176: Navigating Uncertainty with Dr. Damon Silas

11 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 dise...

Episode 175: Long COVID Syndrome with Chris Kresser

28 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Some people survive a COVID-19 infection but don't fully recover. How common is this outcome? What types of symptoms do people experience? Do we know ...

Episode 174: Health Benefits of Nature with Dr. Austin Perlmutter

14 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever been under a huge amount of stress and then stepped outside for a minute, and almost immediately felt your heart rate slow down, your br...

Episode 173: Cardiac Risk and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Millie Lee

30 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Research shows that people with autoimmune disease have a higher risk of developing heart disease than the general population, and heart disease is al...

Episode 172: Stool Testing with Dr. Lucy Mailing

16 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stool testing is one of the first tests run by functional medicine practitioners, because gut health and autoimmune health are intimately connected. H...

Episode 171: The Art of Letting Go with Courtney Carver

02 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Releasing a burden we've been carrying too long can lighten both body and soul. Yet this can be one of the hardest things to do, even when we want to ...

Episode 170: Gut Health Superfoods with Dr. Sarah Ballantyne

19 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Gut health and autoimmune health are intimately connected. So, focusing on foods that promote gut health makes sense. What qualifies as a gut health s...

Episode 169: Primal Play with Darryl Edwards

05 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are health benefits to play and health benefits to exercise, and there's a special power in the combination. Children know this naturally, but a...

Episode 168: Oxalates, Sulfur, and Salicylate Sensitivities with Heidi Turner, RD

19 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this podcast episode, we learn about some food sensitivities beyond the paleo autoimmune protocol: oxalates, sulfur, and salicylates. How common ar...

Episode 167: Why New Year’s Resolutions Often Fail with Dr. Shainna Ali

05 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With autoimmune disease, habits have a big impact on our health, yet 80% of New Year's resolutions fail. Why is this so? Should we give up? Or are the...

Episode 166: Autoimmunity 101 with Dr. Douglas Pucci

22 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Most people listening to this podcast have autoimmune disease, but it can be confusing to understand what exactly is happening within our bodies. That...

Episode 165: Healing Stories 8

08 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a regular listener of my podcast, you know that I often start my shows with personal stories, where my guests share their health journeys ...

Episode 164: Best Of – AIP FAQ

25 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes - for good reason! One of my goals is to make the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol as simple to follow as po...

Episode 163: Best Of – DNRS with Annie Hopper

11 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes - for good reason! If you're experiencing symptoms without a diagnosis, or symptoms that remain in sp...

Episode 162: AIP Celebrations

27 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

One of the joys of living is celebrating special occasions with those we love, and food often ends up being a central part of that celebration. What h...

Episode 161: Perfectionism with Dr. Judy Tsafrir

13 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Often, perfectionism is seen as a positive trait. What's wrong with striving for excellence? Nothing, but there's a difference between healthy strivin...

Episode 160: Insomnia & CBT-I with Dr. Jade Wu

30 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia is more effective than sleeping pills, and doesn't come with side effects. How compelling is that? We talk a...

Episode 159: Graves’ Disease with Dr. Abbi Lulsegged

16 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Most of my podcast episodes focus on autoimmune health in general, with information that can help all of us regardless of diagnosis. But I also enjoy ...

Episode 158: Inflammation with Dr. Will Cole

02 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Inflammation is a natural part of being human - in fact, it can save our lives, but when it gets out of control, it can also cause damage. People with...

Episode 157: The Healing Power of Journaling with Olwen Wilson

18 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the research, they call it expressive writing or art therapy. At home, we call it journaling. This simple practice is an amazing stress management ...

Episode 156: Cultural Foods and the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol

04 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We all come from cultural backgrounds where food is part of our family heritage. Did you grieve lost food traditions when you went paleo or AIP? Did y...

Episode 155: Nutritious Movement with Katy Bowman

21 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We talk a lot about nutrient density and diversity on this podcast. Every food has a unique nutrient profile, and when we get in food ruts and eat the...

Episode 154: COVID-19 & Autoimmune Disease Update with Dr. Aly Cohen

07 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Back in March, I recorded our first episode on the Coronavirus. Now, it's time for an update. How are people with autoimmune disease faring? What's th...

Episode 153: Gender, Race, and Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Maggie Cadet

24 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

78% of autoimmune patients are women, and some diagnoses are 2-3 times more common among women of color. When it comes to healthcare, ideally we all g...

Episode 152: Mind-Body Techniques for Pain with Vidyamala Burch

10 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We hear a lot about the mind-body connection, but what are its uses and what are its limits? Are there techniques we can use to minimize pain and mana...

Episode 151: Intuitive Eating and the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol with Steph Gaudreau

26 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Many people think of the AIP as simply a list of foods you can and can't eat, so how can intuition play a role? And if your intuition tells you to eat...

Episode 150: Diagnosis Detective with Dr. William Mitchell

12 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There are over 100 different autoimmune diseases, and it takes an average of 4 years and 5 doctors to get an accurate diagnosis. I know many of you ha...

Episode 149: Best Of – Sticking To It – Staying ON the Paleo AIP Wagon

29 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This is one of the most popular podcast episodes - for good reason! Let’s be honest. The paleo autoimmune protocol is hard to do, and some people ha...

Episode 148: Self-Soothing vs. Self-Care with Dr. Lili Wagner

15 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Self-soothing behaviors are the things we do to comfort ourselves in the moment, especially under stress. Sometimes those behaviors are healthy and do...

Episode 147: Loss of Oral Tolerance with Dr. Datis Kharrazian

01 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Why does food intolerance increase with autoimmune disease? And why are some people able to reintroduce foods successfully while other people struggle...

Episode 146: Anxiety & Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Maureen Pierce

17 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Many people with autoimmune disease struggle with anxiety as well. In this episode we talk about why that's true, how anxiety can interfere with our l...